Following the success of the Creators Lab in the Peruvian Amazon in 2022, Playlab Films presents another unique opportunity for 50 filmmakers to enhance their creativity and work on their short films under the guidance of Apichatpong Weerasethakul. The mystical and ancestral Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico will serve as the backdrop for this transformative experience from 2-13 August 2023.

The Apichatpong Weerasethakul Lab offers 12 days of immersive learning, meditation, shared meals, and walks, providing a nurturing environment for diverse, creative minds to unlearn and reimagine the art of filmmaking. The lab draws inspiration from a fascinating methodology created by the master Abbas Kiarostami, adapted by Werner Herzog, and now revisited and reinforced by the acclaimed Thai director himself.

Participants will embark on a journey of exploration and creation in the carefully designed space of Shambalanté, located on the Yucatan Peninsula, just an hour away from the city of Mérida. Shambalanté combines sacred geometry, ancestral techniques and modern eco-technology to create a harmonious sanctuary for relaxation and healing. Amidst the serenity, participants will tap into their senses, embrace silence and connect with the memory of the land, finding their own pace at which to imagine and create.

The international call for entries closes on 15 June. On 1 July, the list of selected candidates will be published, followed by a deadline for tuition-fee payment by 10 July. The workshop itself will commence on 2 August and conclude on 13 August.

Furthermore, ten short films created during the lab will be selected for distribution at international festivals. All participating directors will have the opportunity to submit up to two future feature-film or series projects for consideration at the Playlab Films Production Lab through an internal call.

During this year’s edition of the Cannes Film Festival, the SFC I Rendez-vous Industry has opened a space for the Creators Lab to present the works created in the Amazon during the 2022 lab.

Please click here to register.