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Ibermedia Next, a groundbreaking fund dedicated to advancing the use of new technologies in animation and digital content from Spain, Portugal, Italy and Latin America, is launching its second round of funding.
The announcement was made at the Annecy Animation Festival on the final day of its MIFA market at at a presentation attended by representatives of two of the project’s drivers: Jara Ayucar, director of marketing policy at Spain’s ICAA film agency, part of its Ministry of Culture; and Jose Luis Farias, executive producer of the Quirinos Awards, representing La Liga de la Animación Iberoamericana, formed by the Quirinos, Mexico’s Pixelatl Festival and Ventana Sur’s Animation! forum.
Ibermedia Next 2 follows the success of the initial funding round which saw 14 innovative projects gain crucial support, allowing creators to push the boundaries of animation and VR technology.
This new funding round offers grants of up to €150,000 ($163,500), plus mentorship and personalized consultancy and promotion for grant winning works. Applicants for funding must be based in Spain, Portugal and Italy co-developing projects with companies or creators in the Ibero-American region of Spain, Portugal and Latin America.
The call for applications runs June 14 to July 29. Projects must be animation or live-action, if the latter includes at least 75% of animation.
Total funding for this round is €3 million ($3.3 million). Winning projects must be at least five minutes in running time, and use for their development new technological and/or open code tools. Works may be traditional audiovisual content, or Virtual (VR), Extended (XR) or Augmented Reality (AR).
“We are launching a second Ibermedia Next call thanks to the success of the first one. Not only more than 100 projects of the highest quality were presented, but we have also found the key to respond to a need that the animation sector urgently demanded,” said Ignasi Camós, ICAA director general.
“This initiative not only promotes the co-development of projects between Ibero-American countries, but also highlights the talent of professionals who are committed to investing in the use of new technologies to improve their audiovisual products. We are sure that this is the right path, always close to the sector and with accomplices such as La Liga de la Animación Iberoamericana.”
Notable projects receiving first-round funding included “Urke,” a collaboration between Spain’s Bígaro Films, Aupa Studio, and Mexico’s Sísmica Studio. This venture aimed to bridge traditional 2D workflows with VR, using AI and programmatic innovations to reduce technical and artistic hurdles.
Asdrubal Rivera, CCO and producer at Sísmica Studios, emphasized the significant impact of Ibermedia Next’s support, “Ibermedia Next’s backing has enabled us to innovate at a scale that would not have been possible had we been doing it alone.” he told Variety.
Among other recipients of Ibermedia Next funding were industry luminaries like Gael García Bernal and Diego Luna, who co-produced the VR project “El Origen de la Experiencia” through their Mexico-based label La Corriente del Golfo. Spain’s Isabel Coixet directed “Sophia (Sofía),” starring Milena Smit, while Chile’s Bernardita Ojeda produced two titles, highlighting the program’s reach and influence.
If year one is anything to go by, eligible projects will likely include prototypes, teasers, pilots, short films, and videoclips.
Part of Ibermedia, Ibero-America’s most important dedicated pan-regional co-development, co-production and co-distribution fund, Ibermedia Next forms part of the Spain Audiovisual Hub of Europe plan, in turn part of Europe’s Recuperation, Transformation and Resilience program.
