Bendita Film Sales has acquired international sales rights to "Salitre" ("Carapace"), the debut feature from Basque director Norma Vila, ahead of its world premiere in the Fantàstic In-Competition section of the Sitges Film Festival. The psychological horror thriller stars Nagore Aranburu, known for "Querer" and the Goya-winning "Sundays," as a mother whose fear and possessiveness spiral out of control when her teenage daughter decides to leave home to study, turning maternal love into something monstrous.

The film follows Maite (Aranburu) and her daughter Nerea (Haizea Carneros) as their bond curdles into obsession and control once Nerea prepares to leave, with Bendita's Luis Renart praising Vila's ability to root horror in something painfully recognisable. Vila, a two-time winner of the Syfy Award for best Spanish short at San Sebastián, made the largely Basque production with Ipuin Kontalaria, Euskadi Movie and several other companies, backed by broadcasters EITB and RTVE. Shot in Biskaia and Cantabria on a €2.5 million (£2.1 million/$2.9 million) budget, the film was supported by the Basque government and regional tax incentives, and will premiere when Sitges runs from 8-18 October.