The New Female Filmmakers Laboratory, organized by DETOUR and Montevideo Audiovisual in collaboration with AUSTRALAB, targets emerging Uruguayan female directors working on their first or second feature film. Projects can be fiction, documentary, or hybrid, but must be directed exclusively by women. The laboratory offers personalized mentorship, masterclasses, and opportunities to advance selected projects. It will take place from October 7 to 19, 2025, in a hybrid format with virtual and in-person sessions, and attendance at in-person meetings is mandatory. Participation is free, with up to six projects selected. Prizes include participation at Tres Puertos 2026 and an artistic residency at Villa Soriano. Applicants must be Uruguayan female directors with no more than one feature film directed and have a project in development with a written treatment. The call encourages the growth of female authors in national cinema.
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Montevideo Cine LAB - New Female Filmmakers
ESTELAB-Crea is a residency designed to enhance the narrative coherence and creative aspects of feature film projects in development. Participants will work on reviewing and rewriting key components of their projects, such as the intention note, storyline, synopsis, treatment, and script, with the support of high-level advisors. The residency is conducted in a hybrid format, starting with a virtual diagnostic phase, followed by a creative exploration phase in person, and concluding with a virtual follow-up session.
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ESTELAB CREA
The 4th Short Film Script Contest organized by Detour is open to Uruguayan authors or residents over 18, without previous public feature film experience. Original scripts up to 12 pages are accepted, with specific formatting and free registration in AGADU required. Each author can submit up to two scripts.
The contest offers prizes in services and cash totaling US$13,500, to be used within 1-2 years. Evaluation criteria include originality, narrative quality, author motivation, and feasibility. Submissions are open from May 27 to August 31, 2025.
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Montevideo Cine LAB - Screenplay Contest
Ópera de Leyva: A space where the new Colombian cinema is born. Five first fiction feature film projects, selected by call, will have group workshops and personalized tutoring, with experts in project development, script, production, pitch and distribution.
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Leyva script pitch
The JIIFF Lab 2026 call is aimed at director-producer duos from Ibero-America developing a fiction feature project. The lab will take place from January 27 to 31, 2026 in José Ignacio, Uruguay, as part of the Working JIIFF industry program.
Participants will receive personalized mentoring from international experts in areas such as directing, screenwriting, editing, and audience design, along with networking opportunities and a final project pitch before a jury.
Projects must be in development, with a maximum budget of US$ 1,500,000 and at least 25% secured financing. Directors and producers must meet minimum experience requirements in short or feature films and festival participation, as well as residency in Ibero-America.
Awards include the Fondo Pfeffer del Sur, offering US$ 50,000 for project development, and the Musitelli Award, providing US$ 50,000 in filming equipment in Uruguay. Submission deadlines are October 31 and December 12, 2025.
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JIIFF LAB
