Parallel to a wide retrospective of her work, FEST will host a masterclass with iconic Catalan filmmaker Isabel Coixet. The writer/director will address her filmmaking career, her influences, and how to better achieve your goals and objectives as a filmmaker.

The masterclass will be moderated by Jo Monteiro, CSA, a casting director for international film, TV series and commercials based in Portugal.

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Isabel Coixet is one of the greatest exponents of contemporary cinema in Spain. With a degree in history and a background in advertising, the filmmaker quickly became a singular figure in Spanish cinematography, escaping many of the traditional stereotypes and discourses of its local cinema. Unequivocally Catalan, Isabel Coixet is a pioneer in the fight for gender parity in the film industry, both as a reference in her own country, where she opened the way for a number of new filmmakers to enter the scene, and as one of the founders and Honorary President of EWA - European Women's Audiovisual Network. Isabel Coixet's cinema often deals with many of the most relevant existentialist conflicts of our times, and she is a rare case of international success, producing several notable works on the other side of the Atlantic.

Jo Monteiro, CSA has been working as casting director for 15 years. Her credits include productions for Canal+, Pathé, HBO and Netflix' upcoming Glória, to be broadcasted in 190 countries. From 1992 to 1996, Jo attended Université Libre de Bruxelles (Belgium), getting a degree in Film Studies, where she learned from acclaimed directors, such as Luc Dardenne and Ettore Scola. Before being casting director, she worked as assistant director for more than 10 years. This position taught her to have a global vision of casting, from studio to set.