Mar del Plata International Film Festival
Latin America's only FIAPF A-list festival, held annually in November in Mar del Plata, presenting competitive international cinema at the highest level of festival accreditation in South America's most celebrated beach resort.
Overview
The Mar del Plata International Film Festival is Latin America's only FIAPF A-list festival. Founded in 1954 and held annually in November in Mar del Plata -- Argentina's famous Atlantic coast resort city, four hours south of Buenos Aires -- the festival is one of only fourteen festivals worldwide to hold FIAPF's highest-level competitive accreditation, placing it alongside Cannes, Venice, Berlin, and the other major A-list festivals.
Mar del Plata's history as Latin America's most glamorous seaside resort, with its grand casino, its Art Deco architecture, and its place in Argentine popular culture as the national vacation destination, creates a festival environment combining cultural prestige with popular appeal.
Argentina's extraordinary film tradition -- one of the richest in Latin America, with internationally acclaimed directors including Lucrecia Martel, Pablo Trapero, and others associated with the New Argentine Cinema movement -- gives the festival a domestic film culture of remarkable depth.
Key Sections
- International Competition -- films competing for the Astor Award
- Latin American Competition -- films from Latin America
- Argentine Cinema -- new Argentine features
- Documentary Competition -- nonfiction features
- Short Film Competition -- competitive programs
What Filmmakers Should Know
Mar del Plata accepts submissions by invitation for the Main Competition and open submissions for other sections. The Astor Award (named for Astor Piazzolla, the tango master) is Latin America's most prestigious competitive film prize and one of the most significant internationally. FIAPF accreditation means the competition carries the highest institutional recognition.
Major Awards
- Silver Astor -- Best Film
- Special Jury Prize
- Best Latin American Film
- Best Argentine Film
- Audience Award
Festival History
Mar del Plata was founded in 1954 and has operated, with interruptions during political turbulence, for seven decades.
See Also
For Argentine cinema, see International Film Markets. For Latin American cinema broadly, see Film Festival Strategy.
