Chile’s Sanfic Industria new Queer Incubator section will have the unprecedented support of Netflix through its Creative Equity Fund. “This support marks a significant milestone as it represents the first monetary award in our labs and our first collaboration with Netflix,” said Sanfic Industria head, Gabriela Sandoval, co-founder of the Santiago International Film Festival, (Sanfic) which runs Aug. 17-24 this year.
The new section also has the backing of the EU-LAC Foundation, an international organization created in 2010 by the heads of state and governments of the European Union (EU), Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC).
“We’re proud to support Sanfic Industry’s Queer Incubator program, creating opportunities to foster new storytelling and creatives — a mission we both share. Initiatives like these are key in expanding the talent pool and bringing different perspectives to the audiovisual industry,” said Pierre Emile Vandoorne, senior director of global affairs for Latin America at Netflix.
“The Queer Latin America Incubator is a development and creative support platform for early-stage audiovisual projects that explore LGBTIQA+ themes from an author-driven, intersectional and Latin American perspective,” explained Sandoval, adding: “The initiative aims to amplify emerging voices, strengthen diverse representation on screen and promote responsible creative processes that are deeply engaged with local territories and their narratives.”
Among the mentors is Argentine auteur playwright, showrunner and director Erika Halvorsen, who is Netflix’s manager of content for the southern cone (Argentina and Chile). She co-wrote “Miss Carbón,” directed by Agustina Macri, a Spanish-Argentine co-production, starring trans actress-activist Lux Pascal, which will close the Sanfic Festival. In a conversation with Sandoval, Halvorsen will discuss how to approach content on streaming platforms.
Alfredo Castro – Chile’s most renowned actor, whose multiple credits include several films by Oscar-nominated Pablo Larrain, such as “Tony Manero,” “Fuga” and Pinochet-as-vampire drama “The Count” on Netflix – will be giving a Master Class.
Mentors will be focusing on the storytelling aspect of the projects, in contrast to the other sections at Sanfic Industria which will hone in on marketing, sales and distribution.
These include Emilio Papamija, Marité Ugas and Enrique Flores who will also be participating on panels.
Papimija is an audiovisual consultant and trainer who is currently a diversity advisor at IntimAct (Spain) and works on various lines of research and subaltern pedagogy.
Ugás, through Sudaca Films, has written, directed and produced award-winning films, including “The Boy Who Lies” (Berlinale 2011) and “Bad Hair,” winner of the Golden Shell at San Sebastián. Her work has earned over 60 international awards. She is currently co-directing “La Hija de la Española,” premiering in Venice and Toronto.
Flores is a cultural manager with over 15 years of experience. He currently directs public relations at the Guadalajara Film Festival (FICG) and serves on the Maguey Award Selection Committee, contributing to audience development from an inclusive perspective.
The Selected Projects:
“The House of the Mother,” (“La casa de mamá,” Jeure Tavare, Dominican Republic, Brazil)
From Dominican shingle No Hay Sistema, which aims to to tell urgent, socially driven stories from the margins and is seeking co-producers. Led by producer and lawyer Yatnna Montilla and director-screenwriter Jeure Tavare, the company views cinema as a tool for cultural transformation. “The House of the Mother” is co-developed with Brazil’s Carnaval Filmes (Nara Aragão, João Vieira Jr.) and follows Rosita, a 72-year-old woman forced to confront her fear of the dark when a wounded boy seeks refuge after a homophobic attack. Supported by Midpoint Focus Queer 2025 and selected for Karlovy Vary’s Eastern Promises, the project centers on queer narratives and intergenerational trauma. Filming is set for 2026. “This story confronts silence and fear, offering tenderness as resistance,” says director Jeure Tavare, who plans to use non-pro actors. “I wrote the characters in this film with myself in mind, reflecting on what it means to be queer in the suburbs, not letting trauma define us, but approaching it from a place of protest and hope. For us, queer people, simply holding hands, walking, dancing, living, it’s all an act of resistance,” he adds.
“Anonymous Romances,” (“Romances anónimos,” Andrea Tudela, Peru)
Developed by Peruvian writer-director Andrea Tudela Bustamante, in collaboration with Nómada Films – an independent company dedicated to women-led and minority-driven stories with international scope. The film follows Aria, whose quiet adult life is upended by the return of Rosemary, her childhood companion and the keeper of a desire that never had a name. As they reunite, long-buried emotions resurface, forcing them to confront what was left unsaid. Producer Jaisia Figueroa supports the project’s international vision, including a planned cast led by a Peruvian actress and a foreign co-lead. Project heading to Cinenido’s Laboratorio Conciliable 2026 after Sanfic, explores identity, repressed desire and female intimacy. “I want to represent female desire without fetish or artifice,” says Tudela. “This story was born from questioning the idea of ‘first love’—and who gets to define it.” I want to portray emotional bonds that don’t easily fit into the labels we’ve been taught to use. In societies like Peru – and many others – a woman’s first love is often assumed and defined through male intimate intervention over her body, commonly referred to as “the first time.” This film seeks to observe and challenge that narrative.”
Anonymous Romances
“Red Against Blue,” (“Rojo contra azul,” Fiora Salas-Román, Chile)
The debut feature by trans writer-director Fiora Salas-Román, currently in screenplay development and seeking support to move into production. Based in Valparaíso, Chile, Salas-Román focuses on intimate, LGBTQ+ stories that bring visibility to trans experiences through personal and emotionally nuanced narratives. Her short film “Summer Days” will premiere at Sanfic’s Short Film Competition this year. “Red Against Blue” follows the evolving relationship between Angelita (22), an aspiring trans singer-actress, and Antonio (24), a rapper, over three years. Set in the vibrant and artistic city of Valparaíso, the film explores how love and ambition grow outside heteronormative structures—until a pivotal decision threatens to reshape their path. The docufiction hybrid blends fiction with lived experience and features original music by Angelita’s stage persona, “Princesa Kuervo,” alongside tracks by local musicians. Through an urban and alternative pop lens, the film captures the bohemian spirit of Valparaíso and presents a tender perspective on trans love, self-expression and artistic identity in contemporary South America.
“Shedding Skin,” (“En piel de reptile,” Noa Leporati, Chile)
From Viña del Mar, Chile-based Totoral Films & Media Lab, led by filmmakers Pepe Rovano and Kamila Véliz. Known for blending social storytelling with immersive technology, the company produces documentaries, XR projects, and science communication experiences focused on human rights and social justice. Notable works include “Bastardo: The Legacy of a Genocidal Father” and XR pieces like “Memorial Rocas XR” and “Dignidad 360°.” Currently in pre-production, “Shedding Skin”—starring Demian Sánchez, Catalina Saavedra, and Yermén Dinamarca—is set to shoot in October 2026. The film follows León, a 24-year-old trans man navigating top surgery, emotional isolation and a newfound friendship with Carol, a trans woman who becomes his anchor. Through this relationship, León learns that self-acceptance is the foundation of love and trust. Executive producer Pepe Rovano and producer Kamila Véliz are seeking co-production partners. Says Leporati: “This film seeks to build a bridge between generations, between young people and the older ones who love, raise or accompany someone trans. It’s an intimate story that highlights the tenderness and resilience of our communities.”
Fran Beethoven, The Bustamante
“The Bustamante,” (“Los Bustamante,” Fran Beethoven, Uruguay)
The debut feature by Fran Bethoven, produced by Anecdotario Cine, a Montevideo-based company known for projects with strong artistic and social focus. The film follows Juliana Bustamante, whose annual attempts to avoid her family’s holiday gatherings unravel when her cousin insists on performing a ritual to introduce her newborn to their long-deceased grandfather. Blending comedy, magical realism and emotional depth, the story explores intergenerational trauma, identity and belonging. Currently in early development, “Los Bustamante” was awarded the 2024 PUA Development Grant. It was also featured in Ventana Sur’s +MALA market and secured a 2025 mentorship with Verónica Perrotta. Anecdotario Cine, also behind the Llamale H Festival on Sexual and Gender Diversity, brings its extensive experience to the project, with Diego Pereira producing. The team will present the film at the 11th Ibero-American Meeting of LGBTIQA+ Film Festivals at San Sebastián as it seeks Spanish co-production partners.
“Numb,” (“Punto Muerto,” Lorenzo Dieguez, Argentina
From Cinematres, a Buenos Aires-based independent production company led by Pablo José Meza and Rocío Díaz Pérez, which focuses on auteur-driven fiction films such as “Buenos Aires 100 Km,” “La Vieja de Atrás” and “Kabaddi,” with selections at San Sebastián, Havana, and Marrakech. “Numb” written by director Lorenzo Dieguez, is currently in pre-production. The drama follows Catalina, who, burdened by the recent death of her abusive mother, convinces her closest friends to help her search for her long-lost father in the Argentine provinces. Their road trip becomes a safe haven – a world of their own and a fragile refuge in the aftermath of trauma. The project was selected for Produire au Sud – Paraná and has received support from Argentina’s Fondo Nacional de las Artes. Producers Meza and Díaz Pérez affirm their commitment to equity by supporting a transgender director working beyond LGBTQI+ themes, promoting diverse voices in storytelling. “Providing the means for a transgender director with a non LGBTQI+ themed film, constitutes a stand not for equality but for equity. We hope that anyone, regardless of their gender, age or identity, finds themselves in the work of this team,” say Meza and Diaz Pérez.
