Peruvian film featured at the Malaga Film Festival

The number of tourist destinations used as filming locations in Peruvian movies keeps growing, increasing Peru's presence at international festivals.

Peru took part in the 28th edition of the Malaga Film Festival, held from March 14 to 23 in Malaga, Spain. Through its Film in Peru initiative, PROMPERÚ aimed to promote the country as a prime filming destination. To achieve this, the Commission for the Promotion of Peru for Export and Tourism (PROMPERÚ), in coordination with the Commercial Office of Peru in Spain and the Ministry of Culture, participated in MAFIZ, the festival's industry section.

To achieve this, the Commission for the Promotion of Peru for Export and Tourism (PROMPERÚ), in coordination with the Commercial Office of Peru in Spain and the Ministry of Culture, participated in MAFIZ, the festival's industry section.

Peru provides both national and international producers with an unforgettable filming experience, showcasing a variety of stunning tourist destinations while promoting and diversifying the country’s tourism offerings. Through Film in Peru, filmmakers receive support and guidance on visa processing and filming permits nationwide, along with other services designed to ensure a seamless experience for the audiovisual industry.

Here are some key figures from Peru’s participation in the event:

- Over 40 Ibero-American film industry professionals expressed interest in filming in Peru.

- More than five Peruvian films, shot in Cusco, Ancash, Loreto, Arequipa, Lambayeque, Lima, Junin, and Moquegua, were featured at the Malaga Film Festival.

- Around 500 attendees experienced Peru’s diverse filming locations through graphic advertisements displayed in public spaces during the festival.

As part of a day dedicated to the Indigenous peoples of the Americas, Kinra, a Quechua-language fiction film directed by Marco Panatonic, was screened. Filmed in Chumbivilcas, Cusco, Kinra made history as the second Peruvian production to win the top award at a Class A festival, earning the Astor Piazzolla Award for Best Feature Film at the 2023 Mar del Plata International Film Festival. This achievement had not been seen since La teta asustada won the Golden Bear at the Berlin Film Festival in 2009.

In addition to these productions, several Peruvian projects were featured in MAFIZ, the industry section of the Malaga Festival, a key platform where films like Diogenes and Punku have participated in previous editions.

Vino la noche, directed by Paolo Tizon and filmed in Arequipa, Lambayeque, Lima, Junin, and Moquegua, competed in the Documentary section. The film explores the making of a soldier in Peru, following a group of young recruits as they undergo rigorous military training in the Peruvian Armed Forces. This short film went on to win its category.

Another featured film was Ojala pudiera decir la verdad, directed by Victor Augusto Mendivil. The documentary delves into a painful family tragedy, as the director pieces together multiple records and archives in search of answers about the events of January 26, 1983.

Malaga WIP and Progress is a market section aimed at supporting film financing, promoting their dissemination, assisting in post-production, and facilitating global distribution. Carlos Sanchez Giraldo’s No hay ida sin retorno participated in this section, earning two distinctions: the Malaga Festival Award (Malaga WIP Ibero-America), valued at EUR 5,000, and the Chemistry Award for Image Post-Production in a Latin American film, worth USD 15,000.

The MAFF Malaga Festival Fund & Co-Production Event supports the development of innovative Ibero-American cinema, focusing on themes that raise social awareness and inspire reflection on global change. This year, El Mar La Mar by Julian Estrada and Se buscan inquilinos by Maria Paz Barragan participated, earning two distinctions: the Sideral Award (EUR 5,000 for international distribution) and the Térrea Award (EUR 2,000 for the development of a sustainability plan).

Finally, Malaga Talent, an initiative led by Antonio Banderas, brings together 20 young audiovisual professionals from Latin America and Europe each year to help them overcome creative challenges and foster professional collaboration. The program provides participants with specialized training and mentorship from renowned industry experts. This year, Peruvian director and researcher Daniela Goto Uehara and cinematographer Aldo Prieto took part in the event.