Uruguayan cinema will be represented at Marché du Film 2026.
As part of efforts to promote the audiovisual sector under the “Uruguay Audiovisual” brand, the Uruguayan Film and Audiovisual Agency (ACAU), together with Uruguay XXI—the agency responsible for promoting exports, investment, and the country’s image—is planning a series of support activities for the Uruguayan delegation participating in the market and the festival. ACAU will be represented at the market by its President, Gisella Previtali, and its Head of International Affairs, Marcio Migliorisi.
Uruguay will have a presence at the market with a booth at the Palais des Festivals, designed to host meetings and events with institutional representatives, producers, festivals, and international agents, and to serve as a meeting and networking hub for the delegation.
At the same time, through an agreement with and collaboration from the José Ignacio International Film Festival (JIIFF), Uruguay will also be present at Cannes Marina on a boat managed by the festival, located near the market venue. There, ACAU will have a space to hold meetings and organize strategic events with partners such as festivals, funds, institutes, and platforms.
The Uruguay International Film Festival, organized by Cinemateca Uruguaya, will also be present in Cannes, represented by its artistic director and programmer, Alejandra Trelles.
Furthermore, through a partnership established by ACAU with the organizers of Cannes Docs, and based on a selection made through an open call, Uruguay will be represented by Uruguayan producers Alex Piperno (La Pobladora Cine) and Eugenia Olascuaga (Monarca Films) at the “Cannes DOC Co-Pro Social Club.” This space offers opportunities to present documentary projects and expand internationalization prospects.
The short films “Bajamar” (Uruguay, 2026), directed by Ignacio Giannini, and “Liberarse” (Uruguay, 2026), by the Raccord104 collective, will participate in the Cannes Film Festival’s Short Film Corner after being selected through the José Ignacio International Film Festival and the 48h Film Project, respectively.
We also highlight the selection of the film “La perra,” directed by Dominga Sotomayor (Chile, 2026) and written by Inés Bortagaray, for the Directors’ Fortnight. Bortagaray is a prominent Uruguayan screenwriter whose work has received international recognition.
Ana Clara Pelufo will participate in the Cannes Classics section following her selection for this program dedicated to film history and heritage, which features documentaries about cinema and restored films.
Ignacio García Cucucovich, producer of Mother Superior, will present his project “Impuro” (in development) at the Fantastic Pavilion events. He will also take part in a conference on genre cinema in Latin America, highlighting Uruguay’s growing role in the field.
The delegation is further strengthened by the participation of various Uruguayan producers, filmmakers, and programmers present at the market. The full delegation can be found in the “Who’s Who.”
ACAU’s participation includes co-production meetings with various countries to exchange experiences, foster international networking for the Uruguayan delegation, and showcase national talent, along with the advantages and incentives of filming and co-producing in Uruguay. In this regard, meetings have been planned with the United Kingdom, Belgium, Japan, India, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, and the Dominican Republic, among others.
In this context, the tools available to support and promote the sector will be presented. These tools have helped establish Uruguayan talent as a benchmark in Latin America and support the development and internationalization of Uruguayan cinema, as well as the Uruguay Films catalog, which provides information on films and projects in development.
Similarly, working and planning meetings are scheduled with partners such as institutes, agencies, funds, markets, and international festival programmers.
Ventana Sur 2026 confirms it will take place in Uruguay and announces the news in Cannes
As part of the organization of “Ventana Sur Río de la Plata” in Uruguay, which will take place in Montevideo from November 30 to December 4, and is organized by the Uruguayan Film and Audiovisual Agency (ACAU) in partnership with the Marché du Film and the National Institute of Cinema and Audiovisual Arts (INCAA), several presentations are being held, with Uruguayan representatives in attendance:
Conference – Panel “Ventana Sur – Uruguay 2026”
On May 16 at 3 p.m. at the View Point, a panel will present the upcoming edition and the opportunities the market offers for the exchange and promotion of Latin American cinema. The presentation will be led by Gisella Previtali, President of ACAU; Marcio Migliorisi, ACAU’s Head of International Affairs; Diego Marambio International Affairs Manager and Ralph Hayek, both representing INCAA.
Ventana Sur Goes to Cannes
This event will take place on May 18 at 10 a.m. at the Palais K cinema. It is a pitching session for Latin American projects that have been featured in the market in recent editions. Uruguayan projects will be represented by Clara Charlo, producer at Los Besos Contenidos, with her project “El Pasto,” and Federico Cetta, producer at El Cielo Cine, with his project “Cuando yo existía.”
Ventana Sur Case Study – Ventana Sur 2026 Launch Party in Montevideo
This event will take place on May 18 from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Bistrot de Lérins in the Palais. From 5:00 to 5:30 p.m., there will be a screening of the film “Un cabo suelto” (Uruguay, 2026), directed by Daniel Hendler and produced by Micaela Solé (Cordón Films), presented as a success story of a project selected in previous editions of Ventana Sur. From 5:30 to 7 p.m., a cocktail reception and networking event will follow, during which the hosting of Ventana Sur 2026 in Montevideo will be officially announced.
In this way, the various initiatives planned and implemented by ACAU for Uruguay’s presence at the 2026 Marché du Film bring together strategic actions aimed at strengthening the positioning and promotion of the Uruguayan audiovisual ecosystem as a key partner in Latin America.
