Panama selects ‘Chichero’ for 2027 Goya and Oscar races

The film ‘Chichero’ has been selected by the Academy of Cinematographic Arts and Sciences of Panama to officially represent the country at the 2027 Goya Awards and enter the race for a 2027 Oscar nomination.

Directed by Arturo Montenegro and Aarón Bromley, the film follows Josué, a young Quechua man who flees the armed conflict in Peru during the 1980s to seek a new life in Panama. While working as a vendor of chicha and empanadas, he pursues his ambition of becoming a boxing champion and forms a connection with a woman named Gaby. The story explores themes of migration, resilience, and love.

The production, supported by the Ministry of Culture of Panama, will compete for the Best Ibero-American Film category at the Goya Awards and for the Best International Feature Film category at the Oscars. The film features a cast including Peruvian actor Júnior Béjar Roca alongside Panamanian talents such as Andrea Pérez Meana, Mafe Achurra, and Gaby Gnazzo.