EXCLUSIVE: Duván Duque, the Colombian writer-director behind 2024 Oscar-qualifying short All-Inclusive, has signed with UTA and Silent R Management.
World premiering at TIFF last year before going on to play over 70 festivals around the world, where it picked up 20+ awards, Duque’s latest watches as a young boy’s fragile family is shaken when his desperate father faces the possibility of money laundering as a way out of their financial struggles, putting the kid’s precious bond with his stepmother at risk. By shifting the focus from a spectacular tales of drug lords to the emotional journey of a boy with little control over his fate, the drama offers a fresh angle on Colombian society, transcending the typical tropes through which it’s represented.
All-Inclusive was produced by Oscar-nominated French producers Christophe Barral and Toufik Ayadi of Srab Films (Les Misérables, Saint Omer), as well as Colombian producer Franco Lolli and his company Evidencia Films (Litigante).
Currently writing his first feature, exploring similar themes to those of All-Inclusive, Duque’s shorts, including 2019’s Marshmallows, have positioned him as one of the most visible emerging Colombian filmmakers. His work tends to explore the relationship between the Bogota upper-class, power, money, and corruption, as well as the effect these tensions have on the most intimate spheres of family and friends.
Founded by Jewerl Ross in 2006, Silent R’s focus is on championing the work of emerging artists around the world. In the last two years, the company has produced or financed four films — three of them, by first-time directors. The first was Hulu/Onyx Collective’s acclaimed drama Bruiser, starring Jalyn Hall, Trevante Rhodes and Shamier Anderson, which premiered at TIFF last year. Another of these titles, Sujo, by Mexican auteurs Fernanda Valedez and Astrid Rondero, is set to premiere in competition at Sundance 2024. Notable clients of the company include Academy Award winner Barry Jenkins and Coco scribe Matt Aldrich, as well as such international filmmakers as Robin Campillo (BPM), Gabriel Mascaro (Divine Love), Bora Kim (House of Hummingbird) and JP Valkeapää (Dogs Don’t Wear Pants), to name just a few.
Check out Duque’s short, All-Inclusive, below.