By MICHAEL GINGOLD
The frightening fable has been compared to the early works of Guillermo del Toro.
Shudder has announced its acquisition of Jayro Bustamente’s RITA, which world-premieres Thursday, July 25 at Montreal’s Fantasia International Film Festival, and has set a streaming premiere for November 22. Writer/director Bustamante won a great deal of praise for his previous Shudder Original LA LLORONA; the new film stars Giuliana Santa Cruz, Alejandra Vasquez, Ángela Quevedo, Isabel Aldana, Sabrina De La Hoz, Margarita Kénefic and Maria Telón. According to Shudder, “The film’s child actresses are composed of Guatemalan first-time performers who were selected to join the production following a national casting call that resulted in over 5,000 applicants. The selected few who appear in RITA worked collectively alongside Bustamante to build their characters’ backgrounds and advised on elements of the film’s use of magical realism.”
The synopsis: “While fleeing a neglectful household, 13-year-old Rita is placed in an oppressive state-run orphanage. Rita’s arrival provides a glimmer of hope to the girls inside, who share a prophecy that an angel will appear to release them. Encouraged by one another, the girls plan an escape to claim their freedom and expose the orphanage’s abuses of power. Based on the true story behind one of Guatemala’s most harrowing tragedies, RITA shines a light on the brave orphans whose fight for survival inspired a nationwide outcry for justice and reform.”
“Working with Shudder from the beginning felt like the right connection, as I found a distributor that shares the belief that cinema is more than just entertainment or a commercial product,” Bustamante says. “Since we launched LA LLORONA, Shudder has shown a great ability to handle my films, making them available to viewers through various channels, recognizing that the genre in cinema can be used to generate a powerful, positive, and thought-provoking social impact.”
Says Emily Gotto, Shudder’s SVP of Acquisitions and Production, “We are so proud to continue our work with Jayro, who has proven time and again to be a fearless filmmaker whose dedication to his homeland has put a spotlight on the rich talent and complicated history of Guatemala. RITA again demonstrates Jayro’s deft handling of the horror genre as a catalyst for powerful storytelling, and we can’t wait for the film to leave an impact on audiences.”
