Santiago, Chile born filmmaker Marcela Saïd began in docu cinema before her move into narrative with The Summer of Flying Fish being selected for the Directors’ Fortnight section at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival. She would return to the Croisette four years later with Los Perros nabbing a spot in Critics’ Week section. Since then she moved into directing television series gigs such as “Narcos”, “Lupin” and “Blade Runner 2099”. Having worked in themes of class divides, female subjectivity and tension beneath domestic calm, the Franco-Chilean’s third feature a proposed dramatic-thriller moves her into a new terrain. Here is everything we know so far … for Marcela Saïd‘s El Puma.
A project that has been near and dear to Saïd for some time now, production finally took place in April and May of 2025.
Written by Saïd and Gonzalo Maza, this is about Ema and Olivier, a Franco-Chilean couple, live on the shores of Lake Pirihueico, in the heart of a nature as fascinating as it is formidable. Since the death of their seven-year-old son, they have led parallel lives: she dedicates herself to collecting lovers, and Olivier to his passion for hunting. This year, their obsession is a puma. They invite Rose and Vince, British friends, to join the hunt. The expedition takes an unexpected turn, and the two couples and their guide, Daniel, must confront their own demons to survive.
Re-teaming with her Los perros actress Antonia Zegers, we find veteran thesp Luis Tosar, Roger Casamajor and Gastón Salgado.
Saïd re-teams with Los perros cinematographer George Lechaptois and film editor Jean de Certeau returns for a third time. We have Chile ’76 art director Francisca Correa as well. Producers include Alejandra García, Wood Producciones’ Andrés Wood, Haut et Court TV’s Carole Scotta, Barbara Letellier, Eliott Khayat and Adrià Monés.
Currently on the last stags of post, we’re inclined to think that this Chile-France-Spain production might tempt Un Certain Regard, Cannes Premiere and Directors’ Fortnight section programmers while Locarno programmers might be looking to add this to their Golden Leopard competition. Toronto and San Sebastian Film Festivals are also in the cards. Protagonist Pictures are handling sales.
