Overview
Cine70 Films is a Lima-based audiovisual production company founded in 1970, making it one of the longest-operating production companies in Peru. Headquartered at Angamos Oeste 537, Miraflores, Lima, the company employs approximately 14 people and generates an estimated $3.8 to $4 million in annual revenue. Cine70 Films operates across advertising, commercial production, and feature film production, with a presence in both Peru and Argentina.
The company is best known in Peruvian cinema for producing three of the top five highest-grossing domestic films in Peruvian box office history. Director Ricardo Maldonado, a partner at Cine70, directed Asu Mare (2013), Asu Mare 2 (2014), and Calichin, all of which achieved significant commercial success. Asu Mare became the most successful Peruvian film of all time, drawing over 2.3 million spectators in its first three weeks and breaking 13 box office records previously held by Hollywood studio releases in Peru.
Production History and Box Office Performance
Asu Mare (2013), produced by Tondero Producciones and distributed by New Century Films, was made on a budget of approximately $800,000 and grossed 60.9 million PEN (approximately $18 million) at the Peruvian box office. The film surpassed Ice Age: Continental Drift as the highest-grossing film in Peruvian cinema history. Its sequel, Asu Mare 2, narrowly beat the original's record. Both films were directed by Ricardo Maldonado and starred Carlos Alcantara, adapting his stand-up comedy material for the screen.
Cine70 Films partnered with Tondero Producciones, Peru's largest entertainment company, on these theatrical features. Tondero handles talent representation for over 70 celebrities and operates in both Peru and Spain. The Cine70-Tondero partnership demonstrates how Peruvian commercial cinema has developed through collaboration between established production companies rather than through the individual filmmaker model common in US independent cinema.
Advertising and Commercial Work
The majority of Cine70 Films' revenue comes from advertising and commercial production, not feature films. The company has produced campaigns for major Peruvian brands including Auna, and its directors have won over 40 international advertising awards including Cannes Lions, New York Festivals, London International Awards, Effies, and Clios. Ricardo Maldonado directed the "Peru, Nebraska" mockumentary for the Marca Peru country brand campaign, which won multiple Grand Prix and gold prizes at major international advertising festivals and became one of the most awarded works in the history of Peruvian advertising.
The company's advertising work funds its feature film projects, following a model common in Latin American production where commercial revenue cross-subsidizes narrative film production. This is different from the US or European independent film models where feature films are financed through equity, pre-sales, or grants.
Peruvian Film Market Context
Peru's theatrical market is modest by regional standards. The dominant commercial multiplex chains are Cineplanet and UVK Multicines, which program primarily Hollywood studio releases alongside major Peruvian commercial productions. Independent and arthouse cinema in Lima screens at venues including the Lima Independiente film festival and the Lima Contemporary Art Museum (MALI) film program.
Peru has a growing independent film scene supported by the Ministerio de Cultura's film fund and DAFO (Direccion del Audiovisual, la Fonografia y los Nuevos Medios), which provides production and distribution support for Peruvian cinema. Director Claudia Llosa's The Milk of Sorrow won the Golden Bear at the Berlin International Film Festival in 2009, establishing Peru as a source of internationally recognized arthouse cinema. However, the domestic commercial market remains dominated by comedy and genre films like Asu Mare rather than arthouse cinema.
What Filmmakers Should Know
Cine70 Films is a production company, not a distributor. Filmmakers seeking Peruvian theatrical distribution should approach distribution companies like Tondero (which handles commercial Peruvian releases) or look to international sales agents for broader distribution. Cine70 Films may be relevant as a production partner for filmmakers seeking to shoot in Peru or co-produce with Peruvian talent, particularly in the commercial or advertising space.
For international filmmakers seeking Peruvian theatrical distribution, Peru is typically acquired as a standalone territory or as part of a broader South American rights package in international sales deals. The domestic Peruvian distribution landscape is thin compared to Brazil (Imagem Filmes) or Argentina (Aqua Films), with fewer dedicated arthouse distributors.
For Peruvian filmmakers with international aspirations, connecting with international sales agents with relationships at Cannes, Berlin, and Toronto remains the most effective pathway to global distribution. Cine70 Films' model of commercial production cross-subsidizing feature film work may be relevant for Peruvian directors who also work in advertising.
Example Titles They've Released
Cine70 Films' feature film output is anchored by the Asu Mare franchise, which dominates Peruvian box office history. Asu Mare (2013), directed by Ricardo Maldonado and produced by Tondero Producciones in association with Cine70, grossed 60.9 million PEN (approximately $18 million) at the Peruvian box office on a budget of approximately $800,000. The film drew over 2.3 million spectators in its first three weeks, breaking 13 box office records previously held by Hollywood studio releases. Asu Mare 2 (2015), again directed by Maldonado, narrowly beat the original's record. Asu Mare 3 (2018), directed by Jorge Ulloa, continued the franchise. Asu Mare: Los Amigos (2023), directed by Carlos Alcantara in his directorial debut, was a spin-off focusing on supporting characters from the trilogy.
Calichin, also directed by Maldonado, achieved commercial success in the Peruvian market. The "Peru, Nebraska" mockumentary (2011), directed by Maldonado for the Marca Peru country brand campaign, won multiple Grand Prix and gold prizes at international advertising festivals and became one of the most awarded works in Peruvian advertising history. The video surpassed 2 million views on YouTube.
Deal Structure Reputation
Cine70 Films is a production company, not a distributor, and does not offer distribution deals. The company operates as a production partner, co-producing films with Tondero Producciones and other partners. The Cine70-Tondero partnership follows a model where Cine70 contributes production expertise and advertising infrastructure while Tondero handles talent representation, theatrical distribution partnerships, and marketing. Theatrical distribution of Cine70-produced films has been handled by New Century Films (Asu Mare) and Tondero's distribution arm.
For filmmakers seeking a production partnership with Cine70, the company brings advertising revenue, production infrastructure, and directorial talent (particularly Ricardo Maldonado). The company does not provide minimum guarantees or acquisition deals for completed films. Production financing flows from advertising revenue cross-subsidy, brand partnerships, and co-production arrangements with companies like Tondero.
Typical Acquisition Profile
Cine70 Films does not acquire completed films. The company develops and produces its own projects, typically in partnership with Tondero Producciones. Projects tend to be commercial comedies with broad Peruvian audience appeal, often adapted from stand-up comedy material (as with the Asu Mare franchise) or leveraging established Peruvian television personalities. The company's production slate favors projects with clear box office potential over arthouse or festival-oriented cinema.
For international filmmakers, Cine70 may be relevant as a local production partner for projects shooting in Peru, particularly in the commercial or advertising space. The company is not a target for international sales agents seeking Peruvian distribution rights. International filmmakers should approach Tondero for commercial Peruvian distribution or look to specialized arthouse distributors for festival-oriented titles.
Recent Slate and Acquisition Activity
Cine70 Films' most recent theatrical release was Asu Mare: Los Amigos (February 2023), produced by Tondero and directed by Carlos Alcantara. The film was a spin-off of the Asu Mare trilogy, focusing on the supporting characters El Culi, Lechuga, Poroto, and El Chato. Tondero has since expanded into streaming deals, closing two films with Netflix, one with Vix, and additional titles with Amazon Prime, signaling a shift in the Peruvian commercial cinema market toward platform distribution alongside theatrical releases.
Cine70 continues to operate primarily in advertising and commercial production, with feature film projects developed selectively. The company's advertising division has produced campaigns for brands including Auna, and its directors have won over 40 international advertising awards. The company maintains operations in both Peru and Argentina, with approximately 14 employees and an estimated annual revenue of $3.8 to $4 million.
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See Also
For broader Latin American distribution context, see Aqua Films (Argentina) and Imagem Filmes (Brazil) in this directory. For international sales covering Latin America, see Latido Films. To model the revenue from a Peruvian theatrical release, use the Revenue Forecast Calculator.
