Former Netflix executive Juan Mayne’s recently launched N&L Films and Beatriz Bodegas’ hugely influential indie La Canica Films are teaming on a new Spanish true-crime-inspired thriller, “Lo que sus ojos esconden,” working title “Behind His Eyes” in English, which is now in development with director Lluís Quílez and screenwriter Fernando Navarro.
Between August 1989 and April 1996, in the southern Spanish province of Almería, a dozen murdered sex workers’ bodies were found naked in ravines and on the sides of roads. Each victim fit into a similar profile, and a pattern quickly emerged. “Behind His Eyes” will tell a fictionalized version of the story of the ensuing investigation to find one of Spain’s most notorious serial killers. Dubbed Jack the Ripper of Almería by Spanish media, the Spanish killer’s first victim was discovered on the 100th anniversary of the Whitechapel killer’s similar crimes.
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According to producers, the film’s title reflects how viewers will feel while in the theater, that the killer could be anyone. Quílez and Navarro say the primary theme of “Behind His Eyes” will be obsession, demonstrated both in the killer’s brutal crimes and the unyielding work of investigators who spent years trying to discover his identity.
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Given that the real killer was never found, Mayne says it’s important that the film isn’t executed as a pure true crime proposition and embraces a more fictionalized drama narrative.
“This is an unsolved case, and so we don’t want to go into this treating it as if it were a documentary where everything on screen is based on fact. We’re presenting facts as they were perceived by specific characters, so it’s inspired by true events rather than being a real true crime film,” the N&L founder explained in a recent conversation with Variety.
“A very strong reference for us is ‘Zodiac,'” he continued. We want to make a suspenseful thriller that has people at the edge of their seats from the beginning until the end, not knowing what’s going to happen next.”
According to Bodegas, Quílez and Navarro were their first picks when it came to telling this story, as she and Mayne were both impressed by the duo’s most recent collaboration, Netflix Original “Below Zero,” an aesthetic-driven thriller that was a hit in Spain, earning both Spanish Academy Goya and Catalan Academy Gaudi nominations for editing and vfx respectively.
“Lluís’ scene setting, artistic vision and photography, everything he does is composed with a unique look. It has been there in his previous projects, and it’s exactly what this story demands,” she explained. “We want to create a feeling of cold, of fear and all those sensations. Those feelings don’t all come from actors and dialogue, but also from the aesthetics established by Lluís.”
While a streaming platform release hasn’t been completely ruled out, both producers agree that they want to see “Behind His Eyes” get a theatrical run.
“In a world where people seem to be gravitating more and more to streaming platforms, we want to continue bringing great stories to theaters because if we don’t, people won’t go,” said Mayne, a former Netflix executive who was recently appointed SkyShowtime regional content director for Iberia.
Bodegas agreed, “I love theatrical because seeing a movie in a theater is completely different than watching it on a TV. I believe that theaters will continue to thrive because people like going into that room to disappear for a couple of hours and experience a great story in the company of other people.”
While a commercially successful theatrical run is the primary objective, the duo says their goal is also to produce something of festival quality that will impress audiences and critics alike. La Canica has a history of doing just that. In 2016, the studio’s film “The Fury of a Patient Man” grossed $2.2 million at the box office, an impressive sum for a Spanish indie. It was also nominated for ten Goyas, winning best supporting actor, new director, original screenplay, and best film.
“We believe this film will be really special and one that will not only be a hit with audiences in theaters but one that will be great for the festival circuit,” said Mayne, understandably enthusiastic about the project.
Quílez and Navarro are currently writing and plan to finish the film’s screenplay by the end of this year. When the script is closer to completion, Mayne and Bodegas will begin courting other collaborators, including sales agents, distributors, and local broadcasters. Shooting is planned for 2025.