KimStim takes North American rights to Donkey Princess for 2027 cinema release
KimStim has bought the North American rights to Donkey Princess, the new feature from Chilean film-makers Cristóbal León and Joaquín Cociña, as reported by Variety. The deal gives the New York distributor control of the film in the United States and Canada. It plans a cinema release in 2027.
The agreement was closed by KimStim co-president Ian Stimler and Luis Renart, chief executive of Spain's Bendita Film Sales. Bendita is handling world sales, the business of licensing the film to distributors territory by territory. That structure is common for independent films made across borders.
León and Cociña previously directed The Wolf House, which KimStim released in North America. Their new film is loosely inspired by Donkeyskin, the Charles Perrault fairy tale about a princess in hiding. It stars Antonia Giesen, Andrew Bargsted and Francisco Melo.
The score is by Jean-Benoît Dunckel, one half of French electronic duo AIR. The film was produced by Catalina Vergara. It is a Chilean-led co-production, with León & Cociña Films and Globo Rojo Films joined by Metonymie in France, Viking Film in the Netherlands, Montelona Films in Uruguay and Autentika Films in Germany. Such line-ups spread cost and risk, and each partner often helps unlock funding in its home market.
Donkey Princess began on the festival circuit. It had its world premiere in International Competition at the Locarno Film Festival in Switzerland, the festival's main slate. It then had its North American premiere at Fantastic Fest in Austin, Texas, an event focused on genre and adventurous cinema, according to Variety.
KimStim will open the film in North American theatres in 2027, followed by digital and home-video editions. No exact date has been announced. The long lead time is normal. It allows for subtitling, ratings, booking cinemas and building an audience beyond festivals.
The directors arrive with a strong festival record. The Wolf House premiered at the Berlin International Film Festival, known as the Berlinale, and won the Caligari Film Prize. Their short The Bones won best short film in the Horizons section in Venice. Their feature The Hyperboreans screened in Directors' Fortnight at Cannes in 2024, a parallel section devoted to new voices.
For fans, this means patience. The festival bows are done. The wider release comes next year.
