Maite Alberdi’s ‘A Child of My Own’ Leads Chilean Contingent at Berlin

Chile continues to hold its own against major players from Latin America, far exceeding what its size (pop. 19.7 million) would suggest, with a presence on a par with Mexico and Brazil. This year, Chile weighs in with three films and three series – led by Prime Video’s ambitious 8-episode family saga “The House of the Spirits”– at the Berlin Film Festival, along with various projects at the EFM.

“We believe this is the most significant — or the largest — Chilean presence we’ve ever had. Of course, there have been previous occasions. For example, when ‘Gloria’ was presented and we received a major award, and with other films as well,” says Diego Rougier, the new president of the Chilean Film & TV Producers Association, APCT.

Leading the troika of films is Netflix’s “A Child of My Own” by two-time Oscar nominee Maite Alberdi (“The Mole Agent” and “The Eternal Memory”) who shot her docu-fiction hybrid in Mexico. Speaking of her experience, she tells Variety: “It was wonderful because it’s a huge industry and the idiosyncrasies are somewhat similar to Chile’s.”

Participating in the Berlinale Perspectives sidebar is “Red Hangar” (“Hangar Rojo”), the fiction feature debut of documentarian Juan Pablo Sallato. As a co-production involving Chile’s Villano Prods., Argentina’s Brava Cine and HD Argentina as well as Rain Dogs, Berta Films and Caravan from Italy, it’s a testament to Chile’s savvy co-production capabilities.

Given the size of the country’s market, Chile has been co-producing for years. Rougier notes: “I believe we’ve reached a level of maturity in how we carry projects through. We’ve demonstrated seriousness, responsibility and talent — and that has opened the door to trust. I think co-producing is fundamentally about trust. As you attend markets, you meet producers, begin developing projects together, and relationships grow over time. Trust becomes the driving force behind these productions. And I believe Chile has shown that it is a serious and reliable partner in co-productions.”

The third pic, recent college graduate Diego Fuentes’ “Matapanki,” also a feature debut, was funded through a mix of university funds and various crowdfunding platforms and events that matched the film’s punk spirit, such as live shows and self-managed activities, says producer Tomas Santelices.

Describing their creative process, he says: “We shot on a Canon C300, designing a workflow that let us ‘dirty’ the digital image while applying our VFX. We aimed for a grainy black-and-white look, like a photocopy, refined through meticulous, hands-on rotoscoping to achieve the film’s intended aesthetic.”

“Because our market is very small, we rely on a lot of ingenuity and creativity in order to keep producing,” Rougier comments, adding: “The truth is that we’re constantly searching, and we’re all pushing for more and better tax incentives, like what other countries have. We’re always striving to achieve better conditions and, in the meantime, we depend on a great deal of creativity and productivity.”

Chile’s best tool for co-productions is the IFI Audiovisual program, he says, which is ideal for productions with large foreign investments in Chile. “It’s a kind of cash rebate – not a direct cash rebate, but it works on a similar mechanism. The key point is that all production expenses can qualify for the rebate when foreign money is involved,” he explains. Location shoots in the metropolitan region or in the capital can apply for a 30% reimbursement for local expenses and 40% for location shoots in the rest of the country.

After a few false starts, the country finally launched a film commission in December, now led by coordinator Yerko Martinez Carrere. “Chile’s experience with co-productions, combined with its incredible locations – from deserts to snow, the sea, forests, the Araucanía and Patagonia regions –and its highly skilled technical crews, makes it ideal for large productions. It’s a great moment to launch a Film Commission and attract not only local projects but also international productions to shoot here,” Rougier notes.

“We have a strong industry, but it’s not enough. We need to keep growing to stay competitive and earn the recognition Chilean audiovisual work deserves. Step by step, the productions we’re making speak for themselves and pave the way for what comes next.”