Asghar Farhadi Lab. 2026
Call for applications open until September 6, 2026
An immersive and transformative creative experience alongside a great film maestro
During ten days, fifty creative directorsof diverse nationalities and backgrounds, share the experience of creating fifty short films, under a wonderful methodology created by the teacher Abbas Kiarostami, adapted by Werner Herzogand revisited by Apichatpong Weerasethakul y Peter Costa.
The idea of Creators Lab is to step out of our comfort zone, face strange and unfamiliar territory, observe it with curiosity and respect, and co-create from diverse ways of seeing and understanding the world.
Creating from a place other than the one we inhabit every day allows us to see the territory as a blank canvas, each of the elements that compose it, the people who inhabit it, the rivers, the paths we travel, each plant, each animal, the culture that embraces and welcomes us, all of them like brushes and paints that allow us to create and tell stories from another place.
Our Labs
Asghar Farhadi Lab.
San Miguel de Allende, Mexico 16-26 Nov 2026
Paolo Sorrentino Lab.
Patagonia, Argentina Dec 1—11.2025
Apichatpong W. Lab
Peru Jun 18—28.2022
Apichatpong W. Lab II
Mexico Jun 18—28.2023
Pedro Costa Lab.
Mexico Sep. 23—Oct. 9.2024, XNUMX
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The experience
1
An international call for entries open for 2 months receiving around 500 applications every year from around the world.
2
The selection of 50 creative filmmakers from all over the world.
3
A 10-day lab designed in different locations carefully chosen by the Playlab team in order to provide a stimulating, out-of-comfort-zone environment to boost creativity.
4
The mentorship of a great Master to individually and collectively accompany the creative process of the participants as well as create their own piece under the same circumstances
5
2 days of locations presentation
4 days of creating and filming
2 days of editing
2 days of showcasing
1 month of post-production
6
An international call for entries open for 2 months receiving around 500 applications every year from around the world.
7
After 1 year of distribution process, the films are included in a collective VOD platform.
8
After 1 year of distribution process, the films are included in a collective VOD platform.
Much more than a Lab
To honor the presence of the Maestro, we organized a series of completely free public events, conceived to strengthen ties between the Teacher and the local community. These events are usually held in the capital of the country we have chosen to hold the LAB.
News conference
This event marks the official launch of the entire experience, encompassing public events and the lab. It also serves to announce the arrival of the Master's program in the country. Coverage by our national and international media outlets sets the stage for upcoming activities.
Master class
During this engaging session, the Maestro engages the audience in a dialogue with the attendees, delving into the foundations of his creative methods, the motivations that drive his approach, and the questions that inspire his work. It's an opportunity for attendees to delve into the Maestro's creative process.
Retrospective
To close the public event, we usually screen some of the Maestro's most iconic works. After the screening, a Q&A session takes place.
film teacher
new international talents
Workdays
new destination every year
short film for each student
short film from each edition
short film with exclusive distribution
short films on VOD
community of creative directors
selected feature film projects
The results
As a result of the workshop we obtain 10 short films which we consider versatile cinematic creations, so we act as a bridge between our creators and the industry and explore new ways and spaces to present the results to an international audience, such as recognized festivals and distribution sales.
Creators Shorts Lab
For Bruce
Installation of Apichatpong W.