ME & THE BEASTS
A film by Nico Manzano
An alternative rock band’s singer-guitarist starts a solo career, seeking inspiration as Venezuela’s crisis roils, with the help of “The Beasts”, two mysterious masked beings.
Status: Completed
Year: 2021
Genre: Dramedy, Musical, Fantasy
Country: Venezuela
Language: Spanish
Available subtitles: English, French, Italian, Portuguese, Polish, Greek
Runtime: 78 min
Original title: Yo y Las Bestias
Nico Manzano was born in Caracas, Venezuela, in 1986. He studied stop motion animation at 9zeros and Cinematography for Film at CECC in Barcelona, Spain. He has directed several music videos, live visuals and commercials. His music video MESMERISING GUN was part of the Official Selection of the Seeyousound Festival in 2016, a nomination shared with Radiohead, Bonobo and Jamie XX.
ME & THE BEASTS (“Yo y las Bestias”), his first feature film, won three of the six prizes offered at Ventana Sur´s Primer Corte 2020.
FILMOGRAPHY
2021 Me & The Beasts (78′)
CAST
Jesús Nunes
Gabriel Agüero
Estefanía Quijada
Irving Coronel
CREW
Director: Nico Manzano
Screenplay: Nico Manzano
Cinematography: Nico Manzano
Editing: Alan Ohep
Sound: Erik Aldrey
Music: Nika Elia, Nico Manzano and Christian Mijares
Executive producers: Alan Ohep, Ricardo Espinoza and Nico Manzano
Production Company: Linterna Studio
2021
Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival
Mar del Plata International Film Festival
2022
Lincoln Center – Neighboring Scenes: New Latin American Cinema
San Diego Latino Film Festival
FICCI Cartagena de Indias
Les Reflets du Cinéma Ibérique et Latino-américain
Ojoloco – Festival de Cinéma Ibérique et Latino-américain
Chicago Latino Film Festival
Milwaukee Film Festival
Sopot Film Festival
Cine Las Americas International Film Festival
Kimolos International Film Festival · Best Director
Festival del Cine Venezonalo · Best Film · Best First Feature · Best Director · Best Sound · Best Music
Cine Magnífico | Albuquerque Latino Film Festival
AFI Latin American Film Festival
CineBH Belo Horizonte International Film Festival
Soundscreen Film Festival · Best Feature Film · Grand Jury Prize for Outstanding Musical Contribution
Venezcine Mexico
Cinema Venezuela
Festival RIZOMA · Audience Award
2023
Norient Film Festival
RiverRun International Film Festival
Gerardo Vallejo Latin American Film Festival
Locarno Film Festival | Open Doors
Cicla – Cita con el Cine Latinoamericano
Venezuelan Film Festival Japan
Venezcine Madrid
20_
An unpredictable ride, atmospheric and with a freestyle of tempos, which will bring the audience to meet new, unexpected, friends.
Javier García Puerto, Tallinn Black Nights
With a tragicomedy tone, this opera prima filmed with a good pulse by Manzano places him as a director to follow.
Diego Battle, Otros Cines