EL LUGAR DE LA OTRA
Chile
Dir. Maide Alberti

This is the debut narrative feature from acclaimed documentary filmmaker Maite Alberdi (Chile). Alberdi has directed the renowned, award-winning documentaries THE MOLE AGENT and THE ETERNAL MEMORY, both of which received Oscar nominations for Best Documentary. In this new film, Alberdi skillfully helms a period thriller, demonstrating her versatility as a director; At 43, she is already a major figure in world cinema. IN HER PLACE is based on the true story of writer María Carolina Geel, who killed her lover at the Crillon Hotel in Santiago, Chile, in 1955; the film offers a reinterpretation of a story from Alia Trabucco Zerán’s book *The Murderers*.

AUN ES DE NOCHE IN CARACAS
Venezuela
Dirs. Mariana Rondón, Marité Ugas

Familiarity with the cinema of Mariana Rondón and Marité Ugas—winners of the Golden Shell at the San Sebastián Film Festival for PELO MALO  (2013)—is essential to understanding recent Venezuelan cinema. They once again use Caracas as their setting, this time with a screenplay based on the novel *La hija de la española* by Karin Sainz and featuring a spectacular performance by Natalia Reyes, who must fight against those trying to seize her home amidst the city’s turmoil.

UN POETA
Colombia
Dir. Simon Soto Mesa

A gem of recent Colombian cinema, A POET—the title alone explains why this film is part of the lineup—features an original screenplay penned by the director. It follows a poet, Oscar Restrepo, through the streets of Medellín; his obsession with poetry has brought him no glory. Aging and erratic, he has succumbed to the cliché of the poet living in the shadows. The film’s greatest asset is the humor—get ready to laugh heartily.

His connection to Argentina is also profound. Hendler is the partner of the renowned actress and director Ana Katz, to whom VLAFF has already dedicated exhibitions, and together with Buenos Aires director Daniel Burman, he made four feature films, exploring, among other themes, Jewish identity in Buenos Aires. One of those films, The Broken Embrace, earned Hendler the Best Actor award at the Berlin International Film Festival in 2004.

A Loose End, our opening film, is Daniel Hendler’s third feature film as a director: a perhaps lesser-known facet of his career, but no less significant. 

Ten years would pass before Hendler returned to feature films. In between, he acted—a lot—but he also directed series, broadening a perspective that seems to move naturally between different formats and styles.

With A Loose End, Daniel Hendler confirms himself as a director of enormous sensitivity and a distinctive voice within Río de la Plata cinema. This time, the setting is a territory the director himself has been traversing for decades: that back-and-forth between Argentina and Uruguay, between two countries that share a history, a culture, and a particular sense of humor, but that also reveal their own differences. 

Here, that shared territory once again becomes cinematic material. Hendler observes borders—geographic, emotional, and personal—with the same blend of humor, melancholy, and humanity that has characterized his work as an actor and director.

Let’s take a look back. Hendler made his feature film directorial debut with the endearing Norberto’s Deadline, a dramedy released in 2010 and enthusiastically received from its premiere at the Locarno Film Festival. In Hendler’s own words, the film “is about a guy who starts to discover his ability to lie.” Later came The Candidate, starring Ana Katz and Diego De Paula, where he again explores, through dramedy, the behind-the-scenes machinations and tensions of a presidential campaign in Uruguay.

The Pope’s Toilet (2008) was the first film from Uruguay to host the opening night of VLAFF. Now, we’re thrilled to welcome A Loose End as we kick off the celebrations of the very best in Latin American cinema!

Join us as we celebrate stories, voices, and filmmakers from across Latin America.

VLAFF would not be possible without the incredible volunteers who bring the festival to life each year. From welcoming audiences and supporting screenings to serving coffee, assisting at parties, capturing festival moments, and keeping everything running behind the scenes, volunteers are at the heart of the VLAFF experience.

Volunteering is a great opportunity to experience the festival from the inside, meet filmmakers and artists, build connections across generations, and become part of a vibrant community celebrating Latin American cinema and culture in Vancouver.

Volunteer Opportunities

A variety of positions are available throughout the festival, including:

• Box Office
• Cinema Crew
• Courtyard Crew
• Drinks Table
• Snack Table / El Cafecito
• Fiesta Host
• Logistics Driver
• Set-Up and Pack-Down Crew
• Photographer
• Videographer
• Festival Reels Coordinator

Some positions require specific qualifications, previous experience, additional training, or approval from the VLAFF team. Please review each position and shift carefully before registering.

Volunteer Benefits

• For every two hours of volunteering, volunteers receive one movie ticket.
• Volunteers who sign up for a minimum of three shifts will also receive a VLAFF T-shirt.

Mandatory Volunteer Orientation

Volunteer Orientation will take place on:

Thursday, September 3, 2026
7:15 – 9:15 PM

Orientation is mandatory for festival volunteers and will cover important information about festival venues, procedures, responsibilities, guest service, and what to expect during the festival.

Volunteers who are unable to attend should contact the Volunteer Coordinator to discuss an alternative arrangement.

Join the Team

New volunteers can complete the Volunteer Application and explore available opportunities through VolunteerLocal.

Returning VLAFF volunteers do not need to submit a new application. Simply log in, confirm that your profile and contact information are current, and select the shifts you would like to join.

Questions or problems accessing VolunteerLocal? Contact volunteers@vlaff.org.

We look forward to welcoming new and returning VLAFFers for eleven days of fantastic films, live music, visiting artists, parties, El Cafecito, popcorn with Valentina sauce, and community!

We are thrilled to unveil the Official Poster for the 24th Vancouver Latin American Film Festival, taking place September 10 – 20, 2026, at The Cinematheque and venues across Vancouver.

This year’s Official Festival Poster was designed by the exceptionally talented Luis David Morán. At its centre, a young character peers through a handycam, one of several figures inhabiting the playful visual world created for VLAFF 2026. The image speaks to curiosity, observation, and the impulse to capture and share stories, while the three colourways reflect the many perspectives, personalities, and encounters that come together at VLAFF!

THE SECRET AGENT (Brazil), starring Wagner Moura (Narcos, Civil War), Udo Kier, and Gabriel Leone, is a politically charged thriller that blends Mendonça Filho’s signature formal rigor with themes of surveillance, disinformation, and the erosion of democratic norms. Set in 1977, during the final years of Brazil’s military dictatorship, the film follows Marcelo, a 40-year-old teacher who returns to Recife in search of peace, only to find that the city is far from the refuge he hoped for.

The Filipino filmmaker Lav Diaz will premiere his historical drama MAGELLAN starring Mexican actor Gael García Bernal. The film, set in the 16th century, follows Magellan, a young and ambitious Portuguese navigator. He rebels against the power of the King of Portugal, who doesn’t support his dream of discovering the world, and persuades the Spanish monarchy to fund his bold expedition to the fabled lands of the East.

Academy Award-winning Chilean director Sebastián Lelio (A Fantastic Woman) returns to Cannes after a long hiatus with his Spanish-language musical THE WAVE / LA OLA, screening in the Cannes Premieres out-of-competition section. Inspired by the feminist protests that erupted across Chile in 2018, the film follows a university student who becomes an unexpected central figure in the movement.

The Colombian drama UN POETA the second feature by director Simón Mesa Soto, in the Un Certain Regard section. This marks the first time that Colombia has a film in this competition since José Luis Rugeles’ Alias Maria in 2015. Starring Ubeimar Rios, Rebeca Andrade, Guillermo Cardona, Allison Correa, Margarita Soto, and Humberto Restrepo, the film follows Óscar Restrepo, whose obsession with poetry has brought him no glory. The Colombian director is a regular at Cannes: his graduation film, LEIDI, won the Palme d’Or for short film at the 2014 Cannes Film Festival, while his first feature, AMPARO, was awarded the Prix Fondation Louis Roederer de la Révélation en 2021.

Diego Céspedes (Chile) will debut with MYSTERIOUS GAZE OF THE FLAMINGO / LA MISTERIOSA MIRADA DEL FLAMENCO will compete in the Un Certain Regard section. Set in 1983, in a remote Chilean mining town haunted by a mythic disease said to spread when men fall in love—through a mere glance—eight-year-old Lidia watches as her two brothers are quarantined following a raid on a clandestine gay speakeasy.

The Marché du Film is proud to welcome Brazil is the Country of Honour at the The Marché du Film 2025

The Cannes Film Festival hosts every year the largest film market in the world, Le Marche Du Film, and this year in coincidence of the Brazil-France Season — celebrating 200 years of diplomatic relations between the two countries — Brazil will work together with the Marché du Film this year to shine a spotlight on their country’s vibrant audiovisual industry, its exceptional creative talents, and its enduring commitment to international collaboration.

Albertina Carri is one of the most innovative and transgressive voices in contemporary Argentine cinema. Born in Buenos Aires in 1973, she has established herself as a filmmaker, screenwriter, and artist whose work explores themes of memory, identity, sexuality, and the limits of representation. Her films blend fiction, documentary, and experimental techniques, challenging conventional storytelling and cinematic norms.

One of Carri’s most acclaimed works is LOS RUBIOS (2003), a hybrid film that defies traditional documentary structure. The film investigates the disappearance of her parents during Argentina’s military dictatorship, yet it resists offering a singular truth. Through reenactments, interviews, and meta-cinematic elements, Carri questions the reliability of memory and historical narratives. By using an actress to play herself and incorporating animated sequences, she highlights the constructed nature of both personal and collective history. Carri has also delved into genres like film noir and erotic cinema, as seen in GÉMINIS (2005), which tells the story of incestuous love within an upper-class Argentine family. The film’s cold, controlled aesthetic and its refusal to pass moral judgment make it a bold and unsettling work that critiques bourgeois hypocrisy and repression.

Her later films continue to push boundaries. LA RABIA (2008) is a raw and visceral exploration of sexuality, violence, and communication, set in the Argentine countryside. Employing minimal dialogue and striking visual storytelling, the film portrays the emotional turbulence of its characters in an almost primal way. Meanwhile, CUATREROS (2016) revisits themes from LOS RUBIOS, but expands its focus to political violence and the ways in which revolutionary movements are remembered and represented in contemporary Argentina.

Beyond filmmaking, Carri has been an advocate for LGBTQ+ rights and gender equality in the arts. As a co-founder of Asterisco, Buenos Aires’ LGBTQ+ film festival, she has worked to create spaces for diverse and underrepresented voices in cinema.

Through her fearless and unconventional approach, Albertina Carri continues to redefine Argentine cinema. Her work is a powerful interrogation of history, identity, and the ways in which we construct and deconstruct reality through film.

Her latest film ¡CAIGAN LAS ROSAS BLANCAS! (featured image) premiered at Rotterdam Film Festival this year.

Anna Muylaert is one of Brazil’s most influential contemporary filmmakers, known for her insightful explorations of social dynamics, gender roles, and class divides. Born in São Paulo in 1964, Muylaert has built a career as a director, screenwriter, and producer, gaining international recognition for her sharp storytelling and deeply human characters.

Muylaert’s breakout film, THE SECOND MOTHER (Que Horas Ela Volta?, 2015), brought her global acclaim. Starring Regina Casé, the film examines the fraught relationship between a live-in housemaid and the wealthy family she serves. It delves into Brazil’s rigid class structure and the emotional sacrifices made by domestic workers, particularly those who leave their own children behind to care for others. The film won awards at Sundance and the Berlinale, cementing Muylaert’s reputation as a masterful storyteller.

In 2016, VLAFF held a complete retrospective and hosted Anna Muylaert. Her film DON’T CALL ME SON (Mãe Só Há Uma) was the closing film that year. The film tackles themes of identity and belonging, following a teenager who discovers he was stolen from his biological family as a baby and is forced to confront a new reality. Through this intimate and deeply personal story, Muylaert explores gender fluidity and societal expectations, challenging traditional notions of family and identity.

Muylaert’s earlier works, including DURVAL DISCOS (2002) and É PROIBIDO FUMAR (2009), also display her signature style—blending humor with social critique. DURVAL DISCOS, her directorial debut, tells the story of a record store owner whose quiet life is disrupted by an unexpected turn of events. É PROIBIDO FUMAR follows a woman whose obsessive tendencies complicate her relationships, highlighting themes of solitude and self-delusion.

Beyond directing, Muylaert has contributed to Brazilian cinema as a screenwriter, collaborating on films like THE YEAR MY PARENTS WENT ON VACATION (2006). Her work consistently gives voice to marginalized perspectives, particularly focusing on women’s experiences in Brazilian society.

With her keen eye for human relationships and social critique, Anna Muylaert continues to shape contemporary Brazilian cinema, bringing its complexities to a global audience. Her newest film A MELHOR MÃE DO MUNDO (The Best mother in the world) premiered this year at the Berlin Film Festival.