Moveria Film has bought international sales rights to No Money No Honey, a documentary about an Argentine non-binary sex worker in New York, ahead of its world premiere at the Camden International Film Festival in Maine.
The film, directed by Nicole Costa, centers on Máxima Mauricio, who records VHS tapes between 1991 and 2004. The documentary mixes those old tapes with recent 4K footage to trace Mauricio’s memories of childhood abuse and neglect, set against trips to Buenos Aires, Miami, and New York.
The Deal Behind The Tape
Moveria acquired the film through negotiations led by Lucas Besnard and Yasmin Porangaba. Producer Daniela Camino of Mimbre Films represented the deal on behalf of Mimbre.
Besnard, who runs Moveria from Paris, said the film’s intimacy sold him. “What really drew us to No Money No Honey was the intimacy of Máxima’s story and the way the film brings us directly into her world,” he said.
He pointed to the contrast between the old tapes and Mauricio’s life in New York in 2020. “I was struck by the contrast between the VHS footage of her past—with all the energy, glamour, friends, and parties—and her life in New York in 2020. Having lived in New York myself, I connected with this side of the city.”
Why Moveria Went For It
Ceskary Avitia, also at Moveria, explained why the film appealed to him. He comes from Mexico, where he said prejudice surrounds sex work and trans identity.
“What drew me to this film is that it doesn’t try to convince you of anything; it just asks you to listen to Máxima’s own voice and to the VHS tapes she filmed of her life,” he said. “Through her archive, someone’s story opens up into an entire community—her friends, their world, and their shared history of trauma and resilience.”
Avitia added that Costa “gives voice to a community rarely heard on screen, and everyone deserves the chance to tell their own story.”
A Debut In Maine
No Money No Honey is in competition for the Cinematic Vision Award at CIFF, the all-documentary festival running Sept. 17-20 in mid-coast Maine.
The acquisition fits Moveria’s stated focus on “bold, auteur-driven international cinema.” The company was founded in 2025 by tech developers Arnaud Schoenher and Tristan de Oliveira, along with arts and culture professionals Ceskary Avitia and Isotta Tassoni.
Moveria blends custom digital tools like modeling, automation, and optimization with traditional film production and distribution. The company frames its approach as a way to bring “a novel approach to cinema grounded in dialogue across diverse fields to foster new creative experiences, fresh perspectives, and bold narratives about the world around us.”
The film runs 80 minutes. Costa directs and writes it with Daniela Camino and Melisa Miranda. Camino and Costa produce. The cast includes Máxima Mauricio Rodas, Sebastian Quiencke a.k.a. La Baronesa Ditra, Antonia Martinez, Nellie Benittez, Mila Miller, Darius M. Curry, Nirvana Garcia, and Iván Monalisa Ojeda.
What This Means For The Film
Camino, the producer, said working with Moveria changed how the film reaches audiences. “Working with Moveria has been a turning point for No Money No Honey’s international debut,” she said. “Their experience and personalized approach are just what a film like ours needed. We are truly confident we will reach audiences around the globe.”
Besnard and Avitia both described the difference between the VHS footage and Mauricio’s life in 2020 as striking. They are betting that audiences will respond to it.
Key Facts Box
– Film: No Money No Honey
– Director: Nicole Costa
– World premiere: Camden International Film Festival, Sept. 17-20
– Running time: 80 minutes
– Sales representatives: Lucas Besnard, Yasmin Porangaba
– Producer: Daniela Camino, Mimbre Films
– Founded: Moveria Film, 2025
The film’s path from VHS tapes to international sales is now set. The contrast between Mauricio’s glamorous past and her life in New York in 2020 is central to how Moveria pitched the film to distributors. Whether audiences feel the same pull toward that contrast will depend on how the film plays at CIFF.