Awards, Partnerships and Agreements: Panama challenges its assumption in the audiovisual industry after its participation in Málaga

Panama, March 16, 2026 - Panama completed its participation at the Málaga Festival with 5 awards and an agenda, focused on film display, co-production agreements and the promotion of the country as a strategic destination for international films within the Ibero-American audiovisual ecosystem.

Through the management of the National Cinema Directorate of the Ministry of Culture and the Filling Commission of the Ministry of Trade and Industries, our country demonstrated its competitiveness at the Work in Progress Section, where the feature film "La Residencia" by director Mariel Spooner received the Rio Bravo, Yagan Films and Sanfic Latam awards.

Also, the documentary "Cuscú" by Director Riseth Yangüez was awarded Link Rio FIDBA, while Angel Corro's production "Pure R.A.P." completed his participation in this category. In his short films, Panama participated in Málaga Short Corner and competed at the Ibershort Awards with the work "How to Cantan las Aves de Sara Martínez."

In the Latin American Focus Section dedicated especially to Panama, there was considerable assistance with his films with the support of the Fondo Cine, among them the works Espina by Daniel Poler, Papers by Arturo Montenegro and Dearest Tropic by Director Ana Endara.

That presence was extended to the MAFIZ industry area, where Jiro Ramos's "Menarchy" and Tatiana Salamín's documentary "El Legado de Reina" (The Legado de Reina) have been represented by the country, with the latter awarded the Cantico Producciones Award for the creation of his original promotional piece's music.

The institutional agenda includes the surrender of the Biznaga de Honor to the Deputy Minister Arianne Benedetti by the mayor of Málaga, Francisco de la Torre, symbolizing the strengthening of cultural links between both nations.

In the area of business, a co-production agreement between Panama and the Eastern Republic of Uruguay was announced and new minority co-production by director Frank Spano and production agreements by Xochil Vergara with Colombia and Costa Rica have been established.

The Panama Embassy in Madrid also signed a memorandum of understanding with the Trama Artistics Platform to strengthen cultural cooperation.

) as part of the Investment Attractions Strategy, they have been performed the technical panels entitled Coproduction with us, Panama is your ally and We are Hub production, where have been exposed the fiscal incentives and competitive benefits that the Panamanian territory offers for great production.

That promotion was complemented with special projections for international distributors of the films Cautiverio, Chichero, Indio Rabbit, Dreamed Jazz, It happened in January and the documentary Belisario Porras, Architect of a Nation.
The delegation also integrated training and culture with the participation of Ana Laura Samaniego in Málaga Talent and the Ana Pascal and Teratoma projects at the WARMI Lab.

The artistic proposal was closed with the typical Panamanian Flamenco show by Odette Cortez and Anita Loynaz, with some coffee with a Panamanian specialty.

Following these results, the internationalisation strategy will continue this year with a presence at the Film Festival of Cannes and South Ventana and with the management of a new film law to strengthen the professionalism of local sector