Mecas 2026: A "Non-Market Market" Redefining Auteur Discovery in Las Palmas

The ninth edition of MECAS at Las Palmas debuts a new invitation-based selection model, featuring 14 radical projects from Europe, Africa, and Latin America.

By: AXL Media

Published: Apr 23, 2026, 10:39 AM EDT

Source: Variety

A Reset in Selection Logic

For 2026, Mecas director Lorena Morín implemented a targeted selection process, inviting previous participants to submit new work or recommend peers. This shift resulted in over 70 submissions, allowing the market to move away from "standardized" work-in-progress formulas. Morín describes Mecas as a space for films "without commercial vocation," focusing instead on the "radicality of the gesture." The market offers concrete financial support, including an €8,000 ($9,359) award for almost-finished projects and a €5,000 ($5,850) prize for projects in development.

Global Projects and Analogue Aesthetics

The Cine Casi Hecho selection highlights a diverse range of international voices and a notable return to analogue filmmaking, with several projects shot on 16mm. The lineup includes:

"The Spoon" (Germany): Nele Wohlatz, a Locarno winner, returns with a story of displacement in rural Germany.

"Karl Marx, Luanda" (Angola): A feature debut by artist Kiluanji Kia Henda blending satire and documentary to explore Marxism in Angola.