Parra Biopic “Violeta Went To Heaven” to Be Released in the US

The story of Violeta del Carmen Parra Sandoval—the woman who ushered in la Nueva Canción chilena, a renewal and a reinvention of Chilean folk-inspired music and socially committed music—will soon be making its way to the big screen in the United States.

Kino Lorber has acquired all North American rights to Violeta Went To Heaven, Andrés Wood’s biopic of the Chilean composer, songwriter, folklorist, ethnomusicologist and visual artist, who died in 1967 at the age of 49.

Violeta Parra

Winner of the World Cinema Dramatic Jury Prize at this year’s Sundance Film Festival, Wood’s film was recently screened in New York City, as part of the Latinbeat series organized by The Film Society of Lincoln Center and programmed by Richard Peña and Marcela Goglio.

The film, which was awarded the World Cinema Jury Prize (Dramatic) at this year’s Sundance Film Festival, is a portrait of famed Chilean singer and folklorist Violeta Parra filled with her musical work, her memories, her loves and her hopes.

The film’s cast: Francisca Gavilán, Thomas Durand, Luis Machín, Gabriela Aguilera and Roberto Farías.

Kino Lorber plans release the film nationally in November or December of this year, then offer Violeta Went To Heaven via video on demand.