Revitalized last year as an offshoot of the Central America and Caribbean Audiovisual Market, the Costa Rica Media Market (CRMM) promises a packed two-day conference over July 14-15, followed by fam tours for most of its participants.
Organized by Costa Rica’s Film Commission, its Trade and Investment Promotion Agency (Promocomer), and tourism agency Essential Costa Rica, CRMM aims to bolster its position as a key platform for regional projects in the international market.
Spearheaded by film commissioner Marysela Zamora, the market expects to host 900 business meetings among a host of international players numbering some 350, an uptick from last year’s 275.
“One of the most exciting developments this year is the mix of industry perspectives coming together. We’re welcoming Disney, MrBeast, a new generation of producers working in Hollywood and leading players from countries like Mexico and Colombia—two of the region’s strongest audiovisual industries,” Zamora tells Variety.
“Bringing them into conversation with talent from Central America and the Caribbean creates a unique space for new ideas, partnerships and a more connected regional industry.”
Ari Cheren, the producer of MrBeast, the YouTube and TikTok phenomenon known for his fast-paced videos built around elaborate challenges and philanthropic efforts, will have the opportunity to meet with local producers and location managers, as well as join CRMM’s familiarization tours. “For us, it’s a valuable opportunity to showcase the talent, capabilities and locations that Costa Rica offers to international productions,” says Zamora.
Among this edition’s highlights is the launch of Women in Fan LatAm, an extension of the WomanInFan initiative founded by the Sitges Int’l Film Festival as well as the continuation of Fantastic Lab Central America & Caribbean, introduced last year.
“Through Fantastic Lab and Women in Fan LatAm, we’re opening new doors for genre cinema in Central America and the Caribbean, while showcasing 24 curated projects across fiction, documentaries and series. Together, they reflect a region with increasingly ambitious stories that are ready for the international stage,” Zamora notes.
Tuesday’s Day 1 kicks off with a conversation with Costa Rica’s first-ever Oscar-nominated talent, Felipe Pacheco, who was recognized in the best sound category for his work on Ryan Coogler’s “Sinners.”
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This is followed by a much-anticipated talk on how studios choose where to film and questions what drives these all-important decisions. Panelists will include reps from Disney, 20th Century Studios and The Mediapro Studio’s Cimarrón Cine, known for a host of noteworthy credits, including J.A. Bayona’s Oscar- nominated “Society of the Snow.”
The second panel, titled “The Future of Storytelling,” features Julye Cuartas from 11:11 Films & TV, Diego Hurtado de Mendoza, CEO Alegría Films and Greta Talia Fuentes, Development VP of Macro.
On Day 2, Charlye Sextro, senior VP of acquisitions & business development, Utopia will address one of the most perplexing issues that filmmakers face: “What Makes a Film Break Through? How Festivals, Buyers and Distributors Decide.”
This is followed by a panel comprising TIFF programmer Diana Cadavid, Puerto Rico Film Festival’s Lester Rive and Patricia Velázquez of the Costa Rica Film Festival who will discuss how festivals drive talent, industry and audiences.
The thorny issue of AI will of course be debated with Adriana Ramírez of Megatrax leading the discussion. Pitches and Workshops also form part of the agenda.
Lastly, Sitges Festival director general Mónica García and director-producer Luis Javier Enaine will discuss the notable expansion of genre cinema in Latin America with Pablo Guisa, CEO Grupo Mórbido, moderating.
“Our ambition is to establish Costa Rica Media Market as the leading audiovisual market for Central America and the Caribbean. We want it to be the place where international decision-makers come to discover the region’s next stories, talent and production opportunities. Ultimately, we hope the market becomes a catalyst for projects that move from development to production and reach audiences around the world,” Zamora concludes.