Paris-based sales agent Alpha Violet has secured further sales on Mexican director Lila Avilés’ Berlinale Competition title Totem ahead of its world premiere at the festival on Monday (February 20).

Screen can also reveal the first trailer for the film, above.

The drama has been snapped up by Vedette for Benelux, the distributor that handled Lukas Dhont’s Close; Hurray for Taiwan, having recently dealt with Corsage and St Omer; and MCF MegaCom for ex-Yugoslavia. The sales follow early pick-ups by the UK (New Wave Films) and Spain (Adso Films).

It marks the second feature of Aviles after The Chambermaid, which was chosen as Mexico’s submission for the Oscars following its premiere at Toronto and San Sebastian in 2018. Her latest film follows a seven-year-old girl helping her family to prepare a surprise party for her father as chaos ensues and the bonds holding them all together begin to break.

It is a co-production between Mexico’s Limerencia Films and Laterna, Denmark’s Paloma Productions and France’s Alpha Violet Production.

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