The film project is one of five at the ECAM Incubator, among the most prestigious of Spanish development programs
\n\nOf the five projects at the 9th Incubator program of the Madrid Film School (ECAM), Eire Cid’s debut feature “The Imaginary Kings” (“Los Reyes Imaginarios”) centers on the angst of male urban youth.
\n\n“It is an irreverent and visceral project, with a stylized, anti-naturalistic aesthetic. Fluorescent, dirty and sexy, heavily influenced by urban culture,” Cid tells Variety.
\n\nThe story revolves around Rude, a tattooed teenager living with his father in a working-class neighborhood. Sensitive yet volatile, he embodies a masculinity that is both aggressive and fragile. Haunted by the sudden death of his pal El Rubio, Rude drifts through trap music, betting, fights, porn and poppers. When he falls for Valeria, she makes him happy but also forces him to confront his grief.
\n\n“However, he is unable to connect with his own pain and vulnerability, and to do so, he will have to break,” Cid explains.
\n\n“At the heart of the story is doubt and the possibility of change. That is why we also call it a ‘coming-of-empathy’: a journey toward empathy, much like the one I experienced while writing characters…
Original source: https://variety.com/v/tv/