Netflix Joins New Edition of Santiago-Guadalajara Queer Incubator

• Comments

Netflix has joined as a strategic partner the newly expanded Santiago-Guadalajara Queer Incubator, a Latin American program organized by Chile’s Sanfic Industria in collaboration with the Guadalajara Film Festival (FICG) to foster professional growth and advance feature-length fiction film projects led by emerging LGBTIQ voices from across Latin America.

Netflix is renewing a partnership which saw it support a lively first edition in August 2025. It will provide support via its Netflix Fund for Creative Equity, enabling the six selected filmmakers to participate in person at both Sanfic Industria, the industry arm of the Santiago Film Festival (Sanfic), and the Guadalajara Film Festival, as well as a $10,000 grant to further the development of one of the projects.

Related Stories

Netflix Romance ‘Love Untangled’ Director Namkoong Sun on Netflix Freedom and the Funding and Distribution Gap in Korean Indie Film

Why Did Netflix Boot Bela Bajaria?

The Santiago-Guadalajara Queer Incubator is a Latin American network dedicated to the professionalization and advancement of LGBTQ stories. It selects up to six feature-length fiction film projects led by LGBTQ filmmakers from Latin America, supporting them from the early stages of writing and development through specialized training, industry access, mobility and international networking.

Among the projects are works from Chilean filmmakers Fer Elías Rioseco and Yoksan Xu; Luis Diego Pérez from Costa Rica; Jimena Román of Paraguay; Samara Pérez from Puerto Rico; and, from Mexico, David Pulido.

The support will allow the teams to work on their projects across two stages, in Chile and in Mexico, during a critical phase of script development. Participants will also engage in a professional immersion program in the industry sectors of both festivals. The projects will be featured for one week at Sanfic Industria from Nov. 2-6 as part of the 22nd edition of event, and for another week at the 42nd edition of the Guadalajara fest in March.

At both venues, the selected projects will receive in-person group mentorship from international industry professionals, helping them to develop and strengthen their proposals. Mentors include filmmakers Mariana Rondón and Marité Ugás of Caracas and Lima-based Sudaca Films, behind San Sebastián Glden Shell winner “Bad Hair,” renowned Chilean actor Alfredo Castro, a Pablo Larráin regular, and Emilio Papimija and Michel Salazar, among others.

Participants will also engage in meetings with industry professionals, market activities and networking sessions designed to expand their opportunities for international reach. They will also take part in activities associated with the Premio Maguey, Guadalajara’s official competitive section dedicated to queer themes and the most celebratd and influential of Latin American LGBTQ film festival platforms.

“For us, this second edition marks a significant step in the growth of the Queer Incubator,” says Gabriela Sandoval, Sanfic co-founder and director of Sanfic Industria. “Together with FICG, Premios Maguey, and Netflix, we are building a space that not only provides creative guidance for projects but also enables those behind them to circulate, build networks, and access concrete opportunities within the industry.

“At a time when the rights of the LGBTQ+ community are facing new setbacks, creating spaces where these stories can develop, gain visibility, and find their audiences is more necessary than ever,” Sandoval stressed.

Pierre Emile Vandoorne, VP of public affairs for Netflix in Latin America, added: “We believe it is essential to open spaces for diverse voices from the region — voices that bring fresh perspectives and authentic narratives. Supporting the Incubator for another year allows us to continue fostering real opportunities for the LGBTQ+ community, in collaboration with those who work consistently to expand access within the audiovisual industry.”

The Netflix Fund support will make it possible for the six selected filmmakers and their projects to participate in both in-person stages, including coverage of primary travel and accommodation expenses. In this way, the partnership aims to help bridge the gaps that often limit Latin American LGBTQ filmmakers’ access to international spaces for training, circulation and professional networking.

“The selection process employs an intersectional approach, with a particular focus on trans and non-binary identities, as well as talent from regions with limited access to training, funding, and professional networks,” Sanfic Industria pointed out.

“The Santiago–Guadalajara Queer Incubator is built on a fundamental premise: What is not represented risks remaining invisible,” organizers stress. In line with this perspective and with the aim of providing a bigger boost to the stories being supported, the prize for the winning project in this edition has been increased from $5,000 to $10,000.

“At the Guadalajara International Film Festival and the Premio Maguey, we are filled with pride and joy to join the Queer Incubator,” said Estrella Araiza, the Guadalajara Film Festival’s general director. “We couldn’t have better partners for this adventure. Thank you to Sanfic Industria for including us. Today, more than ever, we must learn — and relearn — how to recognize vulnerability. From that place, with honesty and joy, we will continue to champion everything beautiful and valuable that it represents.”

This edition coincides with a period of heightened visibility for Latin American LGBTQ cinema: In the race for the 2027 Oscars, “Narciso” by Marcelo Martinessi (Paraguay), “Feito Pipa” by Allan Deberton (Brazil), “Llueve sobre Babel” by Gala del Sol (Colombia), and “En el camino” by David Pablos (Mexico) will all be in contention.

“The presence of these films underscores the creative power of such stories and highlights the importance of fostering spaces that support their development, professionalization, and international circulation — even as we face a period of regression regarding the recognition of the social rights of the LGBTQ+ community,” Sanfic Industria stated

“Thanks to support from Netflix, the partnership between Sanfic Industria and the Guadalajara International Film Festival has been solidified, strengthening a space where LGBTQ+ voices and stories from Latin America can be developed, made visible, and showcased to the international film industry,” it added.

The Santiago-Guadalajara Queer Incubator projects:

“Decoración de interiores” (“Interior Decoration”), Fer Elías Rioseco (Chile)

Catalina has started breaking into other people’s homes to redecorate them without their knowledge. When the neighbors begin to suspect that ghosts are haunting their houses, Catalina decides to pose as a medium so she can continue pursuing her strange hobby. Rioseco is developing her first feature after having collaborated with filmmakers such as Sebastián Arriagada and Carlos Flores (“El Estado Soy Yo”) and Camila José Donoso (“Cimarronas”).

“No culpen a la bestia” (“The Beast Is Not to Blame“)
Luis Diego Pérez (Costa Rica)

Iván, a sensitive 9-year-old boy, is eager to make his First Communion alongside his best friend Leo, with whom he shares a secret bond that goes beyond friendship. Leo’s sudden move forces Iván to face loss in silence and seek a new safe space in a hostile environment. The award-winning project is the first feature for Pérez, who has edited such features as Andrés Madrigal’s “Lost Men” and Natasha Zúñiga’s upcoming “Trazos de la Memoria.”

“Mundo” (“World”)
Jimena Román (Paraguay)

Sofi fantasizes about her childhood friend, Cami. After 10 years apart, they travel to the house of their first summers. Amid old photos, summer heat, and the hammering of the cousin fixing the house, they question their feelings. A director and editor, Román’s previous works include the short “A Veces Imagino Puedo Ver La Luz Entrelazando El Alambre,” which won the Lumiere Award in Asunción.

“Un funeral fantástico” (“A Fantastic Funeral”)
Samara Pérez (Puerto Rico)

When a beloved drag queen learns she only has weeks to live, she sets out to plan an outrageous funeral, forcing her best friends to confront grief and discover how to give her an iconic farewell. It’s the debut feature for the director, behind award-winning shorts “La espera” and “Hustleween.”

“Lo que una chica siente” (“What a Girl Feels”)
David Pulido (Mexico)

Despite having sworn never to return, Estrella, a reserved trans woman, must go back to the port of Veracruz to claim the inheritance left to her by her grandmother: the house where she spent her childhood and where her mother, Marina, had kicked her out after she transitioned. Focusing on screenwriting, production and directing, Pulido is a former recipient of the Fonca Young Creators grant and was recently selected for the Pecda Veracruz program to write his third feature-film screenplay.

“Pulso” (“Pulse”)
Yoksan Xu (Chile)

Fernanda, a young trans woman from a rural town, arrives in Santiago to work with her aunt, a manicurist. She soon meets Matías, a young man involved in the illegal trafficking of stolen jewelry. Caught between fantasy and disillusionment, Fernanda grapples with a world far more complex than her dreams. Xu has directed four previous shorts, including “Chi(le)na,” winner of the best emerging short prize at Fidocs and selected for festivals such as Cinélatino – Rencontres de Toulouse and Queer Lisboa.