Year after year, the Cannes Film Festival is dazzling us with the quality of directors and films competing for a Palme d’Or and for immortalization in the elite of world cinema.
Throughout history, this event has presented hundreds of films that gave rise to multiple emotions among spectators. Among the most outstanding films, we may refer to those produced and developed by Latin American filmmakers.
Our continent becomes a perfect setting for the film industry and a faultless tool to communicate social expressions framed from different conceptual perspectives such as romance, music, action and even social and political complaints.
Below is a list of winning productions and actors, according to their country of origin:
Mexico
2015: Chronic, by Michel Franco (award for Best Screenplay)
2013: Heli, by Amat Escalante (award for Best Director)
2012: Post tenebras Lux by Carlos Reygadas (award for Best Director)
2010: Biutiful by Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu (Best Actor award ex aequo and Vulcan Technical Artist Award)
1965: Tarahumara by Luis Alcoriza (FIPRESCI Prize)
1963: The Exterminating Angel by Luis Buñuel (FIPRESCI Prize)
1961: Viridiana by Luis Buñuel (Palm d’Or ex aequo)
1953: La Red by Emilio “El Indio” Fernández (Prix International for Best Visual Narration)
1949: Pueblerina by Emilio (award for Musical Score)
1946: Maria Candelaria by Emilio (Grand Prix and Award for Best Cinematography Gabriel Figueroa)
Venezuela
1985: Oriana by Fina Torres (Golden Camera)
1959: Araya by Margot Benacerraf (shared ex.aexquo Prize and Grand Prize of the Technical Commission)
1951: La Balandra Isabel llegó esta tarde (Best Photography)
Brazil
2016: Cinema Novo by Eryk Rocha (Golden Eye)
1986: Eu Sei Que Vou Te Amar, Jabor Arnaldo (Best Actress)
1982: Meouw by Marcos Magalhaes (Best Short Film)
1969: O Dragão da Maldade contra o Santo Guerreiro by Glauber Rocha (Best Director Award)
1962: El pagador de promesas by Anselmo Duarte (Palme d’Or)
1953: O Cangaceiro by Lima Barreto (Grand Prize at Cannes Festial)
Argentina
2016: La larga noche by Andrea Testa (Un Certain Regard)
1988: Sur by Fernando Solanas (Best Director)
1985: La historia oficial by Luis Puenzo (Best Actress ex aequo)
Peru
2012: Los Anfitriones (Third Place of Cinefoundation)
2010: Octubre by Daniel and Diego Vega (Un Certain Regard).
Colombia
2015: La tierra y la sombra by Cesar Acevedo (Golden Camera)
2014: Leidi by Simon Mesa (Palme d’Or Short Film)
2014: Gente de bien by Franco Lolli (Critics’ Week)
2009: La Playa DC by Juan Andres Arango (Un Certain Regard)
2009: 1989 by Camilo Matiz (Critics’ Week)
2005: Los viajes del viento by Ciro Guerra (Un Certain Regard)
2000: Things You Can Tell Just by Looking at Her by Gabriel García Barcha (Un Certain Regard)
1986: San Antonito by Pepe Sanchez (Critics’ Week)
1984: Cóndores no entierran todos los días by Francisco Norden (Un Certain Regard)
After thoroughly observing the progress of regional cinema through history and its conquests in Cannes, we can noticed that the industry has gradually but steadily progressed through along the years.
This compendium of films has earned a place in history and in the hearts of viewers, given their participation in one of the most prestigious film festivals worldwide; which at a first glance demonstrates that the cultural industry is more vibrant than ever before, competing on equal terms with Hollywood and the mature European markets; and even beating them with technique and talent.
The steady rise of cinema in Latin America is the result of the joint efforts of different governmental and private sector parties, which generates interesting synergies and produces historical results that guarantee the continued strengthening and attraction of young talent.
The good work done by thousands of people over the years, making this is a landmark to consolidate and materialize in the eyes of the world. Now is time to move on to the next step: turn the region into a hub for the film industry.
Congratulations!