Latin American directors bring bold cinema to NYFF 2025

The 63rd New York Film Festival (NYFF), held from September 26 to October 13, 2025, is once again spotlighting some of the most innovative and daring works in global cinema. Among the selections, films from Latin America, or projects led by Latin American directors and actors, stand out for their bold narratives, rich cultural depth, and artistic experimentation.

 

Main Slate Highlights

The Currents (Las Corrientes) – Argentina
Dir: Milagros Mumenthaler

Acclaimed Argentine director Milagros Mumenthaler (Back to Stay) presents an intriguing existential and psychological narrative centered on Lina, a celebrated fashion designer who experiences a profound transformation after a near-death event in a frozen Swiss lake. Back in Buenos Aires, she finds it difficult to reconnect with her old life, family, and career. The film is noted for its complex sound design and nuanced narrative, drawing comparisons to Lucrecia Martel while asserting a distinctive emotional and aesthetic perspective.

 

 

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Magellan (Magalhães)
Dir: Lav Diaz | Starring: Gael García Bernal

Filipino auteur Lav Diaz reimagines the historical narrative of Ferdinand Magellan’s voyage. At the center of this monumental work is Mexican actor Gael García Bernal, who fully embodies the role of Magellan, portraying the harsh realities of colonial conquest and obsession. Bernal’s presence adds a Latin American dimension to Diaz’s exploration of history, empire, and human frailty.

 

 

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Nuestra Tierra (Landmarks) – Argentina
Dir: Lucrecia Martel

Visionary Argentine filmmaker Lucrecia Martel (Zama) presents her first feature documentary, offering a powerful, poetic exploration of land, memory, and Indigenous rights. The film delves into the 2009 murder of Javier Chocobar, a member of the Chuchagasta community who died defending his people’s land in Tucumán. Martel links this tragedy to centuries of colonial land theft, offering a visually stunning and politically urgent work.

 

 

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The Secret Agent (O Agente Secreto) – Brazil
Dir: Kleber Mendonça Filho | Starring: Wagner Moura

Brazilian master Kleber Mendonça Filho (Bacurau, Aquarius) delivers a transformative epic set in Recife during the late 1970s, at the height of Brazil’s military dictatorship. Wagner Moura, celebrated for Narcos, provides a riveting performance as a man fleeing political persecution while trying to reconnect with his son. Winner of Best Director and Best Actor at Cannes, the film is simultaneously a political thriller, family drama, and a tribute to Brazilian culture.

 

 

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Currents Section

Barrio Triste – Colombia
Dir: Stillz (Matías Vásquez)

Known for his collaborations with Bad Bunny, Colombian director Stillz makes his feature debut with a gripping, supernatural-tinged urban tale. The film follows a gang of youths as they navigate violence, heists, and alienation in Medellín, blending found-footage textures with eerie sci-fi elements, accompanied by an original score from Venezuelan experimental musician Arca.

 

 

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Drunken Noodles – Argentina
Dir: Lucio Castro

Lucio Castro (End of the Century) returns with a queer, magical realist exploration of desire and relationships. Structured in five playful, non-linear chapters about an art student in New York, the film moves between casual romance, mythical undertones, and surreal humor. With its erotic charge and lighthearted cosmic tone, Drunken Noodles confirms Castro as one of Argentina’s most adventurous auteurs.

 

 

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Pin de Fartie – Argentina
Dir: Alejo Moguillansky

From Argentina’s legendary El Pampero Cine collective (La Flor, Trenque Lauquen), this inventive project reimagines Samuel Beckett’s Endgame through intertwining stories of actors, families, and music. With a mix of theatricality, humor, and nods to film buffs, the film enhances Laura Paredes’s reputation as one of Latin America’s finest actresses.

 

 

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These films not only demonstrate technical mastery and narrative innovation but also engage deeply with themes of history, memory, identity, politics, and the supernatural. They stand as a testament to Latin America’s role as one of the most exciting and essential voices in global cinema today.

The 63rd New York Film Festival runs from September 26 – October 13. For audiences seeking cinema that is both artistically daring and socially resonant, the Latin American lineup is unmissable.