Renowned Chilean filmmaker Valeria Sarmiento has a long history of stimulating memory in her films. The veteran has directed more than 30 feature films addressing the situation of women in a patriarchal culture, having been awarded at important festivals such as San Sebastián and nominated for the Golden Bear and the Golden Lion. Her latest work, “Behind the Rain,” marks Sarmiento’s latest directorial effort after a career spanning more than half a century and marked by dozens of collaborations with her late husband, the famous Chilean director Raúl Ruiz.

“Behind the Rain,” which premieres in the prestigious Crystal Globe Competition at the Karlovy Vary Film Festival, follows psychology professor Sofía (Paula Prado). Just as the young woman is ready to return to her hometown after finishing her graduate studies, the body of a girl is discovered there, unraveling painful memories of past traumas and sending Sofia into a painful process of self-reflection.

talking to Variety Before the film’s world premiere, Sarmiento remembers how the first inkling of an idea for the film came when she and producer Chamila Rodríguez were mixing Ruiz’s “El tango del viudo y sumirror distorting.” “In a moment of rest, we talk about painful childhood experiences,” he says. “I told her that I had a script that we were trying to do in Lisbon, then in the United Kingdom and in Locarno with that theme. Chamila told me that we could try to film it in Chile.”

Actor-turned-producer Rodríguez, who has collaborated closely with Sarmiento since 2008’s “Secretos,” remembers that conversation well. “I suggested she go back to the beginning of this story, which was in Chile. We worked on the project for seven years and I became deeply involved as a woman and as an artist because of the sensitivity of the topic. These are stories that the vast majority of women live, and that are silenced by a society that hides them from the perspective of patriarchy.”

Sarmiento knew he wanted to shoot the film in monochrome because “when I talk about the past, I see it in black and white.” Commenting on the film’s title, the director recalls another anecdote: when she was just a child, her mother used to beg her to look “behind the rain”, to pay close attention to the details. “This is also what I ask of my audience.”

“Behind the Rain” combines several genre elements, from the classic detective film to the police thriller and film noir. When asked how he approached this juggling of formal languages, Sarmiento reiterates: “This is not a police film.” “Has [certain] elements, but there are no patrol cars, no police cars that come to arrest the culprits… I insist that the viewer needs to look beyond that.”

The ambitious nature of the project, as well as its sensitive themes, made it a considerable challenge for Rodríguez, who says it was “very difficult” to obtain financing for the film. “Valeria always wanted subtlety and an intimate perspective. [to the film]. We faced several obstacles along the way and I am sure that it was possible thanks to our perseverance, determination, courage and, of course, our love for cinema.”

Rodríguez’s long road to securing financing for the film also speaks to the reality of making films in his native Chile, which currently has a successful and vibrant new generation of filmmakers, including recent Cannes selections Manuela Martelli and Dominga Sotomayor, but still, as almost everywhere else, struggling with available resources.

“The priority in Chile at this time is to emphasize the importance of having sufficient state and government funds for film production and making,” says Rodríguez. “It is crucial to understand that cuts to culture, arts and heritage are disastrous for the spirit of our people, a setback for the film industry and an obstacle to the projection of our territories, our communities and our people in the world.”

As for what’s next for Sarmiento and Rodríguez, the duo continues their long-time mission of restoring the work of Raúl Ruiz. “We have just started work on the restoration, post-production and completion of Ruiz’s heritage gem ‘La Colonia Penal’. This is our focus in 2026, so we can release the film next year.”

“Behind the Rain” is produced by Rodríguez’s Poetastros label. The Karlovy Vary Film Festival will take place from July 3 to 11.