A week ago we celebrated the historic Oscar nomination for The Mole Agent directed by Maite Alberdi. Today we’re happy to announce that Gaucho Americano, the third film by Nicolás Molina, has been selected in the international competition of Hot Docs, one of the most important nonfiction festivals in the world.
The executive producer of the film is Marcela Santibáñez, nominated for the Oscar for The Mole Agent, while the producer is Josephine Schroeder, winner of the Bright Future Award from the jury at Rotterdam Film Festival for her latest premiere, Story of My Name.
The new release by Molina continues with his trademark audacity, as demonstrated in Los Castores (Sheffield 2014, Best Film Award at FICVALDIVIA) and Flow (Sheffield 2018, Best Chilean Film at SANFIC), this time exploring the world of Patagonian “gauchos” in the Midwest of the United States.
Gaucho Americano weaves a story of survival and of the state of being uprooted that will surprise audiences for its cinematographic beauty, loaded with nods to the Western genre.
Marcela Santibañez, executive producer of the documentary, shared her vision about the big moment for Chilean cinema: “In the last few years, documentaries in Chile have gathered a great force that’s breaking down barriers, and this year, with the nomination of The Mole Agent as Best Documentary at the Oscars, the visibility of this genre and this country is at a true peak".
And she adds: "From our corner, we’re telling stories that are unique but universal, and Gaucho Americano only reaffirms that fact, that our filmmakers have an important place in the industry, and that our stories can be seen and understood in every reach of the globe.”
Josephine Schroeder, producer of the documentary, told us about the relevance of the film, one with contemporary themes in our globalized world: “Gaucho Americano comes to illustrate the challenge implied by adapting to a different culture, working under new rules, carrying with you the melancholy of what one leaves behind. It resonates powerfully in Chile and with the way the country has of receiving immigrants, this time projecting Chileans in the United States.”
CHILE BACK TO THE INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION OF HOT DOCS
Hot Docs will take place from April 29 to May 9 as a hybrid online/in-person event due to the pandemic. This festival is of huge relevance to Chilean cinema, previously selecting films like Cielo (2017) by Alison McPhee and the short film Sigo Acá (2017) by Tana Gilbert. Gaucho Americano is the first Chilean film to be selected for this festival’s international competition in 8 years.
