Origins On 17 February 1895 entrepreneur Francisco de Paula Casajuana Granada presented the first
Kinetoscope, an
early motion picture exhibition device, in
Santiago. Next year, on 25 August 1896, the first
Cinématographe reels were shown to an astounded audience in
Santiago. These were the same movies that only eight months earlier, the
Lumiere Brothers had shown in
Paris. In the north of Chile, the
Potassium nitrate mining industry created enough wealth to allow cities like
Antofagasta and
Iquique some privileges rare in other parts of the country. In Iquique, photographer Luis Oddó Osorio was enthralled by this new technology and started to create his own short films. On 20 May 1897, he screened the short documentary "Una cueca en Cavancha" in the Great Philharmonic Hall on Tarapaca Street. Osorio followed his first short with "El desfile en honor del Brasil", "La llegada de un tren de pasajeros a la estación de Iquique", "Bomba Tarapacá Nº7" and "Grupo de gananciosos en la partida de football". In 1897, some
circuses began to screen movies, which attracted great interest at first but soon trailed off due to the lack of new material. In the same year in Santiago, two new movie venues opened which both featured
Edison's Vitascope, less popular than the
Cinématographe. In June that year, the
Bioscop was also launched as another alternative to the cinematographe, although it eventually failed. By the end of the year, all these new places would be closed. In 1900, the Apollo Theatre in Santiago exhibited the film "Carreras en Viña", (Racing in
Viña) and some other foreign films. The exact date that the films screened and further details of this event remain unknown. In the port city of
Valparaíso, the first film ever fully produced in Chile was launched at the Teatro ODEON on 26 May 1902. The film,
Ejercicio General del Cuerpo de Bomberos (General Practice of the Fire Department), filmed on 20 May the same year, was only three minutes long and showed the annual public show performed by the Valparaíso Fire Department in the city's
Aníbal Pinto square. Nothing is known of the film's director, cinematographer or production team, and only 27 seconds of footage remain today, held by the
Catholic University of Valparaíso. In 1903, "
Un paseo por playa ancha" (A walk through Playa Ancha) was filmed in
Valparaiso by Maurice Albert Massonnier. The film is split into three parts. First, a
huaso charges into the scene, causing some commotion among the people around, and dances the traditional Chilean
cueca accompanied by musicians. This is followed by a scene where the characters eat a
Chilean Cazuela. Finally, in the last scene, a fight breaks but is quickly controlled by a guard. Maurice Albert Massonnier was sent to Chile by the Lumiere Brothers' company, one of many sent around the world to document and produce films for them. After screening his film in Chile, Massonnier sent the film to Paris, where several copies were made. One of those copies was found in 1994 by Chilean film restorer Daniel Sandoval in an archive on Bois-d'Arcy. "Un paseo por playa ancha" is now the oldest surviving Chilean movie. Massonier ended up settling in Chile and made his own production company, "Empresa Massonnier y Ca".
The silent era Film production boomed in Chile in the silent era, with 78 films released between 1910 and 1931. The first full-length film,
Manuel Rodríguez, was released in 1910. Directed by Adolfo Urzúa, and starring Nicanor de la Sotta, it told the story of
Manuel Rodríguez Erdoíza, who fought for Chile's independence from Spain until his death in 1818. Among the many Chilean directors who took up the art in this period – Salvatore Giambastini, Juan Pérez Berrocal, Jorge "Coke" Délano, Nicanor de la Sotta, Carlos Borcosque and Alberto Santana – one name in particular stands out for film historians:
Pedro Sienna, a former stage actor who went on to direct and act in some of the best films of the age. The last silent movie produced in Chile was
Patrullas de Avanzada (Advanced Patrol), directed by Eric Page and released in 1931. Despite this, the industry began to struggle in the late 1940s with some studios experiencing financial difficulties. Large sums of money were spent on cinematic "super-productions" to attract foreign directors, but most failed to make a profit. During this period, young directors such as
Raúl Ruiz,
Patricio Guzmán,
Aldo Francia,
Helvio Soto and
Miguel Littín emerged, along with a new genre inspired by social and political currents on the 1960s, the documentary. The
1973 military coup drove many filmmakers abroad, where they continued to make films reflecting on and criticising the Chilean military government under
Augusto Pinochet. Memoria Chilena says: "The premises of the Nuevo Cine did not die with the massive exile of filmmakers. Instead they were reinterpreted in the cinema of exile as protest against the repression under the military regime or expressing nostalgia for the shattered revolution." Some of the best known include
The Promised Land (1973),
Il pleut sur Santiago (1975),
Dialogues of Exiles (1975),
Actas de Marusia (1975),
Cantata de Chile (1976),
Noch nad Chili (1977),
The Battle of Chile (1979),
Marilú Mallet's
Journal inachevé (1982),
Angelina Vásquez's
Presencia lejana (1982) and
Acta General de Chile (1986). •
Machuca, 2004, by
Andrés Wood. Won Most Popular International Film at the 2004
Vancouver International Film Festival. Nominated for the
Ariel Award, the Mexican Academy of Film awards, in the
Best Iberoamerican Film category. In 2005, won the PFS Award at the Political Film Society Awards. Won Best Cinematography - Gran Premio Coral in the
Havana Film Festival,
Cuba. Won Best Narrative Latin American Film in the
FICCO,
Mexico. Won the audience award at the
Philadelphia Film Festival. Won the Golden Circle Award at the
Bogota International Film Festival. Won Best Film at the
Valdivia International Film Festival. Was voted Most Popular Film in the
Vancouver International Film Festival. •
Tony Manero, 2008, directed by
Pablo Larraín. Won the top prize at the 2008
Torino Film Festival. Was Chile's submission to the
81st Academy Awards for the
Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. In 2009, won the Golden Tulip - Best Film at the
Istanbul International Film Festival. Won two of its three nominations at the
Buenos Aires International Festival of Independent Cinema for the Best Actor and for the FEISAL Award. Won Best Actor at the
Cinemanila International Film Festival Won two prizes at the
Havana Film Festival, Best Actor and the Grand Coral - First Prize. Received a Special Mention in the Ibero-American Competition of the
Miami Film Festival. Won a KNF Award at the
Rotterdam International Film Festival Won a Special Jury Award in the Free Spirit Competition at the
Warsaw International Film Festival. •
The Maid 2009, directed by
Sebastián Silva. Won the World Cinema: Dramatic prize at
Sundance in
2009 Won the
Golden Globe for Best Foreign Language Film in 2010. Won the Golden India Catalina prize for Best Actress at the
Cartagena Film Festival for
Catalina Saavedra. Won "Breakthrough Actress" for Saavedra at the
Gotham Independent Film Awards Won Best Actress for Saavedra at the
Lleida Latin-American Film Festival, along with Best Film. Won Best Narrative Film at the
Sarasota Film Festival. Won the Talent Tape Award at the
Fribourg International Film Festival. Received a Special Mention at the
Taipei Film Festival. Won the Critics Award and the Elcine First Prize - Best Film at the
Latin American Film Festival. Won the
Satellite Award for Best Foreign Language Film in 2009. Won the Colón de Oro for Best Feature film at the
Huelva Latin American Film Festival. Won the FIPRESCI Prize - Best Film in the
Guadalajara International Film Festival. Sebastián Silva also won the Inspiration Award, the International Film Guide Inspiration Award and the Jordan Alexander Kressler Screenwriting Award, and Catalina Saavedra received a Special Mention - Best Actress - Ibero-American Competition in the
Miami International Film Festival. The film has also been nominated for awards in several other major film festivals. •
The Life of Fish, 2010, directed by
Matías Bize. Selected as the Chilean entry for the
Best Foreign Language Film at the
83rd Academy Awards, but didn't make the final shortlist. Won the Best Spanish Language Foreign Film (Mejor Película Hispanoamericana) in the
Goya Awards. Won the Jury Award - Best Director at the
Los Angeles Latino International Film Festival Nominated for Best feature Film at Oslo Films from the South Festival. •
Nostalgia for the Light, 2010, a documentary by Patricio Guzmán. Debuted as part of the official selection at the
Cannes Film Festival. Went on to appear at the
Toronto International Film Festival,
San Francisco International Film Festival,
Miami International Film Festival and
Melbourne International Film Festival. Won
European Film Award for Best Documentary,
Los Angeles Latino International Film Festival (2011) won Jury Award for Best Documentary. Winner Best Documentary, 2010
Abu Dhabi Film Festival book of the same name. Premiered at the
Un Certain Regard section at the
2011 Cannes Film Festival. and was nominated for the Un Certain Regard Award. Won the FIPRESCI Prize - Best Film at the
Havana Film Festival. Won the Grand Jury Prize - Knight Ibero-American Competition at the Jordan Alexander Kressler Screenwriting Award at the
Miami Film Festival. Nominated for the Horizons Award at the
San Sebastián International Film Festival. •
Violeta Went to Heaven, 2012, directed by
Andrés Wood. Won the
World Cinema Jury Prize: Dramatic at the
Sundance Film Festival. Nominated for the Silver Ariel - Best Latin-American Film (Mejor Película Iberoamericana) at the
Ariel Awards. Nominated for the Silver Condor - Best Foreign Film and Best Spanish Language Film (Mejor Película Iberoamericana) at the
Argentine Film Critics Association Film Awards. Nominated for the Grand Prize - Best Music at the
Grande Prêmio do Cinema Brasileiro. Won the FIPRESCI Prize - Best Film and the Mayahuel Award - Best Actress at the
Guadalajara International Film Festival. Nominated for the Art Cinema Award at the
Hamburg Film Festival. Won the Grand Coral - Second Prize - Best Film at the
Havana Film Festival. Nominated for the Grand Jury Prize and received a Special Mention in the
Miami Film Festival. Nominated for the Films from the South Award - Best Feature, at the
Oslo Films from the South Festival Nominated as Best Iberoamerican Film at the
Goya Awards. Represented Chile at
84th Academy Awards for Best Foreign Language Film. Selected as the Chilean entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 84th Academy Awards but did not make the final shortlist •
Young and Wild, 2012, directed by
Marialy Rivas. Won a World Cinema Screenwriting Award at the
Sundance Film Festival in
2012 Alicia Rodríguez won the Colón de Plata award - Best Actress at the
Huelva Latin American Film Festival and Marially Rivas was nominated for the Grand Jury Prize - World Cinema - Dramatic Won the
Sebastiane Award and was nominated for the Horizons Award at
San Sebastián International Film Festival. •
Crystal Fairy & the Magical Cactus, 2012, directed by
Sebastián Silva. Won the Directing Award (World Cinema Dramatic) at
Sundance 2013, and was also nominated for the World Cinema - Dramatic award in the Grand Jury Prize. Nominated for two
Film Independent Spirit Awards, the
John Cassavetes Award, and the Independent Spirit Award in 2013. •
No, 2012, directed by Pablo Larraín. In 2013, became the first Chilean movie to be nominated for Best Foreign Picture at the
Academy Awards. Nominated for Best Iberoamerican Movie at the
Ariel Awards. Won Best Fictional Film - Premio Coral at the
Havana Film Festival Won the Art Cinema
Directors' Fortnight Award at the 2012
Cannes Film Festival. Won Best Foreign Film at the Georgia Film Critics Association in 2014. Nominated for the Art Cinema Award at the Hamburg Film Festival. Nominated for the
BFI London Film Festival awards in
2012. Won an NBR Award at the
National Board of Review. Nominated for the SDFCS Award at the
San Diego Film Critics Society. Won Best Foreign Feature Film - Audience Award at the 2012
São Paulo International Film Festival Won the Audience Award at the
Thessaloniki International Film Festival. •
Gloria, 2013, directed by Sebastián Lelio. Won the Films in Progress Award - Best Film at the 2012
San Sebastian International Film Festival, before its official release. In 2013: Won the Guild of German Art House Cinemas Prize, the Ecumenical Jury Prize, and the Silver Berlin Bear (for Paulina García) at the
63rd Berlin International Film Festival, where it was also nominated for the
Golden Bear. Won Best Film at the
Mumbai International Film Festival. Won the Silver Ariel - Best Latin-American Film at the
Ariel Awards. In 2014: Nominated for the
Best Spanish Language Foreign Film at the
28th Goya Awards . Nominated for Best Actress (for Paulina García) and Best Film - EuroCinema Hawaii Award at the
Hawaii International Film Festival. Nominated for
Best Foreign Film in the
Independent Spirit Awards. Won Best Foreign Language Film at the
London Film Critics' Circle. Won the Top Foreign Film Award in the
National Board of Review Awards 2013. Won the NBR Award at the National Board of Review, USA. Won a Cine Latino Award - Special Mention and was nominated for the Cine Latino Award and the FIPRESCI Prize at the
Palm Springs International Film Festival. Won three Platino awards - Best Film, Best Actress and Best Screenplay - and was nominated for Best Director. •
Nahuel and the Magic Book, 2020, directed by Germán Acuña Delgadillo Won the Award of Excellence in Tokyo Anime Award Festival and Best Animated Feature in Chilemonos In 2020: Nominated in Annecy International Animation Film Festival Nominated in SCHLINGEL; In 2021: Nominated in NYICFF Nominated in TAAFI Nominated in Stockholm Children's Film Festival Nominated in Premios Quirino - Best Animation, Best Original Sound and Music, Best Character Designs and Best Animated Feature •
To Kill a Man (2014) •
Bear Story (2014) •
The Club (2015) •
El botón de nácar (2015) •
Rara (2016) •
Mala junta (2016) •
Neruda (2016) •
A Fantastic Woman (2017) •
The Dogs (2017) •
Too Late to Die Young (2018) •
And Suddenly the Dawn (2018) •
The Prince (2019) •
Ema (2019) •
Jailbreak Pact (2020) •
My Tender Matador (2020) • '''''
Nobody Knows I'm Here (2020)''''' •
Immersion (2021) •
Blanquita (2022) •
1976 (2022) •
The Settlers (2023) •
El Conde (2023) •
Prison in the Andes (2023) •
In Her Place (2024) ==Well-known directors==