The 72nd has rolled out the Latin American features in its Work in Progress (WIP) Latam section. This year’s selection, announced Wednesday, features stories from Argentina, Uruguay, Chile, Colombia, and Costa Rica, with four of the six entries being directorial debuts or sophomore efforts. Among the notable entries is by Argentinian filmmaker Iván Fund, who returns to San Sebastian after his previous success with (2021).
The film, a road movie set in the Argentinian countryside, stars Marcelo Subiotto, who won the Silver Shell for best lead performance in San Sebastian last year with . Uruguayan actor-turned-director Daniel Hendler will return to the festival for the fifth time with the border drama . Chilean director Nayra Ilic’s coming-of-age story , and Argentinian Paula Morel Kristof’s debut feature also join the lineup.
Rounding out the selection are two first-time feature directors: Colombia’s Simón Vélez with , a tale of gemstone theft, and Costa Rica’s Kim Torres with , a chilling story set in a rural town. San Sebastian’s WIP Latam section is a proven launchpad for Latin American cinema, with recent participants going on to premiere at prestigious festivals like Berlin and Cannes. This year’s selected films will compete for the WIP Latam Industry Award, which includes post-production services and Spanish distribution, and the EGEDA Platino Industry Award, which comes with a €30,000 ($33,000) prize.
This initiative, supported by the Ibermedia Programme and various industry partners, continues to play a crucial role in promoting and developing Latin American cinema on the global stage. THR Newsletters Sign up for THR news straight to your inbox every day More from The Hollywood Reporter.
