Chilean star power is in full force at the 41st Guadalajara Film Festival (FICG) where Pablo Larrain, Sebastián Lelio and Maite Alberdi lead a large contingent from Chile as the festival’s guest country of honor.
“They are our golden generation of filmmakers – many of whom reached international recognition, including Oscar nominations and wins, while still in their forties—that helped set us on this path,” CinemaChile director and co-founder Alexandra Galvis told Variety. “The selection of these three is no coincidence: beyond their achievements, they share a common ground in navigating the industry at a global level, collaborating with platforms like Netflix and yet maintaining a distinct, uncompromised artistic voice.”
All three are among the 10 honorees in this edition which also includes a retrospective on Alejandro Jodorowsky, a cult filmmaker and key figure in surrealist cinema, whose work has left a lasting imprint across Latin America and the global stage.
Among the festival industry highlights is a masterclass by Larraín and his producer brother Juan de Dios Larraín with Francisco Ramos, Netflix’s VP of Latin American Content, moderating the talk.
Larraín, whose films has been Oscar-nominated several times, has become a leading voice in contemporary cinema, known for his sharp critiques of power, memory and political history. His key works include “No,” “The Club,” “Neruda,” “Tony Manero” and his trilogy “Jackie,” “Spencer” and “Maria.”
Lelio is known for intimate and human explorations of identity, earning international acclaim with “Gloria” and his Oscar-winning “A Fantastic Woman,” as well as “Disobedience” and “The Wave,” which premiered at Cannes.
Alberdi stands out for her tender, precise observation of everyday life. Her Oscar-nominated docs “The Mole Agent“ and “The Eternal Memory” brought her global recognition. She recently directed her first fiction feature “In Her Place” and premiered docu-drama “A Child of My Own” at the Berlinale.
“Gloria,” “The Club” and four of Alberdi’s docus, including the Mexico-set “A Child of My Own” will be screened alongside a selection of Chilean shorts, features and series playing across the festival, some in competition.
FICG will also screen two episodes of Prime Video’s ambitious series “The House of the Sprits,” led by Chilean showrunners Francisca Alegría, Fernanda Urrejola and Andres Wood. The limited series adaptation of Isabel Allende’s iconic debut novel is set to premiere worldwide April 29 on the giant streamer.
“Raza Brava,” international Emmy winner Hernán Caffiero’s soccer-themed series produced by DeCulto, Atómica and Erik Barmack’s Wild Sheep Content, will also have a sneak peek.
Chilean series have grown in spades since Chile was the festival’s country guest of honor in 2019, Galvis pointed out. “’Raza Brava’ could not be timelier, given the upcoming FIFA World Cup this summer,” she said.
“We are a delegation of more than 100 people, and I find it very meaningful that two countries with such a strong cultural dialogue are able to connect,” said Daniel Laguna, executive secretary of Chile’s Audiovisual Development Fund. “We are very similar, and that similarity becomes a real strength in collaboration. It generates a kind of creative virtuosity when we work together – something that benefits both countries.”
Atop the agenda is a Mexican-Chilean co-production meeting with Caffiero, Mexican producers Edher Campos (Machete) and Nicolás Celis (Pimienta Films), Chilean actress Paulina Garcia and Mexican director Iria Gómez participating in a panel.
“This is essentially an effort to reactivate that interest in a co-production agreement which was first proposed in 2019,” said Gabriela Sandoval, Storyboard producer and director of producers association, APCT.
“The idea is for the co-production agreement to be similar to the newer ones that have been signed with Spain or the one that will be signed with Uruguay. The agreement with Spain is already in force and includes not only feature films but also series,” Sandoval noted.
Chile’s presence also extends to the festival juries, with prominent figures from the industry, among them García (Premio Mezcal); producer Beatriz Rosselot (Ibero-American Documentary); filmmaker Hugo Covarrubias (Animation); directors Patricio Valladares and Jorge Olguín (Genre Cinema) and Agustín Olivera Sepúlveda, from the University of Valparaíso, on the youth jury.
