Screen can exclusively reveal the first trailer for Venezuelan director Patricia Ortega’s Mamacruz, which receives its world premiere today (January 20) in Sundance’s World Cinema Dramatic Competition programme.

Spanish sales, distribution and production outfit Filmax handles the worldwide rights of the Spanish feature from Olmo Figueredo’s Pecado Films and José Alba’s Pecado Films in co-production with Venezuela’s Mandrágora Films, Ortega’s production label.

Mamacruz is a comedic, coming of age – but for the elderly – film. It centres on a grandma, Cruz, in her seventies who after spending decades without having an orgasm, unexpectedly one day, while surfing the internet, she starts to feel desires and sensations she believed were no more within her. But, being religiously devout, she faces a conundrum – how can balance her religious beliefs and her awakened libido?

So, Cruz tries to keep her marriage’s spark alive, changing her daily routines and re-discovering the forgotten pleasures of vibrant clothing and coquetry.

Mamacruz is the sophomore directorial effort of Ortega after 2018’s Being Impossible, which premiered at the SXSW and Guadalajara festivals, and was released on HBO in the US. Being Impossible was the Venezuelan submission for the Oscars’ international feature category in 2020.

Málaga-born Kiti Mánver, who appeared in Pedro Almodóvar’s Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown, stars in Mamacruz, alongside María José Mariscal and Pepe Quer.

Mamacruz’ script is co-written by Ortega and Andalusian director-writer José Ortuño who co-directed Animas, with Laura Alvea.

Figueredo’s La Claqueta is the company behind Aitor Arregi, Jon Garaño and Jose Mari Goenaga’s The Endless Trench while Alba’s Pecado Films is behind Víctor Erice’s upcoming Cerrar Los Ojos. 

Filmax will release Mamacruz at Spanish theaters.

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