Amat Escalante, Felipe Carmona, Franco Lolli Seek Production Partners

Now on its 22^nd edition, the Guadalajara Film Festival (FICG) Co-Production Meeting program has grown from strength to strength, luring a wide range of directors and producers from Spain and Latin America, both new and established. There are quite a number of projects from Argentina, which has leaned more heavily on co-productions given the plunge in federal support at home. In 2024, Argentina’s right-wing populist government moved to scrap funding for the national Film-TV body, INCAA, as part of sweeping austerity measures aimed at curbing the country’s runaway inflation.

Taking place April 20–22 this year, the program requires projects in development – across fiction, documentary and animation – to have a completed screenplay and at least 20% of their financing secured.

Its primary objective is to link the participants, 19 in this edition, with industry professionals, funding bodies, producers, buyers and international distributors in order to facilitate their completion.

The selection committee this year included Peruvian filmmaker-producer Joanna Lombardi; Argentine screenwriter Juan Manuel Dartizio, Pato Portillo, creative director of content development company Real Tellers, Mexico-based Bolivian producer Gabriela Maire (“The Good Girls”) and Mexican filmmaker Samuel Sosa.

 “Cinema allows us to tell our stories and preserve them in images, narratives and words, so that in the future people can understand who we were through these films, rather than only through the works that receive the most attention or likes. This is very important for us,” said FICG Industry head Ximena Urrutia.

Among the standouts in this crop are Daniela Schneider’s “The Infinite Night,” produced by Fernanda López, Amat Escalante and Daniela Romo. It forms part of a highly diverse selection of works from different countries.

The lineup also features the Argentine project “The Other Voice,” a documentary directed by Agustina Pérez Rial, with a strong producer backing of Nicolas Gil Lavedra, Emiliano Torres and Felicitas Raffo. There’s even a U.S.-Mexico co-production “All Other Parts,” directed by Cristina Ibarra, who hails from in Los Angeles. “As neighbors, the U.S. and our community share deep ties – especially within the Latino community—grounded in common roots and an ongoing dialogue. Sustaining and strengthening that exchange is vital, particularly in the current context,” said Urrutia.

The lineup:

“All Other Parts,” (“Las partes que faltan”) Cristina Ibarra, U.S.

Developed by U.S.-based All Other Parts LLC, a documentary/hybrid production company, the project is in production. Produced by Vanessa Perez, Cristina Ibarra and Heather Courtney, it centers on cross-border surveillance themes. The film follows a man returning to El Paso after 20 years in exile, whose homecoming becomes digital confinement under ICE monitoring. The film traces how a life once defined by movement across the U.S.–Mexico border is transformed into one of enforced stillness and constant observation. As Ibarra states, it explores the shift from physical borders to invisible systems of surveillance over bodies, homes and data.

“Germaín, The Black Angel” (“Germaín, el Ángel Negro”), Tomás Alzamora Muñoz, Chile

Developed by Santiago-based Equeco, an auteur-driven Chilean production company founded in 2016 (“Denominación de origen,” “History and Geography”) the project is in development, with a slate expanding through international co-productions led by “Il Cileno” and “Hijas únicas.” Produced by Pablo Calisto, pic follows Germaín, a 16-year-old in 1967 Chile whose abandonment and nocturnal excess become the emotional engine for forming Los Ángeles Negros, one of Latin America’s most influential bands. As Alzamora states, the project reflects on “who stands behind musical phenomena and what drives them to create.”

“Her Ocean” (“El Mar La Mar”), Julian Amaru, Perú, México

Developed by Lima-based Final Abierto alongside Mexico’s Apapacho Films, the project is in pre-production for a 2027 shoot, positioning itself within a Peru–Mexico co-production pipeline focused on emerging Latin American auteur cinema. Produced by Maria Paz Barragán and Ruben Rojo, with writing by Julian Amaru and Christopher Vasquez, the coming-of-age magical realist drama follows Ray, a young fisherman fleeing homophobia and family rupture as he journeys to Iquitos in search of his mother, navigating desire, friendship and identity in the Peruvian jungle. As Amaru states, it is “a story of love and courage.”

“Here Is Not Like That” (“Aquí no es así”), Sebastian Molina Ruiz, Mexico

From Calle Calandria, the Mexican indie production outfit behind festival titles ‘Mostro” and “Todos los incendios” is developing the hybrid documentary, now in pre-production and expected to draw industry attention ahead of the 2026 World Cup. The film explores Mexico City beyond global spectacle. As Molina Ruiz states, “Here Is Not Like That” seeks to reveal “hidden mechanisms… marked by precariousness, exclusion and everyday resistance,” signaling strong auteur-driven nonfiction trends today. Diandra Arriaga (“Mostro”) and Gabriela Maldonado (“Ricochet”) produce.

“Kid” Anna Lu Machado, Brazil

Developed by Rio de Janeiro-based Raccord Produções, founded in 1993 and led by Clélia Bessa, with over 23 titles in partnership with Disney and Globo Filmes and festival presence in Venice, Cannes, and Rotterdam (“Madalena,” “The Little Prince’s Rap Against the Wicked Souls”) in co-production with Baracoa Filmes and Casa Latina Films. Produced by Bessa and executive produced by Gregorio Rodríguez, it follows a filmmaker reconstructing her father’s memory through a Cuban boxer myth, turning cinema into a space where absence becomes dialogue. Machado says: “It is “a hybrid documentary that transforms intimate loss into a universal reflection on memory and bonds.”

“Menarche,” (“Menarquia”) Jairo Gamaliel Ramos Alvarado, Panama, Spain, Peru

Developed by Panama-based Infocus Video Factory Cine & TV, “Menarche” is in preproduction as a Spain–Peru–Panama co-production with Cine y TV Teleandes SRL and Marco Antonio Toledo Oval. Reflecting industry interest in inclusive, community-driven storytelling, the film follows an androgynous pre-teen who, after their father’s death, takes on farm duties while confronting identity through her first menstruation. As Ramos notes, it portrays “ancestral rural knowledge with dignity.” Written by Elisa Puerto Aubel and Ramos, it stars Wendy Jaramillo and Christhian Esquivel Palomino.

“Name and Surname” (“Nombre y Apellidos”), Duván Duque Vargas, Colombia, France

Evidencia Films, founded by Franco Lolli (“Gente de Bien”) and behind Cannes-selected “La Perra,” partners with Continente Pictures and France’s Srab Films (“Les Misérables”) on the project, currently in advanced development and recently shortlisted for Torino Film Lab’s FeatureLab. Produced by Duque Vargas, Capucine Mahé, Franco Lolli, Christophe Barral,and Toufik Ayadi, it reflects a strong Colombia–France co-production model targeting international festivals. Drama follows a teenager drawn back into his father’s violent loan-sharking world, where escape turns into inheritance. As Mahé says, it marks “the culmination of this quest.”

“Not a River” (“No es un río”), Diego Martinez Ulansoky, Mexico, Argentina

Developed by Mexico City-based Caponeto, whose credits include “My Tender Matador” and “The Virgin of the Quarry Lake,” film is in advanced development with Argentina’s Ajimolido Films and currently seeking co-production partners and funding, reflecting ongoing industry demand for cross-border Latin American collaborations. The drama follows Tilo, who travels to a remote island after his father’s death, where buried tensions and unresolved pasts surface. As Ulansoky states, it explores “a territory where the real and the ghostly coexist,” focusing on memory and what remains unspoken.

“Our Lady of Whispers” (“El Camino Amarillo”), Ale García & Carla Sierra, México, Chile

Developed by Mexico-based El Camino Amarillo in co-production with Chile’s La Palma de Oro and La Vieja Rara, the project in development seeks additional financing and international co-production partners. Positioned within Mexico–Chile elevated horror collaborations, the drama follows a grieving mother who invokes La Susurradora after a brutal family loss, gaining destructive powers that reveal revenge as self-consumption. As Sierra states: “Rather than representing horror, we aim for the viewer to inhabit it –uncomfortable, intimate and impossible to look away from.”

“Plaster Virgins” (“Vírgenes de yeso”) Katherina Harder, Chile

Developed by northern Chile-based Volcánica Films alongside Cyan prods (“Medea,” “Delirio” by Alexandra Latishev), the project is produced by Cynthia García Calvo and written by Harder and Elisa Eliash, it reflects a focus on identity-driven narratives within culturally rooted settings. The coming-of-age LGBTQ+ drama follows Rosario, a 14-year-old girl in La Tirana who, amid a vibrant religious festival, experiences a personal awakening through her connection with an older dancer. As García Calvo states, it explores gender roles and social expectations within a unique visual and sonic universe.

“Talia After Talia” (“Talia después de Talia”), Pedro Speroni, Argentina, France, Switzerland

Developed by Argentina-based El Ojo Silva, “Talia After Talia” is in advanced development as a co-production with Les Films de l’Œil Sauvage and Alva Films, with support from the CNC Enhanced Development Grant and Stichting Connected Foundation, reflecting ongoing industry support for international co-productions. The documentary follows Talia, 27, returning to Buenos Aires’ Fuerte Apache after nine years in prison, navigating survival, stigma and autonomy. As Speroni states, the film gives her “a dignified and resonant voice.” “Talia after Talia” completes the trilogy that Speroni began with “Rancho” and “Los Bilbao,” delving into the prison universe.

“That I Die Because I Do Not Die” (“Que Muero Porque No Muero”) Felipe Carmona, Chile, Argentina

Developed by Chile-based El Otro Film, known for Queer Lyon awardee “The Prince” and “The Reborn,” the project is in advanced development with Argentina’s Le Tiro, currently seeking financing, reflecting ongoing interest in auteur-driven Chilean–Argentine co-productions with strong festival positioning. Fronted by Pablo Larraín star Alfredo Castro and Laura Paredes, drama is set in 1970s Chile follows Anglés, a priest and literary critic leading a double life between academia, clandestine Marxist instruction and secret artistic circles, until a liaison with a writer and her CIA-linked husband pulls him into a surreal spiral of political and spiritual collapse. As Carmona states, it explores “the contradiction between culture and barbarism.”

“The Friends of My Parents” (“Los amigos de mis papás”), Romina Tamburello, Argentina

Developed by Argentina-based Pez Cine in co-production with Imval Producciones and El Cielo Cine, and Tamburello’s follow-up to hit “Vera and the Pleasure of Others,” the project is in advanced development. Produced by Santiago King, it follows a standard independent Argentine feature structure focused on character-driven comedy with regional co-production collaboration. The film follows a daughter who tries to help her parents become swingers, leading to an exploration of family boundaries and intimacy dynamics.

“The Infinite Night” (“La Noche Infinita”), Daniela Schneider, México

Developed by Mexico-based Cárcava Cine (“Lost in the Night,” Cannes 2024; “Robe of Gems,” Berlinale Jury Prize 2023; “The Untamed,” Venice Best Director 2018), in co-production with Peluca Films, Cárcava Cine and El Estudio, the project is in development and structured for international financing, with early discussions with French sales agent Luxbox. Produced by Daniela Maung, Fernanda de la Peza, Amat Escalante and Pablo Cruz, it is positioned within a festival-driven auteur slate. The film follows Bertha, a young mother whose family secret destabilizes her life as she becomes obsessed with a woman from a century earlier, where inherited memory, desire and domestic histories collapse across generations.

“The Other Side” (“Del otro lado”), José Luis Rugeles Gracia, Colombia, Brazil, France

Developed by Colombia-based Rhayuela Films, producers of “El Páramo,” “Alias María” and “Rebelión,” “The Other Side” is in development as a co-production with Capuri TV (Brazil) and Promenades (France). The project, starring Claudio Cataño (“One Hundred Years of Solitude”), reflects ongoing industry interest in character-driven Latin American–European collaborations. Drama follows Miguel, a doctor who loses his son and abandons his life, drifting through the streets where he forms fragile bonds with a street dog and a young sex worker. As Rugeles states, it explores “depression, addiction and solitude” shaped by “human fragility.”

“The Other Voice” (“La otra voz”), Agustina Pérez Rial, Argentina

Gaman Cine, founded by Nicolas Gil Lavedra, behind acclaimed titles “Eami” and “Ls83,” is finalizing development on the documentary, co-produced with Fiord Estudio and Lorolo. The film reconstructs the exile of iconic singer Mercedes Sosa between 1979 and 1982 through unpublished letters and archival material, reflecting a broader industry trend toward archive-driven music documentaries. As Pérez Rial explains, the project reveals “an intimate and little-known dimension… where Mercedes emerges through her own public and private words.” Gil Lavedra, Felicitas Raffo and Emiliano Torres produce.

“The Valley of the Echoes” (“El Valle de los Huesos”), Adán Ruiz, México

Travesía Cine, a Mexico City-based studio focused on auteur-driven cinema, is advancing the documentary in development with co-producer Avalancha Studio, while in discussions for Mexican distribution. Produced by Yuli Rodríguez and Ruiz, it’s set in an industrial town where multiple lives intersect around a skeleton built from found bones, reflecting systemic violence. As Ruiz states, it depicts violence as a social sickness embedded in everyday life. “Using scavenged bones as a narrative bridge, the film connects three fractured lives to reflect on the macabre intersection of industrial exploitation and necropolitics.”

“The Whisperer” (“La Susurradora”), Ale García & Carla Sierra, México

Developed by Mexico-based La Palma de Oro Films and La Vieja Rara, the project is in development. Produced by Antonio Urdapilleta and Valentina Vio and written by Ale García and Carla Sierra, the film follows Alba, who returns to Catemaco after the lynching of her husband and son, and summons La Susurradora, an ancient deity that grants her destructive power in exchange for bodily sacrifice. As she carries out her revenge, she becomes increasingly consumed by the force she invokes.

“Why Did You Come Back Every Summer” (“Por qué volvías cada verano”), Lorena Muñoz, Argentina

Developed by Argentina-based Mostra Cine alongside Cindy Teperman SRL and Atrece Creaciones, the project is in advanced development, positioning itself within a strong wave of Latin American films addressing institutional abuse and memory. Produced by Valeria Bistagnino, Tomás Eloy Muñoz Lázaro, Cindy Teperman, Delfina Montecchia and Ana Saura, it focuses on socially driven storytelling. Drama follows Lourdes, 20, who decides to report her uncle, a local police commissioner, for childhood sexual abuse during the summers she spent in his town.