Monica Garcia, director general of Spain's prestigious Sitges Film Festival, is actively scouting talent across Latin America. Speaking at the Costa Rica Media Market, Garcia announced the launch of WomanInFan's Latin American branch, a genre initiative designed to amplify female filmmakers in horror, science fiction, and thriller spaces.
Garcia's remarks reveal the festival's strategic pivot toward the region. She framed the search explicitly, telling attendees "We're waiting for the next Issa Lopez," referencing the Mexican director whose atmospheric horror work has gained international traction. The comment signals Sitges' appetite for fresh Latin American voices who can deliver genre sophistication on a global stage.
Sitges has long positioned itself as a gateway for genre cinema into the broader film festival circuit and distribution pipelines. By establishing WomanInFan's regional arm, the festival doubles down on this mission while addressing a documented gap. Female genre filmmakers from Latin America remain underrepresented at major festivals and in acquisition discussions, despite the region's rich horror and speculative fiction traditions.
The conversation, held alongside Morbido CEO Pablo Guisa and Mexican director Luis Javier Henaine, centered on broader challenges facing genre production in Latin America. Funding constraints, limited theatrical infrastructure, and streaming platforms' selective greenlight practices all restrict opportunities for emerging talent. Yet streaming's global reach also creates unprecedented windows for breakout work.
Garcia's framing matters. By invoking Lopez rather than discussing the initiative in abstract terms, she made clear that Sitges seeks filmmakers with distinctive voices and commercial viability, not token representation. Lopez directed "Jade," which premiered at Sundance and landed at streaming platforms, proving Latin American genre work can travel internationally.
WomanInFan's expansion reflects larger industry momentum. Major festivals increasingly recognize that Latin America produces compelling genre cinema that resonates with international audiences craving fresh