Canadian Premiere
Though born in Venezuela, Caro has lived in Europe for most of her life. When her estranged father dies, she returns to her childhood home to sell his cacao plantation and claim her inheritance — only to find the family mansion occupied by its former staff, who have no intention of leaving. When legal action proves ineffectual, Caro decides to dispense justice herself, unearthing histories of violence in the process.
Blending the gonzo stylization of a giallo with the unrelenting intensity of a slasher, Death Has No Master is both a hallucinatory revenge thriller and an unsparing meditation on neo-colonial violence. Led by a fearless performance from Asia Argento, the film boldly challenges expectations by anchoring our perspective in a colonizer’s gaze. With its eerie soundscapes, nerve-jangling score, and atmosphere of constant dread, this third feature from Venezuelan writer-director Jorge Thielen Armand is an unforgettable genre mashup with a political edge.
Supported by
Media Partner
Asia Argento, Dogreika Tovar, Jorge Thiele Hederrich, Yermain Sequera, Arturo Rodríguez, Jericó Montilla
Venezuela/Canada/
Italy/Luxembourg
2026
In Spanish with English subtitles
At International Village
At The Rio
Indigenous & Community Access
Indigenous Access Tickets Community Access Tickets Ticket Donation Requests
Credits & Director
Executive Producer
D.D. Wigley, Yuki Arai, Mo Scarpelli
Producer
Jorge Thielen Armand, Stefano Centini, Arantza Maldonado
Screenwriter
Jorge Thielen Armand
Cinematography
Luis Armando Arteaga
Editor
Felipe Guerrero
Production Design
Matías Tikas
Original Music
Vittorio Giampietro
Jorge Thielen Armand
Jorge Thielen Armand, born in Caracas in 1990, is a writer, director, and producer. He studied communication and cinema in Montreal and is a founding partner of the Venezuelan-Canadian production company La Faena. His third feature film, Death Has No Master, was presented at the 58th edition of Quinzaine des Cinéastes in the Cannes Film Festival.
Filmography: La Soledad (2016); Fortitude (2020)
Photo by Giulia Jimenez, © La Faena
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