Chilean film has a lot to say. After experiencing the burdens of an authoritarian dictatorship and the socio-economic problems of a sudden democracy, Chilean film is brimming with commentary on social, political and economic issues.
The majority of Chilean films investigate first world issues from globalism to gender through the characters, the mentality and the setting of a third world country. As a result, Chilean films have a mixed identity which provides unique and insightful commentary on subjects familiar to a first world audience, and visual elements familiar to a third world audience.
For these reasons, Chilean film has a near-universal audience. This unique identity is what separates Chilean film from other countries and makes it so universal in terms of its storytelling and international reception.
In the words of Vicente Canales, a Spanish sales agent specialized in international marketing, “There’s a crop of Chilean directors with huge talent who know how to render local stories universal, shoot highly cinematographic films that are unique, different” (2010).
Canales understands how seamlessly Chilean filmmakers are able to translate their films to an international audience while retaining their unique identity.
Chilean filmmakers have the ability to tell their stories in a thoughtful and internationally receptible style, and in recent years, several of these Chilean films have received critical acclaim.
“A Fantastic Woman” (2017), a fictional romance on the social and political prejudice surrounding transgenderism, had a box office of $3.0 million, received 15 awards internationally and won an Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film.
The film provides an abundance of social and political commentary on the treatment of trans women but tells it through characters which occupy both the setting and culture of Santiago, Chile.
The last Chilean film to receive such high praise was “Bear Story” (2014) which received six awards, and also won an Oscar for Best Animated Short Film.
Bear Story Trailer from İstanbul Animation Festival on Vimeo.
It provides political commentary questioning the morality and authority of governments through an animated interpretation of the Chilean coup d’état. The characters, culture and settings define the vibrant yet troubled third world of Chile but the story goes on to explore first world issues such as government control over freedom of movement and the unlawful imprisonment of citizens.
The success of Chilean film in both of these instances can be accredited to the unique identity through which their stories are told. However, as of right now many Chilean films do not receive the funding necessary to compete fairly on a global market. With increased funding and more co-productions with other countries, many of these films will be able to reach new audiences. Most importantly, Chilean film will become a larger competitor internationally with time as Chilean filmmakers continue to produce more unique and award-winning films.
Sources:
https://search-proquest-com.library.sheridanc.on.ca/docview/1990033709?pq-origsite=summon
https://journals-sagepub-com.library.sheridanc.on.ca/doi/full/10.1177/0094582X12463198
https://search-proquest-com.library.sheridanc.on.ca/docview/2026643526?pq-origsite=summon
https://search-proquest-com.library.sheridanc.on.ca/docview/1657428287?pq-origsite=summon
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