After several editions in the Peruvian Amazon with Apichatpong Weerasethakul and in Mexico with Pedro Costa, the Creators Lab by Playlab Films is now heading to Patagonia under the artistic guidance of Paolo Sorrentino. The Italian filmmaker, who opened the ongoing Venice Film Festival with his latest effort, La grazia [+leggi anche:
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scheda film], will mentor 50 participants from around the world during an intensive residency running from 1-11 December.

The lab is conceived as a space where filmmaking is stripped down to its essence: observation, writing, shooting, editing and screening. Each participant will handle all stages of the process, supported by Sorrentino and the Playlab Films team. The approach, first inspired by Abbas Kiarostami and reinterpreted by Werner Herzog and Apichatpong, now finds a new voice through Sorrentino’s sensibility.

Beyond the films themselves, the residency is also about community and exchange. Set in the landscapes of Argentinian Patagonia, the programme combines workshops with collective experiences, such as evening dialogues and shared screenings, encouraging directors to push their boundaries while finding inspiration in the territory.

At the end of the lab, ten short films will be selected for international festival circulation, while all 50 participants will later have the opportunity to pitch feature-length or series projects to Playlab Films, with two to be chosen for development and production support.

Applications are open until 21 September 2025, with a participation fee of €7,500, covering accommodation, meals, local transfers and production resources including casting lists, location scouting and permits.

More information and the application process are available here.