Canary Islands to Host 10th AfroLatam Forum to Boost Global Documentary Cooperation
The tenth AfroLatam Forum will convene in the Canary Islands from September 9 to 11, bringing together international institutions to strengthen cooperation and funding strategies for documentary filmmaking across the Global South.
The documentary film industry is heading to the Canary Islands for a strategic meeting aimed at strengthening cooperation across the Atlantic. Hosted by the DOCanarias International Reality Film Festival, the tenth AfroLatam Forum will take place in Puerto de la Cruz from September 9 to 11. The event will bring together public institutions from Spain, Mexico, and Brazil to tackle the challenges of international funding and industry growth.
The forum kicks off on the morning of the 9th with a panel titled "Institutional Dialogue: Policies and Affirmative Actions." Representatives from organizations including Ibermedia, the Mexican Film Institute (Imcine), the Brazilian Secretariat of Audiovisual Affairs, Proexca, the Canary Institute of Cultural Development (ICDC), AECID, and Casa África will discuss how to build better support networks for Afro-indigenous cinema. Alongside three other panels focused on filmmakers, labs, and funding, the event aims to create a roadmap to help stories from the Global South reach a wider international audience.
This meeting highlights the importance of making public resources more accessible to address historical imbalances. The Brazilian Secretariat of Audiovisual Affairs argues that opening up decision-making roles is vital for ensuring cultural diversity and fair representation. This approach reflects recent success in Mexico, where documentaries made up nearly half of the country’s 235 film productions last year, supported by a network of 63 international co-productions across 27 countries.
For the organizers, the goal is twofold. Pablo Martín Carbajal of Proexca highlights the Canary Islands' role as a logistical and cultural bridge between three continents. Meanwhile, Zuri Fermín of Ibermedia and Noe Pineda of Imcine emphasize that the future of documentary filmmaking relies on reciprocal collaboration and the creation of shared learning communities. Ultimately, the forum aims to use cooperation as a tool for social justice, helping local stories and unique perspectives find their place in a competitive global market.