Cortos del Barrio film festival launches in Ecuador

Banco del Barrio and PeiGo, in partnership with the Instituto Tecnológico Superior Universitario de Estudios ITV, have launched the second edition of the ‘Cortos del Barrio’ festival. The initiative invites young people across Ecuador to transform real-life stories from their neighborhoods and communities into short films.

Under the theme ‘Tu barrio, tu historia, tu cine’ (Your neighborhood, your story, your cinema), the competition is open to individuals or teams of up to three people aged 15 and older, including students and emerging filmmakers. Participants are tasked with creatively integrating a product or service from Banco del Barrio into their narratives to reflect everyday community life.

Santiago Lasso, CEO of Banco del Barrio and PeiGo, stated that the goal is to foster talent and create opportunities for new generations by encouraging them to view their surroundings through a cinematic lens. The festival offers prizes, including cash awards of up to $8,000, scholarships, and exhibition opportunities.