Chile's Clara Films board sex trafficking drama ‘Amapola'

Clara Larraín’s Clara Films has joined the sex trafficking drama Amapola at the Venice Production Bridge co-production market.

Ecuadorian filmmaker Ana Cristina Barragán directs the co-production. which sees Clara Films take its place alongside Ecuador’s Trópico Cine and Brazil’s Klaxton Cultura Audiovisual.

The producers have earmarked a 2025 start once financing has been finalised on the story of Abigail, a 14-year-old girl in a recovery house for survivors of sex trafficking as she and other teenagers learn to regain control over their lives.

Amapola has gone through Locarno Open Doors Project Hub and BAL-LAB in Biarritz and has received development funding from Ibermedia and production support from Ecuador.

It is based on Barragán’s short film Bird (Ave), which shot in Quito on 16mm film and received its world premiere in Toronto International Film Festival last year.

The filmmakers have forged a strategic alliance with the Alas de Colibrí foundation, which supports trafficking survivors. Through this collaboration, young women contributed their experiences to the screenplay.

Barragán previously directed Alba, La Piel Pulpo, and is about to release La Hiedra.

Larraín, who will serve as executive producer on the feature and has a background in advocacy against gender-based violence, said Amapola tackled a topic that was “urgent and complex”, adding: “Amapola will not only be a powerful film but an important tool for raising awareness.”

Chile recently signed a bilateral co-production agreement with Ecuador.

This story first appeared on our sister site ScreenDaily.