Alta nabs Trapero's 'Elefante'

MADRID -- Leading Spanish arthouse distributor Alta Classics has picked up theatrical and home entertainment rights to social drama "Elefante blanco," the upcoming film by top Argentine helmer Pablo Trapero ("Lion's Den," "Carancho"). Trapero's biggest film to date in scale and budget -- now put at Euros4 million ($5.3 million) -- "Elephant" is produced by Spain's Morena Films, Trapero's Matanza Cine and Disney-backed Patagonik, in co-production with France's Full House. It toplines Ricardo Darin ("The Secret in Their Eyes") and Belgium's Jeremie Renier ("L'Enfant") as two priests who, along with a social worker, played by Martina Gusman ("Lion's Den," "Carancho"), battle to build a new housing complex in a Buenos Aires slum burb, flying in the face of Church authorities and warring drug cartels (see Weekly Variety, Dec. 5). The shoot kicked off late November in Buenos Aires and will travel to Bolivia for Central America jungle action before ending in January. Post-production takes place in Spain. "Elephant" marks the return to Bolivia by Morena, one of Spain's highest-profile international producers. It shot Iciar Bollain's 2010 colonization tale "Even the Rain" in Bolivia. "Rain" and "Elefante" consolidate a business model that features Europe-Latin American co-production, burning issues highlighted in a Latin American context, and Latin American talent, shoots and costs. Alta already distributed "Rain," scoring a standout $5.2 million B.O. this year. It will manage home entertainment rights through its Barcelona-based partner Cameo. Public broadcaster TVE pre-bought Spanish free-to-air TV rights. Contact the Variety newsroom at news@variety.com