The Western, directed by Iván David Gaona, is a production of La ContraBanda, a Film Development Fund (FDC) beneficiary*.
Adiós al amigo (Farewell to a Friend), a feature film supported by the FDC 2023 post-production incentive for feature films, has been selected for its world premiere at both the 37th Tokyo International Film Festival and the 40th Warsaw International Film Festival. The film is produced by La ContraBanda SAS, directed by Iván David Gaona and Mónica Juanita Hernández Duquino, in co-production with 2-35 Digital, Sonata Films, and HDCinema Colombia, with additional support from the Mayor's Office of Güepsa (Santander, Colombia) and Babilonia Films. The film is set to be released in Colombian theaters in early 2025, with Cineplex responsible for Latin American distribution.
The Colombian feature film is part of the Central Competition of the Tokyo International Film Festival, which will take place from October 28 to November 6, 2024. This festival is the only one in Japan recognized by the International Federation of Film Producers Associations. It will also be screened at the Warsaw International Film Festival as part of the Free Spirit competition section. This event will take place from October 11 to 20, 2024, and aims to promote Polish cinema internationally while showcasing the latest trends in global cinema.
In 1902, after a thousand days of civil war in Colombia, revolutionary soldier Alfredo Duarte Amado receives a telegram announcing that his brother's wife is pregnant. Now that the war is over, he persuades an amateur photographer to join him deep in the Chicamocha Canyon in search of his brother, who disappeared during the conflict. The photographer is also searching for the man who killed his father. This is the setting for the film, which features a cast that includes Willington Gordillo Duarte, Cristian Hernández Castillo, Marina Olarte, Alfonso López, Yohanini Suárez, Salvador Bridges, Suetonio Hernández, Julio Valencia, Rodrigo Santamaría, Taja Seweri and Penakjuanene Llano.
The technical team of Adiós al amigo includes executive producer Iván David Gaona Morales and producer Mónica Juanita Hernández (Pariente). The cinematography was done by Andrés Hernández, and the art direction was done by Juan David Bernal. The set design was created by Lyse Paulette Marceille, while Hebert Wallens was responsible for the prop design. Make-up design was by Lili Bonil and costume design was by Diana Oliva. The soundtrack features direct sound by José Jairo Flórez (Los viajes del viento) and original music by Edson Velandia Corredor. The film was edited by Juan Carlos Sánchez, color design by José Espinosa, and sound design by Daniel Garcés. Field production was coordinated by Miguel Antonio Zanguña, with Marcela Angulo as the first assistant director. Juan Camilo Fonnegra did the graphic design, and Iván David Gaona directed the preparation of the actors.
Filmed in the Chicamocha Canyon near Cepitá (Santander, Colombia), Adiós al amigo is inspired by historical events and reflects a recurring cycle in the country: the ongoing struggle between political factions and the challenge of reconciling seemingly irreconcilable ideas. Although the film features characters and events from that era, it uses fiction to facilitate the interaction between them, allowing each character to construct their own perspective on the war based on their unique view of life.
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