Trading culture in South America

Editors, dancers, actors, musicians, designers and cultural producers from ten South American countries spent three days exchanging information and closing deals in Bogota, Colombia, during the second edition of the Cultural Industry Market of the South (MICSUL). Many of them have discussed future partnerships, like Chilean audiovisual producer Catalina Donoso, who brought a cycle of three documentaries entitled “Paisajes de Norte a Sur” [North to South Landscapes].

From films to books

In addition to the plan to export her films, Donoso also wants to establish partnerships to produce the documentary in other countries. In MICSUL, she talked with producers from Brazil, Colombia, Argentina and Bolivia. "We received a very good reception from those countries. They were very open to the possibility of creating this small cycle, which for us is a way of putting it into a broader circulation. In Chile, documentaries attract a small audience; so for us it is even more necessary to export our films to reach more people and develop a little more our trade."

Argentine Maximiliano Kreft, from the Waldhüter publishing house, went to MICSUL in search of new books from the Latin America to be distributed in his country. According to him, MICSUL is an important event to search not new, but also affordable books. "Argentina is facing hard economic times, then the sales performance of cultural goods like books, movies, music is poor, and their prices is cited as one of the main reasons. So I'm looking for things reasonably priced."

And even the circus

The Biennale International Festival of Uruguayan Circus aims to establish partnerships to take the event to other countries. Actor Luis Musetti, representative from the festival, said he could not talk to many people from the circus industry specifically, but he established contacts with representatives from other festivals for future partnerships. "It's very important to have the opportunity to network with other festivals because our market is small, so it's always good to get a broader perspective on regional possibilities for the exchange of companies," said Musetti.

MICSUL is considered the most important meeting aimed at South American cultural and creative markets. About 3,500 people attended the event, which is promoted by the Culture Ministry from ten South American countries: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Paraguay, Uruguay and Venezuela. In Brazil, the event was organized in partnership with the Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency (Apex-Brasil).

* The reporter traveled to Bogota invited by Apex-Brazil

Translated by Amarílis Anchieta