Chile has arrived as the guest country of honor at the 41st Guadalajara International Film Festival, with directors Pablo Larraín, Sebastián Lelio and Maite Alberdi among the top honorees. The festival features masterclasses, screenings and tributes highlighting Chile's cinematic achievements. A large delegation of over 100 people underscores the strong cultural ties between Chile and Mexico.
Pablo Larraín, Sebastián Lelio and Maite Alberdi head a prominent Chilean contingent at the 41st Guadalajara Film Festival (FICG), where Chile serves as the guest country of honor. The three directors are among 10 honorees, joined by a retrospective on cult filmmaker Alejandro Jodorowsky. CinemaChile director Alexandra Galvis described them as Chile's 'golden generation of filmmakers,' noting their international success, including Oscar nominations and wins, while maintaining an artistic voice through collaborations with platforms like Netflix. '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,' Galvis told Variety. A masterclass by Larraín and his producer brother Juan de Dios Larraín will be moderated by Netflix VP of Latin American Content Francisco Ramos. Screenings include Larraín's 'Gloria' and 'The Club,' four documentaries by Alberdi such as the Mexico-set 'A Child of My Own,' alongside Chilean shorts, features and series. Prime Video's 'The House of the Sprits,' an adaptation of Isabel Allende's novel led by Chilean showrunners Francisca Alegría, Fernanda Urrejola and Andres Wood, will screen two episodes ahead of its April 29 premiere. A sneak peek of soccer-themed series 'Raza Brava' is also planned. Daniel Laguna, executive secretary of Chile’s Audiovisual Development Fund, highlighted the delegation's size and cultural dialogue with Mexico: '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.' Efforts to advance a Mexican-Chilean co-production agreement include a panel with Hernán Caffiero, producers Edher Campos and Nicolás Celis, actress Paulina Garcia and director Iria Gómez. Chilean figures serve on festival juries, including Garcia for Premio Mezcal and producer Beatriz Rosselot for Ibero-American Documentary.
