LOCARNO: Film Republic has secured world rights to Paraguayan-Swiss co-production El Tiempo Nublado by Arami Ullon.

One of the first acquisitions to be confirmed from this year’s Locarno Film Festival line-up, feature doc El Tiempo Nublado first launched at Visions du Reel where it received the Section Regard Neuf award.

The deal was negotiated between Film Republic’s Xavier Henry-Rashid and producer-distributor Pascal Traeschlin at Karlovy Vary where it received its international premiere last month.

Film Republic previously picked up Fuori Concorso selection Cherry Pie by Lorenz Merz in Locarno in 2013 where they also signed Rosie by Marcel Gisler, with veteran production house Cobra Film helmed by Susann Ruedlinger.

“Locarno is already a major, but also increasingly important stepping stone in the festival calendar,” said Xavier.

“Its repertoire of art-house and mid-level buyers, as well as extremely supportive selection of, maybe sometimes less obvious development or post stage titles [this year’s Open Doors focuses on the African continent, with the Carte Blanche on Brazilian cinema] offers a good balance between a business as well as cinephile geared festival.”

El Tiempo Nublado is Arami Ullon’s first feature film, and will be released by leading Swiss distribution house Cineworx headed by Pascal Traeschlin.