MoreThan Films has acquired international sales rights to Gabriel Azorín’s “Last Night I Conquered the City of Thebes” (“Anoche Conquiste Tebas”) ahead of its world premiere as part of the Giornate degli Autori section at the Venice Film Festival, also known as Venice Days.
“Last Night I Conquered the City of Thebes” is Azorín’s directorial feature debut following works in short (“El Buen Amor,” “Tomorrow the Bullet”) and medium-length form (“Los Mutantes”) that have played at major festivals such as San Sebastián and Lille. “Thebes” was one of the buzziest titles at Locarno’s prestigious Match Me! networking platform in 2021, as has had the distinction of being put through two of Spain’s most prestigious development programs, San Sebastián’s Ikusmira Berriak and Madrid’s ECAM Incubator.
In the film, co-written by Azorín and Celso Giménez, António and Jota return from the front with their friends looking for an ancient Roman thermal bath. The baths have reappeared after years under the water of a reservoir to great attention — and curious visitors. But there is something mysterious about these thermal waters – as if the baths influence the mood of the men, giving them the courage to say things they have never told anyone. As day turns to night, they confess their feelings and their fears of losing their best friend forever, the synopsis ends.
Key cast includes Santiago Mateus as Antònio, Antònio Gouveia as Jotas, Oussama Asfaraah as Aurelius and Pavle Čemerikić as Pompei.
Azorín told Variety he is “thrilled” to collaborate with MoreThan Films. “I know their commitment to films that take narrative risks, while also serving as a special kind of shelter for the audience.”
MoreThan Films managing partner Queralt Pons Serra emphasized how the film “had that special spark” at labs, markets and works-in-progress showcases over the last years. “We’re genuinely excited to team up with talented filmmaker Gabriel Azorín and a fearless group of producers who’ve already positioned the film on the international map,” she added.
“That early buzz gives us a strong head start as we prepare for the festival premiere and global launch,” continued Serra. “At its core, this is a story about friendship and the quiet fear of losing someone you love. We love that the film offers a fresh and honest take on masculinity and intimacy – a tender, vulnerable bond between men that’s rarely explored on screen with such sensitivity. It brings a perspective we don’t often see in cinema, and that makes it all the more powerful.”
“Last Night I Conquered the City of Thebes” is a co-production between Madrid’s Dvein Films, La Coruña’s Filmika Galaika and Lisbon’s Bando à Parte. In late 2020, the project won an RTP Award, consisting of the pre-buy of rights from the Portuguese public broadcaster at the Seville European Film Festival.
MoreThan Films is an international film sales agency based between Barcelona, Berlín and São Paulo.
