Paz Vega Thriller ‘Death Has No Master’ Lands at Tokyo Gap-Financing Market – TIFFCOM

Paz Vega-starrer “Death Has No Master,” a Venezuela-set thriller from director Jorge Thielen Armand, is participating in TIFFCOM’s Tokyo Gap-Financing Market, as the producers seek to secure the final 30% of the film’s $1.2 million budget.

The film, which previously participated in the Venice Production Bridge’s Gap-Financing Market, stars Vega as a woman who returns to Venezuela after two decades to sell her family’s cacao plantation, has recently shifted its shooting location to Colombia. The story follows her character Carolina’s confrontation with former workers who have occupied the land, leading to a dangerous power struggle that forces her to face both past trauma from a kidnapping and her own violent impulses.

The project marks Armand’s third feature following the acclaimed “La Soledad” and “La Fortaleza.” “My films are vehicles to investigate a broken identity – that of Venezuelans today – pieces of a puzzle I hope become the solid ground to stand on and, with time and distance, provide an image without cracks,” Armand tells Variety. “I’ve been abroad for over a decade, but Venezuela’s violence continues to haunt me every day. ‘Death Has No Master‘ continues some of the themes in my previous works, but this film is told from the perspective of a woman that has been exiled for 20 years. She’s full of conflicting feelings – disenfranchisement, anger, and at the same time longing for a place to call her own – it’s something all Venezuelans are familiar with after eight million people left the country, and this is what I intend to translate with this film.”

The director aims to explore the impact of corruption and class struggle in contemporary Venezuela. “Through the metaphor of a fight for a house, I would like us to reflect on how a corrupt legal system creates a vicious circle of violence,” says Armand. “What can we expect from a generation that is growing in such an abyss, where violence is omnipresent? In a country where everything is broken and the exodus won’t cease, who deserves what property? My film won’t provide answers, but it will unearth such questions.”

Producer Stefano Centini of Volos Films Italia was drawn to Armand’s distinct approach to South American themes. “Jorge’s previous films have proven his talent as a filmmaker and his ability to talk about broader themes such as identity and politics from the perspective of everyday life,” says Centini, who previously produced Chilean filmmaker Felipe Gálvez’s Cannes-winning “The Settlers.” “Having lived in different countries, including Italy, he has gathered enough experience to be able to tell stories from his land that can reach a broader public,” Centini adds.

With filming scheduled for mid-2025, the team is targeting a 2026 festival premiere. At Tokyo, the producers are not only looking to close the remaining funding gap but also exploring distribution opportunities. Centini sees potential in the recent co-production treaty between Japan and Italy, pointing to his experience with “The Settlers,” where Taiwan provided crucial last-mile funding and creative talent. Centini also operates Taiwan-based Volos Films.

“We are hoping once again Asia can be a new unexpected partner in this journey,” Centini says.

Armand is currently developing two additional features: an English-language film set in Canada and an Italy-Venezuela co-production with Centini. The pair is also completing a short film titled “Pasta Negra” for release next year.