At the 13th edition of the Festival de Cine Nuevo DETOUR, two international jury members invited by Uruguay XXI offered their perspectives on the current state of Uruguayan short films. Spanish distributor Josep Prim Armengol, from Marvin & Wayne, and Argentine distributor and sales agent Claudia Bertolino, from AMASHORT, both highlighted the diversity and maturity present in Uruguay’s film scene.
Prim, who traveled from Barcelona to participate as a juror, expressed his motivation for attending: “The quality is excellent. I saw works on par with other countries.” He noted the range of styles among Uruguayan shorts. “I accepted the invitation to be a juror precisely to learn more about Uruguayan cinema. In just a few days, I got a broad and diverse picture of its short film production.” He emphasized that there was no single dominant style or formula: “There isn’t a single line; the stories are very different.”
According to Prim, this diversity could help Uruguayan films reach wider audiences internationally if accompanied by careful planning. “Many festivals require world, international, or national premieres. Submitting without planning can actually harm a short film’s festival path,” he explained.
Prim shared his advice during business meetings organized by Uruguay XXI and DETOUR with young directors and producers. “I told them not to get discouraged if they weren’t selected immediately. It’s a numbers issue — some festivals receive eight thousand shorts for thirty slots. But with a clear strategy and the right timing for the premiere, projects can move forward,” he said.
He also spoke about Marvin & Wayne’s approach: “Each year, we renew our catalog and look for films from the post-production stage. We’re interested in meeting filmmakers early on and seeing how they work. That’s why attending festivals like DETOUR is important,” he added.
Claudia Bertolino traveled to Montevideo at Uruguay XXI’s invitation as well. As head of AMASHORT, she evaluated student films and met with local filmmakers. She described her impression: “The level was outstanding,” adding, “I was impressed by the maturity of the stories and the variety of perspectives.”
Bertolino noted that DETOUR focuses on directorial vision rather than technical perfection: “DETOUR rewards the director’s vision, not technical perfection. There was a lot of originality in how stories were told and filmed.” She also observed increased female participation: “I saw many teams with women, even entire crews of women in technical and creative areas. That’s growing, and it shows.”
She emphasized education’s role in developing talent: “Internationally, film schools are closely watched. In Uruguay, I saw packed theaters, mentorships involving high schools from the countryside, and young people traveling to showcase their shorts. That’s something unique,” she said.
Bertolino pointed out that more Uruguayan projects are collaborating internationally: “More and more Uruguayan projects are partnering with Belgium, Germany, France, or Spain. That international leg helps with both sales and positioning. When stories are local but universal, they resonate anywhere.”
She concluded her visit optimistically: “There’s talent and there’s volume. I still have meetings pending and titles to watch online. I want to put together a package of Uruguayan short films to start selling.”
During this year’s festival edition chaired by Prim, several awards were given recognizing both established filmmakers and emerging student talent.
By inviting distributors as jurors who also provide guidance for export opportunities through meetings with filmmakers at DETOUR events coordinated by Uruguay XXI , organizers aimed to foster both cultural promotion and international market access for Uruguayan audiovisual productions.
“We’re already in direct contact with Uruguayan producers and directors, and we’re interested in seeing their next projects from an early stage,” said Prim.
Bertolino added: “What’s happening in Uruguayan documentary filmmaking is very strong. If these intimate stories keep addressing universal themes with an international plan in place, Uruguay is on the right track.”
After thirteen editions featuring over six hundred works from Uruguay , DETOUR continues serving as a key venue connecting creators with new opportunities abroad through collaboration between its organizers , international guests ,and agencies such as Uruguay XXI .
