Paraguay, the protagonist of Latinamerican Focus, receives the Biznaga de Plata Award

The delegation from the Latin American country presented its projects and initiatives within the framework of MAFIZ, the industry area of the Festival de Málaga

The delegation from the Latin American country presented its projects and initiatives within the framework of MAFIZ, the industry area of the Festival de Málaga

Last evening, the Paraguayan Minister of Culture, Adriana Ortiz, received the Biznaga de Plata Award from the Mayor of Malaga, Francisco de la Torre, in the Salón de los Espejos of the City Council, surrounded by the large representation of the country's audiovisual sector that has gathered in the city.

This event was the culmination of an intense series of days in which the country guest of honour at this year's MAFIZ, Festival de Málaga’s industry area, presented the initiatives it is carrying out to promote its audiovisual production. Likewise, during these days, its professionals have had the opportunity to expand their network of contacts and present their projects and proposals.

The event was opened by the Mayor, who declared that "it is a pleasure to present this Biznaga" and expressed his appreciation for the multicultural character of Paraguay and the fact that its presence in MAFIZ can contribute to the greater impact of its audiovisual production.

For her part, Adriana Ortiz, at the head of the large Paraguayan delegation, expressed gratitude for this recognition and dedicated it to all the people who make it possible to tell stories "with so much drive and effort". She also expressed her government's will to "continue to grow as a country through the implementation of public policies" and that the Biznaga commits them to this task.

Hours before the tribute, the Focus Paraguay cycle was inaugurated at the Cine Albéniz with the screening of 7 Cajas (2012) by Juan Carlos Maneglia and Tana Schémbori. The programme will be completed with El tiempo nublado (2014) by Arami Ullón and one of the country's most recent films, El apartamento (2023) by Michael Kovich J.R.

One of the main events of Latinamerican Focus was the conference Hola Málaga, soy Paraguay, where representatives of institutions and entities promoting the audiovisual sector such as DINAPI, SNC, SENATUR, MIC, Municipalidad de Asunción-COFILMA and INAP presented the possibilities offered by the country, such as the Maquila tax incentive scheme of the Ministry of Industry and Commerce (MIC) or the mechanisms of accompaniment, support, and incentive provided by SENATUR, the National Secretariat of Tourism. The Asunción Film Commission (COFILMA), which aims to promote the Paraguayan capital as a location, was also presented.

Paraguay's participation in the event, however, goes beyond the activities carried out yesterday. Paraguayan women producers have been participating in Warmi Lab for three days now, along with Andalusian colleagues, providing themselves with the necessary tools to promote their emerging filmmaking careers.

Projects and creators from the country are also present in different sections of MAFIZ. Blanca by Sady Barrios and Dora María Gómez Paiva and Aurelia by Diego Manuel Mauro Morínigo are part of MAFF. Likewise, Bajo las banderas, el sol by Juanjo Pereira and Ivana Gisela Urizar and Yren by Tania Cattebeke Laconich and Mariana Pineda participate in Málaga Work in Progress. Héctor Duarte's La Última Obra, Joaquín Pedretti's Una Sola Primavera and Hugo Cardozo's No entres will also be shown as part of MAFIZ Specials.

Paraguay, which has shown its promising future in recent decades with titles such as Paz Encina's Hamaca paraguaya, winner of the Fipresci Award in Un certain regard at the Cannes Film Festival 2006, and Marcelo Martinessi's Las herederas, Silver Bear Alfred Bauer Award and Silver Bear for Best Female Performance at the Berlinale 2018, has its own stand at La Village, the exhibition space and meeting point for the Iberoamerican Film Institutes.