June 5, 2025
With seven films in the official competition and a solid identity rooted in diversity and deeply human storytelling, Chile arrives in force at the 40th edition of one of Latin America’s most important film festivals.
The city of Guadalajara once again becomes the epicenter of cinema during the week of June 6–14. But this 2025 edition has a special flavor, as it celebrates the festival’s 40th anniversary and Chile is showing up with a delegation of over 50 producers, bringing a range of intimate and universal stories, from the recollection of a youth disrupted by the end of dictatorship, to rock music, and even a migrant epic set in the Altiplano.
“Participating in the 40th anniversary of the Guadalajara Film Festival with so many films in competition is a reflection of the remarkable moment our cinema is experiencing international in its outlook, yet deeply connected to our roots,” says Alexandra Galvis, co-director of CinemaChile. She adds, “Each of these films is a window into our social, emotional, and political complexities, but also a statement of the creative strength and talent that exists in our country.”
“This presence reflects a generation of creators telling powerful stories—capable of crossing borders, engaging with the world, and finding in spaces like FICG a vital platform for international projection,” highlights Gabriela Sandoval, also co-director of CinemaChile.
For her part, Ivy Chávez, Trade Representative of ProChile in Guadalajara, stated: “The participation of our production companies in the Guadalajara Film Festival is an invaluable opportunity to connect Chilean cinema with the world. At ProChile, we actively work to drive the internationalization of the audiovisual sector by generating concrete spaces to promote our stories, talent, and production capabilities. This prominent presence at FICG40 reflects the public-private commitment to position Chile as a provider of creative, innovative content with a global perspective.”
Chile Competes with a Diverse and Powerful Lineup
In 2025, Chilean cinema has been selected in the three main sections of the festival: Ibero-American Feature Film, Genre Cinema, and Ibero-American Short Film.
In the Ibero-American Fiction Feature Film category, Cuerpo Celeste—a co-production between Oro Film (Chile) and Disparte (Italy)–, directed by Nayra Ilic, portrays the disintegration of a family during Chile’s transitional years, through the eyes of a teenage girl trying to find her place in a world that’s falling apart.
Also in this section is Los Años Salvajes (Oro Films), directed by Andrés Nazarala. The film takes us to a decadent and melancholic Valparaíso in a tragicomic tale where Ricky Palace, a forgotten rocker, is mistakenly declared dead in the local press. In a last-ditch attempt to reclaim his dignity, he must confront a past full of betrayals.
From the Atacama Desert comes Oro Amargo, a Chile-Mexico-Uruguay-Germany co-production under the Juntos Films label, directed by Juan Francisco Olea and starring Francisco Melo and Katalina Sánchez. The film explores the tension between survival and guilt, as a miner and his daughter hide an illegal gold vein, until a stranger arrives and changes everything.
La Quinta, a co-production between Chile, Argentina, Brazil, and Spain, directed by Silvina Schnicer, raises the moral dilemma of a family that discovers an unignorable secret hidden in a seemingly idyllic countryside home.
In the Genre section, Patio de Chacales, directed by Diego Figueroa and starring acclaimed Chilean actors Néstor Cantillana and Blanca Lewin, is set during the darkest years of the Pinochet dictatorship. The film portrays the paranoia and moral choices of a man trapped in a nation filled with shadows. The film has already received several awards, including “Best First Feature Director” at the Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival 2024, “Best Film” at the Viña del Mar Film Festival, and selection at Ventana Sur, one of Latin America’s key film markets.
In the Maguey Award section, O Último Azul by Gabriel Mascaro joins the lineup—a co-production involving Chile, Brazil, Mexico, and the Netherlands—taking viewers on a spiritual and political journey led by an elderly Amazonian woman resisting her fate. Also competing in this category is La Naturaleza Invisible de las Cosas, co-produced with Brazil and directed by Rafaela Camelo. It tells a tender story of friendship between two girls who meet in a hospital during vacation. United by shared dreams and bittersweet experiences, they try to escape together into a world full of hope.
In the Ibero-American Short Film (fiction and documentary) competition, Atardecer en América, directed by Matías Rojas, depicts one of the continent’s harshest and most dangerous migrant routes: the Andean Altiplano. A teenage voice recalls one night that changed everything, accompanied by a spiritual presence that sustained her amid desert, snow, and fear.
FICG40: A Market That Connects Chile to the World
Alongside the official competition runs the Guadalajara Film Market, which this year welcomes a robust Chilean delegation: a total of 50 production companies and more than 30 industry professionals. In this key platform for international project development, three Chilean companies will receive funding from the Ministry of Cultures, Arts and Heritage through the International Markets Participation Support Program (CAIA), with strategic support from ProChile: DeCulto (Hernán Caffiero), Ursus Films (Melisa Miranda), and La Forma Cine (Clara Taricco).
“The strong presence of Chile in Guadalajara is no coincidence—it follows a carefully designed roadmap to position our cinema in the international audiovisual scene and to support professionals through every stage of their production process,” highlights Carolina Arredondo, Minister of Cultures, Arts and Heritage. She adds, “We’ve reinforced specific funding lines for international co-production, participation in markets and festivals, and foreign distribution, so more Chilean films and series can access major global festivals and markets, form strategic alliances, and strengthen their presence in the global film industry.”
Also taking part are production companies such as By LACE Films, Cubho Audiovisual, El Olimpo Films, Vía X Films, Invercine, Mimbre Films, Río Estudios, Juntos Films, Infractor Films, Villano, Picardía Films, and many more.
40 Years of FICG: A Celebration of Identity and Future
Founded in 1986, the Guadalajara International Film Festival has become one of the most essential events for Ibero-American cinema. Its 40th edition not only celebrates its rich history, but also its role as a catalyst for new cinematic voices—with Portugal as the guest country of honor and more than 170 films in its lineup.
For more details about the projects, please consult the Chilean Delegation PRESSKIT.
Media Contacts – Communications:
Carlos Basulto – CinemaChile
Francia Rojas