Latin American week begins at the Biarritz Festival

The Biarritz Latin America Festival opened its doors in this small seaside resort in the French Basque Country. As every year, the event includes three competitions for feature-length fiction films, shorts and documentaries. As well as a special selection of Argentine films and a section dedicated to Luis Buñuel’s Mexican period. The festival opened with the presence of Brazilian filmmaker Walter Salles and he will present an “Abrazo de honor” to Mexican Alfonso Cuarón.

Biarritz has a long history of friendship with Latin American cultures and cinema. It celebrates this friendship every year at its renowned festival, one of the most important in France dedicated to Latin American artistic events.

He Biarritz Latin America Festival The festival opened on Saturday evening with an opening gala at the Gare du Midi, one of the city’s largest and most important theatres, in the presence of renowned artists. The most notable of these was Walter Salles, who took to the stage to present his latest feature film “Ainda estou aquí”, a film that won the Best Screenplay Award at Venice.

This is one of the many surprises that await the festival audience. As is tradition, the event includes three competitions in the categories of feature-length fiction films, documentaries and short films. The film offering also includes several film selections and pre-releases. One section will be dedicated to Luis Buñuel’s Mexican period, with the screening of seven of his films, and the documentary “A Mexican Buñuel” by director Emilio Maillé.

The political situation in Argentina is one of the central themes of this 33rd edition of the Biarritz Latin America Festival. Several round tables are organised to analyse the arrival of Javier Milei to power and its repercussions for the Argentine artistic sector and cinema. In addition, eight Argentine feature films from recent years are being screened, a selection that will be presented by the actor Leonardo Sbaraglia.

The festival will have a high point on Monday night with the presence of Mexican director Alfonso Cuarón, three times Oscar winner (Gravity, Roma), who will receive an Honorary Embrace for his career.

Another illustrious Mexican, Diego Luna, will be present to accompany the screening of the film “State of Silence,” by Santiago Maza, about the situation of journalism in Mexico.

The festival will also highlight the history of cultural exchanges between the Basque Country and Latin America, particularly Argentina, with meetings about the Basque diaspora, rugby, and a demonstration of Basque pelota, a sport played in several Latin American countries.

The Biarritz Latin America Festival will close on Friday with the awards ceremony, including the award for best film, “El Abrazo.”