The Argentina pavilion may be absent from the Cannes Croisette this year amid an ongoing national funding crisis, yet the head of the country’s film academy remained unbowed, declaring, “We are here for our industry.”
Academy president Hernán Findling said, “The Academy will defend and promote Argentinian cinema. We have a long tradition and we’re doing whatever we can to share how important our national industry is.”
Referring to the suspension of public film body INCAA, Academy vice president Sabrina Farji said, “We’re very worried because we don’t know how many films there will be here next year.
“It’s also important to bring attention to the fact that all this support we took for granted has gone. It’s important for other Latin American countries to watch what’s happening in Argentina,” she said.
”We’ve received a lot of support from FIACINE [the Iberoamerican federation of academies] and we think an attack on one country’s film industry is an attack on all,” she added.
Farji continued, ”This also impacts all co-productions. Filmmakers will find a way; maybe through co-productions as minority partners.”
Film organisations coalition group Cine Argentino Unido gathers in Cannes this evening (May 19), while organisers of the Ventana Sur market are meeting to discuss this year’s upcoming edition.
As previously reported, Ventana Sur has been mulling a move to Uruguay this year to circumvent the lack of support from national film body INCAA, which has been suspended.
Referring to INCAA, Hernán said, INCAA is very fragile… Last year Argentina made about 65 films and this year it will be around eight. If INCAA doesn’t exist, all productions will come from the platforms.”
Tomorrow brings a presentation by Argentina’s Academy of Cinematographic Arts and Sciences of Argentina.
Argentina’s handful of Cannes selections this year include Simon Of The Mountain in Critics’ Week.
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