The 20 best South American films in the history of cinema
When talking about cinema, Hollywood immediately comes to mind, without imagining that the seventh art also belongs to South America, where they stand out cinematographic productions of excellent quality and that have nothing to envy to the North American ones nor to those of other countries.
Countless films made in this part of the world have been recognized worldwide and winners of numerous festivals such as Cannes or Venice, and even The Oscar. South American cinema has become a source of inspiration for many great international directors, with important stories and issues that affect Latino society and many of them are symbols of their countries.
The Latin American film industry has been active for more than seven decades, whose tapes are a reflection of the prevailing culture in these nations and have survived due to the professionalism that surrounds them and the endearing stories they tell. That is why below we will see a selection of the best South American films in the history of cinema that show their potential in the seventh art.
- We recommend you read: "The 10 best Argentine films in history"
What are the best Latin American movies?
To learn a little more about South American cinema, here are 20 films from South America that have been relevant both in the countries of origin and internationally.
1. City of God
This Brazilian film has been honored with numerous international awards. His story is based on the experiences of an 11-year-old boy named Buscapé who is immersed in a world of violence and drugs that are very common in the favelas in the suburbs of Rio de Janeiro. It is directed by Fernando Meirelles.
2. Bad hair
It tells the story of Junior, a 9-year-old boy who, having a different type of hair, decides to straighten it to look much better in the school photo. This brings problems with her mother, a young widow in her 30s who sees such action as only a girl's thing. On her side, her paternal grandmother wants the child to live with her to accompany her through her old age, regardless of whether it is something feminine. One of the most remarkable and different films of Venezuelan cinema, which was directed by Mariana Rondón.
3. The club
It is a Chilean film filmed in 2015 directed by Pablo Larraín, focusing on the history of four priests who for committing reprehensible acts are confined in a retirement home under the gaze of an elderly woman nun. Everything goes normally until another pedophile priest arrives who causes various events that generate the arrival of another cleric who seeks to clarify the facts.
4. The Secret in Their Eyes
It is a story of drama and suspense based on the novel "The question of their eyes" by Eduardo Sacheri. This Argentine film, directed by Juan José Campanella, is based on the experiences of Benjamín Espósito, a Retired police officer who decides to write a book about a heinous murder where he was involved. During his research to write his novel, he stumbles upon another crime that triggers a series of events. It is one of the best Argentine films in history.
5. The forgotten
Mexican film filmed in the 50s, directed and written by Luis Buñuel. It reflects the marginal story of children who are left home or left on the street by their own parents. Without a doubt, it is one of the best works of this director, which earned him the award for Best Director at the Cannes Film Festival in 1951.
6. Maria Full of Grace
It is a Colombian film that reflects the harsh reality of people who decide to become drug trafficking mules.. Her director is Joshua Marston and it deals with the story of María, a teenager who becomes pregnant with her boyfriend Juan, but due to financial difficulties she decides to look for a better future. So she is involved in the world of drug trafficking and with hard work, she tries to get out of that horrible world. She has been awarded the Golden Bear and an Oscar nomination.
7. The Scared Tit
It is a Peruvian film directed by Claudia Llosa that tells the story of Fausta, a young woman who struggles with her own fears and fears, because believes he has the disease known as scared tit, a disease suffered by women who were sexually abused during the time of terrorism Peruvian. Fausta goes through a series of situations that make her see that there are people to trust. It was nominated for the Oscars for Best Foreign Film.
8. Whiskey
This funny Uruguayan comedy Directed by Juan Pablo Rebella and Pablo Stoll tells the story of Herman and Jacobo, two Jewish brothers who have different lives and successes. Everything changes when Herman goes to visit Jacobo and he asks his employee Marta to pretend to be his wife during his brother's stay. Getting out of the routine makes these characters see life differently.
9. The Smoking Fish
Tape that is considered the most representative of the director Román Chalbaud and of Venezuelan cinema, the story is focuses on the bar "El Pez que Fuma", owned by La Garza, who has Dimas as his lover and administrator of the local. When Jairo arrives in the lives of these characters, a series of vicissitudes begins that will lead Dimas to jail.
10. No
Chilean film directed by Pablo Larraín that focuses on the attempt to overthrow the government of Augusto Pinochet, but through a fun campaign put into practice by a group of advertisers who, in a very intelligent way, support the opposition. It has the participation of the Mexican actor Gael García Bernal.
11. Love Dogs
This film has become a milestone in Mexican cinema since it is the first film directed by Alejandro González Iñárritu, winner of four Oscars, and the one that catapulted Gael García Bernal internationally. The story focuses on a group of people who, due to a car accident, their lives take an unexpected turn.
12. The Rose Seller
It is one of the Colombian films that has caused a great impact, directed by Víctor Gaviria. It tells the story of Mónica, a 13-year-old girl who lives on the streets and survives by selling roses outside the main clubs in the city. She is accompanied by a 10-year-old girl who ran away from home after being beaten by her mother and a group of children who sell drugs on the streets of Medellín. It is an almost biographical film since its protagonists lived situations very similar to the characters.
13. The Snail's strategy
This humorous Colombian film, whose director was Sergio Cabrera, reflects with a certain humor how people look for different alternatives to avoid certain injustices. The plot focuses on the occurrences of a group of people who carry out a series of strategies to get revenge on the man who wants to get them out of their homes.
14. Pixote, the law of the weakest
1981 Brazilian film directed by Héctor Babenco, tells the story of Pixote, a boy who lives on the streets of Sao Paulo and that he is taken by the police to a reformatory where he suffered a lot of abuse from the guards, for which he inhales glue to forget.
15. Rome
Mexican film winner of three Oscars in 2018, one of them being Best Picture. Directed by Alfonso Cuarón, it is a story that recounts the experiences of Cleo, a young girl from service that works in the house of an upper middle family that lives in the Roma neighborhood in Ciudad Mexico. It portrays domestic life and the social and political problems that occurred in Mexico in the 1970s.
16. Nine Queens
An Argentine film directed by Fabián Bielinsky and tells the story of two friends Juan and Marcos who seek to carry out a business dedicated to scams and in just 24 hours. This couple seeks all means to successfully carry out their mission and earn a large sum of money. It was awarded as Best Film, Best Director and an Award given by the public at the Mar de Plata International Festival.
17. Machuca
Chilean biographical film of the director Andrés Wood. It focuses on the story of two children who become friends in the 1970s even though they belong to different social classes. Their friendship grows in a time where Chile goes through a time full of political tensions that threatens to separate them.
18. And Your Mother Too
This multi-award-winning Mexican film with various international awards and an Academy Award nomination, from director Alfonso Cuarón, tells the story of two teenagers who embark on a journey with an adult woman. During this journey, they reflect on true friendship, sex, and themselves.
19. All 33
It is a Chilean biographical drama, directed by Patricia Riggen, which recounts the experiences of 33 Chilean miners who were trapped for 69 days more than 700 meters underground after the collapse of the San José Mine, which occurred on August 5, 2010.
20. Blue and not so pink
First Venezuelan film to win a Goya award, it was directed by actor Miguel Ferrari. This film addresses very important issues and in some cases very controversial with them are gender violence, homosexuality and transsexuality.