Top 150 Most Anticipated Foreign Films of 2019: #99. Labor (Mano de obra) – David Zonana

Labor (Mano de obra)

Mexican producer David Zonana steps into the director’s chair with his debut Labor (Mano de obra), produced through Michel Franco’s Mexico City based Lucia Films, with Dario Yazbeck also serving as producer. The cast consists of non-professional bricklayers who Zonana worked with for several months, which included filtering some of the cast through acting workshops. Zonana has long been affiliated with Lucia Films, serving as associate producer on Gabriel Ripstein’s debut 600 Miles (2015), co-producing Franco’s Chronic (2015) and executive producing his 2017 title April’s Daughter. Zonana previously completed three short films (“Princesa,” 2014; “Sangre Alba,” 2016; “Brother,” 2017). An in-progress selection at Los Cabos Film Festival, there isn’t much work left for this to be complete.

Gist: Zonana’s feature concerns a group of bricklayers who feel they have ownership rights over a house they’ve built after they’re not compensated for their labor.

Release Date/Prediction: Zonana began production in Mexico City in May 2018. We are predicting Zonana’s debut to appear at Cannes, potentially in Critics’ Week or Un Certain Regard.