Chile's Paulina García Honored at Brazil's Bonito Cinesur Film Festival

The fourth edition of the Bonito Cinesur film festival began on 24 July in Bonito, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil. The event showcases 32 audiovisual works from 13 South‑American countries, featuring a mix of competitive and parallel sections that address themes such as indigenous cultures, the military dictatorship, freedom, social issues and climate change.

Chilean actress Paulina García is the festival’s honoree. She is recognized for roles in “A Noiva do Deserto”, “Narcose Gloria” and for winning the Silver Bear for Best Actress at the Berlin Film Festival. García will be highlighted in the opening film “Querido Trópico”. Festival coordinator Andrea Freire said the tribute aims to bring a “relevant and expressive” South‑American cinema figure to public attention.

Franco‑Brazilian filmmaker Vincent Carelli receives the Pantanal Trophy for his body of work, notably the “Vídeo nas Aldeias” project that has produced over 70 indigenous‑led films and earned UNESCO recognition and Brazil’s Order of Cultural Merit. Other festival highlights include the national premiere of the documentary “Honestino”, about student leader Honestino Guimarães during Brazil’s military regime, and the documentary “Minha Terra Estrangeira”, following indigenous leader Almir Suruí and his daughter Txai ahead of the 2022 elections.