Classic Latin American Cinema

Over the past several centuries, Latin America has been bound together by two closely related languages: Spanish and Portuguese. This shared linguistic ground allowed Latin Americans to forge a unique civilisation out of thousands of ancient and distinct traditions. For more than a century, Latin American cinema has drawn on the region’s literature, music and visual culture, producing timeless masterpieces rediscovered by successive generations of film lovers.

At the 2nd edition of Timeless Film Festival Warsaw last year, we presented films from the region’s two largest film industries, Brazil and Mexico. This year, we are adding works from a third giant: Argentina. Our journey begins in 1935, on board a ship with Carlos Gardel, the legendary tango singer who never lived to see his final film. Tango Bar premiered only after his tragic death in a plane crash. The most recent title in the section, The Shadow, also comes from Argentina, though it unfolds almost in silence, right up to its dramatic finale. We are also beginning to present outstanding films from smaller countries that would later make their mark on the world cinema stage: Bolivia, Cuba and Colombia. Alongside the dramas, the program includes three comedies that capture, with equal sharpness, the intractable conflicts and striking contrasts that define Latin America.

Piotr Kobus

The section is curated by Piotr Kobus.