Yucatán, to this mystical Mesoamerican territory, nourished by a mysterious and hidden ancestry, comes the dreamlike creation of Apichatpong. That place, of hard limestone earth, of cenotes carved underground by water with millennia of patience and which provided the Maya with their lifeblood, becomes a meeting point and channel between the past and desire, between what is seen and what is imagined. Apichatpong paves the way for the Yucatán Peninsula to once again become the cradle of the creation of new narrative universes.

Apichatpong combines cinema and contemporary art to create an experimental and independent body of work that has spanned 20 years. During this time, with his impeccable work, he has impressed critics and captivated an audience that today recognizes him as one of the most relevant figures in the global film scene. He won the Academy Award for Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives in 2010, the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival. He has also won other accolades, such as the Certain Regard for Blissfully Yours in 2002 and the Jury Prize for Tropical Malady in 2004, which he repeated in 2021 with his film Memoria, made in Colombia.

The experience we had with APICHATPONG In the Peruvian jungle in 2022, it was magical. Amidst morning meditation, shared meals and walks, horizontal dialogue and open thinking, and an introspective, contemplative, and experiential process, 50 filmmakers from different parts of the world walked together along the creative path: They asked questions and found their own rhythm, creating works that now tour the world at international festivals.

Playlab Films presents its next edition of CREATORS LAB in a new destination: so that nothing of this experience becomes routine, to destabilize comfort, refresh our gaze and allow us to see what is next to us, within us or what cannot be seen.

That's why we went to Mexico, to the province of Yucatán. For twelve days, fifty creative directors of diverse nationalities and backgrounds will create their productions using a fascinating methodology conceived by the master Abbas Kiarostami, adapted by Werner Herzog, and now revisited by Apichatpong for the second consecutive time.

The workshop's idea is to create beyond the places we've always inhabited and to draw inspiration from the Thai filmmaker's knowledge; from the stories that emanate from this ancestral territory and continue to come alive in the present; from the mysteries of that which was lost in time and must now be imagined; and from the landscapes of a peninsula whose mystical character will become a source of curiosity, a source of observation, and a center for co-creation. It's an opportunity to create with hands, mind, and soul. To unlearn and reimagine cinema. To ask ourselves why we make films, how to make them, or even how not to make them and why not to make them.

Specifically, the workshop will be based in Shambalanté, a place that draws on sacred geometry, ancestral techniques, and modern eco-technology to achieve harmony between the ages, becoming a sanctuary of relaxation and healing. Nestled in the heart of a sacred land, immersed in the Yucatecan jungle, where the Mayans left their powerful legacy, it is just an hour from Mérida, the capital and most populous city of the Mexican state of Yucatán, and is located in the magical town of Izamal. From here, you can explore the Mayan paths through their legends, worldview, language, ceremonies, and herbal medicine, experiencing the living voice of their heritage.

For more than a decade, Estephania Bonnett, film producer and creative mind behind PLAYLAB FILMS, explores the different paths of creativity, embracing diverse initiatives. He begins producing his famous practical workshops. “Filming with..” which have provided a creative space where authors from all over the world make a short film under the guidance of a film master. The precursor was Abbas Kiarostami (2014,2015,2016, 2017, 2018), followed by Werner Herzog (2022, 2023), APICHATPONG WEERASETHAKUL (2024, XNUMX) and now revisited by Pedro Costa (XNUMX).

As a result of the workshops, produced more than 300 short films which have been distributed at various international festivals. Her drive to continue supporting emerging creative minds has led her to produce several award-winning feature films selected for the best international festivals.

The excellent results are reflected in more than 300 short films selected at international festivals (Berlinale, Locarno, Havana, Docs BA, and many others).