Ventana Sur: New TV Projects from Dubois, Schapces & More

Ventana Sur, Latin America’s premier film and TV market, has recently announced its latest selection for the Ventana Sur Series platform, showcasing a diverse array of 14 new television projects. This year’s lineup features contributions from notable figures in the region, including Maximiliano Dubois, Marcelo Schapces, and Theresa Jessouroun, whose works are set to bring compelling narratives to audiences. The selected projects reflect a rich tapestry of storytelling, often imbued with the social and political consciousness that characterizes much of Latin American cinema and television.

Organized by Argentina’s film-TV agency INCAA, Uruguay’s ACAU, and the Cannes Festival’s Marché du Film, Ventana Sur’s 17th edition is scheduled to take place in Buenos Aires from December 1st to 5th. The curation process involved selecting 14 series, including five docu-series, from over 100 submissions. The chosen projects were evaluated based on their creative merit, technical quality, commercial viability, and their potential to resonate with a global audience.

Overview of Ventana Sur Series 2025

The Ventana Sur Series platform serves as a crucial launchpad for television projects from Latin America, offering creators an opportunity to connect with international buyers and co-producers. The 2025 selection demonstrates a commitment to showcasing narratives that are both culturally specific and universally appealing. Ricardo Morínigo, director of one of the selected projects, “Agosto Poty,” highlighted a common thread, noting that “societies, above all the Latin American, still move in a context where they ‘develop’ in an improvised, chaotic, greedy, unaccountable and uncertain fashion.” This observation underscores the deeply reflective and often critical nature of the stories presented.

Featured Projects and Key Creators

The lineup for Ventana Sur Series 2025 is particularly exciting due to the involvement of established industry professionals and the thematic depth of their new ventures.

Maximiliano Dubois’ "Discepolín"

Maximiliano Dubois, through his production house Habitación 1520, an influential name in Argentina’s film scene known for hits like “Gilda” and “Clandestine Childhood,” presents “Discepolín.” This six-episode dramedy is a biographical series with a strong political undercurrent, focusing on Enrique Santos Discépolo. Discépolo was a renowned tango composer-lyricist and the husband of singer Tania, whose socially critical works, such as the 1934 tango “Cambalache,” faced bans during Argentina’s dictatorship. Mariano Mucci, who previously directed the 2023 series “Mordisquito” depicting Discépolo’s final years working for Juan Domingo and Eva Perón, is at the helm of this series.

Marcelo Schapces’ "Emperor Sol"

Marcelo Schapces, a producer known for films like Carlos Saura’s “Zonda” and “Eva y Juan,” and director of “Necronomicon,” backs the docu-series “Emperor Sol” through Barakacine. Directed by Alejandra Almirón, this four-episode series delves into a 2020 event where an authoritarian cult leader in the Córdoba mountains gathered followers to await the world’s end, exposing their inner demons while confronting his own son. Schapces emphasizes the series’ contemporary relevance, stating, “In the midst of the era of digital gurus, spiritual influencers, and promises of easy success, ‘Emperor Sol’ presents a profoundly relevant story about how the power of charisma and pseudoscience can destroy lives.”

Theresa Jessouroun’s "In Body and Soul"

From Brazil, Theresa Jessouroun of Kinofilmes Produções brings “In Body and Soul” (“No Corpo e na Alma”), a three-episode mini-series. This documentary revisits the tumultuous events leading up to Brazil’s 1964 military coup, offering perspectives from former political activists involved in student movements and armed resistance. Jessouroun, whose documentaries such as “Point Blank” have garnered international attention, aims for the series to “contribute to the strengthening of democracy in Brazil through the reflections of people who lived through this period.”

Other Notable Fiction Series

• "Agosto Poty" ("La flor de agosto," "August Flower"), directed by Ricardo Morínigo, is a five-episode Paraguayan-Argentine fiction series inspired by the tragic 2004 Ycuá Bolaños supermarket fire.
• "Forger" ("Trucho"), created by Leandro Custo, explores themes of immigration and identity through the story of Spain’s master forger, Néstor.
• "Fura," an eight-episode Colombian action crime drama from Andrés Tudela and Alejandro Quintero, presents a magical realism take on the life of Víctor Carranza, Colombia’s “Emerald Tsar.”
• "Gasp" ("Bocanada"), from Argentine writer-director Sabrina Farji, is a medical drama set in a first-care clinic on the outskirts of Buenos Aires, following two doctors seeking redemption and love.
• "Malena, the Lead" ("Malena, la protagonista") by Sebastián J. Fracini, is an Argentine-Uruguayan dramedy starring Malena Guinzburg, blurring the lines between fiction and reality as a comedian develops a series based on her own life.
• "Mars" ("Marte"), a six-episode Chilean series by Víctor Vidangossy, follows a 15-year-old girl determined to win a school competition to travel to Mars amidst personal tragedy and rising organized crime.
• "My Things" ("Cosas Mías: Los Abuelos de la Nada"), directed by Sergio Costantino, is a biographical series on Miguel Abuelo, a foundational figure in Argentine pop-rock and leader of "Los Abuelos de la Nada."
• "Nothing But Glamour" ("Puro Glamour"), a Chilean-Spanish comedy written by Aloma Rodríguez, follows a freelance cultural journalist juggling work, family, and a house hunt.

Documentaries with Social Impact

• "The Crime of the French Women" from Miguel Ángel Rocca and Maximiliano Mastrángelo, is a four-episode true-crime series that examines a father’s fight for justice after his daughter’s murder, leading to changes in Argentina’s penal code.
• "The Paradise" ("El Paraíso"), by Claudio Araya Silva, is a Bolivian-Mexican documentary chronicling how cocaine became a political and military tool across Latin America, revealing hidden alliances between governments and criminal networks.
• "Sing You Bastards!" ("Canten P*tos"), a six-episode Uruguayan docu-series by Nestor Frenkel, explores the popular songs sung by soccer fans, examining their cultural, historical, and social implications, including themes of violence, machismo, and xenophobia.

Conclusion

The Ventana Sur Series 2025 lineup underscores the vibrancy and depth of television production in Latin America. With a strong emphasis on socially conscious storytelling and a mix of biographical dramas, crime thrillers, and intimate character studies, these projects offer a compelling glimpse into the region’s diverse creative landscape. The involvement of seasoned producers and directors like Maximiliano Dubois, Marcelo Schapces, and Theresa Jessouroun further solidifies the platform’s role in bringing high-quality, impactful content to the global stage.