By Natalia Hernández Moreno*
Argentina's landmark and influential 1994 film law, which created the basis for the flourishing of a vibrant national cinema and the emergence of an important group of filmmakers, celebrates its 30th anniversary this month, while Argentine cinema faces one of its most uncertain and menacing times in recent times.
Known as 'Ley de Cine,' Law No. 24,377 for the Promotion of National Cinematography was enacted on September 28, 1994, and implemented on October 14 under the administration of the National Institute of Film and Audiovisual Arts (INCAA). The law aimed to develop and produce national cinema while promoting its international diffusion. It set the structural foundation for what is considered Argentina's film canon and set a key precedent for other Latin American film industries.
To promote, strengthen, and regulate local audiovisual production, INCAA was conceived as an autonomous public entity operating within the scope of the Ministry of Culture. Its functions include managing funds to subsidize film production and their premieres at festivals, increasing the diffusion of Argentine cinema in local theaters and cultural institutions, and promoting international distribution through grants, fellowships, mentorship programs, and various funding opportunities.
Although a previous film funding law (Nº 17.741, enacted in 1968) existed, “Ley de Cine” replaced it entirely, notably by granting INCAA autonomy, which freed the institute from government interference and the need for state funding. Amongst its main proposals were the financial support for filmmaking through various funding mechanisms, including direct subsidies, grants, and low-interest loans; tax on cinema tickets as a source for the INCAA, ensuring a continuous flow of funding for film projects; mandatory exhibition of Argentina cinema; promotion of international co-productions; support for new and emerging talent; and funding from broadcasting revenues to support the national cinema industry.
Rey muerto by Lucrecia Martel
Since its enactment, “Ley de Cine” has been crucial to the development of what is now regarded as an Argentine film canon. Initiatives such as “Historias breves,” a short film contest launched by INCAA for emerging filmmakers and students, have fostered some of the most significant talents in New Argentine Cinema. Early winners from the very first edition in 1995 included Lucrecia Martel (Rey muerto), Israel Adrián Caetano (Cuesta abajo), and Bruno Stagnaro (Guarisove, los olvidados).
In its early days, New Argentine Cinema directors distinguished themselves by rejecting commercial production models and addressing the socio-cultural realities of Argentina. The movement’s trailblazing films from the late nineties and early aughts—Pizza, Beer, and Cigarettes / Pizza, Birra, Faso (1998) by Stagnaro and Caetano, Silvia Prieto (1999) by Martín Rejtman, Crane World / Mundo grúa (1999) by Pablo Trapero, La libertad (2001) by Lisandro Alonso, and Martel’s La ciénaga (2001)—opened a dialogue between commercial cinema and auteur films.
These films opened an enriching conversation regarding the coexistence between commercial cinema and the so-called auteur films. This dynamic between mainstream and independent filmmaking continues to shape Argentine cinema, paving the way for greater Latin American representation in international festivals.
However, under the controversial “Ley Ómnibus,” enacted at the end of 2023 with the intention of defunding cultural institutions, President Javier Milei's administration has taken significant actions that negatively impact Argentine cinema, particularly by targeting the INCAA. His government has cut the budget of the institution, arguing that reducing state expenditure is necessary to address Argentina's fiscal deficit.
These cuts aim to diminish INCAA’s influence by restructuring its operations, reducing its staff, and limiting funding mechanisms that have historically supported Argentine cinema through subsidies, grants, and taxes on film tickets.
Pizza, Beer, and Cigarettes by Bruno Stagnaro and Adrián Caetano
Milei also suspended INCAA's activities for 90 days in April 2024, citing financial deficits, which further disrupted its role in supporting local filmmakers. This aligns with his broader agenda to downsize state involvement in culture, education, and other public sectors. His ultraliberal policies extend beyond economic measures, reflecting a cultural crusade against what he perceives as progressive, leftist institutions. His government has been criticized for undermining public institutions that have been essential for the growth of Argentine cinema, which has historically thrived due to state support.
Last May, at the world premiere of her latest film The Freshly Cut Grass Grass / El aroma del pasto recién cortado at the Tribeca Film Festival, Argentine director Celina Murga joined other filmmakers including Santiago Mitre and Laura Citarella, to call attention to the crisis in Argentina’s film industry. Cast and crew held a “Cine Argentino Unido” banner, part of an initiative started by cultural leaders to raise awareness of the potential defunding of INCAA.
A collective declaration by filmmakers earlier this year stated: “Argentina has built a vibrant, heterogeneous, and dynamic film industry since its beginnings. Since 1994, the country has had state institutions that regulate and promote film activity using resources generated by audiovisual exploitation. Today, the film industry involves tens of thousands of quality jobs and trains professionals who collaborate in co-productions around the world. Year after year, Argentine cinema is present at the Cannes, Berlin, San Sebastián, and Venice festivals, among many others, offering the world our stories and our identity. None of this would have been possible without public policies that promote culture and without the Film Law that provides specific funds for the activity.”
The release of Murga's feature film traced a startling paradox: Argentina's most promising films –some, like this one, executive produced by trailblazing directors like Martin Scorsese– lead the international spotlight in major film festivals, while local institutions in their home countries closed their doors on the promise of national cinema. And the bittersweet 30th anniversary of “Ley de Cine” serves as a reminder of the need for collective action to safeguard the future of national cinema.
Film is an essential aspect of the construction of collective memory and identity. The unique blend of sharp political insights and innovative cinematic language that characterizes Argentine cinema makes it a beacon in Latin American film. With the future of the 'Ley de Cine' in jeopardy, the question arises whether Argentine cinema can continue to thrive without it.
*Natalia Hernández Moreno is a film researcher for Cinema Tropical and frequent collaborator for TropicalFRONT
