Annual Top Films Lists

Top 100 Most Anticipated Foreign Films of 2018: #89. Armando Bo’s Animal

Published on January 1, 2018

Animal

Oscar winning writer/director Armando Bo (Best Screenplay for 2014’s Birdman, which he co-wrote with writing partner Nicolas Giacobone) heads back to his native Argentina for his sophomore film, Animal. Starring Guillermo Francella (of The Secret in Their Eyes and Pablo Trapero’s 2015 film The Clan) as a happily married man who would seem to have it all, but finds a younger couple is able to offer him the one thing he seems to lack…Details are scarce on the plot of the upcoming thriller, but based on the title, one can certainly imagine a number of unseemly possibilities. Guillermo Francella, Carla Peterson and Gloria Carrá star.

Release Date/Prediction: Bo’s 2012 debut The Last Elvis competed in Sundance and swept Argentina’s Ariel Awards (and also picked up an award out of a San Sebastian sidebar). Touted as “the biggest and most highly anticipated Spanish-language theatrical film set to be released in 2018” by producer Viacom International Media Networks-Americas, we’re assuming Bo’s Animal will be a highly sought after property. While production began in the Fall of 2017, we’re assuming the film’s producers are hoping for a Cannes premiere—although Directors’ Fortnight tends to be a bit more welcoming to genre. A domestic May release in Argentina is planned.

Nicholas Bell

Los Angeles based Nicholas Bell is IONCINEMA.com's Chief Film Critic and covers film festivals such as Sundance, Berlin, Cannes and TIFF. He is part of the critic groups on Rotten Tomatoes, The Los Angeles Film Critics Association (LAFCA), the Online Film Critics Society (OFCS) and GALECA. His top 3 for 2021: France (Bruno Dumont), Passing (Rebecca Hall) and Nightmare Alley (Guillermo Del Toro). He was a jury member at the 2019 Cleveland International Film Festival.