The definitive Ibero-American co-production model: Programa Ibermedia

Programa Ibermedia (hereafter, Ibermedia) is a co-production film fund sponsored by Spain, Portugal and 18 member countries in Latin America. Its purpose is to promote the development of projects directed towards the Ibero-American market. Funded primarily by and based in Spain, this film-funding pool receives funds from each member country to comprise an Ibero-American audiovisual fund. As of 2011 the Ibermedia member countries are Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Guatemala, Mexico, Panamá, Peru, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Spain, Uruguay and Venezuela, with Guatemala entering as the newest member in 2009. Each country makes an annual commitment (minimum $100,000) to the collective fund. The countries then compete via production companies for backing in various programmes, such as a script development fund, a co-production fund, a training grant, funds for exhibition and distribution, and an international sales loan introduced in 2006 known as ‘delivery’.

Ibermedia is a funding mechanism supervised by an Ibero-American organisation called CAACI (La Conferencia de Autoridades Audiovisuales y Cinematográficas de Iberoamerica, or Conference of Ibero-American Audiovisual and Film Institutes). The heads of national film institutes established this fund in 1997 during a meeting on Margarita Island, Venezuela, creating a pool of funds for filmmakers and production houses to collaborate and compete for a chance to make a film, along with the help of one or more countries. Ultimately, the objective of Ibermedia is to promote the interchange of audiovisual professionals of member countries (see www.programaibermedia.com).