Jury of the 44º Festival
Choose the competition
Jury for the International Competition
International Competition
Inés Bortagaray
Salto, Uruguay, 1975
Inés Bortagaray is a Uruguayan screenwriter and writer. Among other fiction feature films, she has worked as a screenwriter on La vida útil by Federico Veiroj; Una novia errante and Mi amiga del parque by Ana Katz; A Vida Invisível by Karim Aïnouz; Otra historia del mundo by Guillermo Casanova; El lugar de la otra by Maite Alberdi; Bem-vinda, Violeta! by Fernando Fraiha; and La perra by Dominga Sotomayor (currently in post-production).
For the screenplay of Mi amiga del parque, she received the Special Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival. For A Vida Invisível, she was awarded by the Brazilian Academy of Cinema, as well as the Grande Prêmio do Cinema Brasileiro.
She has published three books: Ahora tendré que matarte, Prontos, listos, ya, and Cuántas aventuras nos aguardan. Her books have been published in Brazil, Spain, Bolivia, Chile, and the United States. Some of her short stories have appeared in collections and anthologies worldwide.
International Competition
Daniel Hendler
Montevideo, Uruguay, 1976
He trained at the Instituto de Estudios Teatrales and acted in, wrote, directed, and produced several theater productions with the group Acapara el 522. He also directed several short films and worked as a screenwriter for films by Daniel Burman, Ariel Winograd, and Natalia Meta.
In 2010, he released his first feature film as writer and director, Norberto apenas tarde. In 2016, he ventured into television directing with Guía 19172, a series about cannabis regulation in Uruguay. He also wrote, directed, and starred in the series La división (2017) and Los demonios (2018, winner of the Star Amets Award at Bilbao SeriesLand), co-produced with UN3TV (Argentina) and TV Ciudad (Uruguay).
El candidato (2016), his second feature film as writer and director, received awards in Miami, at the Havana Film Festival in New York, and in São Paulo. In 2025, he premiered the Netflix original production 27 noches, which he directed and starred in; presented Un cabo suelto at Venice; and received a Special Mention from the Jury in the Horizontes Latinos section at the San Sebastián Film Festival.
International Competition
Frédéric Maire
Neuchâtel, Suiza, 1961
Filmmaker, journalist, and programmer, Frédéric Maire has directed several short and medium-length fiction films since 1980, as well as reports for Swiss French-language television, and has also produced other films. Since 1983, he has worked as a journalist and critic for various French- and Italian-speaking Swiss media outlets, mainly in the fields of culture and cinema.
From 1986 onward, he collaborated with the Locarno International Film Festival in publications, communication, and programming. In 1991, he co-founded and directed the programming unit Passion Cinéma, and in 1992 he co-founded the children’s film club La Lanterne Magique, which expanded to 88 locations in Switzerland and internationally, especially in Spain.
In 2005, he was appointed Artistic Director of the Locarno International Film Festival. In October 2009, he became Director of the Cinémathèque suisse, a position he held until September 2025. He served as President of the International Federation of Film Archives (FIAF) between 2017 and 2023. Since January 2026, he has been Vice President of the new Jean-Luc Godard Foundation.
Jury for the Ibero-American Competition
Ibero-American Competition
Fernando Martín Peña
Buenos Aires, Argentina, 1968
He is an Argentine critic, teacher, researcher, film historian, and collector. In 1994, together with Octavio Fabiano and Fabio Manes, he founded Filmoteca Buenos Aires, a private institution dedicated to the preservation and dissemination of cinema. He was also one of the founders of the Association for the Protection of Audiovisual Heritage, which rescued nearly 300 Argentine films that were at risk of being lost.
Since 2002, he has been in charge of the film department at MALBA (Museum of Latin American Art of Buenos Aires). He served as director of BAFICI (2004–2007) and as artistic director of the Mar del Plata International Film Festival in 2008, 2014, and 2015.
As a researcher, he has recovered several films that were considered lost or incomplete, such as Los traidores (1973) by Raymundo Gleyzer, Metropolis by Fritz Lang (incorporating 26 minutes of footage virtually unseen since its original release), and a version of the short film The Blacksmith by Buster Keaton, featuring scenes not included in the original cut.
He has published several books, including Gag: Comedy in Cinema (1895–1930), One Hundred Years of Argentine Cinema, Cursed Cinema, Filmoteca Diary, and Argentine Cinema. People, Facts, Films. 1896–1958 and 1959–2024.
Ibero-American Competition
Jean-Christophe Berjon
Luçon, Francia, 1964
In France, he served as pedagogical director of the renowned acting school Cours Florent, Secretary General of the National Federation of Critics, director of the weekly magazine Les fiches du cinéma and the encyclopedia L’annuel du cinéma, as well as a regular critic on the television program Le Cercle (Canal+). He also co-directed the documentary Si près de Dieu, si loin des États-Unis (2008, Canal+).
In Mexico, he worked as audiovisual attaché at the French Embassy, was a member of the Academic Council of the Ingmar Bergman Chair at UNAM, a correspondent for the newspaper Reforma and the magazine Cine-Premiere, and co-coordinated several editions of the National Young Critics Competition at the Cineteca Nacional.
As a programmer, he directed the Critics’ Week at the Cannes Film Festival (2004–2011), was artistic director of the Biarritz Festival (2008–2011), the San Cristóbal de las Casas International Film Festival (2015–2017), and the Viva México panorama in Paris (2012–2024). Since 2006, he has also contributed to the programming of the Morelia International Film Festival. Since 2022, he has been General Delegate of the Biarritz Amérique Latine Festival.
Ibero-American Competition
Leticia Jorge Romero
Montevideo, Uruguay, 1981
Film director and screenwriter. She has directed three feature films—Agarrame fuerte (2024), Alelí (2020), and Tanta agua (2013)—as well as several short films. Agarrame fuerte was nominated in 2025 for the Goya Award for Best Ibero-American Film and was screened at some of the most important film festivals in the world, winning the “Nora Ephron” Award at Tribeca.
In 2024, she published her first book, for which she received the National Literature Prize. She teaches film to students of all ages. Her films have been selected and awarded at major international festivals, and she has served as a jury member for funds, festivals, and awards.
Jury for the New Filmmakers Competition
New Filmmakers Competition
Ainhoa Artetxe Uriarte
Bilbao, País Vasco, España, 1993
Actress and creator from Bilbao. She trained in acting at Estudio Corazza in Madrid and is currently furthering her studies as a director and screenwriter. As an actress, she has appeared in various series and films such as Maixabel by Icíar Bollaín, Hondar Ahoak by Koldo Almadoz, and La Línea Invisible by Mariano Barroso.
Among her recent works are Jone, a veces by Sara Fantova, Esta soledad by Javier Giner, El niño by Mariano Barroso, and Mi querida señorita by Fernando González Molina. In theater, she has performed in productions such as ¿Qué fue de Ana García? by Borja Ruiz, La maniobra Heimlich by Pako Revueltas, Tratando de hacer una obra que cambie el mundo by Javier Liñera, and Winona & Grace and La sed del minotauro by Alex Gerediaga (Khea Ziater).
As a creator, she has written and directed Llámalo X and Winona & Grace. She is currently developing her first series project, Que no decaiga, with Sideral Cinema, and stars in and co-directs part of the miniseries Tamara ta Mara for EITB.
New Filmmakers Competition
Marianella Morena
Sarandí Grande, Uruguay, 1968
Marianella Morena is a Uruguayan playwright, theater director, and teacher, recognized for a body of work that combines documentary research, contemporary reinterpretations of classical texts, and a political perspective on Latin American reality. Her theater is characterized by a poetic writing style shaped by real testimonies, music, performance, and hybrid scenic devices that question structures of power, violence, and the construction of collective memory.
From her earliest works, she has developed a distinctive theatrical language that moves between documentary theater, fiction, political essay, and performative intervention. Her work has achieved wide international circulation, with productions presented in countries such as Argentina, Germany, Brazil, Bolivia, Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela, the United States, Spain, France, Finland, Paraguay, Peru, Portugal, Chile, and Mexico.
This international presence reflects not only interest in her aesthetic approach but also the political and social dimension of her projects, which engage with contemporary debates on gender, memory, justice, and coloniality.
New Filmmakers Competition
Hernán Rosselli
Buenos Aires, Argentina, 1979
Hernán Rosselli was born in Argentina in 1979. In 2002, he entered the National School of Film Experimentation and Filmmaking (ENERC), where he specialized in editing. He is currently a professor of Documentary Film at the Universidad del Cine (FUC) in Buenos Aires.
In 2014, he directed Mauro, which competed in the Bright Future section at the International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR) and won the FIPRESCI Award and the Special Jury Prize in the International Competition at the Buenos Aires International Festival of Independent Cinema (BAFICI). A few years later, he directed the documentary Casa del Teatro (2018), which was also selected for BAFICI.
Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed is his third feature film and had its world premiere at the Directors’ Fortnight of the Cannes Film Festival.
Jury of the Human Rights Competition
Human Rights Competition
Gonzalo Arijón
Montevideo, Uruguay, 1969
Author of a substantial body of documentary work, including Un extraño Casco Azul, the saga of a Uruguayan torturer who ended up receiving the Nobel Peace Prize (1989); El mundo según mi hermano, the encounter, in the midst of the Colombian guerrilla, between two brothers and two worlds (1991); Sarajevo: A Street Under Siege, about life under sniper fire (BAFTA Awards, 1995); Por esos ojos, the story of Mariana Zaffaroni, disappeared between the ages of 2 and 17 (1998); La sociedad de la nieve, the story of the sixteen Andes survivors as never told before (Joris Ivens Award, 2007); Ojos bien abiertos, traveling alongside Eduardo Galeano through early 21st-century South America (Red Cross Award); Pacificar Rio?, just before the 2014 World Cup; and Migrant Journeys (Global Mosaic series, Los Angeles Emmy Award, 2021).
Human Rights Competition
Macarena Gelman
Montevideo, Uruguay, 1976
She is a Uruguayan human rights activist and politician. She served as a member of parliament for the Frente Amplio. She is the daughter of María Claudia García Irureta Goyena and Marcelo Ariel Gelman, both forcibly disappeared during the Argentine military dictatorship.
Her mother, who was pregnant, was abducted and transferred to Uruguay under Operation Condor, where she gave birth in captivity. Macarena was taken and raised by a Uruguayan family, while her biological parents were murdered. She is the granddaughter of poet Juan Gelman and María Eugenia Casinelli, co-founder of the Grandmothers of Plaza de Mayo.
In 2000, after a long search led by her grandfather, she recovered her identity. She studied at the Faculty of Sciences and the Faculty of Chemistry at the Universidad de la República and was active in student movements between 1995 and 2000.
After discovering her identity, she adopted the surnames of her biological parents (Gelman García). She has been actively involved in social activism related to human rights violations during state terrorism and the identity of people who do not know their families of origin.
Human Rights Competition
Paula Felix-Didier
Buenos Aires, Argentina, 1967
She is a historian who graduated from the Faculty of Philosophy and Letters at the University of Buenos Aires (B.A.), holds a Master’s degree in Moving Image Archiving and Preservation from the Tisch School of the Arts at New York University, and is a PhD candidate in History at Universidad Torcuato Di Tella.
She currently serves as Director of the Museo del Cine “Pablo Ducrós Hicken,” under the Ministry of Culture of the Government of the City of Buenos Aires. She specializes in the management, preservation, and archiving of audiovisual media and works as a lecturer and film researcher.
Since 2018, she has been a member of the Executive Committee of FIAF (International Federation of Film Archives). She was Academic Director of the Master’s Program in Documentary Journalism at the Universidad Nacional de Tres de Febrero. She is co-author and on-screen participant of the series Películas Recuperadas, broadcast on Canal Encuentro and IncaaTV.
She is also co-founder of ARCA (Regional Archive of Amateur Cinema), dedicated to the preservation and dissemination of family, educational, institutional, scientific, and experimental films. She has taught university and tertiary-level courses on the history of Argentine and Latin American cinema.
Jury of the Youth Competition
Youth Competition
Imanol Rodríguez Ramos
Montevideo, Uruguay, 2005
My name is Imanol Rodríguez, I’m from Montevideo and I’m almost 21 years old. I’m a student of Audiovisual Communication at the Faculty of Information and Communication, and I’m also a third-year acting student at the school of Vicky Rodríguez and Gustavo Antúnez.
My interest in cinema goes back a long time, but since I started my studies, I watch films practically every day and also write about them. I enjoy many types of cinema, but if I had to choose one, it would be comedy. My favorite film is Punch-Drunk Love by Paul Thomas Anderson.
Youth Competition
Julieta Hernández
Montevideo, Uruguay, 2004
Audiovisual Communication student at FIC, with a strong interest in editing and everything related to behind-the-scenes work.
Cinema has always been a part of me—ever since I can remember, my life has revolved around the films I watch.
Through participation in short films and workshops such as Cine AccesibleUy, where cinema is experienced from a different perspective, I discovered my admiration for stories that portray reality in its raw and everyday forms. My fascination with film has evolved from being a spectator into a desire to create.
I am mainly influenced by Latin American women directors as I pursue a path in audiovisual filmmaking, telling original stories.
Youth Competition
Matías Eyherabide
Montevideo, Uruguay, 2007
I enjoy doing many different things. I’ve been working as a barber for three years—what started as something to do in my free time became a job, a beautiful job that I enjoy every day. I study film at ECCO (Escuela Comunitaria del Oeste), a truly unique place.
I love sports and have played football for as long as I can remember. I deeply love traveling—it’s one of the ways to discover other lives and worlds, much like cinema.
I discovered cinema through my father, when I was a child and used to watch Spider-Man (2002) over and over again on DVD. At 15, my father showed me The Silence of the Lambs, and it completely changed my perception of cinema—I realized there was something more. I enjoy all kinds of films; labeling them by genre often feels limiting. But if I had to name a director, it would be Abbas Kiarostami—his films changed my life in an indescribable way.
Youth Competition
Emilia Musitelli
Dresden, Alemania, 2006
I am currently studying at the Faculty of Social Sciences, focusing on Political Science and Sociology. I have always traveled a lot, including backpacking trips in 2025, but one of the most important journeys in my life was moving from Germany to Uruguay in 2024.
These experiences have given me a broad perspective on culture, social structures, and art, which I see reflected in my love for cinema and literature. I was born into a family connected to film production, which influenced my sensitivity toward audiovisual media from an early age and has stayed with me throughout my life.
Besides cinema, I enjoy writing and expressing myself creatively. I also enjoy meaningful discussions on philosophical and social topics, and I am always seeking new experiences and knowledge.
Youth Competition
Luca Ismael Houfek
Hamburgo, Alemania, 2008
I was born in Germany and have been living in Uruguay since I was 16. From an early age, I developed a love for art, and at eight years old I began creating my own short films. I found in artistic expression a way to gain new perspectives on the world and to experiment with reality.
For that reason, the cinema I most enjoy watching and creating is often marked by psychological themes and dark, highly stylized worlds. In recent years, I have directed several short films that have been screened at festivals such as Detour and the Cine Universitario short film showcase. I am currently studying Audiovisual production at UTU.
Toward the end of 2025, I acted in the series El resto bien, which gave me my first experiences on set and strengthened my admiration for audiovisual work.
Jury of the Children's Competition
+ 8 years
Children's Competition 8+
Paulina Silveira
Canelones, Uruguay, 2017
My name is María Paulina, but everyone calls me Pauli. I’m 9 years old and I live in El Pinar with my mom, my dad, and my pets—4 dogs and 4 cats. My hobbies are listening to music, dancing, and taking photos of all kinds of things. I collect comics and stickers, which I trade with my friends at school.
I study in Montevideo and I’m in fourth grade. I play sports—handball and swimming. My favorite series are Stranger Things and Gravity Falls; I like them because they have mystery, horror, and action. My two favorite movies are Enola Holmes (the first and second one) and Toy Story 3, which I’ve seen many times and never get tired of watching.
On weekends and in my free time, besides going to the beach or riding my bike, I really enjoy watching movies and series with my parents.
Children's Competition 8+
Lucía Citarella
Buenos Aires, Argentina, 2018
My name is Lucía, I’m 8 years old, and I was born in Buenos Aires on February 1, 2018. I love movies—I love all kinds of movies: dance, voice, anything. When I grow up, I want to be a dancer. I love singing and dancing, and I also want to act one day at the Teatro Colón.
I live across from Plaza Congreso, and I have many friends and family.
Children's Competition 8+
Juan Patricio López Sosa
Montevideo, Uruguay, 2016
Hello everyone, I’m Juan Patricio, I’m 9 years old, and I live in the beautiful neighborhood of La Teja.
A few things about me: my friends call me Pato. I support Rampla Juniors (even
though this year they’re playing in the C division), I’m a scout, and I’m a big, big chatterbox.
I love telling jokes, drawing, playing board games, reading, video games, and watching movies. I like many things, but some more than others, like movies, drawing, and writing stories such as The Hat, The Hat 2, and The Nonsense Story, which I’m still writing.
For music, I listen to El Cuarteto de Nos, Los Olimareños, and my favorite genre is rap—I like rapping and rhyming.
I love cinema. At home, we have family movie nights on Fridays and Saturdays, and sometimes I watch a movie on my own. My favorite genre is comedy, and every now and then I watch some horror (not too much because some of them scare me).
Children's Competition 8+
Mateo Chaves
Montevideo, Uruguay, 2014
My name is Mateo, but my friends call me “Mate.” I was born in 2014, when my name was very popular. I’ve been going to Colegio Latinoamericano since I was little, and I really like sports. I go quite often to Club Tabaré, and last year I started playing handball at Pontevedrés.
I’ve known the Festival for some time—I’ve mainly attended the children’s short film programs, and afterwards we usually stay talking about them with my brother or a friend who comes with me.
I like playing quiz games (like trivia), and right now I’m really into The Impostor. I haven’t made any films yet, but with my classmates from 6th grade we’re planning to create a play, and I’d love to act in it.
Children's Competition 8+
Camela Gastambide
Montevideo, Uruguay, 2015
My name is Carmela Gastambide. I was born on September 15, 2015, in Montevideo. I’m 10 years old, I’m in 5th grade, and I go to Escuela Brasil. I have a sister named Bruna, who is 8, and a brother named Hugo, who is 6. I live downtown with my mom, Virginia, and my dad, Santiago.
I really enjoy watching movies, listening to music, and making plans with my friends. My favorite movies are Back to the Future and The Mask, although there are others I also like to watch.
We usually go to the movie theater near my house, and afterwards I like when we all go together to eat something at Bar Hispano.
+ 12 years
Children's Competition 12+
Vera Bonicelli
Montevideo, Uruguay, 2010
Student at Juan XXIII School and is currently in her second year of musical theater training at EAA (Escuela de Acción Artística · Luis Trochón). In January 2026, after auditioning, she was awarded a scholarship to take part in the two-week intensive musical theater program in New York called GO Broadway. Her favorite films are Little Miss Sunshine, Beautiful Boy, The Perks of Being a Wallflower, and Donnie Darko.
Children's Competition 12+
Violeta Mesa Parodi
Montevideo, Uruguay, 2011
Since I was little, I’ve loved painting and reading. I have a cat named London, and I like motorsports. I watch a lot of series, and some of my favorites are Merlin (BBC), Baby, Friends, and The Big Bang Theory.
My taste in music is quite varied, although if I had to choose a favorite, it would definitely be David Bowie.
My favorite films are Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004) and The Crush (1993), and my favorite director is Wes Anderson.
Children's Competition 12+
Gabriel Acosta de León
Montevideo, Uruguay, 2014
My name is Gabriel, I’m 12 years old, and this year I started high school. I live in Montevideo, in Barrio Sur. I like football—I’m a Peñarol fan—and sometimes I play the guitar. I also play a lot of PlayStation. What I like most is cinema. I’ve been watching movies since I was little, as well as series. In my house, we’re all movie fans, and we go quite often, also to Cinemateca and Cine Universitario. Sometimes we organize movie days at home with my grandfather, uncles, and cousins to watch films that are considered essential. The first movie I ever saw was Cars. I watch all kinds of films, regardless of genre or year. When I was younger, I didn’t like silent films until I watched Chaplin and really got into them. I really enjoy adventure movies—Uncharted is one I love. But the ones that have impacted me the most are films like Hugo, The Fabelmans, and Cinema Paradiso. The latter is my favorite. These films make me want to shoot and experiment with my phone. I know my grandfather had a Super 8 camera, but we haven’t found it yet—it would be great to film with it. With my school friends, we were going to shoot a football movie over the summer, but in the end it didn’t happen. When I grow up, I’d like to be a film director.
Children's Competition 12+
Lola Medina Bissio
Montevideo, Uruguay, 2012
My name is Lola and I’m thirteen years old. I study at Colegio y Liceo Latinoamericano, and I live with my parents and my two siblings. I don’t have any pets. My favorite things are traveling, reading, drawing, and, of course, movies—watching a film every weekend is something we’ve always done as a family. When I grow up, I’d like to be a graphic designer or have my own restaurant, although making a film wouldn’t be a bad idea either. My favorite movie is Tim Burton’s version of Alice in Wonderland, which I must have seen thousands of times without ever getting bored. I don’t have a favorite genre—I like almost all of them and get easily hooked.
Children's Competition 12+
Fabrizzio Cooper Cardozo
Montevideo, Uruguay, 2010
Fabrizzio Cooper was born on May 3, 2010, in Montevideo, Uruguay. He is currently a student of Communication and Audiovisual studies. He has several nicknames, although his favorites are Chino and Bigote.
He discovered cinema thanks to his mother and grandfather, who used to show him science fiction films, and since then it has become one of his favorite interests. He enjoys watching movies and exploring different genres. Among his favorites are Inglourious Basterds, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, and Superbad.
He also plays and competes in volleyball at Club CDV and is a devoted Peñarol fan, so he never misses a match at Campeón del Siglo Stadium. He has two pets: a cat named Cato and a dog named Luna.
Since then, cinema has become one of his great passions and something he always enjoys watching and sharing with those around him. His favorite film director and role model is Christopher Nolan.
Short Film Competition Jury
Short Film Competition
Ana Katz
Buenos Aires, Argentina, 1975
Undoubtedly one of the most recognizable voices of contemporary Argentine cinema. She obtained her degree in Film Directing from the Universidad del Cine, where she later became a full professor in the Film Directing department. She studied acting with Julio Chávez, Helena Tritek, and Ricardo Bartís, and took part in several theatrical projects. In 2002, she completed her first feature film, El juego de la silla, in which she worked as screenwriter, director, and actress. It was co-produced by Universidad del Cine and Tresplanos. Una novia errante won the Cine en Construcción award in San Sebastián and was selected for the Un Certain Regard section at the Cannes Film Festival. Los Marziano was part of the Official Selection at the San Sebastián Film Festival. Mi amiga del parque, co-written with Inés Bortagaray, won the award for Best Screenplay at Sundance. She directed Sueño Florianópolis, a co-production between Argentina and Brazil, which earned her the Critics’ Award and Best Actress for Mercedes Morán at Karlovy Vary. She has acted in theater, in several of her own films, and also in films by other directors such as Whisky (Juan Pablo Rebella and Pablo Stoll), Por un tiempo (Gustavo Garzón), Hijos nuestros (Nicolás Suárez / Juan Fernández Gebauer), and El candidato (Daniel Hendler).
Short Film Competition
Ximo Peris Mesado
Valencia, España, 1992
He holds a degree in Audiovisual Communication from the University of Valencia (2014) and a diploma in Screenwriting from ECAM (2017).
He is a member of espírituescalera, a Madrid-based film collective with which he develops fiction, non-fiction, and educational projects. He co-wrote Mitología de barrio (2024), the collective’s first released film, which has had both national and international festival circulation, winning the Audience Award at DocumentaMadrid in 2024 and screening at festivals such as Novos Cinemas, Abycine, FIDMarseille, FICCI, and Docs Lisboa, among others.
He also co-wrote the projects Laguna el Ministro (winner of the Impulsa Award at Abycine Lanza 2022, presented at Porto/Post/Doc 2024 and Novos Cinemas Lab 2021) and La muerte no pudo con él, both currently in development. With espírituescalera and with the support of ECAM, he co-produces, co-writes, and co-directs the podcast ECAM Talks, a sound archive made up of conversations between students, alumni, and faculty, as well as sound explorations of the school and its events. He also participates as an instructor in the espírituescalera workshop held at ECAM.
Short Film Competition
Teresa Arredondo
Lima, Perú, 1978
Teresa Arredondo lives in Santiago, Chile. She holds a Master’s degree in Creative Documentary from the Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB). Sibila (2012) is her first feature film. Together with Carlos Vásquez Méndez, she co-directed Las cruces (2018), which premiered at FIDMarseille, received a Special Mention, participated in more than 40 festivals, and won 14 awards. Esa otra selva blanca (2025) is her third feature film. She is currently working on a new project.
Jury of the Uruguayan Film Critics Association
Uruguayan Film Critics Association
Juan Recuero
Audiovisual filmmaker, graduate of the Filmmaking program at the Escuela de Cine del Uruguay (ECU). Alumni of Talents Buenos Aires (2025). Director of the short films Dialéctica, Invierno tardío, and the upcoming Nieve en la Zabala, as well as the feature film Insomnes. Film critic for the weekly Brecha. Editor of the digital magazine Estado de Vigilia. Member of the Asociación de Críticos del Uruguay (ACCU), and jury member of the 42nd International Film Festival of Uruguay (FCIU) and the Third University Film Short Showcase. Freelance still photographer.
Uruguayan Film Critics Association
Pablo Delucis
Born on November 1, 1960, in La Paz, Canelones, Uruguay. Regarding Uruguayan cinema, he has published work on most national films released since 2007 to the present, making him a reference source for international media interested in his country’s film production. Since 2007, he has worked professionally with the website Cartelera.com.uy, the entertainment section of Uruguay’s most visited site, Montevideo.com.uy. He has completed various courses related to cinema and film criticism, most notably those taught by Manuel Martínez Carril, long-time director of Cinemateca Uruguaya, and Argentine critic Javier Portales Fauz. Since 2021, he has hosted a biweekly segment on the program Espíritu libre on Radio Cultura, Montevideo. He has served as a jury member at the International Film Festival of Uruguay (Cinemateca Uruguaya), two editions of Atlantidoc, and the Piriápolis International Film Festival.
Uruguayan Film Critics Association
Diego Faraone
More than 20 years of experience in film criticism at the weekly Brecha and other publications such as Otros Cines, Dossier, El Boulevard, and Guía 50, among others. He has served as a jury member at festivals including Toronto (TIFF), Saguenay (Quebec), Rotterdam (IFFR), Fantaspoa (Porto Alegre), Mar del Plata, VICVIÑA (Viña del Mar), BAFICI (Buenos Aires), BISFF (Bengaluru), FICG (Guadalajara), among others. He is the author of the biography of actor César Troncoso — Oficio de alto riesgo, published in 2020. He was selected by the Berlinale (Berlin International Film Festival) for the Talent Press workshop in February 2011, and participated as a mentor in the Berlinale Talent Press workshop in Guadalajara in 2025. He has taught film criticism and analysis workshops in the Locaciones Montevideanas program of the Montevideo City Government, at the Mostra de Cinema Latinoamericano in Rio Grande (Brazil), as well as at the Punta del Este and Porto Alegre (Fantaspoa) festivals. In 2022, he was appointed President of ACCU (Asociación de Críticos de Cine del Uruguay).
Jury for the International Competition
International Competition
Inés Bortagaray
Salto, Uruguay, 1975
Inés Bortagaray is a Uruguayan screenwriter and writer. Among other fiction feature films, she has worked as a screenwriter on La vida útil by Federico Veiroj; Una novia errante and Mi amiga del parque by Ana Katz; A Vida Invisível by Karim Aïnouz; Otra historia del mundo by Guillermo Casanova; El lugar de la otra by Maite Alberdi; Bem-vinda, Violeta! by Fernando Fraiha; and La perra by Dominga Sotomayor (currently in post-production).
For the screenplay of Mi amiga del parque, she received the Special Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival. For A Vida Invisível, she was awarded by the Brazilian Academy of Cinema, as well as the Grande Prêmio do Cinema Brasileiro.
She has published three books: Ahora tendré que matarte, Prontos, listos, ya, and Cuántas aventuras nos aguardan. Her books have been published in Brazil, Spain, Bolivia, Chile, and the United States. Some of her short stories have appeared in collections and anthologies worldwide.
International Competition
Daniel Hendler
Montevideo, Uruguay, 1976
He trained at the Instituto de Estudios Teatrales and acted in, wrote, directed, and produced several theater productions with the group Acapara el 522. He also directed several short films and worked as a screenwriter for films by Daniel Burman, Ariel Winograd, and Natalia Meta.
In 2010, he released his first feature film as writer and director, Norberto apenas tarde. In 2016, he ventured into television directing with Guía 19172, a series about cannabis regulation in Uruguay. He also wrote, directed, and starred in the series La división (2017) and Los demonios (2018, winner of the Star Amets Award at Bilbao SeriesLand), co-produced with UN3TV (Argentina) and TV Ciudad (Uruguay).
El candidato (2016), his second feature film as writer and director, received awards in Miami, at the Havana Film Festival in New York, and in São Paulo. In 2025, he premiered the Netflix original production 27 noches, which he directed and starred in; presented Un cabo suelto at Venice; and received a Special Mention from the Jury in the Horizontes Latinos section at the San Sebastián Film Festival.
International Competition
Frédéric Maire
Neuchâtel, Suiza, 1961
Filmmaker, journalist, and programmer, Frédéric Maire has directed several short and medium-length fiction films since 1980, as well as reports for Swiss French-language television, and has also produced other films. Since 1983, he has worked as a journalist and critic for various French- and Italian-speaking Swiss media outlets, mainly in the fields of culture and cinema.
From 1986 onward, he collaborated with the Locarno International Film Festival in publications, communication, and programming. In 1991, he co-founded and directed the programming unit Passion Cinéma, and in 1992 he co-founded the children’s film club La Lanterne Magique, which expanded to 88 locations in Switzerland and internationally, especially in Spain.
In 2005, he was appointed Artistic Director of the Locarno International Film Festival. In October 2009, he became Director of the Cinémathèque suisse, a position he held until September 2025. He served as President of the International Federation of Film Archives (FIAF) between 2017 and 2023. Since January 2026, he has been Vice President of the new Jean-Luc Godard Foundation.
Jury for the Ibero-American Competition
Ibero-American Competition
Fernando Martín Peña
Buenos Aires, Argentina, 1968
He is an Argentine critic, teacher, researcher, film historian, and collector. In 1994, together with Octavio Fabiano and Fabio Manes, he founded Filmoteca Buenos Aires, a private institution dedicated to the preservation and dissemination of cinema. He was also one of the founders of the Association for the Protection of Audiovisual Heritage, which rescued nearly 300 Argentine films that were at risk of being lost.
Since 2002, he has been in charge of the film department at MALBA (Museum of Latin American Art of Buenos Aires). He served as director of BAFICI (2004–2007) and as artistic director of the Mar del Plata International Film Festival in 2008, 2014, and 2015.
As a researcher, he has recovered several films that were considered lost or incomplete, such as Los traidores (1973) by Raymundo Gleyzer, Metropolis by Fritz Lang (incorporating 26 minutes of footage virtually unseen since its original release), and a version of the short film The Blacksmith by Buster Keaton, featuring scenes not included in the original cut.
He has published several books, including Gag: Comedy in Cinema (1895–1930), One Hundred Years of Argentine Cinema, Cursed Cinema, Filmoteca Diary, and Argentine Cinema. People, Facts, Films. 1896–1958 and 1959–2024.
Ibero-American Competition
Jean-Christophe Berjon
Luçon, Francia, 1964
In France, he served as pedagogical director of the renowned acting school Cours Florent, Secretary General of the National Federation of Critics, director of the weekly magazine Les fiches du cinéma and the encyclopedia L’annuel du cinéma, as well as a regular critic on the television program Le Cercle (Canal+). He also co-directed the documentary Si près de Dieu, si loin des États-Unis (2008, Canal+).
In Mexico, he worked as audiovisual attaché at the French Embassy, was a member of the Academic Council of the Ingmar Bergman Chair at UNAM, a correspondent for the newspaper Reforma and the magazine Cine-Premiere, and co-coordinated several editions of the National Young Critics Competition at the Cineteca Nacional.
As a programmer, he directed the Critics’ Week at the Cannes Film Festival (2004–2011), was artistic director of the Biarritz Festival (2008–2011), the San Cristóbal de las Casas International Film Festival (2015–2017), and the Viva México panorama in Paris (2012–2024). Since 2006, he has also contributed to the programming of the Morelia International Film Festival. Since 2022, he has been General Delegate of the Biarritz Amérique Latine Festival.
Ibero-American Competition
Leticia Jorge Romero
Montevideo, Uruguay, 1981
Film director and screenwriter. She has directed three feature films—Agarrame fuerte (2024), Alelí (2020), and Tanta agua (2013)—as well as several short films. Agarrame fuerte was nominated in 2025 for the Goya Award for Best Ibero-American Film and was screened at some of the most important film festivals in the world, winning the “Nora Ephron” Award at Tribeca.
In 2024, she published her first book, for which she received the National Literature Prize. She teaches film to students of all ages. Her films have been selected and awarded at major international festivals, and she has served as a jury member for funds, festivals, and awards.
Jury for the New Filmmakers Competition
New Filmmakers Competition
Ainhoa Artetxe Uriarte
Bilbao, País Vasco, España, 1993
Actress and creator from Bilbao. She trained in acting at Estudio Corazza in Madrid and is currently furthering her studies as a director and screenwriter. As an actress, she has appeared in various series and films such as Maixabel by Icíar Bollaín, Hondar Ahoak by Koldo Almadoz, and La Línea Invisible by Mariano Barroso.
Among her recent works are Jone, a veces by Sara Fantova, Esta soledad by Javier Giner, El niño by Mariano Barroso, and Mi querida señorita by Fernando González Molina. In theater, she has performed in productions such as ¿Qué fue de Ana García? by Borja Ruiz, La maniobra Heimlich by Pako Revueltas, Tratando de hacer una obra que cambie el mundo by Javier Liñera, and Winona & Grace and La sed del minotauro by Alex Gerediaga (Khea Ziater).
As a creator, she has written and directed Llámalo X and Winona & Grace. She is currently developing her first series project, Que no decaiga, with Sideral Cinema, and stars in and co-directs part of the miniseries Tamara ta Mara for EITB.
New Filmmakers Competition
Marianella Morena
Sarandí Grande, Uruguay, 1968
Marianella Morena is a Uruguayan playwright, theater director, and teacher, recognized for a body of work that combines documentary research, contemporary reinterpretations of classical texts, and a political perspective on Latin American reality. Her theater is characterized by a poetic writing style shaped by real testimonies, music, performance, and hybrid scenic devices that question structures of power, violence, and the construction of collective memory.
From her earliest works, she has developed a distinctive theatrical language that moves between documentary theater, fiction, political essay, and performative intervention. Her work has achieved wide international circulation, with productions presented in countries such as Argentina, Germany, Brazil, Bolivia, Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela, the United States, Spain, France, Finland, Paraguay, Peru, Portugal, Chile, and Mexico.
This international presence reflects not only interest in her aesthetic approach but also the political and social dimension of her projects, which engage with contemporary debates on gender, memory, justice, and coloniality.
New Filmmakers Competition
Hernán Rosselli
Buenos Aires, Argentina, 1979
Hernán Rosselli was born in Argentina in 1979. In 2002, he entered the National School of Film Experimentation and Filmmaking (ENERC), where he specialized in editing. He is currently a professor of Documentary Film at the Universidad del Cine (FUC) in Buenos Aires.
In 2014, he directed Mauro, which competed in the Bright Future section at the International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR) and won the FIPRESCI Award and the Special Jury Prize in the International Competition at the Buenos Aires International Festival of Independent Cinema (BAFICI). A few years later, he directed the documentary Casa del Teatro (2018), which was also selected for BAFICI.
Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed is his third feature film and had its world premiere at the Directors’ Fortnight of the Cannes Film Festival.
Jury of the Human Rights Competition
Human Rights Competition
Gonzalo Arijón
Montevideo, Uruguay, 1969
Author of a substantial body of documentary work, including Un extraño Casco Azul, the saga of a Uruguayan torturer who ended up receiving the Nobel Peace Prize (1989); El mundo según mi hermano, the encounter, in the midst of the Colombian guerrilla, between two brothers and two worlds (1991); Sarajevo: A Street Under Siege, about life under sniper fire (BAFTA Awards, 1995); Por esos ojos, the story of Mariana Zaffaroni, disappeared between the ages of 2 and 17 (1998); La sociedad de la nieve, the story of the sixteen Andes survivors as never told before (Joris Ivens Award, 2007); Ojos bien abiertos, traveling alongside Eduardo Galeano through early 21st-century South America (Red Cross Award); Pacificar Rio?, just before the 2014 World Cup; and Migrant Journeys (Global Mosaic series, Los Angeles Emmy Award, 2021).
Human Rights Competition
Macarena Gelman
Montevideo, Uruguay, 1976
She is a Uruguayan human rights activist and politician. She served as a member of parliament for the Frente Amplio. She is the daughter of María Claudia García Irureta Goyena and Marcelo Ariel Gelman, both forcibly disappeared during the Argentine military dictatorship.
Her mother, who was pregnant, was abducted and transferred to Uruguay under Operation Condor, where she gave birth in captivity. Macarena was taken and raised by a Uruguayan family, while her biological parents were murdered. She is the granddaughter of poet Juan Gelman and María Eugenia Casinelli, co-founder of the Grandmothers of Plaza de Mayo.
In 2000, after a long search led by her grandfather, she recovered her identity. She studied at the Faculty of Sciences and the Faculty of Chemistry at the Universidad de la República and was active in student movements between 1995 and 2000.
After discovering her identity, she adopted the surnames of her biological parents (Gelman García). She has been actively involved in social activism related to human rights violations during state terrorism and the identity of people who do not know their families of origin.
Human Rights Competition
Paula Felix-Didier
Buenos Aires, Argentina, 1967
She is a historian who graduated from the Faculty of Philosophy and Letters at the University of Buenos Aires (B.A.), holds a Master’s degree in Moving Image Archiving and Preservation from the Tisch School of the Arts at New York University, and is a PhD candidate in History at Universidad Torcuato Di Tella.
She currently serves as Director of the Museo del Cine “Pablo Ducrós Hicken,” under the Ministry of Culture of the Government of the City of Buenos Aires. She specializes in the management, preservation, and archiving of audiovisual media and works as a lecturer and film researcher.
Since 2018, she has been a member of the Executive Committee of FIAF (International Federation of Film Archives). She was Academic Director of the Master’s Program in Documentary Journalism at the Universidad Nacional de Tres de Febrero. She is co-author and on-screen participant of the series Películas Recuperadas, broadcast on Canal Encuentro and IncaaTV.
She is also co-founder of ARCA (Regional Archive of Amateur Cinema), dedicated to the preservation and dissemination of family, educational, institutional, scientific, and experimental films. She has taught university and tertiary-level courses on the history of Argentine and Latin American cinema.
Jury of the Youth Competition
Youth Competition
Imanol Rodríguez Ramos
Montevideo, Uruguay, 2005
My name is Imanol Rodríguez, I’m from Montevideo and I’m almost 21 years old. I’m a student of Audiovisual Communication at the Faculty of Information and Communication, and I’m also a third-year acting student at the school of Vicky Rodríguez and Gustavo Antúnez.
My interest in cinema goes back a long time, but since I started my studies, I watch films practically every day and also write about them. I enjoy many types of cinema, but if I had to choose one, it would be comedy. My favorite film is Punch-Drunk Love by Paul Thomas Anderson.
Youth Competition
Julieta Hernández
Montevideo, Uruguay, 2004
Audiovisual Communication student at FIC, with a strong interest in editing and everything related to behind-the-scenes work.
Cinema has always been a part of me—ever since I can remember, my life has revolved around the films I watch.
Through participation in short films and workshops such as Cine AccesibleUy, where cinema is experienced from a different perspective, I discovered my admiration for stories that portray reality in its raw and everyday forms. My fascination with film has evolved from being a spectator into a desire to create.
I am mainly influenced by Latin American women directors as I pursue a path in audiovisual filmmaking, telling original stories.
Youth Competition
Matías Eyherabide
Montevideo, Uruguay, 2007
I enjoy doing many different things. I’ve been working as a barber for three years—what started as something to do in my free time became a job, a beautiful job that I enjoy every day. I study film at ECCO (Escuela Comunitaria del Oeste), a truly unique place.
I love sports and have played football for as long as I can remember. I deeply love traveling—it’s one of the ways to discover other lives and worlds, much like cinema.
I discovered cinema through my father, when I was a child and used to watch Spider-Man (2002) over and over again on DVD. At 15, my father showed me The Silence of the Lambs, and it completely changed my perception of cinema—I realized there was something more. I enjoy all kinds of films; labeling them by genre often feels limiting. But if I had to name a director, it would be Abbas Kiarostami—his films changed my life in an indescribable way.
Youth Competition
Emilia Musitelli
Dresden, Alemania, 2006
I am currently studying at the Faculty of Social Sciences, focusing on Political Science and Sociology. I have always traveled a lot, including backpacking trips in 2025, but one of the most important journeys in my life was moving from Germany to Uruguay in 2024.
These experiences have given me a broad perspective on culture, social structures, and art, which I see reflected in my love for cinema and literature. I was born into a family connected to film production, which influenced my sensitivity toward audiovisual media from an early age and has stayed with me throughout my life.
Besides cinema, I enjoy writing and expressing myself creatively. I also enjoy meaningful discussions on philosophical and social topics, and I am always seeking new experiences and knowledge.
Youth Competition
Luca Ismael Houfek
Hamburgo, Alemania, 2008
I was born in Germany and have been living in Uruguay since I was 16. From an early age, I developed a love for art, and at eight years old I began creating my own short films. I found in artistic expression a way to gain new perspectives on the world and to experiment with reality.
For that reason, the cinema I most enjoy watching and creating is often marked by psychological themes and dark, highly stylized worlds. In recent years, I have directed several short films that have been screened at festivals such as Detour and the Cine Universitario short film showcase. I am currently studying Audiovisual production at UTU.
Toward the end of 2025, I acted in the series El resto bien, which gave me my first experiences on set and strengthened my admiration for audiovisual work.
Jury of the Children's Competition
+ 8 years
Children's Competition 8+
Paulina Silveira
Canelones, Uruguay, 2017
My name is María Paulina, but everyone calls me Pauli. I’m 9 years old and I live in El Pinar with my mom, my dad, and my pets—4 dogs and 4 cats. My hobbies are listening to music, dancing, and taking photos of all kinds of things. I collect comics and stickers, which I trade with my friends at school.
I study in Montevideo and I’m in fourth grade. I play sports—handball and swimming. My favorite series are Stranger Things and Gravity Falls; I like them because they have mystery, horror, and action. My two favorite movies are Enola Holmes (the first and second one) and Toy Story 3, which I’ve seen many times and never get tired of watching.
On weekends and in my free time, besides going to the beach or riding my bike, I really enjoy watching movies and series with my parents.
Children's Competition 8+
Lucía Citarella
Buenos Aires, Argentina, 2018
My name is Lucía, I’m 8 years old, and I was born in Buenos Aires on February 1, 2018. I love movies—I love all kinds of movies: dance, voice, anything. When I grow up, I want to be a dancer. I love singing and dancing, and I also want to act one day at the Teatro Colón.
I live across from Plaza Congreso, and I have many friends and family.
Children's Competition 8+
Juan Patricio López Sosa
Montevideo, Uruguay, 2016
Hello everyone, I’m Juan Patricio, I’m 9 years old, and I live in the beautiful neighborhood of La Teja.
A few things about me: my friends call me Pato. I support Rampla Juniors (even
though this year they’re playing in the C division), I’m a scout, and I’m a big, big chatterbox.
I love telling jokes, drawing, playing board games, reading, video games, and watching movies. I like many things, but some more than others, like movies, drawing, and writing stories such as The Hat, The Hat 2, and The Nonsense Story, which I’m still writing.
For music, I listen to El Cuarteto de Nos, Los Olimareños, and my favorite genre is rap—I like rapping and rhyming.
I love cinema. At home, we have family movie nights on Fridays and Saturdays, and sometimes I watch a movie on my own. My favorite genre is comedy, and every now and then I watch some horror (not too much because some of them scare me).
Children's Competition 8+
Mateo Chaves
Montevideo, Uruguay, 2014
My name is Mateo, but my friends call me “Mate.” I was born in 2014, when my name was very popular. I’ve been going to Colegio Latinoamericano since I was little, and I really like sports. I go quite often to Club Tabaré, and last year I started playing handball at Pontevedrés.
I’ve known the Festival for some time—I’ve mainly attended the children’s short film programs, and afterwards we usually stay talking about them with my brother or a friend who comes with me.
I like playing quiz games (like trivia), and right now I’m really into The Impostor. I haven’t made any films yet, but with my classmates from 6th grade we’re planning to create a play, and I’d love to act in it.
Children's Competition 8+
Camela Gastambide
Montevideo, Uruguay, 2015
My name is Carmela Gastambide. I was born on September 15, 2015, in Montevideo. I’m 10 years old, I’m in 5th grade, and I go to Escuela Brasil. I have a sister named Bruna, who is 8, and a brother named Hugo, who is 6. I live downtown with my mom, Virginia, and my dad, Santiago.
I really enjoy watching movies, listening to music, and making plans with my friends. My favorite movies are Back to the Future and The Mask, although there are others I also like to watch.
We usually go to the movie theater near my house, and afterwards I like when we all go together to eat something at Bar Hispano.
+ 12 years
Children's Competition 12+
Vera Bonicelli
Montevideo, Uruguay, 2010
Student at Juan XXIII School and is currently in her second year of musical theater training at EAA (Escuela de Acción Artística · Luis Trochón). In January 2026, after auditioning, she was awarded a scholarship to take part in the two-week intensive musical theater program in New York called GO Broadway. Her favorite films are Little Miss Sunshine, Beautiful Boy, The Perks of Being a Wallflower, and Donnie Darko.
Children's Competition 12+
Violeta Mesa Parodi
Montevideo, Uruguay, 2011
Since I was little, I’ve loved painting and reading. I have a cat named London, and I like motorsports. I watch a lot of series, and some of my favorites are Merlin (BBC), Baby, Friends, and The Big Bang Theory.
My taste in music is quite varied, although if I had to choose a favorite, it would definitely be David Bowie.
My favorite films are Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004) and The Crush (1993), and my favorite director is Wes Anderson.
Children's Competition 12+
Gabriel Acosta de León
Montevideo, Uruguay, 2014
My name is Gabriel, I’m 12 years old, and this year I started high school. I live in Montevideo, in Barrio Sur. I like football—I’m a Peñarol fan—and sometimes I play the guitar. I also play a lot of PlayStation. What I like most is cinema. I’ve been watching movies since I was little, as well as series. In my house, we’re all movie fans, and we go quite often, also to Cinemateca and Cine Universitario. Sometimes we organize movie days at home with my grandfather, uncles, and cousins to watch films that are considered essential. The first movie I ever saw was Cars. I watch all kinds of films, regardless of genre or year. When I was younger, I didn’t like silent films until I watched Chaplin and really got into them. I really enjoy adventure movies—Uncharted is one I love. But the ones that have impacted me the most are films like Hugo, The Fabelmans, and Cinema Paradiso. The latter is my favorite. These films make me want to shoot and experiment with my phone. I know my grandfather had a Super 8 camera, but we haven’t found it yet—it would be great to film with it. With my school friends, we were going to shoot a football movie over the summer, but in the end it didn’t happen. When I grow up, I’d like to be a film director.
Children's Competition 12+
Lola Medina Bissio
Montevideo, Uruguay, 2012
My name is Lola and I’m thirteen years old. I study at Colegio y Liceo Latinoamericano, and I live with my parents and my two siblings. I don’t have any pets. My favorite things are traveling, reading, drawing, and, of course, movies—watching a film every weekend is something we’ve always done as a family. When I grow up, I’d like to be a graphic designer or have my own restaurant, although making a film wouldn’t be a bad idea either. My favorite movie is Tim Burton’s version of Alice in Wonderland, which I must have seen thousands of times without ever getting bored. I don’t have a favorite genre—I like almost all of them and get easily hooked.
Short Film Competition Jury
Short Film Competition
Ana Katz
Buenos Aires, Argentina, 1975
Undoubtedly one of the most recognizable voices of contemporary Argentine cinema. She obtained her degree in Film Directing from the Universidad del Cine, where she later became a full professor in the Film Directing department. She studied acting with Julio Chávez, Helena Tritek, and Ricardo Bartís, and took part in several theatrical projects. In 2002, she completed her first feature film, El juego de la silla, in which she worked as screenwriter, director, and actress. It was co-produced by Universidad del Cine and Tresplanos. Una novia errante won the Cine en Construcción award in San Sebastián and was selected for the Un Certain Regard section at the Cannes Film Festival. Los Marziano was part of the Official Selection at the San Sebastián Film Festival. Mi amiga del parque, co-written with Inés Bortagaray, won the award for Best Screenplay at Sundance. She directed Sueño Florianópolis, a co-production between Argentina and Brazil, which earned her the Critics’ Award and Best Actress for Mercedes Morán at Karlovy Vary. She has acted in theater, in several of her own films, and also in films by other directors such as Whisky (Juan Pablo Rebella and Pablo Stoll), Por un tiempo (Gustavo Garzón), Hijos nuestros (Nicolás Suárez / Juan Fernández Gebauer), and El candidato (Daniel Hendler).
Short Film Competition
Ximo Peris Mesado
Valencia, España, 1992
He holds a degree in Audiovisual Communication from the University of Valencia (2014) and a diploma in Screenwriting from ECAM (2017).
He is a member of espírituescalera, a Madrid-based film collective with which he develops fiction, non-fiction, and educational projects. He co-wrote Mitología de barrio (2024), the collective’s first released film, which has had both national and international festival circulation, winning the Audience Award at DocumentaMadrid in 2024 and screening at festivals such as Novos Cinemas, Abycine, FIDMarseille, FICCI, and Docs Lisboa, among others.
He also co-wrote the projects Laguna el Ministro (winner of the Impulsa Award at Abycine Lanza 2022, presented at Porto/Post/Doc 2024 and Novos Cinemas Lab 2021) and La muerte no pudo con él, both currently in development. With espírituescalera and with the support of ECAM, he co-produces, co-writes, and co-directs the podcast ECAM Talks, a sound archive made up of conversations between students, alumni, and faculty, as well as sound explorations of the school and its events. He also participates as an instructor in the espírituescalera workshop held at ECAM.
Short Film Competition
Teresa Arredondo
Lima, Perú, 1978
Teresa Arredondo lives in Santiago, Chile. She holds a Master’s degree in Creative Documentary from the Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB). Sibila (2012) is her first feature film. Together with Carlos Vásquez Méndez, she co-directed Las cruces (2018), which premiered at FIDMarseille, received a Special Mention, participated in more than 40 festivals, and won 14 awards. Esa otra selva blanca (2025) is her third feature film. She is currently working on a new project.
Jury of the Uruguayan Film Critics Association
Uruguayan Film Critics Association
Juan Recuero
Audiovisual filmmaker, graduate of the Filmmaking program at the Escuela de Cine del Uruguay (ECU). Alumni of Talents Buenos Aires (2025). Director of the short films Dialéctica, Invierno tardío, and the upcoming Nieve en la Zabala, as well as the feature film Insomnes. Film critic for the weekly Brecha. Editor of the digital magazine Estado de Vigilia. Member of the Asociación de Críticos del Uruguay (ACCU), and jury member of the 42nd International Film Festival of Uruguay (FCIU) and the Third University Film Short Showcase. Freelance still photographer.
Uruguayan Film Critics Association
Pablo Delucis
Born on November 1, 1960, in La Paz, Canelones, Uruguay. Regarding Uruguayan cinema, he has published work on most national films released since 2007 to the present, making him a reference source for international media interested in his country’s film production. Since 2007, he has worked professionally with the website Cartelera.com.uy, the entertainment section of Uruguay’s most visited site, Montevideo.com.uy. He has completed various courses related to cinema and film criticism, most notably those taught by Manuel Martínez Carril, long-time director of Cinemateca Uruguaya, and Argentine critic Javier Portales Fauz. Since 2021, he has hosted a biweekly segment on the program Espíritu libre on Radio Cultura, Montevideo. He has served as a jury member at the International Film Festival of Uruguay (Cinemateca Uruguaya), two editions of Atlantidoc, and the Piriápolis International Film Festival.
Uruguayan Film Critics Association
Diego Faraone
More than 20 years of experience in film criticism at the weekly Brecha and other publications such as Otros Cines, Dossier, El Boulevard, and Guía 50, among others. He has served as a jury member at festivals including Toronto (TIFF), Saguenay (Quebec), Rotterdam (IFFR), Fantaspoa (Porto Alegre), Mar del Plata, VICVIÑA (Viña del Mar), BAFICI (Buenos Aires), BISFF (Bengaluru), FICG (Guadalajara), among others. He is the author of the biography of actor César Troncoso — Oficio de alto riesgo, published in 2020. He was selected by the Berlinale (Berlin International Film Festival) for the Talent Press workshop in February 2011, and participated as a mentor in the Berlinale Talent Press workshop in Guadalajara in 2025. He has taught film criticism and analysis workshops in the Locaciones Montevideanas program of the Montevideo City Government, at the Mostra de Cinema Latinoamericano in Rio Grande (Brazil), as well as at the Punta del Este and Porto Alegre (Fantaspoa) festivals. In 2022, he was appointed President of ACCU (Asociación de Críticos de Cine del Uruguay).
