MENTORS CASA CINE 2025: FERNANDO PÉREZ & JULIE LOPES-CURVAL

The CASA CINE residency welcomes Cuban filmmaker Fernando Pérez and French screenwriter and director Julie Lopes-Curval as mentors for its 2025 edition!

A pivotal figure of Cuban cinema, Fernando Pérez is recognized for his poetic visual language and humanistic approach to filmmaking. His films, such as Madagascar (1994), La Vida es Silbar (1998) and Suite Habana (2003) are noted for their lyrical realism, and often centered around daily life of Cuban society. Fernando Pérez’s influence extends far beyond his filmography: he has long been a mentor and inspiration for younger generations of filmmakers and cinephiles around the world.

Joining him this year is Julie Lopes-Curval. With a background in both cinema and theatre, her work stood out for its delicate portrayals of complex human relationships and for the depth and nuance of her female characters. In films such as Seaside (2002 - Caméra d’or at Festival de Cannes), You and Me (2006), Hidden Diary (2009) and High Society (2014), she explores the vicissitudes of the human soul through intimate and engaged narratives.

Over the course of the residency, the mentors bring their own distinctive visions and expertise to accompany the selected author-directors as they develop their projects.

Through individual accompaniment, and collaborative exchange sessions in an inspiring setting entirely dedicated to creation, the CASA CINE residency offers a privileged opportunity to support emerging authors in the writing of their first feature-length films for the cinema!