Telespan, Senator team for 'Allende'

SITGES, Spain -- Telespan 2000, part of Spain's Vertice 360 group, is teaming with Germany's Senator Ent. to produce political action thriller "Allende, 11 de septiembre." Senator has also taken distribution rights for Germany. Written by Aitor Escalayo, "Allende" marks a change of direction for Spaniard Miguel Marti, to date a comedy director ("Slam," "School's Out, "Sexy Killer"). Taking place on Sept. 11, 1973, "Allende" turns on the last hours of Chilean president Salvador Allende, spent at Chile's Moneda Palace as it was being shelled by General Augusto Pinochet's troops. It will be along the lines of Oliver Hirschbiegel's "Downfall," said Telespan producer Tomas Cimadevilla. Vet Spanish actor Juan Diego ("The 7th Day") plays Allende. Telespan is in talks with Daniel Bruehl to limn a German docu filmmaker who filmed Chile's Air Force bombing the Moneda, Cimadevilla said at Spain's Sitges festival. Costing Euros4 million ($5.4 million) -- higher bracket by Spanish standards and a huge budget for Chile -- "Allende" rolls June 2012. Telespan aims to structure "Allende" as a Spain-Germany-France-Chile co-production, Cimadevilla said. The "Allende" announcement comes as Telespan world preemed its latest production, Juan Martinez Moreno's comedic "Game of Werewolves," in Competition at Sitges. Produced with Spain's Vaca Films, and sold by Vertice Sales, it garnered an upbeat reaction. "Allende" reps Vertice's first Latin American-themed feature as the region's film markets grows exponentially, while Spain's languishes. "We want to open up to the international markets, more specifically Latino markets," Cimadevilla said. Vertice already has offices in Buenos Aires and Miami, and a 50% stake in Miami-based Powwow ("El lider de la manada"), a TV producer for Latin America. Contact Variety Staff at news@variety.com