Underscoring a renewed appetite for Latin American cinema, Buena Vista has secured Latin American and U.S. rights to “Pepita,” the latest feature from renowned Argentine writer-director Lucía Puenzo (“XXY,” “La Jauría,” “Señorita ’89”).
The news was announced to Variety by Puenzo at the South International Series Festival in Cádiz, whose third edition closed Wednesday Sept. 17 with the screening of Puenzo’s “Futuro Desierto,” a Mexican dystopian drama series teaming Gaumont USA, Paramount TV Intl. Studios and TIS Studios.
A real life-inspired story
In post, “Pepita” toplines Argentine star Luisana Lopilato (“Perdida,” “Pipa”), who also serves as executive producer.
Inspired by the notorious real-life figure of Margarita Di Tullio, known as “Pepita La Pistolera,” the film charts her rise from glamorous madame in Mar del Plata’s underworld to infamous legend after a triple homicide in 1985 that cemented her place in Argentina’s criminal mythology.
“Pepita” is produced for Buena Vista by Lucas Jinkis’ Zeppelin Studio Latin America (“Nahir,” “Días de Gallos”), alongside Historias Cinematográficas, the production company founded by Academy Award winner Luis Puenzo (“The Official Story”).
Scripted by Lucía Puenzo, Andrés Gelós (“Yosi, the Regretful Spy”) and Tatiana Mereñuk (“Dive”), the feature is a highly awaited Latin American thriller.
On Disney+ by 2026
“Buena Vista will release ‘Pepita’ theatrically in Latin America and the U.S., before a streaming launch on Disney+ in 2026,” Puenzo told Variety in Cádiz.
The film is being positioned for a festival run starting early next year, with Berlin among potential targets. International sales outside of the Americas remain available, with European and Asian buyers expected to come into play in the months ahead.
First-look images of Lopilato in character as Pepita were recently unveiled, fuelling anticipation for the feature.
Supporting cast includes Claudio Tolcachir (“The Bronze Garden”), Marcelo Subiotto (“The Eternaut”), Esteban Bigliardi (“Society of the Snow”), Alberto Ajaka (“Mazel Tov”) and comedian Charo López in her dramatic debut, in addition to many sex workers.
Bridging Cinema and Premium TV
Scheduled for a Latin American release via Netflix in February, “Futuro Desierto” is a near-future psychological thriller and family drama that explores big questions sparked by AI. The series toplines José María Yazpik (“Narcos: Mexico”), Àstrid Bergès-Frisbey (“Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides”) and Andrés Parra (“Pablo Escobar, El Patrón del Mal”). Gaumont USA produce for Paramount Television International Studios, with Colombia and Mexico-based TIS Studios handling international.
With both “Pepita” and “Futuro Desierto”, Argentina’s Lucía Puenzo is building on one of Latin America’s most internationally acclaimed careers, moving seamlessly between cinema and premium TV. Her debut feature “XXY” won Cannes’ Critics’ Week Grand Prize and the Goya for Best Spanish Language Foreign Film.
“The German Doctor” earned multiple awards, including Havana’s Coral for best director, and was Argentina’s Oscar submission. More recently, Puenzo’s Prime Video drama “Dive” scored two International Emmys, for best series and best actress (Karla Souza).
Also, Puenzo will soon travel to Mexico eyeing the upcoming global release of Netflix original series “No One Saw Us Leave.”
