Marianela Maldonado
Writer / Director
Venezuela
After graduating from the NFTS (UK), Marianela made the short films The Look of Happiness and Breaking Out, both premiered at Cannes, which gave her access to the Cinéfondation writing residence. As a screenwriter, she participated in Peter and the Wolf (Oscar 2008), Unmade Beds (Sundance 2009), The Flying Machine (Toronto 2013) and Magic Piano (NY Film Festival 2011). She is now editing her documentary The Children of Las Brisas, filmed over the past 6 years in a dangerous slum of Venezuela.
Project
The Belly of the Whale
Santiago and Sofia share the same father: Roger, a congressman accused of corruption. They have never been close, they actually despise each other, but this changes when they are forced to hide in the east coast of Venezuela, after their father becomes a paranoid fugitive. They are taken to a remote beach house by Manuel, a young fisherman that Santiago remembered from his childhood. They are soon left completely abandoned, circumstance that drives them closer. After a storm leaves the house with no electricity, they are forced to walk for more than a day through a deep jungle until they finally reach the fisher’s town. They manage to find Manuel and notice he lives as a squatter in an old tuna company confiscated years ago by Roger. Santiago and Sofia face the devastation caused by their father’s corruption and realize that Manuel is part of the criminal network. Driven by his strong desire of salvation, Santiago doesn’t abort his escape plan, but believes his ally can betray them.
