“Victoria in the Clouds,” starring Berlin best actress winner Paulina García, and “Quemada,” from the producer of 2026 Cannes winner “Forever Your Maternal Animal,” both feature at the 2026 Costa Rica Media Market’s Desde el Centro, a projects showcase that highlights key upcoming titles and on-the-rise companies and the ambitions of one of the youngest growing film scenes in the world.
The CRMM runs July 14-15 in the Costa Rican capital, San José.
The highest profile project at Desde el Centro, “Victoria in the Clouds,” reunites Chile’s Paulina García, a Berlin Silver Bear winner for her turn in Sebastián Lelio’s “Gloria,” with Panamanian director Ana Endara after their multi-prized “Beloved Tropic,” a 2024 Toronto/San Sebastián premiere.
Ardélia Istarú’s “Quemada” marks one of the latest films from Costa Rica’s Tres Tigres, behind Valentina Maurel’s Locarno Golden Leopard double winner “I Have Electric Dreams” and Cannes 2026 Un Certain Regard best actress laureate “Forever Your Maternal Animal.”
Of the five production houses behind projects at Desde el Centro that revealed their company launch dates to Variety, only one, Sputnik Films, is more than 10 years old. If made, two of the projects – from Istarú and Luis Diego Pérez – are debut features, and two more – from Paz Léon and Natalia Solorzano – are sophomore outings.
