Cannes Docs presents Chilean docs in progress

With Maite Alberdi, twice nominated for an Oscar for her last two docs, ‘The Eternal Memory’ and ‘The Mole Agent’, and Tana Gilbert whose feature debut ‘Malqueridas’ won the top prize at Venice Critics’ Week, Chilean documentaries have a banner year.

Five documentaries will participate in the Chilean Docs-in-Progress Showcase on May 20 in the documentary section of the Marché du Film, Cannes Docs.

In addition, a delegation of about fifteen other Chilean documentary filmmakers have descended on the city with their respective projects, with themes ranging from gender issues, indigenous peoples, climate change, teen suicide and even true crime.

“Chilean documentaries today touch on more universal themes, they are not so inward-looking,” said Chiledoc director Paula Ossandon. Variety.

One of these, ‘Oasis’, has been picked up by Argentina’s Compañía de Cine to handle international sales. This feature film, made by the MAFI filmmaking collective, premiered at the Berlinale and examines Chile’s failed attempt to draft a new constitution to replace that of the Pinochet dictatorship.

“The Chilean documentary ecosystem is truly remarkable – artistically vibrant, politically engaged and creatively diverse – and passionately supported by the organizations responsible for its promotion worldwide, starting with Chiledoc,” said Pierre-Alexis Chevit, head of Cannes Docs , who expressed his joy in welcoming the four Chilean docs-in-progress, as well as the winner of Conecta 2023, ‘Searching for the Other’.

The Docs-In-Progress Chile Showcase aims to increase financing and distribution opportunities for the works presented there. “Our documentaries have triumphed at festivals, but the challenge is to distribute them beyond the festival circuit,” said Ossandon.

The selected projects are:

“Aliyá, Yeridá”, Rafael Guendelman

In Hebrew, ‘Aliyá’ means to emigrate to Israel (going up), and ‘Yeridá’ means to emigrate from Israel (descending). Using family archives, the director examines why his family moved to Israel in the 1970s and the disappointments that led them to return to Chile years later.

“We are at a crucial stage to achieve our goal of premiering in the first semester of 2025, having secured post-production funding and undergone advanced editing. At Cannes Docs we strive to build connections with programmers and distributors interested in political and migration stories. We try to think about the armed conflict in the Middle East from a Latin American perspective,” says producer Joaquín Echeverría of Brisa Films.

“Unwelcome” (“Si vas para Chile”), Amilcar Infante and Sebastián González

In 2021, a large anti-immigration protest took place in Northern Chile, marked by violence, including the burning of tents, strollers and belongings. Although these images spread worldwide, the stories of those affected did not. This story gives a voice to the immigrants who face adversity and to the locals who experience constant social conflict in the harsh Atacama Desert. Much of the visually appealing cinematography was shot with drones.

“It is a source of pride and a great opportunity to make our debut feature visible on the international stage in Cannes,” says producer Sebastián González, who, together with fellow producer Esteban Sandoval, is trying to raise the necessary financing and partnerships to make the film to complete. .

“The Stationary Traveler” (“Viajero inmóvil”), Fernando Lavanderos and Sebastián Pereira

Two young filmmakers ask legendary Chilean director Cristián Sánchez (70) to make a new film, but with specific rules: it must feature zombies and bring characters from his classic films to life. This darkly comic documentary contrasts today’s demand for efficiency with the relaxed tranquility of the 1970s, embodied in Sánchez’s work.

“It is the first time that we are showing a preview of a work dating back many years. This is a unique example, not only in terms of visibility – because it is one of the largest markets in the world – but also as an opportunity to generate networks for this and the other projects in our portfolio,” said producer Francisco Hervé of Juntos Movies.

“Returning where I have never been” (“Vuelvo donde nunca estuve”), Constanza Vásquez and Andrés Morales

Two voyages a century apart: In 1895, 165 Selk’nam people were captured on Tierra del Fuego and sent to Punta Arenas for domestic service. In 2021, Fernanda Olivares, a descendant of Selk’nam, became the first to return to the land of her ancestors, proving that her people are not extinct.

“Our documentary seeks to spread what the Selk’nam people have been working on for some time: communicating to the world that they are not an extinct people and that they are trying to give their history a new beginning on their ancestral territory,” Vásquez said. Produced by Alejandra Rosas and Magdalena Ponce of Tonina Sur and Quetro Prods.

‘In search of the other’, Cons Gallardo

Winner of the Conecta 2023, an international industry event aimed at connecting Latin American projects with industry representatives around the world, held in Santiago, Chile.

The documentary, produced by Esteban Sandoval of Pejeperro Films, stems from Gallardo’s resistance to gender roles. She explores the world of the non-binary Machi Marcelina, a Mapuche ancestral authority who was wrongly accused of murder and witchcraft in 1995. After her release, Marcelina faced prejudice from the community and distanced herself. Her story inspires Gallardo to think about good, evil and love beyond stigmas.

The Chilean Docs-in-Progress presentation is scheduled for Monday, May 20 from 10 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. at the Palais des Festivals.