Chilean cinema refers to all films produced in Chile or made by Chileans. It had its origins at the start of the 20th century with the first Chilean film screening in 1902 and the first Chilean feature film appearing in 1910. The oldest surviving feature is El Húsar de la Muerte (1925), and the last silent film was Patrullas de Avanzada (1931). The Chilean film industry struggled in the late 1940s and in the 1950s, despite some box-office successes such as El Diamante de Maharajá. The 1960s saw the development of the "New Chilean Cinema", with films like Three Sad Tigers (1968), Jackal of Nahueltoro (1969) and Valparaíso mi amor (1969). After the 1973 military coup, film production was low, with many filmmakers working in exile. It increased after the end of the Pinochet regime in 1989, with occasional critical and/or popular successes such as Johnny cien pesos (1993), Historias de Fútbol (1997) and Gringuito (1998).
The Santiago International Film Festival is a film festival that launched in 2005. As its name suggests, the festival takes place in Santiago, Chile.
Luz also known as Luz: The Flower of Evil or Luz, la flor del mal is a 2019 fantasy-western horror film written and directed by Juan Diego Escobar Alzate, featuring Yuri Vargas in the lead role. In October 2019, it was a contender in the Official Fantastic Competition at the SITGES Fantastic Film Festival in Spain. The film gained international recognition as it was part of numerous international film festivals, including the Glasgow Film Festival, Indiecork, Nocturna Madrid, Almería Western Film Festival, Horrible Imaginings, Fantaspoa, Insólito and Buenos Aires Rojo Sangre, among others. It garnered accolades for Best Iberoamerican Film, Best Photography, Best Editing, and Best Acting at various festivals. 'Luz: The Flower of Evil' also clinched the prestigious Silver Skull Award at the Morbido Film Fest in Mexico, marking its Latin American Premiere.
La Faena Films is a film production company founded in 2015, by the Venezuelan filmmakers Jorge Thielen Armand and Rodrigo Michelangeli. It operates both in Toronto and Caracas.
Outsider Girls is a 2023 Chilean comedy-drama film written and directed by Alexandra Hyland in her directorial debut. Starring Nicole Sazo & Alicia Rodríguez. It premiered on January 30, 2023, at the International Film Festival Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
Love & Mathematics is a 2022 Mexican comedy film directed by Claudia Sainte-Luce and written by Adriana Pelusi. Starring Roberto Quijano. It had its international premiere on September 10, 2022, at the Toronto International Film Festival in the Contemporary World Cinema section.
Take a Spin in the Air is a 2020 Chilean surrealist fantasy comedy thriller film written and directed by Cristián Sánchez Garfias. Starring Rodrigo González Larrondo, Cristóbal Bascuñán, Diego Madrigal, Zacarías del Río, Ana María Zabala, Camila Leppe, José Ignacio Diez and Daniel Pérez. The film was named on the shortlist for Chilean's entry for the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film at the 94th Academy Awards, but it was not selected.
The Punishment is a 2022 Chilean-Argentine drama film directed by Matías Bize and written by Coral Cruz. Starring Antonia Zegers and Nestor Cantillana. The film was named on the shortlist for Chilean's entry for the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film at the 95th Academy Awards, but it was not selected.
(Im)Patient is a 2021 Chilean drama film written and directed by Constanza Fernández Bertrand. It is based on the book El pa(de)ciente: La medicina cuestionada by Miguel Kottow. Starring Héctor Noguera accompanied by Amparo Noguera, Naldy Hernández, Emilia Noguera, Diego Casanueva, Daniel Muñoz, Paola Giannini and Gabriela Aguilera.
My Imaginary Country is a 2022 Chilean-French documentary film written and directed by Patricio Guzmán. It features Guzmán narrating how the protests by a group of students in Santiago on October 18, 2019 triggered the most massive popular revolt known in the country's history and the consequences that were experienced.
Gaucho Americano is a 2021 Chilean documentary film directed by Nicolás Molina and written by Molina, Valentina Arango and Paula López. It presents the life of Joaquín and Víctor, 2 gauchos from Chilean Patagonia who find themselves alone in an American ranch to do a job.
Microfilia is a 2007 Chilean comedy film directed by Nehoc Davis and written by Jaime Capó. Starring Julio Briceño, Isabel Leal Cartes, Marcia del Canto, Teresa Hales and Domingo Ravanal.
Lina from Lima is a 2019 drama film written and directed by María Paz González in her directorial debut. Starring Magaly Solier. It won several awards including "Best Chilean Feature Film" and the Héctor Ríos Award for "Best Direction of Photography" at the Valdivia International Film Festival. It is a co-production between Chile, Peru and Argentina.
The Promise of Return is a 2020 Chilean fantasy mystery film written, directed and produced by Cristián Sánchez Garfias. Starring Natalia Martínez, Manuel Hübner, José Ignacio Diez, Anderson Tudor, Beatriz Carillo, Rafael Jean François and Daniel Pérez. The film was named on the shortlist for Chilean's entry for the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film at the 94th Academy Awards, but it was not selected.
Inside the Mind of a Psychopath is a 2015 Chilean psychological thriller film written and directed by Alejandro Torres Contreras in his directorial debut. It is based on the life of the real-world serial rapist and eventual murderer Roberto "Tila" Martínez Vásquez, who would frequently break into houses throughout high-class neighborhoods of Santiago de Chile during the 90s and early 2000s as part of a social vendetta. It stars Nicolás Zárate as the titular character, accompanied by Daniela Ramírez, Rodrigo Soto and Daniel Alcaíno.
The 38th Guadalajara International Film Festival took place from June 3 to 9, 2023, in Guadalajara, Mexico. Heroic received the Mezcal Award while Costa Rican film I Have Electric Dreams won the Best Ibero-American Film award.
Felipe Gálvez Haberle is a Chilean film director, screenwriter, and editor. His directorial debut film, The Settlers, was awarded the FIPRESCI Prize at the 76th Cannes Film Festival who also competed for Un Certain Regard and Caméra d'Or.
The Shadow of the Sun is a 2023 Venezuelan-American drama film directed, co-produced and edited by Miguel Ángel Ferrer who co-wrote with Guillermo de la Rosa. It stars Carlos Manuel González, Anyelo López, Greisy Mena, Jeizer Ruiz, Richard Clark, David Olaves, Camila Curtis and Pedro Alonso. It is about two brothers, one of whom is deaf, who sign up for a musical contest where the deaf brother will be able to fulfill his dream through his brother's voice.
