The Mar del Plata International Film Festival, the only Class A festival in Latin America and a cornerstone of Argentina’s cultural identity, returned in 2025 with one of its strongest editions in recent memory. Set against the coastal charm of the Atlantic city, the festival continues to consolidate its role as a global platform for artistic risk-taking, Latin American storytelling, and political cinema with a pulse.

Founded in 1954, Mar del Plata stands apart from other major festivals for its dual commitment: championing experimental forms and honoring the social, historical, and cultural complexities that define Argentine and Latin American film. The 2025 edition reaffirmed this identity, blending politically resonant works, bold genre experiments, and a remarkable lineup of emerging voices whose films expanded the continent’s cinematic language.

Programme Highlights

This year’s programming emphasized diversity in both form and geography:

• International Competition – A selection of auteur-driven films from around the world, foregrounding narrative and formal innovation.
• Latin American Competition – One of the festival’s signature sections, spotlighting the region’s most urgent and daring voices.
• Argentine Competition – Celebrating local talent through films that interrogate identity, history, and the contradictions of contemporary Argentina.
• Altered States – Hybrid cinema, experimental works, and documentaries that push against narrative boundaries.
• Retrospectives & Tributes – Revisiting masters of global cinema and spotlighting Argentine legends whose legacies continue to shape the region.

The atmosphere, as always in Mar del Plata, combined cinephile passion with a uniquely Argentine warmth: seaside screenings, packed auditoriums, public talks, and a palpable sense of cinema as a communal ritual.

2025 Award Winners

The official awards for the 2025 edition recognized powerful films from Latin America, Europe, and Asia, reinforcing Mar del Plata’s international scope:

• Golden Astor – Best International Feature Film: Calle Málaga by Maryam Touzani (Morocco)
• Special Jury Prize: Vache Folle by Hugo Diego García & Lorenzo Bentivoglio (Switzerland)
• Best Direction: Nicolangelo Gelormini for La Gioia (Italy)
• Best Actor (ex aequo): Saul Nanni for La Gioia, and Hugo Diego García for Vache Folle
• Best Actress: Carmen Maura for Calle Málaga
• Best Screenplay: & Sons by Sarah Polley / Pablo Trapero (UK/Argentina)
• Silver Astor – Best Latin American Feature: 3.000 km en bicicleta by Iván Vescovo (Argentina)
• Silver Astor – Best Argentine Film: Risa y la cabina del viento by Juan Cabral
• Premio José Martínez Suárez – Best Direction (Argentina): Juan Cabral for Risa y la cabina del viento
• Best Short Film (Argentina): Tu cuerpo en mi habitación by Axel Cheb Terrab
• Public / Audience Award: Calle Málaga by Maryam Touzani

Why Mar del Plata Matters

Mar del Plata remains a vital cultural anchor not only for Argentina but for global cinema. Its significance lies in:

• Championing Latin American voices that challenge political narratives and expand cinematic language.
• Creating a dialogue between regional and international auteurs, fostering a space where global cinema feels less hierarchical and more communal.
• Encouraging experimentation through sections like Altered States, which consistently premiere some of the boldest films of the year.
• Celebrating Argentine cinema, both established and emerging, through dedicated competitions that highlight the country’s evolving identity.

The festival’s Atlantic setting reinforces its poetic character: cinema here feels like an encounter between wind, water, memory, and imagination.

A Festival Rooted in Place, Looking Outward

More than a showcase, the 2025 edition felt like a manifesto for the future of Latin American film: emotionally rich, politically sharp, and formally inventive. Despite economic challenges in the country, the festival radiated resilience and artistic conviction.

Mar del Plata’s strength lies in its ability to remain deeply local—anchored in Argentine cinephile culture—while simultaneously connecting with global filmmaking currents. In an increasingly fragmented film landscape, it stands as a reminder that cinema still thrives in spaces where community and art meet on equal terms.

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