This year, 13 Latin American countries have submitted their official candidates to the 96th edition of the Academy Awards, vying for the Oscar for Best International Feature Film. In the history of the Academy Awards, only four Latin American films have won the coveted statuette: Argentina twice, for Luis Puenzo’s The Official Story / La historia oficial in 1986 and Juan José Campanella’s The Secret in Their Eyes / El secreto de sus ojos in 2010; Chile for Sebastián Lelio’s A Fantastic Woman / Una mujer fantástica in 2018; and Mexico for Alfonso Cuarón’s Roma in 2019.
The Academy will announce the 15-film Oscar shortlist for international features on Thursday, December 21, 2023 and the final five nominees will be unveiled on January 23, 2024, and the 96th Oscars ceremony is scheduled to air on Sunday, March 10.
Beiow are this year’s Latin American Oscars contenders, for your consideration:
Argentina: THE DELINQUENTS
Argentina has selected Rodrigo Moreno’s heist movie The Delinquents / Los delincuentes, which had its world premiere in the Un Certain Regard competition at the Cannes Film Festival, and had its North American premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival, followed by the New York Film Festival. MUBI released the film in US theaters last October.
Starring Esteban Bigliardi, Daniel Elías and Margarita Molfino, The Delinquents tells the story of Morán, a bank employee in Buenos Aires who dreams up a risky plan to free himself and his co-worker Román from the shackles of working life: Morán will steal enough cash from the bank to fund their retirement if Román hides the money for him after he confesses and serves prison time; in three years’ time, they’ll reunite, split the cash, and never have to work again.
Departing to the countryside to fulfill his side of the deal, the less adventurous Román finds himself transformed by Morán’s idyllic vision of economic liberation far from the rigors of urban life. But what is the true cost of freedom? From writer-director Moreno (two-time Berlin Golden Bear nominee The Custodian, A Mysterious World) comes an existential probe into the work-life balance and what happens when it’s shattered and replaced with something radical and new.
Bolivia: THE VISITOR
The Bolivian Association of Filmmakers selected The Visitor / El visitante, the fourth feature by director Martín Boulocq, as the country’s official candidate. An introspective look at family relationships, class disparity, and the increasingly-dominant presence of Evangelism in Bolivia, The Visitor had its world premiere at the 2022 Tribeca Film Festival. Set in the city of Cochabamba, the film tells the story of Humberto (in an impressive performance by newcomer Enrique Aráoz), an ex-convict who makes a modest living by singing at wakes.
Humberto’s greatest desire is to rebuild his relationship with his estranged daughter and provide her with a decent life, but the grandparents of the child—wealthy Evangelical pastors—are not willing to give up custody of their only granddaughter. Financially and ideologically bullied into a corner, Humberto is forced to face his own demons while simultaneously fighting a powerful ecclesiastical institution to which he once belonged.
The Visitor marks the 16th candidate that Bolivia has submitted to the Oscars since 1995, but the South American country has not received yet a nomination.
Brazil: PICTURES OF GHOSTS
The documentary Picture of Ghosts / Retratos Fantasmas, the fifth feature by director Kleber Mendonça Filho, is this year’s Brazilian Oscar contender. A multidimensional journey through time, sound, architecture and filmmaking, the film is set in the urban landscape of Recife. The Brazilian coastal capital of Pernambuco is a historical and human territory, examined through the great movie theaters that served as spaces of conviviality during the 20th century. Having hosted dreams and progress, these places have also embodied a major transformation on social practices. Combining archive documentary, mystery, film clips and personal memories, Picture of Ghosts is a map of a city through the lens of cinema.
Pictures of Ghosts had its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival last May, and it had its North American premiere at the Toronto Film Festival, followed by its US premiere at the New York Film Festival. The film was acquired by Grasshopper Film for North American distribution. This marks the second time that Mendonça Filho represents his country at the Academy Awards after his debut fiction film Neighboring Sounds was selected in 2013.
Chile: THE SETTLERS
The Chilean Academy of Film has selected Felipe Gálvez’s debut feature The Settlers / Los colonos as its candidate for the Academy Awards. The anti-colonialist western had its world premiere in the Un Certain Regard competition at the last edition of the Cannes Film Festival, and it also played at the Toronto and New York film festivals.
Starring Mark Stanley, Camilo Arancibia, Benjamin Westfall, and Alfredo Castro, the period piece is set in the south of Chile in 1901, and tells the story of a wealthy landowner that hires three horsemen to mark out the perimeter of his property and open a route to the Atlantic Ocean across Patagonia. The expedition, composed of a young Chilean mestizo, an American mercenary, and a reckless British lieutenant, soon turns into a “civilizing” raid.
MUBI will theatrically release the film on January 12, 2024 in New York and Los Angeles, followed by a national rollout.
Colombia: UN VARÓN
Un varón (A Male), has been announced by the Colombian Academy of Cinematography Arts and Sciences as the South American country’s representative. The debut feature by Fabián Hernández had its world premiere at Cannes Directors’ Fortnight in 2022, and has participated in numerous film festivals including San Sebastian, Lima, and Sao Paulo.
Starring Felipe Ramírez Espitia, the Colombian drama follows Carlos, who lives in a youth shelter in Bogotá’s downtown, a refuge meant to help mitigate the harshness of life. It's Christmas and Carlos longs to spend the day with his family. As he leaves the shelter for the holidays, Carlos is confronted with the brutality of his neighborhood, ruled by the law of the strongest—the alpha male. Carlos must also prove he can be one of them, while deep inside him, these expressions of masculinity clash with the decisions he must make in order to survive.
Colombia is looking to get its second Oscar nomination after Ciro Guerra’s Embrace of the Serpent in 2015. Un varón is currenly having a one-week run at Cinema Village in New York City, distributed by Cinema Tropical.
Costa Rica: I HAVE ELECTRIC DREAMS
Valentina Maurel’s acclaimed debut feature I Have Electric Dreams / Tengo sueños eléctricos is this year’s Costa Rican candidate. The award-winning debut feature by writer-director Maurel focuses on Eva, a 16-year-old girl who lives with her mother, her younger sister, and their cat, but who wants to move in with her estranged father. Clinging onto him, she seeks balance between the tenderness and rebellion of teenage life. Bathed in richly textured imagery and soaked in raw sensitivity, the film captures the thin line between love and hate, in a world where aggression and rage are intertwined with the vertigo of female sexual awakening.
I Have Electric Dreams had its world premiere at the Locarno Film Festival, where it won three of the top prizes: for Best Director, Best Actor, and Best Actress. The film was also the winner of the Best Latin American Film at the San Sebastian Film Festival. I Have Electric Dreams becomes the 12th Oscar submission from the Central American country since Esteban Ramírez’s Caribe was selected in 2005 as the first Costa Rican contender.
Dominican Republic: CUARENCENA
The Caribbean nation has selected the black comedy Cuarencena as its Oscar contender. Written and directed by David Maler and starring Nashla Bogaert, Frank Perozo, Luis José Germán, Soraya Pina, and Joshua Wagner, the film tells the story of a five-star chef and his wife who, in the middle of a pandemic, will host a soiree in their luxurious colonial apartment despite a nationwide curfew. Seven friends, under quarantine, won’t be able to leave until the curfew is lifted the next morning.
In total, the Dominican Republic has submitted sixteen Oscar candidates since 1983, but has failed to nab a nomination yet.
Mexico: TÓTEM
The Mexican Academy of Film Arts and Sciences picked Tótem, as the candidate represent the North American country at the Academy Awards. The second feature film by director Lila Avilés, had its world premiere in the official competition at the Berlin Film Festival and has played at New Directors/New Films and Telluride, tells the story of seven-year-old Sol, who spends the day at her grandfather’s home, helping with the preparations for a surprise party for her father. Throughout the day, chaos slowly takes over, fracturing the family’s foundations. Sol will embrace the essence of letting go as a release for existence.
Tótem, which has nabbed nominations for Best International Film at the Gotham Awards and the Film Independent Spirit Awards, will be released in US theaters in January by Sideshow and Janus. This marks the second time that Avilés represents Mexico at the Oscars, after her debut feature The Chambermaid / La camarista in 2019. Mexico has earned nine nominations for best international film—previously known as best motion picture in a foreign language.
Panama: TITO, MARGOT & ME
Panama has selected the biographical documentary feature Tito, Margot & Me / Tito, Margot y yo as its official submission. Directed by Mercedes Arias and Delfina Vidal, the film tells the story of the love life between Panamanian diplomat Roberto 'Tito' Arias and British ballerina Margot Fonteyn, who lived their love between international entertainment and political conspiracies.
Tito, Margot & Me, which had its world premiere at the Panama International Film Festival, is an intimate look at the life of the lady of the British Empire and first ballerina of the Royal Ballet, and her Central American diplomat husband, who was the son of a Panamanian president. The filmmakers took a journey through the visible and imaginary past, in search of the meaning and the signifier of love for this couple that remained united for more than three decades, accompanied by the last testimonies that validated their perspective of it history.
Tito, Margot & Me is the tenth Panamanian Oscar submission since the Central American country first entered a candidate in the international feature race in 2014. In 2021, Abner Benaím’s Plaza Catedral made it to the Academy Awards shortlist.
Paraguay: THE LAST RUNWAY 2, COMANDO YAGUARETE
The South American country has selected the sequel action movie The Last Runway 2: Comando Yaguarete / Leal 2: Comando Yaguareté by Armando Aquino and Mauricio Rial to represent Paraguay at the Oscars.
The film follows commander Betty Jara who reassembles the Yaguareté Commandos to exchange an imprisoned criminal for one of her own agents. A risky operation becomes even more so when she realizes they are not just fighting a drug ring but the highest spheres of power.
The Last Runway 2 became the seventh Paraguayan Oscar submission since the country first selected a candidate in 2015.
Peru: THE ERECTION OF TORIBIO BARDELLI
The Erection of Toribio Bardelli / La erección de Toribio Bardelli, the third feature film by Adrián Saba, is Peru’s official candidate. The film, which had its world premiere at the Lima Film Festival, stars Gustavo Bueno, Gisela Ponce de León, and Rodrigo Sánchez Patiño. The Erection of Toribio Bardelli follows a dysfunctional family that is pressed to re-examines their lives, after the loss of their mother. As father and children come to terms with their own existence, the film becomes a tender and subtle meditation on grief.
This marks the second time that director Saba represents Peru at the Oscars, after his debut feature The Cleaner / El limpiador was selected as the country’s candidate in 2013. Peru nabbed a nomination for Best Motion Picture in a Foreign Language in 2009 for Claudia Llosa’s The Milk of Sorrow / La teta asustada.
Uruguay: FAMILY ALBUM
Uruguay selected the comedy Family Album / Temas Propios, directed by Guillermo Rocamora as its official candidate for the Best International competition in the 96th edition of the Academy Awards.
Starring Diego Cremonesi, Ángela Torres, and Alfonso Tort, Family Album, tells the story of César, who forms a rock band with his teenage sons, shortly after he separates from his wife. Soon enough, the family project will reveal itself unsustainable. The coming of age comedy talks about the difficult bond between parents and children and the world of amateur rock bands.
Uruguay has regularly submitted films for the Academy Award for since 2001, but has not yet received a nomination.
Venezuela: THE SHADOW OF THE SUN
Venezuela has selected The Shadow of the Sun / La sombra del sol by Miguel Alejandro Ferrer as the country’s contender for Best International Film at the 96th edition of the Academy Awards.
The film tells the story of Leo, a salt-of-the-earth blue collar worker who is going through the motions of life in the city of Acarigua, nestled in Venezuela's arid inland empire. Plagued by economic hardship, he does any job he can muster to make ends meet and keep his flailing relationship afloat.
Alex, his deaf younger brother, offers an unusual proposition: To join him in a musical contest and sing a song that he has written, for a chance to win a cash prize that will get them both out of their financial troubles. Leo refuses his brother’s "fantasy," but when a workplace incident gets him fired and ridiculed, Leo must take a leap of faith, rediscover his long dormant musical abilities, and win against all odds in order to change his and his brother’s future.
Ferrer is a Venezuelan-American award winning filmmaker with over 18 years in the advertising, film and television industries. His short film de Monica has won numerous awards worldwide including Best Short film in the Venezuelan International Film Festival and the Madrid International Film Festival. His experimental short Culpa was acquired by HBO and has been an official selection at over 15 festivals, garnering finalist accolades as well as Best Actor win for lead Daniel Hernandez.
