Netflix Reteams with ‘Eternaut’ Star Ricardo Darín on New Movie as Streamer ‘Doubles Down’ on Argentina 

Netflix has unveiled a new film with “The Eternaut” lead Ricardo Darín, Argentina’s biggest star, and another by popular director Marcos Carnevale (“Elsa and Fred”), starring Oscar Martínez (“Official Competition”).

“Lo dejamos acá” stars Darín and Diego Paretti, another big Argentine player, in a movie about a pragmatic psychoanalyst (Darín) who begins to distrust traditional psychological methods, crossing ethical lines with his patients. Everything seems to work – until a creatively blocked writer (Peretti) enters his practice. 

Produced by Darín’s label Kenya Films, in a pedigree creative package “Lo dejamos acá” is helmed by Hernán Goldfrid, who directed Darín in box office hit “Thesis of a Homicide” and co-directed “Caught” as well as one of HBO Latin America’s best series ever, “The Bronze Garden.” It is written by Emanuel Diez, who co-wrote Juan José Campanella’s “The Envoys” and Mariano Cohn and Gastón Duprat’s “El Encargado” (“The One in Charge”) and “Nada,” co-starring Robert De Niro.

Written and directed by veteran helmer Carnevale, behind box office hits such as “Elsa and Fred” (2005) and Corazón de Leon (2013), his next, “El Último Gigante,” turns on a charismatic tour guide who is unexpectedly reunited with estranged father Julián, who abandoned him 28 years ago. 

“Through tense and emotional encounters, the two explore past wounds, resentment, and the possibility of forgiveness,” a Netflix logline runs. 

“El Último Gigante” stars Martínez and Matías Mayer, along with Inés Estévez, Luis Luque, Silvia Kutika, and Yoyi Francella. It is produced by Leyenda Films and Kuarzo International Films.

Both new features initiate production this month. The two new movies join the previously announced “Parque Lezama,” from Argentinian Oscar-winner Juan José Campanella (“The Secret in Their Eyes”). 

Set up at his Buenos Aires label 100 Bares Producciones, it stars Luis Brandoni and Eduardo Blanco in an unlikely buddy tale of two elderly gentleman, one a lifelong communist, the other apolitical, who spend the day talking on a bench in Lezama Park in Buenos Aires, as they negotiate conflict with other park users and their own families. “Parque Lezama” is based on Campanella’s own stage play starring Brando and Blanco, a three season smash hit, broadly “I’m Not Rappaport,” a stage play by Herb Gardner, which originally ran on Broadway over 1985-88, winning Tony Awards for best play, lighting design and actor (Judd Hirsch).

Netflix has also ordered a new documentary, currently in post-production, explores the infamous case of serial killer Yiya Murano. Alejandro Hartmann directs. It is produced by Haddock Films and Vanessa Ragone — which backed “The Photographer and the Postman: The Crime of Cabezas” and “Carmel: Who Killed María Marta?”.

Netflix’s Doubling Down on Argentine Film, TV

With the new films, Netflix is “doubling down” on its commitment to Argentine storytelling, it announced Sunday. That cuts various ways. Netflix is not only ordering up originals but making acquisitions on completed movies, a financial arrangement which has flowered in recent times.

Recent licensing deals take in Benjamín Avila’s “The Woman in the Line” (La Mujer de la Fila”) starring Natalia Oreiro, Alberto Ammann, and Amparo Noguera; Miss Carbón, starring Lux Pascal and Paco León, directed by Agustina Macri; and in new news, “Risa,” starring Peretti, Joaquín Furriel, and Cazzu, featuring the debut of Elena Romero, and directed by Juan Cabral.

The two new movie announcements come after Argentina has scored two global No. 1 non-English-language TV series hits in the space of just over a month. Crime thriller “Caught” (“Atrapados”), starring “The Secret’s” Soledad Villamil and an Argentine makeover of Harlan Coben’s novel of the same name, topped Netflix’s global charts over March 24-30.

Sci-fi series “The Eternaut: Season 1,” shot in its first week to the streamer’s No. 1 global non-English show berth and remained there for two weeks running over April 28 to May 11. One of Netflix’s biggest and boldest swings ever in Latin America, the large-scale series turns on hallowed national IP – an iconic Argentinian graphic novel – in line with Brazil’s “Senna” and Colombia’s “One Hundred Years of Solitude.”    

With some 20 projects underway, including series, documentaries and films, Netflix Content VP for Latin America, Francisco Ramos announced last August,  Argentina’s film-TV industry has a new white knight, at least for several dozen projects.

Argentina’s INCAA film-TV agency recently announced calls for submissions for second features by directors. It will also organize a Buneos Aires Ventana Sur along with Cannes Marché du Film and Uruguay’s ACAU film institute, the three partners announced at Cannes.

The state aid is light years away, however, from the substantial Argentinian state-sector film funding of the last two decades, which gave it the biggest production volume in features of any country in Latin America. While INCAA has pulled out, Netflix is pulling in, filling part – just part – of the breach. 

“Our commitment to Argentina is unwavering. We are passionate about being part of the audiovisual creation of this incredible country, promoting its cinema both within and beyond its borders. We will continue offering the highest-quality entertainment to our members and showcasing the best of Argentina through its films, which are unique and globally acclaimed,” said Ramos. 

He added: “I’m especially proud to strengthen our collaboration with Ricardo Darín, with Kenya Films and with Juan José Campanella, with whom we are already working on two projects. We hope they find a home at Netflix.”