Theme – Magical Realism in Latin-American Cinema
Looking at a continent’s past through a magical-realist lens
Recently, a new wave of Latin-American filmmakers has emerged who look at the painful past of their countries through a magical-realist lens.
Magical realism emerged in the 1920s in European painting but started to influence Latin-American literature just after the Second World War. It soon became the most important narrative form of expression for Latin-American writers, showing the rest of the world Latin-American rituals, cultures, traditions and myths from their own mestizo cultures. The magical realism literary movement soon spilled over to local film production.
Magical realism uses stories, myths and folklore to study and describe the postmodern and postcolonial world, and specifically the Latin-American traumas from the past. Stylistic devices include multiple POV’s and voices, non-linear storylines, critical takes on the colonial past and a mixture of the Fantastic and the mundane. (The loss of) Indigenous cultures play an important role in these stories. Well-known writers are Gabriel García Márquez, Miguel Ángel Asturias, Jorge Luis Borges, Mário de Andrade and Alejo Carpentier.
One of the most famous modern Latin-American directors preferring magical-realist narrative structures is Guillermo del Toro. His Pan’s Labyrinth (2006) is considered one of the greatest magical-realist films to date. A striking example of early magical-realist storytelling in film is Macario (1960) by Roberto Gavaldón, the first Mexican film nominated for an Academy Award and often cited as one of the best Mexican films ever made.
At Imagine 2026, both films will be shown in glorious 4K, next to more recent magical realistic Latin-American titles. Full programme soon to follow.
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FANTASTIC THEMES
Imagine Fantastic Film Festival has multiple sections: a general genre-wide film programme, a special yearly festival theme, a country or cultural focus and an Expanded/immersive programme. Read more about this year’s themes through the blocks below.
