Laura Ferrés' The Permanent Picture filming in Spain

Director Carlos Vermut, whose Magical Girl won San Sebastian’s Golden Shell in 2016, has teamed up with director Laura Ferrés to co-write a final version of the script for feature The Permanent Picture.

Ferrés’ feature debut The Permanent Picture started shooting this week in El Prat de Llobregat, near Barcelona.

Ferrés previously directed 2017 Cannes Critics’ Week short film winner The Disinherited.

Producer Nadine Rothschild of newly-launched Barcelona-based independent production company Volta has also boarded The Permanent Picture, alongside Adrià Monés at Barcelona’s Fasten Films and Gabrielle Dumon at Le Bureau.

Described by Ferrés as “a depressing comedy”, The Permanent Picture tells the story of a casting director on a mission to find a ‘normal’ person to take part in a political campaign. During her search, she meets a street vendor, with whom she shares much more than it seems.

The film stars María Luengo and Rosario Ortega. 

“I was struck by how dark, and yet fun and tender, Laura’s script was. I was selfish because I felt like I wanted to be a part of the story, as if I was signing up for a party,” said Madrid-born Vermut, whose previous works have melded sinister elements into a fairy-tale wrap. He added: “I feel that we delved into the mystery that enveloped the characters and their actions and in their search for love and freedom.” 

”The Permanent Picture seems to us the ideal vehicle to develop such a personal look as Laura has, one that we already can appreciate in her previous short films,” said Rothschild.

This article originally appeared on KFTV's sister site, Screendaily.