Costa Rican director Alexandra Latishev Salazar is reinterpreting classical siren mythology through a feminist-focused lens with her upcoming feature film “Sirens,” which has secured backing from Spain’s Vitrine Filmes España. The production represents a notable achievement for the director, whose earlier films comprise the Oscar-submitted “Medea” and the gothic horror film “Delirio.” Scheduled to premiere at Panama’s International Film Festival this week as part of the Su Mirada programme celebrating female filmmakers from Central America and the Caribbean, “Sirens” constitutes Latishev’s third feature film and signals her ongoing commitment on women’s experiences. The film will be jointly produced with Costa Rica’s La Linterna Films and the regional distribution company Pacifica Grey, establishing Vitrine Filmes España’s inaugural Costa Rican partnership whilst positioning the project a presence within Europe’s thriving arthouse market.
A New Approach to Ancient Mythology
“Sirens” moves away from traditional interpretations of the mythological marine beings, grounding the narrative in contemporary Central America whilst imbuing it with dark and emblematic fantastical components. The film follows Telsi, a woman who secures work as a cleaner aboard a boat anchored at a nearby marina, where she becomes entangled with a mysterious group of women residents. As Telsi watches her fellow inhabitants departing at dawn, only to return drenched and clearly traumatised, she undertakes her own nocturnal investigation. What she discovers at the river mouth radically alters her comprehension of identity and transformation, as her body undergoes a shocking transformation into a part-reptilian being, blending horror with the fantastical.
Latishev’s engagement with siren mythology deliberately subverts the traditional male-gaze narratives that have historically shaped these creatures in Western storytelling. By situating the narrative within a Central American setting and centring women’s agency and bodily autonomy, the director establishes grounds for exploring themes of survival, collective action and reinvention. The film’s fantastical symbolic dimensions allow for fuller investigation of how women negotiate power relations and environmental displacement. This reinterpretation demonstrates Latishev’s ongoing artistic investment to prioritising female perspectives and perspectives, establishing “Sirens” as both a genre film and a socially aware reflection on present-day women’s realities.
- Protagonist Telsi examines enigmatic figures vanishing at dawn
- Body transformation sequences merge horror with symbolic mythological elements
- Latin American setting anchors mythic storyline in present-day context
- Film examines women’s empowerment through unconventional creature lore
Distribution Across Europe and Global Expansion Plans
The unveiling of Vitrine Filmes España’s involvement marks a significant achievement for “Sirens,” positioning the film within Europe’s robust arthouse distribution landscape. By obtaining support from the San Sebastián-based distribution and production division of Brazil’s Vitrine Filmes, Latishev’s latest feature film achieves unprecedented access to continental territories where arthouse and genre-driven films thrives. This deliberate collaboration comes strategically timed, just days before the film’s presentation at Su Mirada, the IFF Panama’s prestigious showcase dedicated to works by women filmmakers across Central America and the Caribbean, enhancing its profile amongst sector insiders and future partners.
The agreement underscores growing international recognition of Costa Rican cinema and feminist-focused narrative work within the global film community. Vitrine Filmes España’s support for “Sirens” showcases broader industry trends towards supporting unique perspectives that blend genre conventions with socially conscious storytelling. For Latishev, whose previous features “Medea” and “Delirio” have garnered critical acclaim and international sales representation, this partnership represents validation of her artistic trajectory whilst offering the resources and distribution infrastructure required for “Sirens” to connect with sophisticated viewers across Europe and beyond.
Vitrine Filmes España’s Central Function
Julia Juncadella, representing Vitrine Filmes España, highlighted the company’s keen interest in accompanying Latishev on this significant endeavour. She pointed out the film’s effective blend of narrative conventions with contemporary perspectives and its deep resonance to its regional backdrop. The executive’s statement reinforces Vitrine Filmes España’s commitment to supporting unique creative talent from overlooked areas, positioning “Sirens” as representative of the company’s broader curatorial vision and investment strategy within the worldwide art cinema landscape.
This inaugural Costa Rican collaborative film project for Vitrine Filmes España indicates the company’s growing presence into Central American cinema. The collaboration between La Linterna Films and Pacifica Grey demonstrates a joint methodology to filmmaking that respects regional expertise whilst utilising distribution channels across Europe. Such arrangements become ever more essential for independent productions pursuing viable routes to international markets, guaranteeing that region-specific stories achieve the commercial and critical platforms they deserve within the competitive landscape of worldwide film distribution.
Joint Creation and Artistic Approach
The creation of “Sirens” represents a carefully orchestrated partnership between three separate entities, each contributing specialised expertise to the project. La Linterna Films, the Costa Rican production company led by Latishev and filmmaker Federico Montero, serves as the creative heart, whilst Vitrine Filmes España provides production infrastructure across Europe and distribution expertise. Pacifica Grey, founded by Marcelo Quesada and recognised as one of Central America’s most prominent arthouse distribution companies, provides essential regional market knowledge and exhibition connections. This tripartite arrangement illustrates modern independent film approaches, whereby collaborative ventures transcend geographical boundaries to pool resources, expertise, and distribution channels. The partnership framework allows “Sirens” to maintain its distinctive creative vision whilst obtaining the financial backing and international reach necessary for ambitious genre-inflected fantasy productions.
Latishev’s conceptual framework for “Sirens” emerged from a deliberate intention to reimagine classical siren mythology within a modern Central American context. The director’s commitment to centring women’s perspectives and perspectives—evident throughout her previous fiction features—manifests here through a allegorical fantastical story that interrogates displacement, bodily transformation, and women’s autonomy. By grounding her fantastical elements within familiar geographic and social contexts, Latishev constructs a narrative that functions simultaneously as close personal examination and broader cultural commentary. The joint creative process has allowed these thematic ambitions to flourish whilst remaining grounded in practical production considerations, guaranteeing that the film’s genre elements strengthen rather than diminish its affective and intellectual depth.
| Production Element | Details |
|---|---|
| Lead Production Company | La Linterna Films (Costa Rica) |
| European Co-Producer | Vitrine Filmes España (Spain) |
| Distribution Partner | Pacifica Grey (Central America) |
| Development Showcase | IFF Panama’s Su Mirada (Female Directors Showcase) |
La Linterna Films’ Track Record
La Linterna Films has carved out a role as a major presence within Costa Rican cinema, particularly through its dedication to narratively ambitious and thematically complex storytelling. The company’s working relationship with Latishev has generated original creations that foreground women’s stories whilst grappling with genre conventions. The studio’s foundational ethos—prioritising artistic vision alongside commercial sustainability—positions it as an perfect collaborative fit for projects like “Sirens,” which demand both imaginative ambition and rigorous execution.
Federico Montero’s involvement as director and producer within La Linterna Films brings additional production expertise and artistic oversight to the project. The company’s track record demonstrates strong engagement with festival networks and international sales mechanisms, guaranteeing that projects receive appropriate industry exposure amongst industry insiders and knowledgeable viewers. This existing structure proves essential for “Sirens,” enabling the film to progress through development whilst maintaining momentum towards its eventual premiere and distribution rollout across international and European territories.
Thematic Coherence in Latishev’s Filmography
“Sirens” represents a organic development within Alexandra Latishev Salazar’s artistic trajectory, developing from recurring themes evident in her earlier films. Her debut feature “Medea” (2017) and later work “Delirio” (2024) both centred female perspectives with substantial emotional and psychological complexity, establishing the director’s commitment to exploring feminine perspectives through genre-inflected narratives. Instead of abandoning these preoccupations, “Sirens” extends them into metaphorical fantasy spaces, allowing Latishev to question mythological frameworks traditionally constructed through male perspectives. The mythology of sirens—traditionally portraying women as dangerous seductresses—receives fundamental reimagining by way of her feminist perspective, transforming these figures as multifaceted figures whose changes reflect wider experiences of displacement, loss, and agency under patriarchal structures.
The shift from gothic horror in “Delirio” towards symbolic fantasy in “Sirens” demonstrates Latishev’s expanding generic vocabulary and thematic ambitions. This movement permits more profound examination of physical self-determination, metamorphosis, and resistance without abandoning the visceral emotional power evident in her previous films. By positioning her protagonist Telsi within a community of mysterious women whose nocturnal metamorphoses suggest both fragility and otherworldly strength, Latishev crafts a story that challenges conventional gender expectations whilst celebrating feminine solidarity and self-determination. The Central American setting grounds these fantastical themes in contemporary geographical and cultural specificity, ensuring that the film’s fantastical elements serve authentic storytelling rather than mere spectacle.
- “Medea” (2017) — San Sebastián festival contender exploring classical mythology via contemporary feminine perspective
- “Delirio” (2024) — Gothic horror investigating psychological trauma and bodily metamorphosis in women’s narratives
- “Sirens” (development) — Symbolic fantasy reimagining siren mythology across Central American geographical and cultural context
Festival Growth and Sector Acknowledgement
The announcement of Vitrine Filmes España’s participation arrives at a pivotal moment for “Sirens,” with the project scheduled to be showcased at the Panama Festival’s Su Mirada programme in the coming days. This prestigious platform, focused on showcasing work from female directors across Central America and the Caribbean, provides an perfect platform for Latishev’s most recent project. The moment emphasises the film’s significance within contemporary Latin American cinema, positioning it alongside other emerging voices transforming cinema in the region. Su Mirada’s focus on films in development and post-production offers industry professionals and distributors an first look of “Sirens,” facilitating important discussions around funding, distribution, and global collaborations.
Vitrine Filmes España’s deal marks the production’s inaugural co-production with Costa Rica, reinforcing ties between the Spanish and Central American film industries. The San Sebastián-based company’s involvement secures European access to one of the world’s most dynamic arthouse markets, substantially expanding “Sirens'” market potential and commercial trajectory. Julia Juncadella’s comments underscoring the film’s fusion of genre elements with contemporary perspective and territorial specificity reflects sector acknowledgment that Latishev’s work transcends regional boundaries whilst preserving authentic cultural grounding. This partnership confirms the director’s artistic vision whilst offering essential infrastructure for presenting her ambitious fantasy project to international audiences.