Ventana Sur 2026
Country Focus: France
The ninth edition of Proyecta to present 12 projects
- The initiative organised by Ventana Sur, Cannes and San Sebastián will showcase first or second films in the early stages of development, seven of them European productions or co-productions
The ninth edition of Proyecta, an initiative developed through a collaboration between Ventana Sur (which will take place in Montevideo, Uruguay, from 30 November-4 December), the Cannes Marché du Film and the San Sebastián International Film Festival, will showcase 12 projects by filmmakers seeking financing and partners for their first or second films.
During the event, representatives of the selected features will have the opportunity to introduce their projects to production companies, international sales agents and festival programmers, with the aim of fostering co-productions between Europe and Latin America. Proyecta will feature a pitching session, to be held on Wednesday 2 December and led by the projects’ producers, alongside other professional networking events.
This year’s selection reflects diversity in both its themes and geographical origins: nine projects come from Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Cuba, Peru and Uruguay, while seven have majority production or co-production involvement from Spain, France or Italy. Among them, Dirty Face by Argentina’s Ignacio Acconcia (El niño de fuego) and Isabel Hernández by Italian producer and musician Giorgio Giampà (Vittoria) will have another opportunity to introduce themselves to an industry audience following their recent participation in the 15th Europe-Latin America Co-Production Forum at the San Sebastián International Film Festival, held in September (see the news).
Other projects include the latest work by Peruvian filmmaker Melina León (who took part in the Directors’ Fortnight with Song Without a Name), entitled Huaco retrato; the feature debut by Mexico’s Jorge Sistos (selected for the Critics’ Week in 2021 with his short film The Darkness); Los mejores días, the second feature by Argentina’s Maria Zanetti (whose Alemania screened in San Sebastián’s Horizontes Latinos section); Give Me Shelter by fellow Argentinian Nico Pérez Veiga, who is moving into directing after working as an executive producer (Crazy Old Lady); and Salamanca, the second feature by another Argentinian, Juan Sebastián Torales, following his participation in the Berlinale’s Generation programme with Almamula.
The selected projects will be competing for various awards: one project will be able to take part in the following year’s Sørfond Pitching Forum, where it can be presented to potential Norwegian co-producers and apply for financing from the fund if Norwegian co-production is secured. In addition, two producers will be invited to the next edition of the San Sebastián International Film Festival, in September 2027. All of the projects (see the full list below) will also be eligible for the Sideral Cinema Award, comprising a pre-purchase of the international rights to one of these future films, with a minimum guarantee of €10,000, and the new ArteKino International Award, worth €6,000. These prizes, together with other networking events, are intended to boost the films’ international reach and accelerate their development.
Ventana Sur is Latin America’s leading audiovisual market, organised by the Marché du Film, the Uruguayan Film and Audiovisual Agency (ACAU) and Argentina’s National Institute of Cinema and Audiovisual Arts (INCAA), with the support of Creative Europe - MEDIA.
The selected projects are as follows:
Dirty Face – Ignacio Acconcia (Spain)
Production: Ayhe Productions
Unfit Mother – Manuela Espiñeira Herreros (Chile)
Production: Pinda Producciones
The Place and the Hope – Ariagna Fajardo Nuviola (Cuba/France)
Production: Torrente Films
Isabel Hernández – Giorgio Giampà (Italy/Mexico)
Production: Zoe Films
Huaco Retrato – Melina León (Peru/France/Spain)
Production: La Vida Misma Films LLC
Rabbits – Sara Nanclares (Colombia/Chile/France)
Production: Ocultimo SAS
Cabildo 71 – Victoria Pena Echeverría (Uruguay/Brazil/Argentina/Spain)
Production: Monarca Films
Give Me Shelter – Nico Pérez Veiga (Argentina/Mexico)
Production: Rei Cine
La otra montaña – Horacio Reyes Páez (Uruguay/Argentina)
Production: U Films
La ausencia – Jorge Sistos Moreno (Mexico)
Production: Piano
Salamanca – Juan Sebastián Torales (Argentina/France)
Production: Twins Latin Films de Noche Creatividad
Los mejores días – Maria Zanetti (Argentina)
Production: Tarea Fina
(Translated from Spanish)
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