The Growing Latin American Film Industry

Find out what markets, industry and pitching events you can find in the booming Latin American Film Industry

Due to our user database growing in Latin American countries, together with the fact that the Latin American film industry has boomed in the past few decades, not only in terms of quality and a wider distribution of its films around the world, but also in terms of the fiscal advantages some of the continent’s countries offer. We want to dedicate an article to the landscape of film festivals, industry events and film markets that you can find in the South American continent.

We hope this helps you get an idea of the length to which the Latin American film market goes, not only for users of Filmarket Hub in that continent, but also for all those who want to work with countries from there.

The majority of film festivals that have an industry section will offer one or some of the following services:

• Pitching events for projects in development.
• Networking events for all participants in the festival or in the industry section.
• Round tables, talks with experts and negotiation forums.
• Contests for projects in postproduction (WIP).
• Various workshops to improve your skills in a certain department of filmmaking; usually focused on the business side of things.

FICCI — International Film Festival of Cartagena de Indias (Colombia)

One of the longest standing and oldest festivals in Latin America. It’s 59th edition will take place next march 2019. FICCI has an extensive industry area, where we will be able to find:

• PuertoLab — Work in Progress: a space where 5 WIP fiction and documentary projects by Latin-American emerging directors, are presented whilst trying to get closing deals to finalize these.
• Salón FICCI: A space for education for all the participants in the industry events of the festival.
• Documentary Workshop: 12 finished documentary film projects are selected and tutorized to help them get to the next phase of packaging and sales.
• Producer’s International Meeting: it’s a meeting space for Iberoamerican producers, who will try to establish collaborating bonds and create partnerships between them, so to promote film projects that can stand out on an international, and not only local, level. Plus, 12 projects in development receive consulting from industry experts, awarding the best ones with a CNC scholarship, investment in postproduction and a free entry to the Bogotá audiovisual market (BAM).
• Networking: other spaces are offered throughout the festival to meet up and talk to all attendees, special guests and industry professionals.

When it takes places: March

BOGOTÁ AUDIOVISUAL MARKET (Colombia)

The market specialized in audiovisual content , in Bogotá, is focused on colombian filmmakers mainly, however, there’s room for international filmmakers and production companies. The sections that will interest you most are:

• BAM Projects: this section presents more than 40 regional projects in a very advanced stage of development or in preproduction already, covering the fiction, documentary and animation genres as well as TV series. They are selected by a team of professionals to promote Colombian filmmakers and find international coproduction deals amongst the market attendees.
• Bammers: program focused on young and up and coming filmmakers, which tries to bring them closer to get to know how the international film markets work.
• Stories: a workshop for screenwriters who have projects in development, but which don’t have any financing yet, and who must have been previously selected at the Screenwriting program at BAM.

When it takes places: July

FICG — Guadalajara International Film Festival (México)

The mexican film festival, with which Filmarket Hub has been working since this years’ edition, is famous for its Industry program, where we can find different sections in which to promote young up and coming filmmakers, as well as WIP’s (work in progress).

These are the sections you might be interested in as a filmmaker:

• Film Market: As it’s name indicates, it is a place to meet with producers, investors, film directors, distributors, film agents…from the iberoamerican and international film industry.
• Coproduction Meeting: 30 projects are selected to help them find partners who will provide the financing they need to start production on the film. This meeting is presided by an international jury, who listens to each pitch of each project, and where several prizes are given out to the best pitches.
• Industria en Formación: A space dedicated to emerging filmmakers, who haven’t made a feature film yet. A place to learn how film markets work internationally.
• Guadalajara in Construction — WIP: section dedicated to 7 projects in postproduction, looking for that last amount of financing that will let them finish the film. From producers to distributors come to this section, so it is a great occasion for those projects that need a last push.
• El Principio del Film: a very interesting space, which tries to bring together producers and literary agents to promote the sale of book adaptations and exploitation rights for film and TV.
• When it takes place: March

SANFIC — Santiago International Film Festival (Chile)

Another emerging film festival,which is gaining strength and importance in the Latin American cinema panorama, especially taking into account the kind of films that Chile is making lately: “Gloria”, “Una Mujer Fantástica”, “No”, “El Club”, the list becomes longer and longer every year. It presents an extensive industry section:

• SantiagoLab: 35 projects in development are selected and mentored by industry professionals, who will guide them about how to keep developing their projects, plus, they’ll all have the chance to pitch in front of a jury of experts. The winners of each genre obtains prizes to keep developing its projects.
• LatinAmerican WIP : as in the other two festivals, in this section, 8 projects in the last phase of postproduction are presented in front of a jury who will give economic prizes to the three best. Also, all projects will receive personalized counseling about film festival circuits.
• SANFIC NET: a meeting space for film professionals from local and international backgrounds to meet and talk.

When does it take place: August

VENTANA SUR FILM FESTIVAL— BUENOS AIRES (Argentina)

One of the most international and main film festivals and markets in Latin America, offers diverse sections, all very similar to the other festivals we have looked into:

• First Cut: section for Latin American films in WIP. The selected ones can obtain prizes to finish their postproduction and distribution process.
• Blood Window: section dedicated to genre films that are WIP. Here you can find negotiating rounds, networking and pitching sessions for projects in development and in search of financing. It’s a space created to allow alliances between regional and international film professionals on an international level.
• Cinemark: the market where more than 150 films are shown, which are looking for distribution on an international level.
• Animation!: section dedicated to all animation; filmmakers in search of strategic alliances with other film professionals through networking, pitching events etc.

When does it take place? December.

As you can see, you already have a few markets to which you can go with your project in development; try entering one of the pitching events, find alliances with production companies from other countries that might click with your project or try to find the financing you need to finish your film.

Good Luck!