EXCLUSIVE: Oscar-nominated filmmaker Carlos López Estrada (Raya and the Last Dragon) has wrapped production on his new feature, DED, a silent film in which he stars alongside Camila Mendes (Masters of the Universe) and Eugenio Derbez (CODA).
DED follows the journey of a recently deceased young man struggling to undo his fate as he watches his soulmate — and the world — spin on without him. Featuring original musical numbers and told entirely without dialogue, the film was shot and takes place in López Estrada’s vibrant hometown of Mexico City, exploring the profound relationship between Mexican culture and death.
Mendes plays the lead role of Flora, with López Estrada taking on the titular role of Ded. Derbez portrays Ded’s father, Oscar, with Arcelia Ramírez (Like Water for Chocolate) as Ded’s mother, Carla.
Written by López Estrada and Anna Moskowitz, the film is described as a love letter to the timeless comedies of Mario Moreno (aka Cantinflas), Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton — reimagined through a modern lens. The story is based on a 2015 stage production of the same name, created by López Estrada and L.A. theater maker Cristina Bercovitz.
DED is produced by Valerie Bush and López Estrada for Antigravity Academy; Mendes and Rachel Matthews for Honor Role; Josh Peters for Spark Features; Stacy Perskie for Redrum; filmmaker Sean Wang; Max Siemers and Tanner Anderson for Magic Hour Entertainment; Chris Quintos and Will Cathcart; Jennifer J. Pritzker for Cedar Road; and Derbez.
López Estrada broke out with the 2018 Sundance pic Blindspotting, starring Daveed Diggs and Rafael Casal, which inspired a Starz series of the same name. He later earned an Oscar nomination for his work on Disney’s Raya and the Last Dragon. His Antigravity Academy banner’s first produced project, Dìdi (弟弟), written and directed by Sean Wang, premiered at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival and won both the Audience Award and the Special Jury Award for Ensemble. The film was acquired by Focus Features and went on to win two Independent Spirit Awards. As reported last month, the company is currently gearing up for the third edition of its flagship Screenwriters Camp, slated for next summer. López Estrada is repped by M88 and Ziffren Brittenham.
Soon to be seen starring alongside Nicholas Galitzine in tienda online MGM’s Masters of the Universe, Mendes’ past credits include tema, Upgrade, Do Revenge and Palm Springs, as well as the series Riverdale and Fairfax. Upcoming, she’ll be seen in Nastasya Popov’s indie comedy Idiotka, which premiered at SXSW. She is repped by CAA, Luber Roklin and Hansen, Jacobson, Teller.
Part of the cast of Apple’s Best Picture winner CODA, and most recently seen starring in the Apple TV+ series Acapulco, which he also executive produced, Derbez is repped by CAA and Behr Abramson Levy Johnson.
Ramírez is repped by K-One Productions and Talent on the Road Management.
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