The landscape of Central American cinema is expanding its reach into Europe as Vitrine Filmes España sets Alexandra Latishev’s fantasy fable ‘Sirens’ for production. The project, a symbolic fantasy that blends genre elements with a contemporary regional perspective, marks a significant strategic partnership between the Spanish production arm of Brazil’s Vitrine Filmes and Costa Rican creators.
Vitrine España, based in San Sebastián, will produce the film, titled Sirenas in Spanish, alongside Costa Rica’s La Linterna Films and Pacifica Grey. This collaboration represents the first co-production between Vitrine Filmes España and a Costa Rican entity, providing the project with a critical foothold in the European arthouse market.
The announcement comes as the project prepares for a high-profile pitch at Su Mirada, a showcase within the International Film Festival Panama (IFF Panama) dedicated to titles in development and post-production by female directors from the Caribbean and Central America.
A Fusion of Mythology and Political Voice
Directed by Alexandra Latishev Salazar—known for the Costa Rican Oscar submission Medea—Sirens moves away from the gothic horror of her previous work, Delirio (2024), toward a more symbolic, fantastical narrative. The story follows Telsi, a woman whose husband disappears at sea, leading her to take a job as a cleaning lady on a boat moored at a local marina.
Telsi soon discovers that the women guarding the boat engage in a mysterious ritual, leaving at dawn and returning soaked and weeping. The narrative takes a surreal turn when Telsi follows one of these women to an estuary, witnessing a physical mutation where the woman dissolves into the water and transforms into a half-crocodile creature.
Latishev Salazar has framed the project as an exploration of power and identity. “This project was born from the intention of making a Siren film within a contemporary Central American context,” she said. She further explained her interest in the mythological Siren as a figure that provokes fear by breaking hegemonic norms, stating that the power of such a figure lies in her voice, which serves as a “political tool.”
The choice of setting is equally intentional. The film is slated to be shot in Costa Rica’s Puntarenas province, a region Latishev Salazar noted is naturally populated by crocodiles, grounding the fantasy in a tangible, local geography.
Organic Ties to San Sebastián
The partnership with Vitrine Filmes España is not a random industry pairing but the result of a long-term organic connection to the city of San Sebastián. Latishev originally developed the concept for Sirens while pursuing a Master’s in Film Creation at the Elías Querejeta Zine Eskola.
The screenplay was co-written by Latishev and Camila Aboitiz, whose film Austral Fever also emerged from the Elías Querejeta Zine Eskola. According to Federico Montero, head of La Linterna Films, the project’s evolution within the Spanish academic and cultural context made the co-development structure with Vitrine Filmes España a “natural extension” of the film’s own history.
Julia Juncadella of Vitrine Filmes España expressed enthusiasm for the project’s ability to blend genre tropes with a strong connection to its territory, noting that the company’s involvement will be instrumental in shaping the film’s broader circulation strategy and positioning within Europe.
The Collaborative Process and Casting
Beyond the technical co-production, Sirens is being built on a foundation of community collaboration. Montero highlighted that the project is being developed through collaborative processes with local women, which are actively shaping both the narrative arc and the casting decisions.
This hybrid approach—sitting between auteur cinema and genre filmmaking—aims to offer a political reimagining of the body and the process of transformation. By integrating local voices into the development phase, the production seeks to ensure that the “territory and community” of Puntarenas are authentically represented.
The Track Record of La Linterna Films
The production of Sirens is anchored by La Linterna Films, a San Jose-based company founded in 2011. The studio has established a reputation for producing works that bridge the gap between local stories and international festivals.
| Project | Genre/Type | Notable Recognition |
|---|---|---|
| Medea | Fiction | Costa Rican Oscar entry; San Sebastián Horizontes Latinos |
| Delirio | Fiction/Gothic Horror | World premiere at 2024 Guadalajara Festival |
| Rebel Objects | Documentary | Selected for 2020 IDFA |
| Men Die Sooner | Fiction | Presented at Locarno’s Open Doors |
The studio’s history of navigating the San Sebastián International Film Festival—through both Medea and the academic development of Sirens—has provided the necessary bridge for this current European expansion.
Strategic Implications for Central American Cinema
The deal with Vitrine Filmes España is more than a production agreement; This proves a strategic move to enter what the producers describe as the world’s best arthouse market. By securing a European partner early in the development stage, Sirens bypasses many of the distribution hurdles that often face Central American independent films.
The involvement of Pacifica Grey, founded by Marcelo Quesada, further strengthens the project. As one of the most prominent arthouse distributors in Central America, Pacifica Grey provides the necessary infrastructure to ensure the film maintains its regional roots while scaling for an international audience.
The next major milestone for the project is its presentation at the IFF Panama Su Mirada showcase, where the team will pitch the project to further potential partners and stakeholders to finalize the production roadmap.
We invite you to share your thoughts on the intersection of folklore and political cinema in the comments below.
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