The III INSULAB – Insular Film Laboratory takes place in parallel with the VIII INSULARIA – Islas en Red Festival, an event dedicated to the world’s island cinema. After two successful editions in San Juan, Puerto Rico, between 2013-2014, the laboratory for island cinema returns to the Canary Islands, in particular to the island of El Hierro.

INSULAB is proposed as a meeting space for the development of film projects by international filmmakers with the potential to be produced entirely or partially on the island of El Hierro. Through a workshop and exchange space with prestigious international advisors, five projects in the development stage will be able to delve into their creative and productive possibilities with a view to placing themselves in an increasingly complex and competitive international context.

The Laboratory is organized in two stages. A first in-person workshop stage takes place in Frontera, El Hierro, parallel to the dates of the Festival. And a second online stage of project support by the organization of the INSULARIA – Islas en Red Festival.

During the face-to-face meeting in El Hierro, the selected projects will have one-to-one meetings focused on the work of the script and narrative proposal, and on how to enhance the productive values ​​of each project with the help of the mentors. In parallel to the mentoring of the projects, the participants will have access to activities with industry professionals invited by the Festival, with El Hierro Film Commission and Canary Islands Films. In turn, they will be able to get to know the island on a tour of the locations that El Hierro offers as a natural film set.

In the third edition of the Laboratory, which took place from October 14 to 19, 2024, we had the mentors Elisa Puerto Aubel, from the script writing, and Paco Poch, from the production. The Cuban director, actor and producer Jorge Perugorría gave a Master Class to the Laboratory participants; and Canary Islands Film informed them about the possibilities that the Canary Islands and El Hierro offer for future productions. In addition, the participants and mentors participated in a visit to the locations in El Hierro.

III INSULAB – Insular Film Laboratory is carried out with the support of the Department of Universities, Science, Innovation and Culture of the Government of the Canary Islands; in collaboration with the Film Commission – Island Council of the island of El Hierro, as well as with the Association of Film Scriptwriters of the Canary Islands (PREMISA) integrated in FAGA (Federation of Screenwriters Associations of Spain).