The film is based on the sole novel by little-known author Mario Cruz, which was cherished many years ago by filmmaker Alicia Scherson, who was in talks with playwright Luis Barrales to prepare the script.

[8] At the end of the festival, the film was awarded the Queer Lion: El Príncipe is a passionate portrait of life in a Chilean prison on the eve of Allende’s rise to power in 1970.

Sebastián Muñoz’s directorial debut is a bold and erotically charged exploration of recent history which reveals an unexpected tenderness at its heart.

[9]After Venice and positive reviews in Europe, the first American evaluation came from Boyd van Hoeij of The Hollywood Reporter (and a former Queer Lion juror himself[10]), who negatively received the film; the bottom line being: "A prison fantasy devoid of personality.

[12] Following its Venice premiere,[13] The Prince saw exhibition at various other festivals, including San Sebastián,[14] Chicago,[15] Mill Valley,[16] Busan[17] and Valdivia.