Puerto Rican filmmaker Glorimar Marrero Sánchez’s upcoming feature film 'Agua Brava' received three recognitions as Best Latin American Project at the Canary Islands International Film Market (CIIF Market) 2026. The director and screenwriter presented the project with producer Vanessa López in Tenerife, Canary Islands, where the event was held from October 26 to 30. The film is in an advanced stage of development, with shooting planned for 2027, and addresses displacement, gentrification and migration through the question of what it means to remain in a place that seems to expel you.
The three awards are: CINEXIS, which guarantees a commercial exhibition window once the film is finished and offers strategic support and access to an international network of production companies and collaborators; Un Pack International Sales, valued at 3,000 euros in support and international representation services, including presenting the project to markets and potential buyers and exploring pre-sale opportunities; and MAFIZ, of the Málaga Festival, which grants two accreditations to participate in its 2027 edition. Marrero Sánchez said the recognitions confirm that stories rooted in Puerto Rican reality can connect with other geographies and audiences.
López said the presence of Puerto Rican projects in these settings helps strengthen a local industry. Marrero Sánchez was also selected as one of four filmmakers in the 2026 NYWIFT New York | Puerto Rico Collaborative Media Pipeline, an initiative of New York Women in Film & Television. Her first feature, 'La Pecera' ('The Fishbowl'), premiered at Sundance in 2023 and was nominated for a Goya Award for Best Ibero-American Film.
Participation in CIIF Market was made possible by Canica Films LLC and the co-sponsorship of Titín Foundation, with backing from The Pimienta Film Co., Hectours, Reaktor Post, Twins Productions and Árbol de Plata.