LOCARNO, Switzerland — The Dominican Republic’s Cronos Films & Production has secured its initial pre-sales agreement on “Beyond the Mist,” (“Después de la Niebla”), a prime example of the company’s venture into what is described as a “sensory cinema” which does not “shy away from the social and political realities of the Dominican Republic.”

In an initial distribution deal on the title, brought to market this weekend at Locarno’s Match Me! networking forum, the Hague-based sales-distribution company Latin Quarter has acquired all-rights for the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg.

A burgeoning force on the Latin American, Spanish and Latinx diaspora auteur pic scene, Latin Quarter has a direct distribution operation in the Netherlands, as in the U.K., Germany and Spain. It is studying a “bigger collaboration” on the film, director Juan G. Castro told Variety .

"Match Me!" is actively pursuing collaborations with countries in Europe and Latin America to co-produce the film. Nidsbelle Guzmán, who will co-direct "Beyond the Mist" with Andrea Tudela ("Dueños del Tiempo") and serves as its producer alongside Homer Mora, shared this news.

Co-written by Guzmán and Emmanuel Galán ("Motel," "Atravesando el Jordán"), "Beyond the Mist" centers on David, who silently grapples with the loss of his grandmother.

The arrival of friends from abroad keeps him occupied, but after a period of emotional distress, he journeys deep into the forest, revisiting his memories. The synopsis explains, "There he realizes that his struggle is with himself, and he must confront his deepest pain: the death of his grandmother."

Erlyn Saul, Omar Patín and Lia Chapman are set to star. "Beyond the Mist" is scheduled to begin filming in December 2025 and continue into January 2026.

Guzmán told Variety that what sets the project apart is the "experience and research by both directors on the subject, focusing on sensory cinema through production design during project development, utilizing various states of water as a symbol for the main characters."

She added, "Original music is also a key element, with songs already composed for the film, and we have secured the rights to use them."

Experienced Peruvian screenwriter Pablo Vásquez (known for his works “Bésame Tonto” and “11-11 En mi cuadra nada cuadra”) has recently joined the screenwriting team, having co-written “Dueños del Tiempo.”

Vásquez “possesses a long and successful career in television and cinema, both in Peru and internationally,” said Guzmán.

She continued: “I shared the concept of ‘After the Mist’ with him, and he was immediately drawn to it because he had gone through a similar experience of grief and loss after his mother’s passing. I felt that his vision aligned perfectly with the story Emmanuel and I were crafting, and that he could bring invaluable experience and perspective to the project.”

“Bringing together talented individuals from different nations presents its own set of challenges, but the overall outcome has been positive and enriching,” Guzmán concluded.