JURADOS Y PREMIOS
FIDOCS, in its 29th edition, features three competition categories: National Competition, International Competition, and National Competition for Emerging Short Films, and four awards: Best National Film, Best International Film, Best Emerging Short Film, and Best First Feature. Works from the International and National Competition categories that meet the Best First Feature award are eligible to compete for this last prize. It is awarded by a Youth Jury composed of fifteen students participating in the FIDOCS School and a filmmaker who serves as the jury president.
Next, we present the judges:
National Competition
Alicia Cano Menoni
Uruguay
Alicia Cano Menoni (1982, Uruguay) has directed 'El Bella Vista' (2012), 'Locura al aire' (co-directed, 2018), and 'Bosco' (2020). Her films have been screened at international festivals such as San Sebastián, Karlovy Vary, Amsterdam, Málaga, Valdivia, and Guadalajara. 'Bosco' received twelve awards, including Best Documentary Film at the Málaga Film Festival. It was also nominated for the 2023 Platino Awards. She has written and directed for Italian television. She has lived and worked in Italy, Mexico, India, and Uruguay.
Carlos Flores Delpino
Chili
Carlos Flores Delpino (1944, Chile) is a filmmaker with a Master's degree in Art Theory and History. He founded the Chilean Film School, where he taught and served as academic director until 2009. He is currently a full professor at the University of Chile's Film School. His filmography includes notable works such as 'Nutuayin Mapu', 'Descomedidos y chascones', 'Pepe Donoso', 'El Charles Bronson chileno', 'El Estado soy yo', and 'Satelitenis'. He has published the books 'Excéntricos y astutos', 'Idénticamente desigualdad', and 'El cine imperfecto de Carlos Flores'.
Yuliia Kovalenko
Ukraine
Yuliia Kovalenko (1988, Ukraine) is a film critic, holds a PhD in Cultural Studies, and is the programming director of the International Human Rights Documentary Film Festival: Docudays UA. She is part of the Berlinale Forum's pre-selection team. She has also taught courses on cultural theory and history at various universities in Odesa, Ukraine. As an independent curator, in 2022 she co-organized the series "Perspectives on Ukrainian Cinema" for the Deutsche Kinemathek. She is a member of the Union of Film Critics of Ukraine and the National Syndicate of Journalists.
International Competition
Antoine Thirion
France
Antoine Thirion (1981, France) is a writer and film programmer based in Paris. He currently works at Cinéma du Réel and is an advisor to the New York Film Festival. He held similar positions at the Locarno Film Festival (2019–2021) and the Berlinale (2022–2024). In France, he has organized major retrospectives of the works of Benning, Hong, Weerasethakul, Díaz, Stratman, Costa, Rivers, Corman, Huppert, and Bonello. His writings have been published in anthologies and journals such as Cinema Scope, Trafic, and Cahiers du cinéma. He is the editor of the monograph 'Homes Apichatpong Weerasethakul' (2025, Éditions de l'Œil).
Catalina Vergara
Chili
Catalina Vergara (1981, Chile) directed her first documentary, 'Mujeres del Silencio' (Women of Silence), in 2005, which won awards at FIDOCS and the Valdivia International Film Festival. She was the producer and co-director of the documentary 'La última estación' (The Last Station) (2012), which received awards at various international festivals. As a producer, she has worked with director José Luis Torres Leiva on films such as 'Ver y escuchar' (Seeing and Listening) (2013) and 'El viento sabe que vuelvo a casa' (The Wind Knows I'm Coming Home) (2016). She also produced 'La casa lobo' (The Wolf House) (2018) and 'Los Hiperbóreos' (The Hyperboreans) (2024) by León & Cociña, and 'Animalia Paradoxa' (2024) by Niles Atallah.
Jessica Sarah Rinland
Argentina - United Kingdom
Jessica Sarah Rinland (1987) is an Argentine-British filmmaker and artist. Throughout her career, she has received numerous awards at film festivals such as Locarno, San Sebastián, and Documenta Madrid. She was awarded the Schnitzer Prize from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) for excellence in the arts. Retrospectives of her work have been held at venues such as the Flaherty Film Seminar, Anthology Film Archives, and the Open City Documentary Film Festival, and her films are held in the British Film Institute. Her most recent solo exhibition was at the Tabakalera cultural center in San Sebastián, Spain.
Emerging Shorts Competition
Aníbal Jofré del Campo
Chili
Aníbal Jofré del Campo (1989, Chile) is a director, screenwriter, and producer. His filmography includes 'Chaitén' (2012), 'Volantín Cortao' (2013), and 'Los afectos' (2024), feature films he co-directed with Diego Ayala R. Through the MAFI collective (Mapa Fílmico de un País - Film Map of a Country), he has participated in various projects, including 'Dios' (2019), 'Pampas marcianas' (2023), which he directed, and 'Oasis' (2024). He worked as a producer on the short documentary 'Fantasmagoría' (2022). He is currently the director of the School of Communications at UNIACC.
Florence Dupont
Chili
Florencia Dupont (1984, Chile) studied Literature at the University of Buenos Aires and Filmmaking at the Center for Cinematographic Research (CIC), Argentina. She is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Arts degree at the University of Christian Humanism (UAHC), Chile. Based in Santiago since 2010, she works as a filmmaker, producer, and distributor specializing in independent auteur cinema. She is a founding partner of the film production and distribution company Santiago Independiente, a member of the CEIS 8 collective, and a member of the Nosotras Audiovisuales group. She also teaches, advises on projects, and writes essays, fiction, and poetry.
Sofia Paoli Thorne
Chili
Sofía Paoli Thorne (1982, Paraguay). Since 2007, she has worked as a director and executive producer, with extensive experience in artistic, educational, and cultural projects. Her work addresses themes of gender, social inclusion, and food sovereignty. She directed 'Guapo'y' (2022) and the television series 'Tembi'u Rape'; co-produced 'El príncipe de Nanawa' (2025) and 'Corazón bajo tierra'; and served as a producer on 'La afinación del diablo' and 'Fuera de campo'. She is also a teacher and lecturer, a founding member of the Paraguayan Documentary Filmmakers Association (DOCPY) and the Jopói collective of women filmmakers. She is a member of the Paraguayan Association of Independent Filmmakers and Producers (APCI) and the Audiovisual Technical Committee.
YOUNG JURY
Roberto Collío Aburto
President of the Jury
Roberto Collío Aburto (Santiago, 1986) is a filmmaker, curator, composer, and visual and sound artist involved in experimental and non-fiction practices. His work explores the material properties of reproduction and/or projection, transforming the elusive moments of light, sound, and time into opportunities to expand the idea of cinematic space. The use of diverse technologies—past, present, and improvised—and the inherent errors of their “unorthodox” application constitute fertile ground for his formal explorations and live performances.
Agustín Olivera Sepúlveda
University of Valparaíso
Agustín Olivera Sepúlveda (2003, Valparaíso, Chile) entered the Film School of the University of Valparaíso in 2023 and is currently in his third year. He has worked on documentary, fiction, experimental, and music video projects, serving as director and assistant director. He participated as a directing intern on the feature film 'Supernatural Stories', currently in post-production.
Alyn Francesca Body Lizana
IP Arcos
Alyn Francesca Body Lizana (1994, Santiago, Chile) is a third-year film student at the Arcos Professional Institute, an audiovisual producer, and a photographer. She specializes in analog documentary photography and her interests lie in essay films, hybrid films, and new media. She directed *Artists and Their Trades* – the first installment, *Aisa Sana* (2023), and the found footage film *Woman* (2023). She is currently directing the essay film *Mother*, in which she explores hybrid forms. She also documents Chilean musicians and, since 2018, has been a member of the band El Fruto del Ruido.
Daniel Águila Maureira
IP Chile
Daniel Águila Maureira (2000, Talagante, Chile) is a third-year student of Audiovisual Communication at the Professional Institute of Chile. He grew up in Malloco, a rural town in the Metropolitan Region, and his passion for nature and understanding it are the driving forces behind his perspective.
Emilia Yelor Mora
Austral University of Chile
Emilia Yelor Mora (2005, Valdivia, Chile) is a second-year student at the School of Audiovisual Creation at the Austral University of Chile. Originally from Futrono, she is a director interested in the decentralization of Chilean cinema and in promoting projects from the regions. She also explores the link between audiovisual media and music, seeking fresh narratives that broaden the cinematic experience.
Esteban Molina Soto
University of Chile
Esteban Molina Soto (2003, Cañete, Chile) developed his interest in film through his grandfather's extensive DVD collection. At 18, he moved to Santiago to study at the University of Chile's Film and Television School, where he is currently a fourth-year student. During this time, he has created his own film club, made documentaries, and participated in various film shoots and festivals as a volunteer.
Javier Gatica Bordones
Viña del Mar University
Javier Gatica Bordones (2004, La Serena, Chile) is a third-year Film student at the University of Viña del Mar and an audiovisual producer. He was the producer and editor of the short documentary 'Vasos rotos' (2024), which won the Best Regional Short Documentary award from the student jury at Cine Lebu and was selected for IN-EDIT and the Chiloé International Film Festival. He is currently working as director of photography and editor on the short film 'Performance'.
Javiera Paz Álvarez Vergara
University of the Andes
Javiera Paz Álvarez Vergara (2002, Santiago, Chile) is a fourth-year student of Audiovisual Communication at the University of Los Andes. From a young age, she has been interested in everything related to the audiovisual world. She was president of the student body at her faculty and is currently working on her thesis project.
José María Urrutia Gaete
UNIACC
José María Urrutia Gaete (2002, Santiago, Chile) is a fourth-year film student at UNIACC. From a young age, he documented social movements and collaborated with various national media outlets. Currently, as a student, he is developing documentary projects: neighborhood life in urban contrast; family intimacy marked by silences during the dictatorship; an underground music scene as a form of resistance since the 2000s; and the legacy of SENAME (Chile's National Service for Minors). Through these projects, he expresses his commitment to memory, culture, and social reflection.
Josefa Victoria Santibáñez Ramírez
Diego Portales University
Josefa Victoria Santibáñez Ramírez (2003, Santiago, Chile) is a third-year Film and Audiovisual Production student and a tutor at the School. Her work has primarily focused on directing and as an assistant cinematographer. Among her projects, 'Migajas de amor' (Crumbs of Love) stands out, a short film screened at the 8-24 International University Short Film and Videodance Festival in Spain, and which will soon be participating in the Movilh International Film Festival.
Lucas Aníbal Benavente Llanos
University of Development
Lucas Aníbal Benavente Llanos (notiluka) (2000, Concepción, Chile) is a filmmaker from Universidad del Desarrollo, an interdisciplinary artist, and also a DJ and musician. He was born in Concepción and trained in Santiago and Barcelona. He was the art director for the feature film 'Tierras niñas' (Girls' Lands). Through creative direction, marketing, and social media, he has participated in the construction of artistic visions for various Latin American music projects. He has also been involved in mediation for La Matria Fest, a platform and festival for women and dissident music, and with the Ministry of Cultures, Arts, and Heritage.
Noemí Olguín Arriaza
University of Christian Humanism Academy
Noemí Olguín Arriaza (2003, Santiago, Chile) is a third-year student of Film and Audiovisual Arts at the Academia Humanismo Cristiano University. She is the director of the Butakas film club, a space for film screenings and discussions, which is part of the Chilean Film Club Association.
Paulina Muñoz Muñoz
Pontifical Catholic University of Chile
Paulina Muñoz Muñoz (2002, Santiago, Chile) is a fourth-year student of Audiovisual Direction at the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile. She is interested in film theory and criticism, as well as experimental and documentary cinema. She has written for the magazine laFuga and is currently exploring the field of Cinematography.
Romina Rayéen Espinoza Marileo
University of the Americas
Romina Rayéen Espinoza Marileo (2006, Santiago, Chile) is a second-year student of Audiovisual and Multimedia Communication at the University of the Americas. She has directed the short documentary film 'Before Classes Begin' and is currently directing the short fiction film 'Up to Three'.
Sofia Zenteno Muñoz
Universidad Mayor
Sofía Zenteno Muñoz (2002, Santiago, Chile) is a graduate of the Filmmaking program at Universidad Mayor. From a young age, she has been involved in the arts, exploring theater, music, and ultimately, audiovisual media. She directed the documentary 'ABC de Fabián,' which was selected for the University of Chile Film Festival (FECIUCH), and participated in the FIDOCS 2024 School.
Vasco Fermín Ojeda Olguín
Santo Tomás University
Vasco Fermín Ojeda Olguín (1999, Santiago, Chile) is a third-year student of Digital Audiovisual Communication at Santo Tomás University. As a gastronome and audiovisual producer, he dedicates himself to documenting gastronomy from an artistic and cultural perspective, promoting identity, knowledge, and the ecosystem. He directed the documentary 'Áviles,' which won the award for Best Cinematography at the Santo Tomás Film Festival. He has collaborated with restaurants on Latin America's 50 Best Restaurants list and is currently developing projects related to gastronomy and sustainability.