- 31 movies participate in the competitions of International Feature, Chilean Feature and Latin American Short Film.
- Rey, by Niles Atallah, and Casa Roshell, by Camila José Donoso, are the Chilean films present in the international competition.
- Also announced were the titles in the Chilean Cinema Showcase, and a new section that supports the internationalization of national productions, Cine Chileno del Futuro (Future Chilean Cinema).
The most important cinematographic event in the country released its Official Selection, 31 movies that make up three of its four competitive categories. The Valdivia International Film Festival, which takes place in October 9 to 15, is a project sponsored by the National Council for Culture and the Arts, with the support of Universidad Austral de Chile, the Los Ríos Regional Government, the Great City of Valdivia, and the Los Ríos Corporation for Regional Development, organizations that, together with the Valdivia Cultural Center for Film Promotion, give life to the festival.
In addition to the competitions, the Chilean Cinema Showcase series was also announced, with a sample of national productions that premiered this year, in a mix of independent cinema, along with movies possessing a more massive appeal, all crowned with a world premiere. The titles are: Secos, by Galut Alarcón and Chamila Rodríguez, Tacos de cemento, by Marcelo Porta, Vida de familia, by Alicia Scherson and Cristián Jiménez, La mentirita blanca, by Tomás Alzamora, Cabros de mierda, by Gonzalo Justiniano, and Exote: la filmación de La telenovela errante, by Pablo Martínez, celebrating its world premiere.
Official International Feature Selection
The twelve pictures that make up this competition are: Rey, by Niles Atallah (Chile, France, Netherlands, Germany, Qatar. 2017. 90’. Chilean Premiere), Baronesa, by Juliana Antunes (Brazil. 2017. 73’. Chilean Premiere), Casa Roshell, by Camila José Donoso (Mexico, Chile. 2017. 71’. Chilean Premiere), Mama Colonel, by Dieudo Hamadi (Congo, France. 2017. 72’. Latin American Premiere), Let the Summer Never Come Again, by Alexandre Koberidze (Georgia, Germany. 2017. 202’. Latin American Premiere), Chaque mur est une porte, by Elitza Gueorguieva (Bulgaria, France. 2017. 58’. Latin American Premiere), All that Passes by Through a Window that Doesn’t Open, by Martin DiCicco (United States, Qatar. 2017. 69’. Latin American Premiere), A fábrica de nada, by Pedro Pinho (Portugal. 2017. 177’. Latin American Premiere), Braguino, by Clément Cogitore (France, Finland. 2017. 49’. Latin American Premiere), Cocote, by Nelson Carlo de los Santos Arias (Dominican Republic, Argentina, Germany, Qatar. 2017. 106’. Latin American Premiere), Milla, by Valerie Massadian (France, Portugal. 2017. 128’. Latin American Premiere), and Beyond the One, by Anna Marziano (Italy, France, Germany. 2017. 53’. Latin American Premiere).
The jury is composed of Kiro Russo, Ela Bittencourt and Jerónimo Rodríguez.
Official Chilean Feature Selection
The pictures competing in this section are: Los perros, by Marcela Said (Chile, France. 2017. 99’. Chilean Premiere), Tierra sola, by Tiziana Panizza (Chile. 2017. 104’. Latin American Premiere), Princesita, by Marialy Rivas (Chile, Argentina, Spain. 2017. 78’. Latin American Premiere), La directiva, by Lorena Giachino (Chile. 2017. 72’. World Premiere), La isla de los pingüinos, by Guillermo Söhrens (Chile. 2017. 105’. World Premiere), Desierto no cierto, by Nathaly Cano (Chile. 2017. 63’. World Premiere), and One Color Self-Portrait, by Vicente de Solminihac (Chile, Germany. 2017. 62’. World Premiere).
Deliberating in this competition are Magdalena Arau, Gerwin Tamsma and Emilie Bujés.
Official Latin American Short Film Selection
This competition features the films Selva, by Sofía Quirós, Pequeño manifiesto en contra del cine solemne, by Roberto Porta, Relato familiar, by Sumie García, Palenque, by Sebastián Pinzón, El hilo, by Pietro Bulgarelli and Pablo Polanco, Niebla, by Flavia de la Fuente, Ojos de linterna, by Fanny Leiva and José Barriga, Nosotras mismas, by Joaquín Araneda, Fletas, sucias pero ni tan malas, by Gonzalo Díaz, Nado de invierno, by César González, Martuca, by Ricardo Valenzuela, and Agua negra, by Benjamín Brunet.
The jury for this competition is comprised of Aaron Cutler, Carlos Piñeiro and Agnès Wildenstein.
Cine Chileno del Futuro (Future Chilean Cinema)
Finally announced were the films included in Cine Chileno del Futuro, a new instance at FICValdivia for Chilean projects approaching completion. Developed in partnership with CinemaChile and Film Commission Chile, this objective of this space is to contribute to the internalization of national productions, raising awareness about future movies among international film circulation professionals. Also, it makes possible for Chilean film directors and producers to meet with international professionals attending the festival, to contribute in their projects’ finalization and circulation.
The pictures participating in this instance are: Friendship, by Peter McPhee, Todo Puede Ser (Anything Could Happen), by Gonzalo Maza, El hombre del futuro (The Man of the Future), by Felipe Ríos, No hace falta pedir disculpas (No Need to Apologize), by Moisés Sepúlveda; Nona. Si me mojan, yo los quemo. (Nona. If You Soak Me, I will Burn You), by Camila José Donoso, and Dry Martina, by Che Sandoval.
The Official Latin American Children’s Short Film Selection, along with the complete program will be announced on September 27.
About FICValdivia
The Valdivia International Film Festival screens Chilean and international pictures in four competitive categories: International Feature, Chilean Feature, Latin American Short Film, and Latin American Children’s Short Film. Its out-of-competition program includes historic retrospectives, focuses on contemporary filmmakers, political, avant-garde and gender films, plus a section for children and their families. It was founded and is organized by Universidad Austral de Chile, produced by the Valdivia Cultural Center for Film Promotion (CPCV), convened by the Great City of Valdivia, the Los Ríos Regional Government and CODEPROVAL, and financed by the Chilean National Council for Culture and the Arts.