Feature Film directed by Roberto Doveris
Phantom Project (2022) it's a Chilean independent film produced by Niña Niño Films and Agencia Rekia. It explores film genres, moving between indie comedy, drama and horror, in the frame of an LGBTQ+ story. Its world premiered was in January 2022 at the Tiger Competition at the International Film Festival of Rotterdam IRRF, and it has been part of the selection of IndieLisboa (Portugal), Seattle IFF (USA), Bafici (Argentine), München FilmFest (Germany), Off Camera (Poland), Frameline (USA), OutShine (USA), InsideOut (Canada), Mix Milano (Italy), Edinburgh IFF (Scotland), FicValdivia (Chile), Thessaloniki (Grece), among others. It won the Best Performance Award for Juan Cano at the Bafici International Film Festival, and won the Best Edition Award at the Festival Tucumán Cine.
Short Synopsis
Pablo (30) is an aspiring actor who works as a simulated patient and in odd alternative therapy sessions to make ends meet. As his life continues to spiral, his housemate vanishes, saddling him with more debt and mounting problems, including a dog and a cardigan possessed by a ghost.
Long Synopsis
Pablo is a young actor who dreams with being part of a film, but in order to pay the bills he has to work as simulated patient in medicine schools, and weird sessions of alternative therapies called familiy-constellations. But it's not only his career that becomes stuck, his life also seems to be spiraling as he's still in love with his successful ex-boyfriend and his roommate disappeared without paying the rent, leaving behind several problems... among them, a ghost. This is the start of Pablo's journey through the Ñuñoa neighborhood, meeting new friends and allies, finding out that the path to fulfill his dreams will be more tangled and strange that he thought.
First Look Teaser & Cast Reveal
Reviews
“A pleasant though minor queer-skewed indie slice-of-life look at Millenials in Chile (...) Exuding a gentle, unpretentious indie appeal, Phantom Project will see some traction on the LGBTQ circuit but need not be limited to that demographic" – Jay Weissberg for THE FILM VERDICT
“An example of modern queer cinema. Early on, you get the sense this is queer cinema made by a queer filmmaker" – Cara-Lynn Branch for UNIVERSALCINEMA
“A delightfully offbeat, fresh new comedy with a loose, comfy feel—much like a certain sweater" – Hebe Tabachnik for SIFF
“The Chilean director, however, knows how to find a good balance, gracefully moving across a light flirtation with horror, through animated interludes, to a somewhat lighter, humorous tone." – Programmin Team for OFF CAMERA
“Ghost Project, co-produced by Niña Niño Films and Rekia Agency, was planned during the COVID-19 quarantine and filmed in early 2021. It turns on Pablo, an aspiring actor, who works as a simulated patient and in odd alternative therapy sessions to make ends meet. As his life continues to spiral, his housemate vanishes, saddling him with more debt and mounting problems, including a ghost” – Anna Marie de la Fuente for VARIETY
Cast / Crew / Techical Sheet
Cast: Juan Cano, Ingrid Isensee, Violeta Castillo, Fernanda Toledo, Fernando Castillo, Yasmín Ludueñas, Natalia Grez, Rocío Monasterio, Claudio González Ravanal, Marco Carmona, Constanza Fernández, Sofía Oportot
Crew: Director: Roberto Doveris / Writer: Roberto Doveris / Cinematographer: Patricio Alfaro / Editor: Sylvana Squicciarini / Editor Assistant: Catalina Sandoval / Direct Sound: Cristián Verdugo / Art Director: Constian de la Rosa / Sound Design: Mauricio Flores Roig / Producer: Roberto Doveris, Aura Sinclair / Production Company: Niña Niño Films, Agencia Rekia
Technical Information: Original Title: Proyecto Fantasma / Shot in Digital 4K / Available for screenings in DCP 4K / Color / Image format: 1.85:1 / 93 min / Sound format: 5.1 / Original language: Spanish / Subtitles: English / Chile 2022
Director's Biography (long)
Roberto Doveris launches Niña Niño Films in 2010, company where he produces and directs his opera prima “Las Plantas” (Plants), premiered in Berlinale Generation 14+. The film won Best Feature Film Award and the Crystal Bear's Special Mention, and then was part of Jeonju IFF, CPH:PIX, BAFICI, La Habana IFF, The D'A FF Barcelona, Mostra de Sao Paulo and FicValdivia. It was theatrical distributed in Spain and Chile, and through streaming platforms as MUBI, FILMIN, ZINEC, Cameo and OndaMedia.
Doveris has been Jury member at Berlinale Generation 2017, Femcine 2017, Visionär Jury Award 2017, Bafici 2016, AntofaDocs 2016 and Festival de Cine de Quito 2016, where "Las Plantas" (Plants) won the major prize.
As producer, he has premiere the film "Víctima Potencial" (Potential Victim) at Tallinn Black Nights in 2018, and the next year he premiered "El Príncipe" (The Prince) in La Settimana Internazionale della Critica (SIC) of Venice Film Festival, winning the Queer Lion Award. The film was selected in Horizontes Latinos in San Sebastian, Busan IFF, La Habana IFF, Chicago IFF, BFI Flare, Istambul IFF, Queer Lisboa, among many others, and won the Platino Award for Best Supporting Role in 2021.
Currently he's launching as producer the film está "El Pa(de)ciente" // "(Im)Patient", premiered internationally at Busan International Film Festival and distributed by TVCO. The film won the Audience Award at Huelva Ibero American Film Festival. As director he's in the last stage of post-production of his second feature called "Proyecto fantasma" (Phantom Project), and producing for 2023 his third and forth feature film "Matar al Dragón" (Slay the Dragon) and "Devenir Loba" (Becoming Vixen), both funded by the Chilean Audiovisual Fund on 2020.
Director's Short Biography
Doveris launches Niña Niño Films in 2010, producing his opera prima "Las Plantas" (Plants), premiered in Berlinale Generation 14+, where it won the Best Picture Award and the Crystal Bear Special Mention. Currently he will premiere his second feature "Proyecto Fantasma" (Ghost Project) in 2022. As producer he has participated in "Potential Victim" (2018), "The Prince" (2019) and "(Im)Patient", selected in prestigious international film festivals such as Venice IFF, San Sebastian, Busan IFF, Tallinn Black Nights PÖFF, Huelva, La Habana, Bafici, CPH:PIX, BFI Flare, Jeonju IFF, D'A Barcelona IFF, Mostra de Sao Paulo, among many others.
Director's Note
As its name shows, this is a side project that we were able to shot while our others projects were stopped due to the COVID19 crisis. It is a small and independent film, shot in my own neighborhood with my friends and my film fellows, partners in crime. In June 2020 we decided to produce the film, but the script was older, it was in my head way before the pandemic. It was born from the dream of making a film in my own apartment with my friends and people I admire, always in a small scale but with a huge artistic freedom. Finally, thanks to Agencia Rekia and Niña Niño Films we could shoot in 2021, in the gaps between quarantines.
This is a very personal film, it reflects several personal experiences that I had with roommates, friends and ex boyfriends. My intention was to portrait what it feels like to be an artist and 30 years old, with sporadic jobs, fail relationships and an adult world we're getting if full of expectations of success. I wanted to portrait the tenderness in the human relationships in this hard horizon, highlighting friendship as the most substantial thing for a gay dude feeling depressed and a little bit alone. Also, I wanted to show how strange are the connections between people in a giant city as Santiago, where internet and social media play an important role, but without leaving behind the warm and closeness of neighborhood life.
Spanish Texts
Sinopsis Corta:
Pablo es un joven actor que trabaja como paciente simulado y en terapias alternativas para poder ganarse la vida. De pronto, su compañero de casa desaparece, dejándole deudas, el perro y un chaleco poseído por un fantasma.
Sinopsis Larga:
Pablo (30) es un joven que sueña con actuar en películas de cine, pero para sobrevivir trabaja como paciente simulado y en extrañas sesiones de terapias alternativas. Su vida viene cuesta abajo, acaba de terminar una relación y su compañero de casa desaparece, dejándole deudas y un sin fin de problemas… entre ellos, un fantasma. Este será el comienzo de su travesía por el barrio de Ñuñoa, conociendo a sus vecinos, haciendo nuevos amigos y descubriendo que el camino para cumplir su sueño será más enredado y complicado de lo que parece
Ficha Técnica:
Elenco: Juan Cano, Ingrid Isensee, Violeta Castillo, Fernanda Toledo, Fernando Castillo, Yasmín Ludueñas, Natalia Grez, Rocío Monasterio, Claudio González Ravanal, Marco Carmona, Conrado Soto, Constanza Fernández, Sofía Oportot
Equipo Técnico:
Director: Roberto Doveris / Guionista: Roberto Doveris / Fotografía: Patricio Alfaro / Edición: Sylvana Squicciarini / Asistente de edición: Catalina Sandoval / Sonido Directo: Cristián Verdugo / Dirección de Arte: Constian de la Rosa / Diseño Sonoro: Mauricio Flores Roig / Productores: Roberto Doveris, Aura Sinclair / Casas Productoras: Niña Niño Films, Agencia Rekia
Información Técnica:
Título Original: Proyecto Fantasma / Título Internacional: Ghost Project / Formato de registro: Digital 4K / Formato final: DCP 4K / Color / Aspecto: 1.85:1 / Duración: 93 min / Sonido: 5.1 / Idioma: Spanish / Subtítulos: English / Chile 2021
Biofilmografía larga del Director
Roberto Doveris funda Niña Niño Films el año 2010, donde produce su ópera prima “Las Plantas”, estrenada en Generation 14+ de la Berlinale. La cinta gana el premio a Mejor Película y se lleva la mención especial del Crystal Bear, para luego formar parte de la selección de Jeonju IFF, CPH:PIX, BAFICI, La Habana IFF, D'A IFF Barcelona, Mostra de Sao Paulo y FicValdivia. Fue distribuida en salas de cine en España y Chile, y en plataformas de streaming como MUBI, FILMIN, ZINEC, Cameo y OndaMedia.
Ha sido jurado internacional en BERLINALE 2017, en FEMCINE 2017, en Visionär Jury Award 2017, en BAFICI 2016, en ANTOFADOCS 2016 y en el FESTIVAL de Cine de Quito 2016, donde "Las Plantas" obtuvo el máximo reconocimiento.
Como productor estrena el 2018 la cinta "Víctima Potencial" en Tallinn Black Nights, y el 2019 lo hace con el largometraje "El Príncipe" en La Semana de la Crítica de Venecia, ganando el premio Queer Lion. Esta cinta luego forma parte de Horizontes Latinos de San Sebastian, del Busan IFF, La Habana IFF, Chicago IFF, BFI Flare, Istambul IFF, Queer Lisboa, entre muchos otros, y obtiene el Premio Platino por Mejor Actor de Reparto el año 2021.
El año 2021 estrena como productor "El Pa(de)ciente" de Constanza Fernández en Busan IFF y gana el Colón de Oro por el premio del público en el Festival de Huelva. Como director estrenará su segundo largometraje de ficción "Proyecto Fantasma" durante el 2022, mientras que prepara sus siguientes proyecto "Devenir Loba" y "Matar al Dragón" para el 2023, estos últimos apoyados por el Fondo Audiovisual Chileno.
Nota de dirección
Una película de bajo presupuesto, independiente, grabada en el barrio y con los amigos, a la medida de un rodaje en medio de la pandemia COVID19. En marzo junto a Niña Niño Films y Agencia Rekia planeamos la realización de “Proyecto Fantasma”, una idea que me rondaba la cabeza y que fue la única manera de seguir haciendo cine mientras todos nuestros otros proyectos se detuvieron.
Una película que recoge muchas experiencias diferentes que tuve con compañeros de casa, mi objetivo era plasmar esa particular manera de habitar los 30 siendo artista, con trabajos esporádicos, relaciones fracasadas y un mundo adulto lleno de exigencias. Quería poder retratar la ternura de las relaciones en ese horizonte, la amistad como un pilar fundamental, y la extraña manera en que la gente se conecta e intersecta en una ciudad gigante, pero que se siente pequeña y cálida en la vida del barrio.