Chile’s Quijote Films, behind Cannes Un Certain Regard prizewinners “The Mysterious Gaze of the Flamingo” and “The Settlers,” is venturing into scripted series with the launch of a new in-house series development arm.
Based out of Chile and Los Angeles, the company has already invested up to $250,000 in development ahead of Mipcom, which Quijote head of strategy Sergio Karmy is attending.
Known for its savvy assembling of multiple territories to co-produce auteur projects, Quijote Films has lead produced or participated in close to 30 international co-productions to date, including Chile’s first co-production pacts with Ukraine (“Pamfir”) and South Africa (“The Smell of Apples”).
“We’ve shown that independent, auteur-driven cinema can be a viable business. I’m proud that at Quijote we’ve reversed the usual formula: our arthouse films are allowing us to finance our expansion into new genres, formats and more commercial audiences,” said Quijote CEO Giancarlo Nasi.
The company’s roughly $250,000 investment in 2026 supports creative personnel and project-specific costs aimed at building a sustainable pipeline of original series. It has established an in-house screenwriting and external development team to originate original series and partner with third-party creators, studios and production companies as an executive producer.
Buttressing its co-production efforts in Chile is the country’s cash rebate incentive that reimburses between 30% and 40% of expenses incurred by international productions filmed in Chile.
It applies to feature films and series with a minimum investment of $400,000, allowing productions to recover between $120,000 and $3 million.
“Our mission is clear: to create high-quality content in partnership with key players across different regions, while preserving the identity and reputation that independent cinema has helped Quijote build over the years. We’re incredibly excited about where we stand today, how far Quijote has come, and the opportunities that lie ahead,” said Karmy, who joined Quijote from Fabula, run by director Pablo Larrain (“My Sad Dead,” “The Count”) and his producing partner Juan de Dios Larrain.
At Mipcom, Quijote is seeking international co-development and co-financing partnerships with streaming platforms, studios and production companies. Combining original IP development with executive production and international co-production expertise, the company aims to expand its global footprint and build a pipeline of premium scripted series for worldwide audiences.
Looking ahead to 2027, Quijote welcomes co-development opportunities across territories and languages, with no geographical or linguistic boundaries.
“We, independent producers, have a lot to bring to the table: we have a meticulous eye for detail, know how to produce efficiently, put together co-financing structures, and work with teams across countries and cultures,” said Nasi, who in his recent Masterclass at the Vancouver Film Festival, stressed that the best-co-productions are those that make both creative and financial sense.
“We’re still Quijote. We’re looking to replicate our co-production experience by looking for international partners who can help us bring out the best in every story, with the same exacting creative and production standards that define our work, whatever the genre or format.”
Leave a Reply