Spain’s Filmin Launches Dedicated Costa Rica Channel

Costa Rica has made a bold move by securing SVOD distribution in Spain through the launch of a dedicated channel on the popular streaming platform Filmin. The new channel, Canal Costa Rica, will showcase a curated selection of up to 20 recent feature films, documentaries, and shorts from the country. This initiative highlights Costa Rica’s growing support for cinema, the increasing number of local productions, and the country’s creative ambitions.

Filmin co-founder and chief creative officer Jaume Ripoll expressed excitement about the partnership, stating that the success of a similar channel dedicated to Chilean films last year inspired them to collaborate with Costa Rican cinema. The Costa Rica Channel will run for a year and will also be available in Portugal.

The collaboration between the Costa Rica Film Commission and Filmin began when Ripoll was invited to speak at the Costa Rica Media Market. The channel will launch with 12 Costa Rican films and an animation series from Filmin’s catalog, with additional titles curated by the Film Commission to align with the platform’s audience.

Among the standout titles featured on the Costa Rica Channel are “The Awakening of the Ants” and “Memories of a Burning Body,” both of which represented Costa Rica at the Oscars. The lineup also includes acclaimed films such as “Clara Sola,” “I Have Electric Dreams,” and “Aqui y ahora.”

Marysela Zamora, the film commissioner of Costa Rica, emphasized the country’s goal of showcasing its cinema to a global audience. The long-term vision is for Costa Rican films to be sought out by audiences, similar to Spanish or Argentine cinema.

Costa Rica has seen a rise in female filmmakers, attributed to the industry’s relatively new status and inclusive film schools. The Filmin channel will also feature Costa Rica’s submission to the 2016 Academy Awards, “About Us” by director Hernán Jiménez.

Ripoll hopes that the success of the Costa Rica Channel will encourage other Latin American countries to launch their own channels on Filmin. This strategic alliance between Costa Rica and Filmin marks a significant step in promoting and celebrating the country’s cinema on an international platform.