Ana Istarú to appear alongside daughter Ardélia in 'Quemada'
Ana Istarú will appear alongside her daughter, director Ardélia Istarú, in the hybrid documentary "Quemada," produced by Valentina Maurel's Tres Tigres with France's Geko Films and Panama's Mansa Productora. The mother-daughter project debuts at Costa Rica's Desde el Centro showcase during the Costa Rica Media Market on July 14-15.
Variety reports exclusively that renowned Costa Rican actor, playwright, and poet Ana Istarú is joining Ardélia Istarú's next directorial outing. The on-screen reunion follows their earlier collaboration on Ardélia's 2022 short film "Pruebas," which the director has described as a natural continuation into the deeper mother-daughter work in "Quemada."
Key Takeaways
- Ana Istarú will appear alongside director daughter Ardélia Istarú in the hybrid documentary "Quemada."
- Tres Tigres, Geko Films, and Mansa Productora are co-producing the project, which recently secured Ibermedia co-production funding.
- "Quemada" explores memory, sexuality, and mother-daughter inheritance after Ardélia Istarú's teenage testimony spread online in Costa Rica.
- The film is part of the Desde el Centro showcase at the Costa Rica Media Market in San Jose on July 14-15.
What Is 'Quemada' About?
"Quemada" is a hybrid documentary that explores what Ardélia Istarú calls the "legacy of shame." The film blurs objective documentary recording, performative reconstruction, and abstract artistic expression.
It stems from a personal experience: after the non-consensual distribution of her intimate photos at age 15, Istarú published a testimonial online that drew national media attention. Years later, she returns to the family home to confront that story with her mother, erotic poet Ana Istarú.
Ardélia Istarú told Variety she wanted to open a conversation about sexuality and confront the contradictions of being a feminist raising a daughter whose experience resists conventional ideas of victimhood. She also described the film as a continuation of "Pruebas," made after Ana's arrival in Europe in 1982.
Why Does This Mother-Daughter Casting Matter?
The pairing turns a deeply personal project into a public creative statement. Ardélia Istarú said working with her mother felt like a natural next step after the trust built on "Pruebas."
When she first proposed "Quemada," Ana also saw it as a necessary exercise for both of them. The director told Variety that the film examines inheritance from mothers to daughters: shame, fears, and contradictions surrounding female desire.
She also said she did not want a film that stopped at school bullying, focusing instead on power dynamics between victims and tormentors and the unsettling comfort reconciliation can offer.
Who Is Producing 'Quemada'?
Valentina Maurel's Tres Tigres is producing alongside France's Geko Films and Panama's Mansa Productora. Ardélia Istarú said Maurel's label provides an important platform for a film with such complex themes.
Geko Films' Gregoire Debailly praised the playful, inventive way the director revisits a painful experience, turning it into an exploration of memory, intimacy, and how women across generations connect.
"Quemada" has recently secured the Ibermedia Co-Production Fund. It previously received development support from Ibermedia and the El Fauno Fund and participated in the Ibermedia Workshop for Cinematic Projects from Central America and the Caribbean.
When Will Audiences First See the Project?
The project is part of the Desde el Centro showcase at the upcoming Costa Rica Media Market, taking place in San Jose on July 14-15. For more film and series news, see our Streaming & TV Alerts coverage.
Ardélia Istarú told Variety that shortly after her testimony spread online, pressure led her to leave Costa Rica. Revisiting the story, she said, was a way to understand the fracture it created with her country, even if she never believed filmmaking alone would heal it.