As part of an aggressive strategy to attract foreign investment, Mexico received a delegation of 25 decision-makers from the U.S. audiovisual industry from August 18 to 21. Among the attendees were senior executives from major companies such as Apple TV+, The Walt Disney Company, HBO (Warner Bros. Discovery), Netflix and Telemundo Studios, as well as key independent production companies.
The delegation’s visit was part of a familiarization trip (Fam Trip) that included two days of activities in Mexico City, organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (SRE) and the Ministry of Economy, followed by a third immersive day in the state of Morelos.
There, the producers toured strategic locations and participated in a B2B industry event at the former Hacienda de Cortés in Cuernavaca, where they directly connected with the local ecosystem of creators, post-production studios and location managers.
The objective of the trip was to promote Morelos’ new cash rebate, together with the federal EFICA incentive. The initiative comes just weeks before the opening of the state’s cash rebate application window, scheduled for Thursday, August 27.
This was the second Fam Trip for Los Angeles producers organized by the Mexican government.
The Advantage of the Mexican Market
Sergio Fuentes, director of Creative Industries at the Ministry of Economy, explained that the initiative was a joint effort involving the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Economy, with support from the Tax Policy Unit of the Ministry of Finance, as well as participation from the private sector.
“One of Mexico’s greatest strengths right now is that we are a large consumer market for streaming platforms,” Fuentes explained to PRODU. “And it is very useful to have Mexico on screen so that these same audiences can connect with the content they watch.”
He explained that the objective is to promote Morelos as a filming destination. In Cuernavaca, the delegation visited several locations and received a presentation explaining how to apply for the cash rebate that is about to begin.
Asked about the interest of U.S. producers in investing in productions in Mexico, Fuentes said:
“The truth is that they were already interested. There is a lot of content that can be produced in Mexico. And if there are no incentives, attracting them becomes much more complicated. But we have very good incentives.”
The Participation of the Private Sector
Fuentes highlighted the role of CONCAMIN, through its Creative Industries Commission chaired by Kiyoshi Tsuru, as the “landing strip” connecting public policy with business realities.
The vision of decentralizing audiovisual production was strongly supported by local industry leaders.
Avelino Rodríguez, CEO of The Lift México, accompanied the audiovisual delegation and confirmed the potential of the state through his social media networks.
“Yesterday in Morelos I saw firsthand why this state has a real opportunity to become the next major production center in Mexico […] What the State has in mind is clear: investment, certainty and a genuine commitment. It all begins with a serious investment in education and technical training and continues with the regulatory framework. Two of Mexico’s largest film equipment rental companies already operate within that framework, supported by the proximity to Mexico City. I am convinced that this could become the largest production hub in Mexico outside Mexico City itself.”
It was confirmed that EFD and CTT already operate or are planning to establish offices in the state.
Cash Rebate: Upcoming Guidelines and Opening Date
Although the creation of Morelos’ new economic incentive, endowed with 80 million pesos, approximately US$5 million, had already been announced by Governor Margarita González Saravia, the fund’s operation is about to become a reality.
Diana Álvarez Segoviano, director of the Morelos Film Commission (Comefilm) and technical adviser to the trust created for this purpose, revealed the key next steps for the industry.
The final session of the technical committee has already taken place, and the operating guidelines were finally approved. They were expected to be published on Wednesday, August 26, with the single-window application system for the cash rebate expected to open at the end of the week.
“This type of approach greatly benefits the destination so that it can be considered a filming destination. The connection that took place that same day, at the end, with the audiovisual community of Morelos was excellent. Because for the producers it was very good to know that there they have post-production studios and talent, such as location managers, production companies and others who can support them,” Álvarez Segoviano explained.
The 25 Executives Who Attended
Apple TV+
- Amos Buhai: Global Government Affairs Director.
The Walt Disney Company
- Michael Woolston: Physical Production Manager and Physical Producer of Mufasa: The Lion King.
- Juan Ponce: VP of Original Content for Disney+ in Mexico.
- Kimberly Robinson: Production Finance Executive, specializing in costs and financial incentives.
HBO – Warner Bros. Discovery
- Barbara Caver: VP of Television and Streaming Content Production.
- Michelle Pizzimenti: Director of Television and Streaming Content Production.
Netflix
- Pierre Vandoorne: VP of Global Affairs for Latin America.
Telemundo Studios
- Jacqueline Castro: VP of Production.
Independent Production Companies and Studios
- Lizz Gezana: Creative Executive at Atomic Monster.
- Kevin Lafferty: Producer recognized for projects such as Wednesday and The Umbrella Academy.
- Greta Fuentes: VP of Film Production and Development at MACRO.
- Ben De Jesus: Co-founder of Casa NoHo Studios alongside John Leguizamo.
- Sarah Quintero: Creative Executive at Gran Via Productions.
- Olga Segura: Co-founder of Crooked Highways and producer of Waiting for the Barbarians.
- Ryan Gall: Co-founder and CEO of Crooked Highways and co-founder of Global Citizen Festival.
- Michael D. Karp: Director of Operations at Emblematic Pictures.
- Ramón O. Torres: Director of Strategy, Business Development and Creative Content at Emblematic Pictures.
- Kristina Rivera: Producer at KP Pictures, currently developing the film No te olvides en México.
- Paul O. Davis: Producer of feature films such as One Night in Miami… and Purple Hearts.
- Constanza Castro and Domenica Castro: Mexican directors, writers and producers and co-founders of 271 Films.
Creatives and Industry Associations
- Linda Yvette Chávez: Screenwriter, director and producer, co-creator of Gentefied and co-writer of Flamin’ Hot.
- Diana Luna: Executive Director of the National Association of Latino Independent Producers (NALIP).
Morelos’ strategy seeks to move beyond simply offering attractive filming locations and establish itself as a complete audiovisual production ecosystem, supported by incentives, technical talent, post-production services, equipment rental companies, local production companies and its proximity to Mexico City.
Source: produ
