Uruguay’s José Ignacio Intl. Film Festival Launches $50,000 Fund for Projects From Emerging Directors
Uruguay’s José Ignacio International Film Festival (JIIFF) has launched the Pfeffer del Sur Fund, a $50,000 fund dedicated to supporting Ibero-American film projects.
The Pfeffer Del Sur Fund, established by JIIFF’s primary benefactors, María and John Pfeffer, will be launched in January 2025 as part of the festival’s 15th anniversary edition. It will be awarded to one of the projects selected from the JIIFF Lab, part of the Working JIIFF industry program.
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The call for projects interested in competing for the first Pfeffer fund will launch in July. Eligible projects must have at least one Uruguayan producer attached or sign on a Uruguayan producer after being selected. They should also be the first or second film from an emerging director with a budget not exceeding $1.5 million. Co-productions between multiple countries will receive special consideration to encourage international collaboration.
Further details about the inaugural year of the Pfeffer fund will be shared on Wednesday, May 16, from aboard the Alhambra classic yacht, JIIFF’s headquarters for this year’s Cannes festival.
Fiona Pittaluga, director at José Ignacio International Film Festival, said: “As we prepare to bring the magic of JIIFF and José Ignacio to the French Rivera and celebrate the presence of Uruguayan features at this year’s Cannes Film Festival – it’s fantastic to be unveiling our Pfeffer Del Sur Fund which will offer vital funding to further fuel the Latin American film landscape on the global stage. In fact, this is the largest private fund in Latin America for the encouragement and development of fiction feature films. It is made possible thanks to the unwavering commitment from the Pfeffer family and will offer an unprecedented level of financial support in our region, which is going to be an incredible catalyst for the winning project, and we look forward to officially opening for submissions in July.”
In addition to promoting the new fund, JIIFF and the Uruguayan Film Commission will host several events from aboard the Alhambra, including an Uruguay Cocktail Party and screenings of two Uruguayan co-productions appearing in this year’s Cannes: Federico Luis’s “Simón de la montaña” (Critics’ Week) and Paulo Carneiro’s “La sabana y la montaña” (Directors’ Fortnight).
According to Facundo Ponce de León, president of Uruguay’s ACAU (Agencia del Cine y el Audiovisual de Uruguay), “The Uruguayan audiovisual ecosystem is highly diverse and attractive, both for private and public initiatives. In recent years, Uruguay has become a point of attraction in the region, and JIIFF is part of and driving that change. From here, the projection is regional and international.”
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