MADRE Founders on Bringing Culturally Diverse Freshness to the U.S.

MADRE is a US-based production company that channels a Latin gaze into a bilingual, borderless filmmaking powerhouse. Committed to a global perspective, its directorial talent roster includes Cannes Lion award winner Luisa Kracht, the Brazil-based duo Kid Burro, Faride Schroeder, and more talent from across Argentina, the UK, Spain, Mexico, and the US.

MADRE is also home to ESTUDIO, a Guadalajara-based animation studio formed by stop-motion directors Sofía Carrillo, Juan José Medina, and Luis Tellez, Oscar nominees and Ariel Awards winners who have collaborated with the likes of director Guillermo del Toro. Additionally, the MADRE ecosystem also includes BESTIA, a creative animation studio in Buenos-Aires that specialises in art direction and distinctive hand-crafted techniques.

The company was launched Stateside in 2023 by its three co-owners: managing director Jonathon Ker, who brings with him 25 years of production experience in the US market; EP and director Alejandro Saevich, an award-winning filmmaker himself, and co-founder of Mexico City-based production company Madrefoca; and Jorge Aguilera, also a celebrated director and co-founder of Madrefoca.

LBB’s Ben Conway caught up with the trio to discuss how the American dream of MADRE was brought to life, some of their proudest moments so far, and how they’re ‘scouting for the undiscovered.'

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