Heretic Takes International Sales on Valentina Maurel's 'Forever Your Maternal Animal' Ahead of Cannes Premiere

# Heretic Takes International Sales on Valentina Maurel's 'Forever Your Maternal Animal' Ahead of Cannes Premiere Heretic has boarded international sales on the film 'Forever Your Maternal Animal'. The film is the new project from director Valentina Maurel. It is set to premiere in Un Certain Regard at the Cannes Film Festival.

Benelux distribution for 'Forever Your Maternal Animal' is set with Cineart. JHR Films will release the film in France. Variety reported these developments. 'Forever Your Maternal Animal' follows Elsa, who returns to Costa Rica after years of studying in Europe and reconnects with her younger sister.

Elsa's younger sister has drifted into an increasingly elusive and introspective world. Elsa's parents retreat into their own private preoccupations.

Production Details of 'Forever Your Maternal Animal' 'Forever Your Maternal Animal' is produced by Wrong Men and Geko Films in co-production with Pimienta.

Producers are Benoît Roland and Grégoire Debailly with co-producer Nicolás Celis. The production is a collaboration between Belgium, France, and Mexico. Valentina Maurel is of Franco-Costa Rican origin and is based in Costa Rica.

She holds a degree in filmmaking from INSAS in Brussels. Her graduation film 'Paul Is Here' won first prize at the Cinefondation selection of the Cannes Film Festival in 2017. Maurel's short 'Lucía en el limbo' was shot in Costa Rica.

It was selected for Critics’ Week at the Cannes Film Festival in 2019. The short also screened at the Toronto Film Festival and won first prize at the Guanajuato Film Festival.

Background on Valentina Maurel's Career Heretic represented Maurel's debut feature 'I Have Electric Dreams'.

That film is a Locarno competition title. 'I Have Electric Dreams' premiered in competition at the Locarno Film Festival in 2022. Ioanna Stais is Heretic’s head of sales and acquisitions. ’ Having been with her since ‘I Have Electric Dreams,’ we deeply value her artistic vision and the emotional precision she brings to every frame.

Distribution Partners' Statements Stephan Depotter is co-CEO of Cineart.

’ I greatly admire the way her direction brings out such authentic and nuanced performances from the cast. ” Jane Roger is co-founder of Paris-based arthouse distributor JHR Films. Arnaud Dommerc is Jane Roger's partner at JHR Films.

Jane Roger added: “Together with my partner Arnaud Dommerc, we were immediately struck by how ‘Forever Your Maternal Animal’ confirms Valentina Maurel as a singular voice on family and desire – at once clear-eyed and deeply sensitive.