Cannes Winner Jafar Panahi Defies Expectations at Prestigious Chilean Film Festival

The 21st edition of the prestigious Santiago International Film Festival (Sanfic) in Chile is set to take place from August 17th to 24th, 2025. The festival will open with a bang, featuring the Cannes Palme d'Or winner "It Was Just an Accident" by Iranian director Jafar Panahi, who defied expectations by attending the festival last May.

One of the highlights of the festival is the Latin American premiere of "Miss Carbón," a co-production between Argentina and Spain, directed by Agustina Macri. The film stars Lux Pascal, the trans sister of actor Pedro Pascal, in the true story of Carla Antonella "Carlita" Rodríguez, the first female miner in Patagonia. The festival will also welcome a number of other luminaries, including Spanish genre director Álex de la Iglesia, who will receive a career achievement award, and Oscar-winning filmmaker Sebastián Lelio, who will present his latest film "The Wave."

In total, the festival will feature 89 feature films and shorts, including 21 world premieres, 21 Latin American premieres, and 47 Chilean debuts. According to Sanfic director Carlos Nuñez, the lineup showcases "bold films by renowned and emerging filmmakers that explore today's most pressing issues." The festival's industry space, Sanfic Industria, continues to evolve, with new initiatives like the Chile Industry Academy and the Queer Incubator, aimed at supporting the internationalization and distribution of independent cinema.