San Sebastian Unveils WIP Latam Lineup

The 72nd San Sebastian Film Festival 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 The Message by Argentinian filmmaker Iván Fund, who returns to San Sebastian after his previous success with Dusk Stone (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 Puan.

Uruguayan actor-turned-director Daniel Hendler will return to the festival for the fifth time with the border drama A Loose End. Chilean director Nayra Ilic’s coming-of-age story Cuerpo Celeste, and Argentinian Paula Morel Kristof’s debut feature Muña Muña also join the lineup.

Rounding out the selection are two first-time feature directors: Colombia’s Simón Vélez with Gemstones, a tale of gemstone theft, and Costa Rica’s Kim Torres with If We Don’t Burn, How Do We Light up the Night, 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.