Cine Qua Non Lab — Residencia Cine Qua Non

About the program

Residencia Cine Qua Non is a writing retreat specifically designed for Cine Qua Non Lab alums. The program aims to connect alums across Cine Qua Non Lab generations and give them the opportunity to work intensively on the development of their feature-length narrative scripts in Mexico in an environment structured to foster professional collaboration.

Residencia Cine Qua Non is a supported writing retreat that gives Cine Qua Non Lab alums the opportunity to experience —or return to— Cine Qua Non Lab facilities in Mexico and develop their scripts in a protected writing atmosphere, with support from international peers across Cine Qua Non Lab generations and brainstorming support from an onsite mentor.

Residencia Cine Qua Non has a duration of 10 days. Participants have the option to extend their stay in Cine Qua Non Lab facilities for one week to keep working on their project after the end of the retreat.

Language

All brainstorming sessions will be conducted in Spanish. All application materials need to be in Spanish.

Dates and location

Residencia Cine Qua Non is held in Tzintzuntzan, a small town in the state of Michoacán, Mexico, approximately 50 km from the city of Morelia. The writing and living spaces are tucked amidst the beauty of the Sierra Madre mountains, overlooking Lake Pátzcuaro, a quiet natural retreat.

The 2025 edition of Residencia Cine Qua Non will take place from Thursday, April 24^th, through Sunday, May 4^th, 2025. Participants will have the option to extend their stay for one week, until Sunday, May 11^th, 2025.

Number of participants

Up to 5 applicants will be selected to attend Residencia Cine Qua Non.

Eligibility

Residencia Cine Qua Non is open to Cine Qua Non Lab alums developing a narrative feature film, including:

Alums of the Taller de Líneas Argumentales lab alums working on the draft or rewrite of the project they attended the lab with;

Alums of the Taller de Revisión de Guion or the Taller de Líneas Argumentales labs working on the draft or rewrite of a new project at a mid- to advanced development stage (for projects at an early stage of development, please check the Taller de Líneas Argumentales lab); and

Alums of the Taller de Revisión de Guion lab working on a new revision of the project they attended the lab with.

Application materials

Application form
A current résumé or CV including educational background, work experience and credits in the film industry
A synopsis of the story, including the ending (up to 3 pages, using a 12-point Courier font)
The script in its entirety or an extensive treatment (of at least 15 pages, using a 12-point Courier font)
A copy of official registration/ownership/copyright of the script or treatment

Deliverables

At the end of Residencia Cine Qua Non, all participants will have to submit:

A memo explaining what was accomplished during the retreat; and
The draft completed during the retreat.

Application deadline

The call for applicants for the 2025 edition of Residencia Cine Qua Non will be open from November 1^st through December 20^th, 2024.

Participation fee

There is no application fee.

Cine Qua Non Lab covers with resources of the organization and its members the bulk of the cost of participation in Residencia Cine Qua Non, so that participants pay only a 1,900 USD fee for attending the retreat. This fee is required upon acceptance. In case of cancellation more than 15 days prior to the starting date of the retreat, there is a 50 % refund of the participation fee. There is no refund in case of cancellation less than 15 days prior to the starting date.

In addition to the professional support from the onsite mentor, accommodations and meals will be provided during the retreat. Participants are responsible for their own travel expenses. Participants must submit proof of medical insurance covering the whole period of their stay.

Participants in Residencia Cine Qua Non have the option to extend their stay for one week to keep working on their project after the end of the retreat, for an additional fee of 500 USD. Accommodations and meals will be provided throughout the extended period, but there will be no activities with the onsite mentor during that week.

Giving back

Participants must give official recognition to Cine Qua Non Lab in the future production of their work, by including an acknowledgement and the Cine Qua Non Lab logo in any published rendition of the script, in the project’s website or when applying for other residencies or labs and for funding for the same project, as well as mentioning Cine Qua Non Lab’s support in any interview or article about their project. In addition, once completed, films that have been supported by Cine Qua Non Lab must indicate that support both in the opening and closing credits, by displaying the Cine Qua Non Lab logo and the caption “Developed with the support of Cine Qua Non Lab”. Participants are also required to give recognition to the retreat mentor with an on-screen credit of script consultant.

Selection process

All applications will be read and evaluated by a jury panel comprised of film professionals. Applicants short-listed for consideration in the final round of evaluations may be interviewed by videoconference.

For further information, please address inquiries to [email protected].