What Happened
The Panama International Film Festival opened its 2026 industry program with “Día de Industria 2026,” held for the first time at Ciudad de las Artes in Panama City. The event marked the formal start of the 14th edition of IFF Panamá and brought together film professionals, students and press for a full day of panels, workshops and masterclasses focused on the development and circulation of audiovisual projects.
Festival director Karla Quintero said the new venue represented an important step for the event and reflected the strong turnout and support for this year’s edition. The festival also surpassed 600 accreditations across industry participants, students and media, underscoring its role as a major meeting point for Panama’s film community and visiting professionals from abroad.
A Day Built Around Industry Development
The opening workshop, “Tu audiencia ya existe: Cómo explotar la identidad de tu película para conectar con su público real,” was led by Will Khouri and focused on how filmmakers can identify target audiences and shape communication strategies that reflect the identity of each project. The session emphasized the link between storytelling and audience strategy, an increasingly important part of launching films in competitive markets.
Another key discussion, “Políticas públicas y cine: ¿Cómo se construye una industria sostenible?,” featured Arianne Benedetti and Sheila González, moderated by Pituka Ortega Heilbron. The panel centered on the role of the state in building a durable film sector through training, incentives, financing and distribution. The conversation highlighted the need for long-term planning and coordination between public institutions and private stakeholders.
Arianne Benedetti stressed the importance of strengthening projects at the script and development stages, while Sheila González emphasized the need to continue producing high-quality Panamanian cinema that can cross borders and help define a stronger national voice.
Regional Dialogue and International Markets
The program continued with “El cine en tiempos de cólera,” moderated by David Hernández Palmar and featuring Cristian Carretero, Lorraine Jones, Jayro Bustamante and Augusto Zegarra. The conversation examined cinema’s role in moments of social and political crisis and its ability to preserve memory while opening new ways of thinking about identity and resistance.
Later, “Inside the Deal,” led by Leslie Cohen in conversation with Pituka Ortega Heilbron, offered practical guidance on negotiation and project acquisition in the international market. Cohen described a career path spanning Spanish-language films, major music figures and emerging filmmakers, while pointing to the growing visibility and investment in the sector.
The masterclass “Personas & Personajes: hiperrealismo y artificio en el cine documental,” presented by Manuel Abramovich, explored the creative construction of nonfiction narratives. Abramovich described filmmaking as a process that depends on listening, trust and constant recalibration, with an emphasis on process rather than only the final result.
Opportunities for Latin American Cinema
One of the day’s most closely watched sessions was “Nuevas voces en la Academia: caminos hacia los Oscars,” led by Angelica Cervantes. The discussion examined how filmmakers can better understand the Academy’s standards and the pathways that help Latin American films gain visibility in global awards circuits.
That theme continued with “El futuro nos alcanzó: La circulación del cine latinoamericano hoy,” presented by Carlos A. Gutiérrez, which focused on distribution and exhibition challenges in a fast-changing market. The session highlighted the need for new visibility strategies as filmmakers adapt to changing audience habits and international competition.
The day concluded with “Lo que querías saber de festivales y nadie te dijo,” moderated by Karla Quintero with Diana Cadavid, Itzel Martínez and Lester Rivé. The panel offered advice on festival selection and programming logic, urging filmmakers to understand each festival’s profile before building a circulation strategy.
Why It Matters
Día de Industria has become a central part of IFF Panamá’s effort to strengthen the country’s audiovisual ecosystem and connect local talent with regional and international players. By placing industry training alongside public conversations on policy, distribution and documentary form, the festival is positioning itself as more than a screening event.
This year’s edition runs from April 9 to 12, 2026, across venues including the Teatro Nacional, Ciudad de las Artes, Museo del Canal, Ciudad del Saber, Biomuseo and the Torrijos-Carter Sports Complex in San Miguelito. Several screenings are free and open to families, extending the festival’s reach beyond the industry audience and into the wider public.