Legions (film)
A sorcerer escapes a hospital to save his daughter.
Legions (also released under the title *Cosa e' Mandinga*) is a 2022 Argentine supernatural horror film directed and written by Fabián Forte. The story follows Antonio Poyju, a powerful sorcerer played by Germán de Silva, who breaks out of a psychiatric hospital to track down his daughter Helena (Lorena Vega). Helena has lost her magical abilities, and Antonio needs her help to stop demonic forces that are causing chaos across Argentina.
The movie was shot in Buenos Aires and Misiones Province. Its first screening took place on 5 January 2022 at the Casa de Cultura Mario Quintana in Porto Alegre, Brazil. Throughout 2022, it was featured at several festivals, including the Fantaspoa Festival, Sitges Film Festival, and the Fantasia International Film Festival. XYZ Films handled the North American release, making it available on video-on-demand from 19 January 2023.
Forte began writing the script in late 2015, with multiple revisions over the following years due to budget constraints. Funding came from Argentina’s National Institute of Cinema and Audiovisual Arts (INCAA) and the Instituto de Artes Audiovisuales de Misiones (IAAVIM), with Coruya Cine producing. Principal photography started in late 2019 in Buenos Aires, with Mariano Suarez as director of photography and Laura Aguerrebehere as art director. Flashback scenes planned for Misiones in April 2020 were delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic, leading the team to edit existing footage and do further rewrites. By June 2020, the film was reported to be in post-production. Additional Misiones filming took place in December 2020. Executive producer Yamila Barnasthpol noted that while Suarez and Aguerrebehere returned to keep the visual style consistent, the rest of the crew—including sound, art, costume, makeup, and lighting—were local technicians from Misiones.
A trailer for the film appeared on YouTube in June 2020. After its Porto Alegre premiere, the film screened at the Capitol Cinematheque on 30 April 2022 as part of the 18th Fantaspoa Festival, with Forte attending as a speaker. It also played at Sitges in Spain and at the Fantasia International Film Festival in Canada on 24 July 2022. In July 2022, FilmSharks acquired international sales rights, while XYZ Films secured North American distribution. Critic Martin Pazos of TN praised the film’s balance of humor and horror, as well as the performances by de
- Release year
- 2022
- Country
- Argentina
- Language
- Spanish
- Director
- Fabián Forte
- Genre
- Supernatural horror
- Notable cast
- Germán de Silva, Lorena Vega
Lore & Background
Legions was filmed in Buenos Aires and Misiones Province, Argentina. Filming began in late 2019 in Buenos Aires, with Mariano Suarez as director of photography and Laura Aguerrebehere as art director. Flashback sequences shot in Misiones were originally scheduled for April 2020 but were postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, prompting the filmmakers to review and edit existing materials and conduct further rewrites. In June 2020, the film was reported as being in post-production. Additional filming took place in Misiones in December 2020, with a crew composed primarily of misionero technicians; Suarez and Aguerrebehere returned to maintain aesthetic consistency, while the remainder of the crew—including sound, art, costume, makeup, and lighting departments—were Misiones-based.
Reader's Guide
Legions premiered at the Casa de Cultura Mario Quintana in Porto Alegre, Brazil, on 5 January 2022, and screened at several film festivals throughout the year, including the Fantaspoa Festival, Sitges Film Festival, and the Fantasia International Film Festival. The film's international sales rights were acquired by FilmSharks in July 2022, and its North American distribution rights by XYZ Films, which released it on video-on-demand on 19 January 2023. Critic Martin Pazos of TN commended the film for its balance of humor and horror and the performances of de Silva and Vega, noting influences including The Day of the Beast, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, and The Evil Dead. The film was financed by the National Institute of Cinema and Audiovisual Arts (INCAA) and the Instituto de Artes Audiovisuales de Misiones (IAAVIM), with Coruya Cine as production company.
Did You Know?
- The initial screenplay for Legions was written by Fabián Forte in late 2015, with various rewrites over the next few years partly due to budgetary restrictions.
- An official trailer for Legions was uploaded to YouTube in June 2020.
- The film premiered in Porto Alegre, Brazil, on 5 January 2022.
- Executive producer Yamila Barnasthpol stated that the crew was composed primarily of misionero technicians.
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