Latin pic marts sizzle:
Markets flourish, boosted by buying spree
GUADALAJARA, Mexico — One decade ago, most Latin American national film industries were struggling for survival.
Now, after production levels have boomed in most territories — Argentina alone made 154 features last year — they’re battling for the keys to further growth.
A dynamic clutch of dedicated national, mini-regional and pan-Latin American film markets are aimed at boosting exports and co-productions for young, but fast-maturing local production sectors.
Mexico’s Guadalajara mart, under 2006-10 director Jorge Sanchez, built up its Film Market and Ibero-American Co-production Meeting, and imported Cannes’ Producers Network and a Guadalajara Construye rough-cut section.
This week’s Buenos Aires’ Bafici Festival boasts a prestigious works-in-progress section, a BAL co-production forum and Puentes, a Europe-Latin America meet.
Buenos Aires’ Ventana Sur, a custom-built mart for Latin American pics combining the strength of its organizers, Cannes’ Film Market and Argentina’s Incaa film institute, has taken Latin American film markets to the next level.
At least 300 buyers and 1,960 non-Latin American participants attended the second edition of Ventana Sur in December.
To read the rest of the article, click on the following link:
Tomás Crowder-Taraborrelli 