Film Factory nabs global rights to Spanish sci-fi thriller ‘Singular’

Barcelona-based sales company Film Factory has picked up global rights to Alberto Gastesi‘s sci-fi thriller “Singular,” a former Sitges Pitchbox winner that will begin shooting this month.

“Singular” is the story of Diana, a university professor who works with artificial intelligence linguistic models. When Martín, Diana’s ex and the father of her late son Martín, invites her to spend a day at the lake, she’s shocked to meet a young man named Andrea, who undeniably resembles her deceased child. Given Martín’s expertise in robotics, Diana begins to suspect that the man has created an android version of their child. While every part of her wants to deny Andrea, she feels compelled to help free the boy from the prison-like grasp that Martín holds over him. 

Spanish Academy Goya Award winners Patricia López Arnaiz (“20 000 Species of Bees”) and Javier Rey (“Twin Murders: The Silence of the White City”) star as Diana and Martín.

According to Gastesi, “Singular” is inspired by science fiction cinematic references such as “Blade Runner,” “A.I. Artificial Intelligence,” “Ex Machina,” and “Arrival.” It uses the genre’s tools to examine thought-provoking questions about consciousness, identity, and human emotion—questions that are more relevant today than ever before.

“Singular” is produced by White Leave Productions and Vidania Films and backed by support from ICAA, the Basque government and the Community of Madrid with the participation of public broadcasters RTVE and EITB.

Producers Sergy Moreno and Alejandra Arróspide said of the project, ” It is a film that has artificial intelligence as its thematic axis and explores it through a family triangle brought together under exceptional circumstances.”

Film Factory managing director Vincente Canales, who will start sharing first images with buyers at the American Film Market in November, added, “It’s a project that pushes boundaries and offers a fresh take on the sci-fi genre. We believe it will attract audiences worldwide with its innovative storytelling.”

Genre films are among the hottest currency at most major markets these days, and the Spanish industry is responding in kind with a significant uptick in high-concept, ambitious science fiction, horror, and thriller stories. Recent standouts include Netflix psychological thriller pickup “The Platform,” Max’s supernatural horror series “30 Coins” and Sitges 2022 audience award-winner “Irati.”