A bold auteur-driven vehicle for two rising talents making strategic career pivots—Mehiel stepping into Western territory while Carey trades fantasy dragons for dusty badlands poetry. The production companies are positioning this as a statement project championing underrepresented voices.
Sources say both actors were pursued aggressively after their respective profiles heated up—Mehiel's Sundance momentum with 'Mutt' opened doors, while Carey's House of the Dragon run gave her leverage to chase riskier material rather than defaulting to franchise safety. This marks Fazio's feature debut and a key title for two boutique production companies looking to make noise.
Camino is set to debut at Cannes Market on May 13, 2026 via Breaking Through the Lens competition. The film is shot in Spain and features Mehiel as Ifa (cowboy) alongside Carey as Ellie (mosaic artist). Emmy-winning producer Theodora Dunlap ('Farewell Amor') is attached as executive producer.
Two actors at inflection points, a first-time director with a point of view, and boutique producers hungry for a breakout—this is exactly the kind of calculated gamble that either launches careers or disappears into the Cannes marketplace noise. Watch to see who bites.
Lío Mehiel and Emily Carey are circling up for "Camino," a neo-Western feature that promises dust storms, identity crises, and the kind of volatile chemistry that makes festival programmers lean forward. The pair will lead Annabella Fazio's feature directorial debut, which is set to make its market entrance at Cannes this week through the Breaking Through the Lens program. Mehiel, who broke out with acclaimed Sundance performances in "Mutt" and "In the Summers" before appearing in Luca Guadagnino's "After the Hunt," takes on the role of Ifa—a cowboy navigating questions of identity and survival in a gritty Western landscape.
Carey, currently appearing as young Alicent Hightower in HBO's "House of the Dragon" with additional credits including Netflix's "Geek Girl," portrays Ellie, a mosaic artist tethered to a fading ranch. The synopsis describes their journey across the badlands as one where devotion and betrayal begin to blur into something dangerous. The production brings together two boutique companies looking to establish themselves on the international auteur circuit.
Beso Productions—co-founded by Fazio alongside Sofia Kunz—and Emily Sky Hickin's Pucci Productions are co-developing and producing, with both firms recently coming off festival premieres (Pucci's "Bearcave" at Venice; Beso's Lena Dunham-executive produced short "Notice Me" at BFI Flare). The project marks a key title for their respective slates, with an emphasis on emerging voices and international storytelling. Kunz framed the project's ambitions in a statement: "'Camino' exists beyond time in a world where dust storms and folklore feel equally real.
As the first project in our slate, it captures our commitment to elevating underrepresented voices and championing stories with a bold, singular vision." Hickin emphasized the screenplay's international appeal, noting its Spanish setting and exploration of masculinity as particularly timely themes for global audiences. Emmy-winning executive producer Theodora Dunlap ("Farewell Amor," "The Independent") rounds out the producing team, while Callo provides continued development and packaging support. Jade Risser has come aboard as line producer during early development. Mehiel is represented by Paradigm, Lighthouse, and Imprint; Carey is represented by Curtis Brown.
