Dominican director Tomas Pichardo Espaillat has been selected for the Hubert Bals Development Support 2026 fund for his upcoming animated feature Donde duermen las abejas.
The animated production, co-directed with filmmaker Nika Zhukova, is among 20 international projects selected this year to receive a grant of 10,000 euros. The funding is designated to strengthen the development stage of films showing high potential artistic proposals.
In details shared with Diario Libre, Pichardo Espaillat expressed enthusiasm for this new step in the production. He said that they had just won the Hubert Bals Development Support fund from the Rotterdam Festival.
Donde duermen las abejas presents an intimate story told through animation. The plot follows Viktor, a man who dies and transforms into the house he built alongside his wife, Melina.
From that space turned into living memory, both characters embark on a journey through their memories, family roots, and personal connections. The film offers a reflection on love, loss, and the passage of time.
Rotterdam Festival Support Program
Created by the International Film Festival Rotterdam, the Hubert Bals Fund is regarded as one of the primary support mechanisms for independent cinema in countries with emerging audiovisual industries. Its Development Support program finances projects in their early creative stages.
The program has previously served as a platform for filmmakers who later reached major international festivals such as Cannes, Berlin, Venice, and Rotterdam itself.
For its 2026 edition, the fund expanded its reach by increasing the number of selected projects from 15 to 20. Hubert Bals Fund director Tamara Tatishvili explained that the decision aims to strengthen support for film voices with innovative proposals and broaden representation from regions historically less favored in international financing schemes.
International Selection and Director Track Record
This year's selection brings together filmmakers from different continents, including directors with established track records on the festival circuit. Pichardo Espaillat previously participated in the International Film Festival Rotterdam with the film Olivia & the Clouds, co-directed with Zhukova.
Pichardo Espaillat also previously won a Platino Award for Olivia & the Clouds, consolidating his career in independent film circuits.
