62 Essential Chilean Films of All Time

In Paris, Chilean refugees grapple with their displacement. Driven to desperate measures, they orchestrate a kidnapping and try to reshape the worldview of a popular singer visiting from Chile.

Jorge is a quiet, hardworking man who wants a peaceful life for his family. His world changes when he's mugged and humiliated by Kalule, a local thug. Jorge’s son is enraged by his father’s passive reaction to the attack and,…

This film explores the life and art of Juan Luis Martinez. His peers discuss his perspective on reality and the political situation in Chile.

In the Chilean Atacama Desert, astronomers study the universe, seeking clues about how life began. Meanwhile, a group of women combs the desert sands for remains of relatives, victims of the violent repression carried out by Pinochet's government.

Inspired by true events, the film follows 17-year-old Johnny García as he gets drawn into a robbery orchestrated by four older criminals targeting a money-laundering operation disguised as a video store. Their attempt to flee the crime scene unleashes a…

This documentary reveals the shockingly poor conditions endured by patients at a psychiatric hospital in Iquique.

After the death of his newborn brother, a boy from Santiago's poor neighborhoods wanders the city carrying the baby's cardboard wings from the wake. He believes that by returning them, his little brother can fly to heaven.

Set in Chile during 1973, this film explores the complex political tensions that sparked a violent overthrow of the democratically elected government of Salvador Allende. The movie depicts the growing conflicts and shifting power dynamics as different groups clash. It…

The film follows the intense period before the CIA becomes involved in a major political change. It portrays the raw emotions and complicated details of those involved in the coup as the story unfolds. More than just a historical account,…

Following an attack by Peruvian troops, seventeen Chilean soldiers struggle to survive in the desert under the leadership of their Captain. Tension arises when the civilian Lieutenant, pursuing control of valuable nitrate deposits, conflicts with the Captain. The conflict is…

In the film's final section, director Guzmán offers a personal look at people working to revive and build upon the legacy of Salvador Allende, who was overthrown. The film explores the challenges and successes of those who keep fighting for…

In Santiago, Chile, under the controversial Marxist government of President Salvador Allende, Father McEnroe champions leftist ideals by opening St. Patrick, a prestigious Catholic prep school, to students from working-class families. Among the new students is Pedro Machuca, the son…

Agüero observes the overwhelming architectural landscape of Santiago de Chile around the year 2000, taking in its full, complex reality.

In 1988, facing international pressure, Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet is compelled to hold a vote on whether he can stay in power for another eight years. Opposition leaders recruit a young, ambitious advertising executive named René Saavedra to lead their…

Gloria, a 58-year-old woman recently divorced and with her children grown, is determined to avoid a lonely life. She throws herself into attending singles' parties, hoping for quick romance, but finds only disappointment. However, when she meets Rodolfo, a man…

Set in late 1980s Chile under Pinochet's rule, the film follows a photographer who maintains a detached perspective on the political climate. However, he remains deeply affected by the 1975 disappearance of his activist brother at the Villa Grimaldi torture…

This film explores the life and work of Violeta Parra, the celebrated Chilean singer-songwriter and folklorist, through her music, personal reflections, relationships, and ambitions. It portrays both her successes and challenges, revealing Parra's artistic journey as she worked to protect…

This documentary follows Ricardo Liaño, a former businessman deeply involved in Chilean boxing, now leading a life seemingly in stark contrast to his past. Liaño appears to be actively trying to distance himself from his previous world.

Erre, a teenager living with his uncle, aunt, and distant sister, is removed from his school's records. He then drifts through locations where the unusual is subtly concealed beneath a veneer of normalcy.

Confined to his bed and ailing, an old sailor fiercely protects his home and his son. He uses numerous mirrors placed throughout his room and house to keep a watchful eye on them, particularly on his son's secret affair with…

The film chronicles the actions of Chilean national hero Manuel Rodriguez and the key events of Chile's War of Independence from Spain in the early 1800s.

This film follows a day in the life of a street musician in a Chilean city, known as an "organillero." He plays his distinctive organ music throughout the streets.

"Dinamita" Araya leads a quiet, unremarkable life after retiring from boxing. A chance meeting with a woman reignites his passion for living. His toughest fight is now against life itself.

This documentary follows a Chilean man who meticulously impersonates Charles Bronson.

At a house party, a charming man reconnects with old friends. Andre, a travel writer living an adventurous life in Berlin, seems to have it all. Yet, he's returned to Santiago for a reason. As the party progresses, it becomes…

In a Santiago bar, two elderly men reminisce about their lives. Their conversation is unusual; they speak of themselves in the past tense, as if already deceased. The film blurs the line between truth and fiction, reality and dream, leaving…

This observational film uses a news program's fragmented style to offer a cinematic look at the reality presented to us every day by the media.

Two thieves journey through the Chilean desert, eventually reaching a small town near Bolivia. Hoping to blend in, their past catches up to them, leading to devastating consequences. Based on a true story, the film premiered a year after the…

A seemingly shallow geologist unexpectedly connects with a history student who is drifting through life. He then proposes marriage to his nudist neighbor.

A taxi driver is forced by two petty criminals to participate in a robbery. They offer him a choice: drive them to the locations they plan to rob, or be locked in the trunk with them.

After a long exile, Félix and Magui return to their homeland. Magui's father brings them to a family home. Félix struggles to adjust to the country's social customs and the presence of outsiders, which begins to worry the family patriarch.

A young artist forms a friendship with his neighbor, a criminal grappling with guilt over a past offense and yearning for redemption.

A group of four writers, fueled by alcohol, craft a short story about making a deal with the Devil. Unbeknownst to them, the events of their fictional tale begin to unfold in real life.

Director Carmen Castillo meets with Marcia Merino, known as La Flaca Alejandra, a former collaborator with Pinochet's secret police, DINA, who had previously been tortured by them. Merino was responsible for betraying Castillo, who suffered the loss of her newborn…

The film explores the lives of several young Chileans, focusing on their dedication and disappointments surrounding football – a central part of their culture. It presents three separate stories, each highlighting their personal connection to the sport and the intense…

A man brings his insecure, overweight lover to a seaside resort hoping to deepen their relationship. However, while there, he unexpectedly discovers an artistic breakthrough that profoundly alters his life.

Inspired by true events in Valparaiso's port, the film follows four impoverished children abandoned after their father is arrested for stealing cattle to feed them. Told from the children’s perspective, the story unfolds in four episodes depicting their gradual entry…

A taxi driver finds Marlene, a woman from outside the city, disoriented in a brothel. He offers to help her and takes her to his home. Gradually, his protective instincts towards her evolve into something strange and obsessive.

This experimental drama is based on a real 1960 Chilean murder case that sparked intense debate about capital punishment. It tells the story of an illiterate peasant who, while intoxicated, killed the woman he was involved with and her five…

The film follows a teenage boy in early 1900s Chile, belonging to the country's upper class. It explores the rituals and challenges he faces as he comes of age within his society.

The Surire Salt Flat, high in the Chilean Plateau, is one of the most isolated places on Earth. It preserves pristine natural beauty, but also holds a powerful draw: vast deposits of borax that promise enormous profits for mining companies.…

Ramiro, a Chilean teacher, is exiled to a remote southern town frequently hit by tidal waves. He develops a relationship with Maite, but her father asks him to leave her. Ramiro later gains his freedom but chooses to stay. When…

Raquel has worked as the live-in housekeeper for a comfortable family for years, but the monotonous routine is wearing her down. Increasingly reliant on painkillers, she begins playing pranks and avoiding work to provoke the family's college-aged daughter and new…

The film captures the sensory experience of entering Manzanito's wicker workshop in late 1950s Santiago, Chile. It presents a visual portrait of the craftsman's workspace.

Niki and his friends are part of a marginalized community living on the edges of Santiago. As Chile moves from dictatorship to democracy (1988-1990), they shift from a life of drug use, alcohol, and petty crime to a world of…

After a failed suicide attempt, Daniel SS attempts to rebuild his life by moving from Río Maipo to downtown Santiago. However, throughout his journey, he finds no reason to continue living.

A young woman from a working-class background falls in love with a privileged young man involved in a plot to assassinate General Schneider, the head of the Chilean Army. The film was shot in 1973 over six weeks with a…

Raúl Ruiz's 2002 Franco-Chilean digital video series is a four-part experimental work. The first part received a FIPRESCI Award at the Montreal World Film Festival in 2002, recognized for the director’s personal exploration of his homeland and his rigorous yet…

Andres, the aging heir to a once-prominent Chilean family, lives a life of luxury and isolation. He employs the young Estela to care for his domineering grandmother. Despite their differences in age and social standing, Andres begins to court Estela,…

This film is based on true events and tells the story of Fernando Karadima, a powerful Catholic priest who committed child abuse between the 1980s and 2000s. It follows the difficult journey of his victims as they fight to expose…

More than sixty years after graduating, Alicia, Gema, Angelica, Ximena, and Maria Teresa maintain a tradition of regular afternoon teas. They gather to share news and memories while enjoying elaborate spreads. The impeccably dressed women discuss a wide range of…

This is the story of Chilean children who discover new worlds through film. Every Saturday, Alicia Vega holds workshops in the chapel of Lo Hermida, introducing the children to cinema under the church's guidance. The children, many of whom have…

A chance encounter at a party in Santiago, Chile leads to a passionate night for two young people, Bruno and Daniela. After a one-night stand at a modest motel, they spend the night together, sharing intimate moments and developing a…

Alejandro Jodorowsky’s biographical project centers on his desperate search for purpose after rejecting a false sense of self. Born in 1929 in Tocopilla, a Chilean coastal town bordering the desert, he experienced a challenging and isolated childhood as his family…

In Santiago, four people pursue their dreams: a psychologist aiming to support women and prevent tragedy, a hairdresser hoping for a car, a musician striving for a spot in a philharmonic orchestra, and a young woman just trying to get…

The film documents life in rural southern Chile and the work of CORA, the Agrarian Reform Corporation. Shot over four days and nights in 1971, the project wasn't completed until 1973 in France, following the military coup.

A man becomes fixated on the disco dancing of John Travolta's character in the film "Saturday Night Fever."

This film offers a brief look into the lives of siblings Amanda and Tito as they navigate the shadowy world of Santiago's criminal underbelly over a few days and nights. It presents a broad view of Chilean society.

The director's house has a door leading directly to the street, a threshold between his private world and the city of Santiago de Chile. Inside, the house holds his personal history, his belongings, his thoughts, and his imagination. The narratives…

Jerónimo, a reclusive local, earns a living by renting rooms to expats, using the opportunity to secretly examine their possessions. His routine is disrupted by the arrival of Sanna, a young woman who begins to draw him in. As they…

The ocean holds the history of humanity, echoing with voices from Earth and beyond. Fueled by starlight, water connects all living things. Along Chile's 2,670 miles of coastline, the sea conceals a secret: two mysterious buttons discovered on the ocean…

Four former priests live in quiet isolation in a seaside town, along with the woman who manages their home. The Church has sent them here as a form of penance, a deliberate separation from their former lives to atone for…