Film Factory to sell Alex de la Iglesia thriller 'The Bar'

Film Factory has picked up worldwide sales rights to Álex de la Iglesia’s prestige thriller The Bar (El Bar) and is touting to buyers on the Croisette.

Pokeepsie Films, Nadie Es Perfecto and Atresmedia Cine produce the film from the Spanish genre specialist, whom Film Factory managing director Vicente Canales hailed as “one of the most ground-breaking and talented directors in contemporary cinema.”

The action takes place at a watering hole one morning where a regular leaves the establishment and is promptly shot dead.

When a customer who attempts to help the dead man is also killed, the clientele hole up inside, wondering not just why the killings are occurring, but where the killer is located. De la Iglesia wrote the screenplay with Jorge Guerricaechevarri.

Blanca Suárez, who starred in De la Iglesia’s 2015 comedy My Big Night and Pedro Almodovar’s I’m So Excited!, leads a cast that includes de la Iglesia regulars Mario Casas, Jaime Ordóñez, Terele Pávez and Carmen Machi.

The Bar marks Film Factory’s third collaboration with the director after My Big Night and Witching & Bitching.

“Álex de la Iglesia is the one of the most ground-breaking and talented directors in contemporary cinema,” said Canales. “He is a unique creator that has successfully developed a trademark and I’m sure that international distributors will love this funny and frenetic thriller.

“It’s again my pleasure to work once again with producers Pokeepsie, Atresmedia Cine and Nadie es Perfecto.”