U.K.-based genre specialist Jinga Films has acquired international sales rights for “The Dollmaker” (“Encantador”), a buzzy psychological horror directed by José María Cicala and produced by Abril Cicala for Argentina’s Shock House Films.
The film tells the story of Tomás (Rodrigo Noya), a charming boy who lives in the quiet town of Palacios, where everyone knows each other and nothing important ever happens. However, Tomás hides his strange relationships with a secret doll collection in his house and with his mother, a woman who is extremely dependent on him.
Palacios’ normal order is disrupted by the arrival of Inspector Porter, who intends to replace the town’s only police officer and is close to retirement. After receiving troubling calls about three missing women, Porter begins an investigation, even if his predecessor couldn’t be less interested.
With its David Lynch-esque atmosphere and a blend of rural noir and psychological dread, the film proposes an exploration of the thin line between innocence and madness. +