EXCLUSIVE: Paris-based The Pool Films has boarded sales on Mexican star Gael García Bernal‘s upcoming feature Hombre al agua ahead of the European Film Market this week.
García Bernal, who was seen recently in Lav Diaz’s Megallan, directs and stars in Hombre al algua, which translates as “man overboard”, although an English-language title has yet to be set.
Co-written by García Bernal with Mariano Pensotti, the film is described as “an introspective drama infused with humorous elements and surreal, dreamlike sequences, delving into a realm of manipulation and the falsehood of social masks”.
The Amores Perros and Mozart in the Jungle star is joined by a high-profile ensemble Latin American cast topped by Esmeralda Pimentel (Almost Paradise) Débora Nascimento (Lady Voyeur), Natalia Oreiro (Muñeca brava), Anna Díaz (Totally Killer) and Manuel García Rulfo (Jurassic World Rebirth, The Lincoln Lawyer) as well as Jorge Salinas, who also appeared in Amores Perros and is now a major telenovela star.
Hombre al agua is García Bernal’s third feature in the director’s seat after Déficit (2007) and Chicuarotes (2019), which premiered in Cannes Critics’ Week and as a Special Screening in Cannes Official Selection respectively. The Pool Films is positioning the new film as a top contender for the 2026 festival season.
The picture is produced by García Bernal and Diego Luna´s banner La Corriente del Golfo alongside Fernanda de la Peza and Stacy Perskie. The production has unveiled a first image as sales launch.
Hombre al agua
La Corriente del Golfo
“We’re truly excited about Hombre al agua, a visually beautiful film with original humor and depth. Joining forces with The Pool Films is one of the first steps that Hombre al agua is taking in its pathway to show itself to the world. We hope for a long and enduring partnership and can’t wait to share the film with audiences soon,” said de la Peza.
The Pool Films was launched last fall by international sale vet Gilles Sousa, who previously founded and headed Pulsar Content after many years at Bac Films, and producer Tim Belda.
Back by VFX company Digital District Group and the Victorine Studios in the South of France, it heads to the EFM with half a dozen upcoming films on its slate.
“I am thrilled to collaborate once again with Gael García Bernal, whose singular vision and creative courage continue to resonate internationally. Hombre al agua is a visually striking, deeply human film that blends humor and introspection with remarkable confidence,” said Sousa, who has been following the project since the screenplay stage.
“We are proud for The Pool Films to support Gael’s latest feature and to help bring it to audiences around the world,” added Belda.