Business Doc Europe caught up with Paula Ossandón Cabrera, Director of Chiledoc. During our chat we zoomed in on a recent survey published by the body highlighting the Southern American country’s thriving non-fiction scene, areas for improvement, co-productions, nurturing talents and, of course, Chile’s presence at this year’s Berlinale and EFM.
In recent years, the international presence of Chilean documentaries has steadily increased. The latest survey published by Chiledoc confirms this trend, reporting an 8.8% rise in the acquisition of Chilean documentary films by sales agents. Cabrera attributes this growth to several factors, including the Chilean government’s commitment to investing in culture beyond cinema, encompassing the creative industries as a whole. “There’s been a broader effort to increase cultural spending, aiming to reach 1% of the national public budget, and this has directly benefited our sector,” she explains to BDE.
Despite this, Chilean documentary production still relies heavily on governmental support, as private companies rarely invest in cultural initiatives. “There are exceptions, of course, but generally, private entities don’t get involved,” she says, adding how the themes tackled by documentaries are still seen as problematic or too awareness-raising. Public television, too, plays a limited role, rarely co-producing or acquiring documentary films and series, making it challenging for the industry to sustain itself.
At the forefront of efforts to amplify Chilean documentary cinema on the global stage is Chiledoc. Ossandón Cabrera’s organisation aims to promote Chilean documentary films and series worldwide. Over the past two years, its efforts have concentrated on key markets such as Germany, France, the United States, and Brazil. “France, in particular, has been a crucial partner,” Ossandón Cabrera notes. “It is the main co-production market for Chilean documentaries, followed by Colombia, Germany, and Argentina.” The Chilean government has established co-production agreements with France, Germany, and Argentina, and collaboration with Colombia is under negotiation.
Moreover, France remains one of the most receptive markets, with Chilean documentaries regularly selected by French festivals. Chiledoc maintains strong ties with ARTE, and in December, the head of the channel’s Society and Culture international co-production department visited Chile to discover new Latin American projects. The organisation also maintains a long-standing relationship with Cannes Docs, where Chilean showcases have been a fixture. “Fortunately, many of our documentary projects have been awarded there as well,” she adds.
Germany, on the other hand, represents another European market where the organisation seeks to strengthen ties and increase co-productions. In the United States, the focus has been on breaking into what remains the largest audiovisual market in the Western world. “We’ve been working to connect with distributors, festivals, and markets, but also with initiatives like Kanopy, which is linked to the academic circuit. The goal is to make Chile a known co-production partner in the US industry.”
Brazil, despite being geographically closer, is another market requiring further development. “We’ve had an old agreement in place for a long time, but co-productions haven’t been as fluid as we’d like. There’s still work to do in terms of strengthening our collaboration and leveraging our cultural similarities.”
Chiledoc’s visibility strategy includes participation in key industry markets such as Cannes and Sunny Side of the Doc, networking initiatives, and one-on-one meetings with programmers, fund representatives, sales agents, distributors, and platforms. Another crucial aspect of its work is bringing international decision-makers to Chile for Conecta, the country’s main documentary industry gathering, held annually in December. “Every year, we invite experts so they can experience our production landscape first-hand,” says Ossandón Cabrera. “Chiledoc also facilitates connections between Chilean producers and these decision-makers, while the government organises open calls and funding initiatives.”
This year, Chiledoc’s presence in Berlin is particularly strong. “We have a world premiere of a Chilean documentary short, Matías Rojas Valencia’s Sunset over America, which follows a young girl who leaves Venezuela for Chile, seeking a better life. We’re also co-hosting a happy hour with DocSalon, and at the EFM we’ll be presenting 15 projects in various stages of development, production, or seeking distribution,” she outlines.
Additionally, Chilean filmmakers have secured key placements within Berlinale’s industry sidebar, including a producer selected for the Toolbox Initiative and several directors participating in DocStation and Berlinale Talents.
Recent success stories highlight the strength and diversity of Chilean documentary filmmaking. Fernando Lavanderos and Sebastián Pereira’s The Stationary Traveller was part of the Cannes Docs showcase, where it scooped an award, while Unwelcomed by Sebastian Gonzalez Mendez and Amilcar Infante snagged another proze at Sunny Side of the Doc.
“Programmers consistently highlight the range of themes and storytelling styles in Chilean documentary cinema, and this is a major factor in their international appeal.”
While Santiago remains the centre of most industry activity, Ossandón Cabrera acknowledges the need to expand opportunities for filmmakers in other regions. “Decentralisation is a priority, and both public and private players are pushing for it,” she says.
Looking ahead, she sees a thriving landscape for Chilean documentary filmmaking. “We have more voices than ever before—more directors, producers, and incredibly talented screenwriters and editors. In the past, only a handful of names were well-known internationally. Now, we have a much broader pool of talent.” She highlights key figures such as editor Carolina Siraqyan, known for her work with Maite Alberdi, as well as directors like Alberdi herself and Tana Gilbert, alongside a new generation of filmmakers tackling pressing issues such as gender, Indigenous identities, and political and environmental topics.
One distinctive aspect of the Chilean documentary sector, she notes, is the prominent role of women. “So many women are working in this field, especially as producers, and that’s something truly remarkable about our industry.”
As Chiledoc continues its work to elevate Chilean documentaries on the global stage, the momentum behind the sector shows no signs of slowing down.
