José Ignacio International Film Festival (JIIFF) culminated its 15th edition with prominent milestones that marked a special edition. From the arrival of director Jacques Audiard and actress Karla Sofía Gascón for the screening of the film Emilia Pérez until the novelty of becoming the First Uruguayan Festival to qualify the Oscar AwardsJiiff said goodbye after nine days of continuous projections and activities for the industry.
From January 18 to 26, the festival was held at the fishermen’s drop, Pavilion Vik and Oceanic Winery José Ignacio, where feature films and short films were screened. Conferences, workshops and master classes were also carried out with the aim of promoting the development of the audiovisual industry in Uruguay and its co -production relations.
Acclaimed directors, screenwriters and international actors passed through Jiiff, coinciding in the same scene with an audience eager to enjoy film. In addition to Audiard and Gascón by Emilia Pérez – he achieved Outdoor audience record In the last function of the festival -, the presence of the Italian filmmaker Maura Delpero, the consecrated producer of Hollywood Victoria Alonso and the return to the cinema of the Uruguayan Pablo Stoll was highlighted with the theme of summer.
The week was marked by features at no cost every day, as well as for working industry activities Jiiff: Jiiff Lab, the program that strengthened the development of eight fiction feature films of Latin America; Generation J, a space to enhance the growth of emerging Uruguayan scriptwriters and directors; and Audiovisual, a space to make visible public and private relations that promote management policies.
During the last day of the festival, at a party for celebrating the industry, prizes were presented that recognized different film projects. Working Jiiff granted the South Pfeffer Fund to the project Die standing, from Giancarlo Nasi and María Paz Gonzálezboth Jiiff Lab participants who will receive $ 50,000 for the development of their film.
This work was recognized by the jury (Victoria Alonso, Nicolás Celis and Renata de Almeida) among eight fiction feature films from all over Latin America, after a call that received 118 applications from 16 countries.
After the short film competition, Carlota, by Cecilia Moreira Pagesreceived the December prize for best short film. In this recognition the public and the jury coincided, composed of Arauco Hernández, Giancarlo Nasi and Maitena de Amorrortu. Consequently, the film can be considered directly by the Academy to be nominated for the Oscar of this year and its director will travel to the Cannes Festival to participate in the activities of the Short Film Corner.
The jury also granted a special mention to the short film On the other side of the world; While, meanwhile, the public chose the best feature film in competition, recognizing as winning film Jiiff 2025 a The Kingdom, by Julien Colonne.