MTV Documentary Films has acquired worldwide rights to Maite Alberdi’s The Eternal Memory from Sundance

MTV Documentary Films has acquired worldwide rights to Sundance’s world premiere love story The eternal memoryDirector Maite Alberdi’s follow-up to the Oscar-nominated documentary The mole agent.

The film, which screened in the World Documentary Competition section of the Sundance Film Festival, will have its international premiere in the Panorama section of the Berlinale next month, and the company is planning a theatrical release and vigorous awards campaign later this year.

The eternal memory was produced by Maite Alberdi, Juan De Dios Larraín, Pablo Larraín and Rocío Jadue. Executive producers are Marcela Santibañez, Daniela Sandoval, Nicholas Hooper, Julie Goldman, Christopher Clements, Chandra Jessee and Rebecca Lichtenfeld.

In the film, Augusto and Paulina have been together and in love for 25 years. He was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease eight years ago and his wife has been his caretaker since then. As one of Chile’s most prominent cultural commentators and TV presenters, Augusto is no stranger to building an archive of memories, having been responsible for this enormous task after the Pinochet dictatorship and the systematic erasure of the collective consciousness . Now he focuses this work on his own life, trying to hold on to his identity with the help of his beloved wife. Day after day, the couple face this challenge, adapting to the disruptions caused by the debilitating disease, relying on the intact tender affection and sense of humor shared between them.

“I’m so happy with it The eternal memory found its home at MTV Documentary Films, which over the years has believed in the artistic innovation of documentaries and released documentaries that I greatly admire,” said Alberdi. “Working with Sheila Nevins is an honor and I admire what she has built in the documentary industry.”

“The gift of love that remains is revealed in The eternal memory. One should not be cynical in Maite’s Verité film – a remarkable achievement that allows us to observe what remains when memory fades. We rethink the value of longevity and look at the eternal reach of comfort and care for an otherwise unforgiving end in our own lives,” said Nevins, executive producer, MTV Documentary Films.

Nina Diaz and Liza Burnett Fefferman, co-directors of MTV Documentary Films, called the documentary “an extraordinary and sublime love story, we just couldn’t take our eyes off the screen. The eternal memory left us so deeply touched and so devoted to Augusto and Pauli – we can’t stop thinking, talking and marveling at the amazing work Maite has done and how excited we are to bring this film to the world.”

The film is a Micromundo and Fabula production. Submarine and the United Talent Agency Independent Film Group brokered the deal with MTV Documentary Films on behalf of the filmmakers.

UTA also represents director/producer Alberdi, the first Chilean woman nominated for an Oscar and a major voice in Latin American documentaries. She premiered her last film The mole agent at Sundance 2020. It was the first Chilean documentary to be nominated for an Oscar.

In 2011, Alberdi released her first feature film, The life saver. She made her second film through Micromundo, her production company Tea time, which won more than 12 international awards and was nominated for the 2016 Goya for Best Ibero-American Film. In 2016, she released the short film I’m not from herewas nominated for the European Films Award and also premiered her third film The adults which received 10 international awards.