Chile’s preeminent Santiago International Film Festival (Sanfic) promises some big guns at its 21st edition, opening Aug. 17 with Cannes Palme d’Or winner ‘It Was Just an Accident’ by Iran’s Jafar Panahi who defied expectations to show up at the prominent fest last May.
It wraps on Aug. 24 with “Miss Carbón” starring Pedro Pascal’s trans sister Lux Pascal opposite Spain’s Paco León (“The House of Flowers”). The Argentine-Spanish co-production, directed by Agustina Macri, is based on the true story of Carla Antonella “Carlita” Rodríguez, a trans woman and the first female miner in Patagonia.
Miss Carbón, Courtesy of Sanfic
Among the luminaries attending the fest are Spain’s genre king Álex de la Iglesia (“30 Coins”), who receives a career achievement award alongside a retrospective; Oscar winner Sebastián Lelio who presents his latest film “The Wave” (“La Ola”); former Ventana Sur co-executive director Bernardo Bergeret; Venezuela’s Mariana Rondón (“Bad Hair”) and Chilean actress Mariana Di Girolamo, who starred in Lucía Puenzo’s psychological drama “Electrophilia.”
This edition features 89 feature films and shorts, including 21 world premieres, 21 Latin American premieres and 47 Chilean debuts.
“This year, Sanfic’s official selection stays true to our mission: showcasing bold films by renowned and emerging filmmakers that explore today’s most pressing issues. The lineup is diverse, thought-provoking, visually striking and emotionally powerful—proving that cinema remains a force for change,” said Sanfic director Carlos Nuñez, co-founder of the festival alongside Gabriela Sandoval who runs its industry space, Sanfic Industria.
Among the Latin American premieres are Lelio’s “The Wave,” Kelly Reichardt’s “The Mastermind,” Simón Mesa’s “A Poet,” a recent Cannes Un Certain Regard jury prizewinner and Tom Tykwer’s “The Light,” which opened the Berlinale in January.
Animation is on the rise in Chile, Nuñez observed, noting two world premieres in Sanfic’s National Talent Short Film competition: “En las estrellas bailan los perros” by Raimundo Bucher, Constanza Barrios, Florencia de la Maza and Matías Yunge, and “No soy tuyo” by Cristina Sitja—”stories that reflect contemporary sensitivity and strong cultural potential.”
According to Nuñez, the new Chilean cinema selection features eight titles in the Chilean Film competition section, combining documentary and fiction. “This is the latest in Chilean cinema, including co-productions and films made in different regions of the country, showcasing new voices alongside works by more experienced filmmakers who have already been part of major international festivals,” he said.
For Sandoval, Sanfic Industria continues to evolve. “When I first envisioned Sanfic Industria 14 years ago, beginning with the WIP section, the main goal was to create a space for international connection – a platform for the internationalization of Chilean cinema, which later expanded to include Latin American and Ibero-American projects,” she said.
“As we introduced new spaces like the labs, the focus shifted toward connecting with global audiences. This shaped the platform’s emphasis on project presentations, pitch training, distribution strategies, international circulation, festival circuits and sales agents,” she added.
According to Sandoval, Sanfic Industria introduces two new initiatives this year: the Chile Industry Academy in collaboration with Locarno – a rigorous training program designed to support young film professionals working specifically in the circulation of independent cinema; and the Queer Incubator, focused on fiction feature projects in the scriptwriting stage that already have an artistic deck, offering early development support to stories with LGBTIQA+ themes.
“So, we will be thinking about distribution strategies, but also about marketing. We’ll also look at how to connect because one of the major challenges across all of Ibero-America is how to connect our content with the audience. Very few films manage to connect and gather an audience. So, how do you attract that audience? How do you schedule, how do you connect marketing and distribution?” she noted.
She also expressed excitement at having De La Iglesia coming to the industry space where the retrospective will include his classics “Day of the Beast” and “Bendita Durango.”
“It’s also incredibly exciting to connect him with the genre and fantastic cinema space we’re developing, especially given how rapidly everything related to Mórbido and Mórbido Lab is growing. The number of submissions we’ve received for the Lab has been remarkable—not just in volume, but in the quality of the projects and the diversity of voices and perspectives. And yet, there’s a consistent through-line: an industry-driven approach,” she noted, adding: “With the launch of the Fantastic Pavilion and Álex de la Iglesia receiving the symbolic keys, there’s a real sense of coherence in the movement. We’re seeing genre cinema evolve beyond the traditional confines of horror and fantasy. It’s connecting with audiences in fresh, innovative ways – almost like a new wave, a new form of art that has been building momentum for years.”
As for the festival’s goals, the aim is to “continue expanding, diversifying and decentralizing audiences,” Nuñez stated, adding: “Our goal is to surpass 40,000 in-person attendees, with a strong presence in theaters and shared spaces. We aim for the festival to be not only a showcase for auteur cinema, but also a space for community, dialogue and exchange.”
The 21st Sanfic runs Aug 17-24.
Here are the international titles in competition, which will vie for best film, best director and best performance awards.
“The Portuguese House” (“Una quinta Portuguesa,” Avelina Prat, Spain, Portugal)
Starring María de Medeiros, it turns on Fernando, who is grieving his wife’s disappearance and assumes a new identity. He becomes a gardener at a Portuguese estate where an unlikely bond with the owner, Amalia, draws him into a life not his own.
“Beloved Tropic” (“Querido trópico,” Ana Endara, Panama, Colombia)
Starring Chile’s Paulina García who plays a wealthy lady in Panama City battling early-onset dementia. She forms an unexpected bond with her caregiver, a Colombian immigrant with issues of her own.
“That Summer in Paris” (“Le Rendez-vous de l’été,” Valentine Cadic, France)
Directorial debut of Valentine Cadic, drama is set during the Olympic Games in Paris, 2024. Blandine, 30, arrives from Normandy to attend the swimming competitions. Lost in a chaotic city, she unexpectedly reconnects with her estranged half-sister and niece.
“The Xibalba Monster” (“El monstruo de Xibalba,” Manuela Irene, México)
The directorial feature debut of Manuela Irene, it centers on eight-year-old Rogelio, sent to his nanny’s jungle village, where he becomes obsessed with a ghostly figure from his visions—said to be the real-life “Xibalba Monster.” As he investigates, his eerie summer turns into a life-changing journey into the mysteries of death.
“A Poet,” (“Un poeta” Simón Mesa Soto, Colombia, Germany, Sweden)
Winner of the Jury Award in Cannes’ Un Certain Regard, this wry drama follows frustrated poet Oscar Restrepo, who finds new inspiration with a promising teen student. Both are played by non-pros, Ubeimar Ríos and Rebeca Andrade.
“Cuerpo Celeste” (“Cuerpo celeste,” Nayra Ilic García, Chile, Italy)
Summer 1990. As Chile’s dictatorship nears its end, 15-year-old Celeste’s beach holiday turns tragic, fracturing her family and childhood. Months later, drawn back by a solar eclipse, she returns to a changed landscape—both personal and political—and must find her own way forward.
“They Will Be Dust” (“Polvo serán,” Carlos Marqués-Marcet, Spain, Switzerland, Italy)
Starring Alfredo Castro opposite Ángela Molina who plays Claudia, diagnosed with a terminal illness. She travels to Switzerland for assisted suicide, accompanied by Flavio (Castro), her partner of over 40 years. Their daughter Violeta joins them, old wounds reopen as the family faces a final, emotional farewell.
Chilean Films in Competition Vying for Best Film, Best Director and Best Performance
“La Quinta” (Silvina Schnicer, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Spain)
Feature debut. When Rudi’s family arrives at their country house, signs of an intruder spark suspicion. But after the children’s roaming turns disastrous, he must protect them and hide what happened—because survival is only skin-deep.
“Lo que no se dijo,” (Ricardo Valenzuela Pinilla, Chile, Colombia)
Feature debut. As mobile phones reach rural Chile, sales executive Margarita must confront her silent mother and the distance between them.
“South of Winter, Lies the Snow” (“Al Sur del invierno está la nieve,” Sebastián Vidal Campos, Chile)
Feature debut. At the world’s southern edge, where nature is brutal and time stands still, hunters, herders and families endure the cold and solitude as ghosts roam the pampa.
“Unwelcomed” (“Si vas para Chile,” Amilcar Infante and Sebastián González M., Chile)
From the Andean highlands to the slums of Iquique, “Unwelcomed” follows a choral journey through northern Chile’s migratory crisis, revealing cultural clashes and growing radicalization.
“Zafari” (“Zafari,” Mariana Rondón, Peru, Mexico, Brazil, France, Chile, Dominican Republic, Venezuela)
In a small zoo, a new hippopotamus called Zafari unites neighbors from clashing classes. From their crumbling high-rise, Ana, Edgar and their son face shortages and danger, while strange noises haunt the dark corridors. In a world gone wild, only Zafari has enough to eat.
“Kaye” (“Kaye,” Juan Cáceres, Chile, Italy)
When a stray bullet kills her best friend, Yeka hunts for the truth, uncovering secrets that shatter her trust in loved ones and the world she calls home.
“Después de la niebla” (Miriam Heard, Chile, U.K., France)
Chile, 1988. In an Osorno guesthouse, eight-year-old María longs for her absent parents. When their friends arrive from Santiago, the days-long parties leave her even more alone.
“Los renacidos” (Santiago Esteves, Argentina, Chile, Spain)
Two estranged brothers run a dark business faking deaths and smuggling people across borders. When a risky job threatens them, they must decide the fate of their family’s legacy.
