Uruguay consolidates its place as a meeting point for Ibero-American cinema on the French Riviera. From May 12th to 17th, the José Ignacio International Film Festival team returns to one of the most important events on the international film calendar to celebrate cinema, Latin American alliances, and Uruguayan culture.
Thanks to the support of the Pfeffer family, the Alhambra once again becomes a strategic space for JIIFF and Uruguay, a place where connections are made, ideas are shared, and pathways to international co-production are opened.
The Cannes Film Festival is the place and the event that kicks off the annual working agenda. This is where the next edition of the José Ignacio International Film Festival begins to take shape.
Over the course of one week, more than twenty events and working meetings are organized on board the Alhambra. In addition, the festival's programmers have the opportunity to access films from the various competition sections. Every action, planned weeks in advance, strengthens JIIFF's standing as a festival with international reach and reinforces its role as an active platform for the development of Latin American cinema, from Uruguay to the world.
One of the major highlights of the week in Cannes will be the launch of a new edition of JIIFF Lab, the laboratory dedicated to the development of Ibero-American fiction feature films. In this context, the guidelines and the significant prizes of JIIFF Lab 2027 will be announced. In the upcoming edition, the lab will award $150,000 in prizes and will underscore its commitment to Ibero-American talent by offering mentorship, training, and international exposure opportunities.
Three Latin American films selected for this edition of the Cannes Film Festival will hold their international premieres at the Alhambra. El Partido (Argentina) by Juan Cabral and Santiago Franco; La Perra (Chile) by Dominga Sotomayor; and La Libertad Doble (Argentina) by Lisandro Alonso make up a lineup that adds value to the festival circuit by bringing the celebration to JIIFF's floating venue, offering a more intimate, dynamic, and memorable experience for the Latin American film community.
Initiatives to promote Uruguayan cinema are organized in partnership with the Uruguayan Film and Audiovisual Agency, ACAU. On board the Alhambra, co-production meetings are held with authorities and delegations from other countries, opening doors and markets for local cinema.
Horror film fans will also have their moment on board with Terror a Bordo, an event organized together with Mother Superior that reinforces the distinctive and vibrant character of this initiative.
For the fourth consecutive year, MUBI will host its annual dinner at the JIIFF venue, bringing together directors, producers, sales agents, and actors from some of the most celebrated films in the Cannes lineup.
Thanks to Fundación Diciembre, the winner of the 2026 Short Film Competition for Bajamar, Ignacio Giannini, will travel to the Cannes Film Festival to take part in festival activities and the market.
The celebration of the Mostra de São Paulo and Latin American ties at Revolução Latam, a masterclass presented by the Short Film Corner, the Uruguay party in Cannes, and a special evening at Le Petit Majestic, the iconic bar of this city, round out JIIFF's agenda for the week in Cannes.
At these events, the cuisine of Parador La Huella will reflect the identity of José Ignacio and Uruguay, with chef Vanessa González and head grill master Andrés Viñales. In keeping with this spirit, local brands and products will also make the journey, helping to bring a little piece of Uruguay to the world.
May 12–17 in Cannes.
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