• This year, Chilean cinema will be present in the Official Section with Maite Alberdi’s first fiction film, El lugar de la otra / In her place and will have a massive presence in Horizontes Latinos, as it features in 8 of the 12 films in this section, including Chilean productions, co-productions, and films starring prominent actresses. In addition, a short film will compete in the international film schools competition.
• In the festival’s Industry section, Cuerpo Celeste by Nayra Illic is selected, competing with five other feature films in post-production stage (WIP LATAM). The delegation is led by five production companies supported by the Ministry of Cultures, Arts, and Heritage: Clara Films, Planta Producciones, Quijote Films, Trino Films, and Villano Producciones. Joining them are nearly twenty projects with their respective production companies and industry professionals.

Chile arrives at San Sebastián (Spain) led by El lugar de la otra/ In her place in the Official Section, directed by Maite Alberdi (twice nominated for the Oscars). This is her first fiction film, inspired by one of the stories in Las Homicidas /When woman kill  by chilean writer Alia Trabucco Zerán, based on a real event. It will have its world premiere.

According to CinemaChile’s Co-coordinators Gabriela Sandoval and Alexandra Galvis, this 72nd edition of the San Sebastián Festival “is an incredible showcase of the best of Chilean cinema, with 10 competing films featuring national productions or talent,” says Sandoval, “as well as a diverse range of projects in the industry section” adds Galvis. They explained that this coincides with the 15th anniversary of CinemaChile, the agency promoting Chilean audiovisual work worldwide, which “since its inception has been supporting the growth of successive generations of filmmakers who now lead our industry, such as Maite Alberdi herself.” In this regard, Carolina Arredondo, Minister of Cultures, Arts, and Heritage emphasized that “the strong national delegation arrives at San Sebastián, led by the world premiere of El lugar de la otra/ In her place, the film representing Chile in the Oscar and Goya races, directed by the outstanding Maite Alberdi.“

OVERWHELMING PRESENCE IN HORIZONTES LATINOS 

Chilean cinema dominates Horizontes Latinos with a presence in 8 of the 12 competing films, either as a primary producer, co-producer, or featuring prominent talent. The standout national productions include Cuando las nubes esconden la sombra/When clouds hide the shadow (Chile, Argentina, Korea) by José Luis Torres Leiva, which opens the section on Friday, September 20, with this genre-bending fiction starring Argentine actress María Alché, and Quizás es cierto lo que dicen de nosotras/ Maybe It’s True What They Say About Us by directors Camilo Becerra and Sofía Gómez, based on true events and starring by Aline Küppenheim. 

In co-production with Chile, three projects stand out: Zafari/Zafari by Mariana Rondón (Peru, Venezuela, Mexico, France, Chile, Dominican Republic), the director who won this festival in 2013 with Pelo Malo. This dystopian film, inspired by real events, stars chilean actress Daniela Ramírez. Also in co-production is Simón de la montaña/Simon of the Mountain (Argentina, Chile, Uruguay), the debut film by Argentine Federico Luis, which won the Grand Prize at the Critics’ Week at Cannes 2023. La piel en primavera / Skin in Spring (Colombia, Chile) by Yennifer Uribe, also a debut film, premiered at Berlinale. 

Chilean actresses also shine in this section: Paulina García stars in Querido trópico /Beloved Tropic by Panamanian director Ana Endara; Antonia Zegers in Los domingos mueren más personas / Most People Die on Sundays by Argentine Iair Said; and Mariana di Girolamo in El jockey /Kill the Jockey by fellow Argentine Luis Ortega. Finally, in Nest, the international short film competition for film schools, Volver a recorrer las mismas calles/ Retracing the same streets by Beatriz Arias González from the University of Chile’s School of Film and Television is among the selected works.

A RANGE OF PROJECTS IN THE INDUSTRY SECTION

According to Gabriel Guggisberg, Trade Commissioner in Spain, “the San Sebastian Festival is a strategic event for promoting our film industry: it opens doors and reinforces the talent and impact of our projects, both those that have won awards and those still in development.” 

In addition to the ongoing collaboration with the sector, he highlights that “we have a co-production agreement between Chile and Spain, effective this year, which marks the beginning of a new chapter of expansion and opportunities.” In the WIP LATAM section, aimed at Latin American productions in post-production, Cuerpo Celeste by Nayra Ilic, from Planta Producciones, will be presented. It is a co-production between Chile and Italy, telling the story of 15-year-old Celeste, whose life changes abruptly as she faces grief and a family in crisis. 

The film arrives at the market seeking financing. Among the delegates supported by the Ministry of Cultures, Arts, and Heritage, there is a variety of proposals at different stages. Clara Films presents the standout project Amapola, directed by Ana María Barrigan, which tells the story of a group of teenage survivors of sexual exploitation living in a shelter. The film follows Abigail (14) as she undergoes recovery and reintegration after the violence that disrupted her life. It is currently in development and seeking a sales agent. Quijote Films focuses on Morir de pie / To Die On Your Feet by María Paz González Cruz, about a woman confronting emotional numbness after witnessing a death to which she did not react. Struggling with her inaction, she embarks on a journey to rediscover her lost emotions. The project is in development and looking for funding. Trino Films presents Combatiendo una peste rosa / Fighting a Pink Plague directed by Pablo Rivas, a documentary that creatively and personally uses archival footage to tell the history of HIV/AIDS in Chile, from its outbreak in the 1980s. The film highlights the fight against stigma, censorship, and the disease. This project is also in development and seeks financing. Villano Productions enters the market with three feature film projects at different stages of development. The main focus is to form alliances and strategic partnerships, primarily with spanish companies, taking advantage of the new co-production agreement between Chile and Spain, which came into effect this year.

For more industry information, see the presskit.