Chilean wunderkind Diego Céspedes whose debut feature “The Mysterious Gaze of the Flamingo” (“La Misteriosa Mirada del Flamenco”) snagged the top prize in Cannes’ Un Certain Regard last year, is prepping his sophomore pic, “The Case of the Boy Who Lost His Heart.”
News comes in the wake of another milestone in the 31-year-old’s fledgling career when he was invited to join the 79th Cannes main competition jury last May. He became the first Chilean filmmaker – and certainly the youngest – to receive such an honor since Raúl Ruiz in 2002.
Set in a fog-shrouded Chilean town circa 1992, his latest pic centers on disgraced detective Ferrari (59) who is investigating a series of murders—men found without hearts, their deaths blamed on a monstrous woman. With her assistant Sheyla Williams (32), she follows the trail to a family of women who work seasonally harvesting giant-lettuces. There she uncovers the truth behind the myth: the unresolved horrors of the dictatorship and a murderous hatred of dissident bodies.
“I’m thrilled to be filming in Chile again. After everything the past few years have brought, starting a new film feels like the beginning of a new chapter. I’m excited to discover new faces, meet new talent and at the same time reunite with the people I’ve had the privilege of working with for so many years. I can’t wait to get started,” Céspedes told Variety.
