The 2025 Argentine Film Festival has opened in Shanghai, providing film enthusiasts with an opportunity to view classic Argentine films and explore the cultural richness and regional charm of Latin America.
The festival lineup includes eight films presented in 4K restored versions, highlighting the works of renowned international directors such as Carlos Sorin and Adolfo Aristarain.
La Película del Rey (A King and His Movie), directed by Carlos Sorin, is celebrated as a prime example of South American magical realism in the 1980s. The film tells the story of an obsessed filmmaker who attempts to make an epic account of the French adventurer Orelie-Antoine de Tounens, who in the 19th century assumed the title of King of Patagonia and Araucania.
Another award-winning piece by Sorin, Historias Mínimas (Intimate Stories), unfolds against the Patagonian plateau, chronicling three individual yet intertwined stories of ordinary people pursuing their dreams.
The festival also features two acclaimed works by Adolfo Aristarain. Un Lugar en el Mundo (A Place in the World), a 1990s film, follows a family living in a remote Argentine valley as they resist the construction of a dam that would flood their land and force them to leave.
Lugares Comunes (Common Ground) tells the story of a literature professor, Fernando Robles, who is forced into early retirement in Buenos Aires during a period of economic crisis.
Adding a feminist perspective, Maria Luisa Bemberg's 1980s film Señora de Nadie (Nobody's Wife) explores the challenges faced by women and sexual minorities in Argentine society with sensitivity and insight.
The lineup also includes Fernando Spiner's debut sci-fi film La Sonámbula (Sleepwalker), noted for its innovative audiovisual approach.
Sol de Otoño (Autumn Sun), directed by Eduardo Mignogna, explores various themes of love in later life.
Made in Argentina, directed by Juan Jose Jusid, depicts Argentina's turbulent history during the 1970s and 1980s.
Ticketing and venue information
Screenings are being held at the Palace Cinema on the third floor of the Raffles City The Bund in Hongkou district.
Tickets for the festival are available through the Broadway Cinema WeChat mini program (search for "百老汇影城"), Taopiaopiao, Maoyan, and other platforms.