Alex de la Iglesia, Spain’s Horror-Meister, to Be Honored at Sanfic
The 21st edition of Chile’s prestigious Santiago International Film Festival (Sanfic) is set to kick off on August 17 with a lineup that promises to impress cinephiles and industry professionals alike. The festival will open with the highly anticipated Cannes Palme d’Or winner ‘It Was Just an Accident’ by Iranian director Jafar Panahi, who defied expectations by attending the festival last May.
The closing film of the festival on August 24 will be “Miss Carbón” starring Lux Pascal, Pedro Pascal’s trans sister, alongside Spanish actor Paco León. Directed by Agustina Macri, the film is based on the true story of Carla Antonella “Carlita” Rodríguez, the first female miner in Patagonia.
Sanfic will feature a star-studded lineup of luminaries, including Spain’s genre king Álex de la Iglesia, Oscar winner Sebastián Lelio, and Venezuelan director Mariana Rondón. The festival will showcase 89 feature films and shorts, including 21 world premieres, 21 Latin American premieres, and 47 Chilean debuts.
Sanfic director Carlos Nuñez expressed excitement about the diverse and thought-provoking lineup, stating that the selection aims to explore today’s most pressing issues through bold and visually striking films. The festival will also feature a strong focus on animation, with two world premieres in the National Talent Short Film competition.
Sanfic Industria, the festival’s industry space, will introduce two new initiatives this year: the Chile Industry Academy in collaboration with Locarno, and the Queer Incubator, which supports fiction feature projects with LGBTIQA+ themes. The industry space aims to provide training and support for young film professionals working in the circulation of independent cinema.
The festival’s goals include expanding, diversifying, and decentralizing audiences, with a target of surpassing 40,000 in-person attendees. Sanfic aims to be a platform not only for showcasing auteur cinema but also for fostering community, dialogue, and exchange.
The international titles in competition at Sanfic include films from Spain, Portugal, Panama, Colombia, France, Mexico, Germany, Sweden, and Italy. The Chilean films in competition will vie for awards in categories such as Best Film, Best Director, and Best Performance.
Overall, the 21st edition of Sanfic promises to be a celebration of bold and innovative cinema, with a focus on diverse voices and compelling storytelling. The festival runs from August 17-24, offering a unique opportunity to experience the best of international and Chilean cinema.
