Chilean studio Juntos Films and two of Colombia’s most renowned actors, Angie Cepeda (“Rebellion”) and Juan Pablo Raba (“Narcos”), participate in the drama “Domestic Animals” by Colombian director Rafael Martínez Moreno, which participates in the Sanfic Fiction Lab of the Santiago Film Festival.
Juntos Films, together with Ivan Luna and Diana Pérez Mejia of Colombia’s Ferviente Films, is adapting the original story of the same name by Antonio Garcia Angel, who wrote the screenplay together with Diego Cañizal (Spain) and Juliana Ospina (Colombia).
In Domestic Animals, Felicidad, a 55-year-old domestic helper in Miami, works for the Ibarra family, who seem perfect but harbor dark secrets. As she becomes part of their luxurious world, she witnesses the failure of the marriage between Guillermo (Raba), an investor, and Claudia (Cepeda), a former beauty queen. Feeling increasingly distant from her crush Luis, Felicidad realizes she is trapped in a façade, much like the neglected fish she cares for in the glass mansion.
“When we read ‘Domestic Animals’ we realized that it is a quintessentially Latin American story. The journey of the protagonist Felicidad is one of immigration, marked by the challenges of inequality and classism, but nevertheless overcome with dignity and optimism. Rafael’s vision made it clear that he was not interested in romanticizing migration, but rather exploring the human experience in all its complexity and contradictions. This inspired us to become co-producers of the project,” said Francisco Hervé and Felipe Egaña of Juntos Films.
“Our decision also reaffirms our strong partnership with Ferviente Films, with whom we have worked closely on this and other ongoing projects,” they added, referring to the upcoming film “Reina Japonesa,” which is currently in development and scheduled to begin shooting in April next year.
For Luna, the story tackles complex and universal themes, including the pursuit of upper-class status, the ambiguity of the American dream, and the challenges of forming deep bonds amid self-imposed cultural class barriers. “These barriers often constrain the characters, leaving them isolated in their own social ‘fish bowls,'” Luna noted.
They hope to leverage film funds from Colombia, Chile and hopefully two more partners, ideally from Mexico and Europe, he said. Principal photography will take place primarily in Colombia, with at least a week in Miami for exterior shots. They hope to complete the funding phase next year and be shooting by the first semester of 2026, he added.
“What fascinates me most about this story is that our vulnerability unites us, even though we seem to come from different worlds,” Cepeda noted.
Pérez Mejia pointed to Martínez’s debut film “El Piedra” as proof of his ability to direct actors with great “skill, talent and sensitivity” and also stressed that having writer Juliana Ospina on board was crucial. “Her involvement provides a crucial female perspective in shaping the main characters and the complex relationship between Felicidad and Claudia, which is at the heart of the current script revision. This is particularly important to me as a woman, creative producer and project director,” she said. Diversity.
Sanfic started on August 18th and ended on 25th.th.
