Argentina: Such diversity!

Argentina's film industry, rich in themes, is based on a long history marked by crises

Argentine film production has always been the largest and most significant in Latin America alongside Mexican film production, both economically and creatively. Even today, Argentina still boasts a rich diversity of cinematic voices and positions, narrative styles and forms. For many years, the ‘Nuevo Cine Argentino’, the new Argentine cinema that emerged in the mid-1970s, was also present in this country. Extraordinary feature films and documentaries were made during rapidly changing political and economic conditions, which on the one hand deal with Argentina's history, such as the Peronist era, and on the other hand tell of the difficulties women face in a sometimes conservative society. In recent years, Argentine cinema has once again experienced a veritable boom in creativity, even in the midst of economic and social crises. A seemingly paradoxical situation, says Bettina Bremme, author of the book "Aufbruch aus dem Krisenpanorama. The Unshakeable Vitality of Argentine Cinema": On the one hand, local production conditions have become increasingly difficult, resulting in a number of film projects being temporarily frozen or only able to be financed in co-production with foreign countries; on the other hand, the crisis has offered and continues to offer Argentine filmmakers a seemingly inexhaustible reservoir of stories. Our collection provides insight into the rich film production of contemporary Argentina – and thus indirectly raises the question of how Argentine film culture might develop in the future: following the brutal reforms of Argentine President Javier Milei, the economy is currently growing, while inflation and poverty rates are falling. But what price is the shaken country paying for this? And what role will film play?

For many years, the ‘Nuevo Cine Argentino’, the new Argentine cinema that emerged in the mid-1970s, was also present in this country. Extraordinary feature films and documentaries were made during rapidly changing political and economic conditions, which on the one hand deal with Argentina's history, such as the Peronist era, and on the other hand tell of the difficulties women face in a sometimes conservative society.

In recent years, Argentine cinema has once again experienced a veritable boom in creativity, even in the midst of economic and social crises. A seemingly paradoxical situation, says Bettina Bremme, author of the book "Aufbruch aus dem Krisenpanorama. The Unshakeable Vitality of Argentine Cinema": On the one hand, local production conditions have become increasingly difficult, resulting in a number of film projects being temporarily frozen or only able to be financed in co-production with foreign countries; on the other hand, the crisis has offered and continues to offer Argentine filmmakers a seemingly inexhaustible reservoir of stories.

Our collection provides insight into the rich film production of contemporary Argentina – and thus indirectly raises the question of how Argentine film culture might develop in the future: following the brutal reforms of Argentine President Javier Milei, the economy is currently growing, while inflation and poverty rates are falling. But what price is the shaken country paying for this? And what role will film play?

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