Whether you are a film lover who savours every scene of every movie you watch, having already mastered the language of cinematography, or whether you are just a casual viewer looking for simple and fun visual enjoyment, we are convinced that you will enjoy the movies we recommend in this section as they are strong enough to rival some of the best movies that have come out of Hollywood or other famous film industry centres.
Choosing from some of Latin America’s most influential movie titles is no easy task, as there are so many of them which have great qualities and which really have something to offer which is different to that of all of the others. It is not just that each country has its own unique style of film to offer, but rather that each director has a unique way of seeing the world which is different to all of his contemporaries! Latin American cinema is represented by a diverse range of visions from various auteurs; from the poetic styles of magic realism seen in the films of Alfonso Arau, to the fantastic and dark world of film maker Guillermo del Toro whose work you may already have seen in English language films, you are sure to find something that interests you – and there are plenty more different styles in between to explore for as long as you wish to do so.
Whether it be classic films that introduced breakthrough developments such as María Canderlaria, or more traditional storylines, following the early years of Che Guevara, for instance, in the Motorcycle Diaries, Latin American cinema is full of character and emotion. These stories are about journeys, whether of a physical or a mental nature, and one thing that runs through all of them very strongly is the deep rooted sense of Latin American culture, with each country having its own footprint which has to be recognised in every film which is set there. Customs and traditions are often included on the big screen, and so this will not only help you to practice your language comprehension skills and give you the chance to listen to different accents or ways of speaking, but it will also teach you a lot about the culture itself of each particular part of Latin America. This means that the films from this region are a very important learning tool, and one that you would do very well to make sure that you paid attention to.
Take a look at the films below to see what catches your attention and get to know all about Latin American Cinema in the most entertaining of ways! We have selected some of those which are the most well known or successful not just in Latin America but also in the wider world in general. Some of these films have already managed to break through into the mainstream, and with the cinema industry here still growing from strength to strength those numbers are sure to increase as time goes on.