BUENOS AIRES — Daniela Vega, star of Sebastián Lelio’s Academy Award winning “A Fantastic Woman” has boarded as executive producers of “Desierto Rosa,” the debut feature film of Constanza Majluf.
Produced by Chile’s Espejismo Cine and Peru’s Mestizo Studios, “Pink Desert” (“Desierto rosa”) will topline Lola Bravo, one of the stars of Sebastián Lelio’s Cannes-selected “The Wave,” in the role of Mariola, known in town as Mario, who lives in a desert mining town, in north Chile, in 1970. Invited by a theater company of transvestites, to travel to Lima, during the trip Mariola begins to discover who she has always wanted to be. “Returning to Chile, a new era of political and social change drives her to affirm her identity,” the synopsis runs.
“Pink Desert” also stars Daniela Vega, Marcelo Alonso (Pablo Larraín’s “The Club”), Mina Serrano (“Cris Miró, Ella”) and Claudia Di Girolamo (“Chromosome 21”).
“In Chile and Latin America, we are entering a stage very similar to the one portrayed in ‘Pink Desert’ where extremist political positions are failing to guarantee the rights that began to be achieved more than 50 years ago. As an actress and artist, I consider ‘Pink Desert’ urgent and necessary,” said Vega.
“The film maintains a comedic tone mixed with dramatic moments, which is what I find most outstanding about it and what attracted me to be a part of it,” she added. “This is part of our cultural identity, and it is presented in an honest and unique way.
The film is written by Majluf and Cannes Queer Palm winner Ignacio Juricic (“Lost Queens”). It is produced by the indefatigable Rodrigo Díaz, also behind “Do Not Let Me Die Alone,” from Chile’s Francisco Rodríguez Teare, which won two top awards at this year’s San Sebastián Co-Production Forum. Juan de Dios Larraín, producer of “Jackie,” “Spencer” and “Maria,” is collaborating on the project.
Constanza Majluf Courtesy of Constanza Majluf
Devin Armstrong
Key crew takes in Sergio Armstrong as DP, known for his cinematography on the films of Pablo Larraín, and Amparo Baeza (“White on White”) as production designer.
“We are at a crucial stage,” said producer Rodrigo Díaz at Espejismo Cine. “We have a confirmed cast with strong appeal both in Chile and internationally, as well as a top-tier technical team. We plan to enter pre-production in April 2026, and to do so we still need additional resources.
“Although we have secured the Feature Film Production Fund from the Chilean Ministry of Culture, along with Juan de Díos’s collaboration, we still require further support to produce the film under optimal conditions. We are particularly seeking co-producers, sales agents, platforms, and distributors who can join the project with their own funds, private investment, pre-sales or minimum guarantees.”
A National Board of Review student grant-winning actor, screenwriter and director, Majluf began her film career playing a sister in “The Motorcycle Diaries” and then a nurse on Pablo Larraín’s “Post Mortem.” She went on to work as a second assistant director on Eli Roth’s “The Green Inferno” and “Knock Knock.” As a director scored recently with the vertical series “Wings of Fire: The Dragon Slayer Is My Ex-Lover.”
As a project, “Pink Desert” participated in the Estelab Latin America-Europe co-production lab, Cine Qua Non Lab, Ibermedia and Fundación Carolina’s CDPAI, El Principio del Film at Ventana Sur and this year’s MAFF.
Pink Desert producer Rodrigo Díaz Credit – Maj
