Concourse Media has secured worldwide sales rights for the Costa Rican family drama April ahead of its world premiere at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival on February 7. The film marks actor François Arnaud's first Spanish-speaking role as a bartender who forms a bond with the protagonist. Directed by Hernán Jiménez, the story draws from his personal experiences with his mother.
Concourse Media, a Los Angeles-based sales firm, announced it has obtained worldwide sales rights to the Costa Rican drama April (Abril), set for its global debut at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival on February 7. The company plans to initiate sales at the festival and continue at the European Film Market in Berlin.
Written and directed by Hernán Jiménez, who also stars as the ex-husband, April centers on a divorcée named April, portrayed by Maricarmen Merino, navigating a strained relationship with her resentful daughter. When the daughter chooses to live with her father, April finds solace in an unexpected connection with Gabriel, a bartender played by François Arnaud. This relationship offers her a new perspective on life beyond marriage and motherhood, though revelations from her past threaten her stability.
Jiménez drew inspiration from his own complex relationship with his mother, whom he left behind when he departed home early. "My history with my mother is very complicated. I don’t think the film manages to capture it completely, but it’s an attempt," he told Variety. He described the film's ending as bittersweet, allowing him to reclaim aspects of his mother's story. Unlike his mother's declining health, the movie provides a more hopeful resolution, reflecting moments of closeness he now shares with her.
Produced by Jiménez and Esteban Quesada under their banner Witch Rock, the film was shot in Costa Rica after years of development challenges in Los Angeles. Jiménez self-funded the project, highlighting the country's improving film incentives and skilled crews. "After years of development limbo, I got tired of waiting: I flew back to Costa Rica and poured my heart (and the entirety of my savings) into ‘Abril,’" he said.
Kristin Harris, head of acquisitions at Concourse Media, praised the film: "‘April’ is a deeply human story that feels both intimate and universal. Hernán Jiménez brings extraordinary empathy and precision to the film and Maricarmen Merino delivers a performance that is quietly devastating."
Jiménez's previous works include the romantic comedy Entonces nosotros (About Us), which achieved the second-best opening weekend for a local film in Costa Rican history and represented the country at the 89th Academy Awards. His English-language debut, Elsewhere (2020), featured Parker Posey and others. He co-wrote the Amazon biopic A Million Miles Away and Netflix's Love Hard (2021), the latter becoming the platform's top international film at launch.
Merino, the lead actress, is also a filmmaker. Her short Bella won best director at the International Short Film Festival in Mexico, and her documentary ¿Dónde estás? premiered at the 2018 Guadalajara Film Festival.
