All screenings at 'Camino a FIDOCS 30' are free. For screenings at the Cineteca Nacional de Chile, you must reserve your ticket online; the link is available here.
In 1997, in a Chile still trapped in a perpetual transition, Patricio Guzmán founded FIDOCS. Under the name 'First International Documentary Film Festival in Chile', its first edition was held at the Goethe-Institut, as its sole venue.
Among the activities of that inaugural edition, the 'First Retrospective of Chilean Documentary Cinema' stood out, a selection that recovered fundamental works by filmmakers such as Sergio Bravo, Héctor Ríos, Carlos Flores, and Ignacio Agüero. The following year, a second retrospective was programmed, expanding the historical scope and incorporating new films and filmmakers. Both exhibitions constituted one of the first systematic efforts to rescue, exhibit, and foster dialogue about a fundamental part of Chile's audiovisual heritage.
As part of the celebration of FIDOCS' thirtieth edition, we revisit this foundational retrospective, revisiting some of the films that helped define the Festival's identity and allowed us to rediscover a documentary tradition as diverse as it is essential. More than a re-release, this program functions as a 'Retrospective of the Retrospective': works that bring together different eras—the time of their creation, that of the first retrospective, and the present—to observe, through their images, what remains unchanged and what has yet to fully transform.
A detailed record of the celebration of the Day of the Virgin of Andacollo, a festival held between December 23rd and 27th in the city of Andacollo, located in the Coquimbo Region of Chile. The video captures the arrival of the pilgrims, their journey to the church, and the beginning of the Virgin's procession through the town, accompanied by dances performed by the numerous religious brotherhoods. It also shows acts of penance for fulfilled vows, other activities related to the festival, and finally, the pilgrims' departure.
Made in 1958, 'Andacollo' is a foundational work of Chilean documentary filmmaking and the first collaboration between Jorge Di Lauro and Nieves Yankovic. The film records the celebration dedicated to Our Lady of the Rosary in the Coquimbo region, following the pilgrims' journey from their arrival to their departure. The camera blends into the crowd, accompanying processions, dances, and vows, while the editing organizes the festivities as a single, collective sequence. The music of Violeta Parra, the voice of Nieves Yankovic, and the sounds of the celebration convey the power of popular devotion and community life.
(1910-1990). Argentine sound engineer, documentary filmmaker, and teacher. He graduated as a civil engineer from the University of Buenos Aires and later trained in film and electrical engineering in the United States, specializing in sound. In 1944, he arrived in Chile, hired by Chile Films, where he was in charge of sound for numerous films. Together with his wife, filmmaker Nieves Yankovic, he developed a significant body of documentary work. 'Andacollo' (1958) was the duo's first major achievement and a key piece in the development of Chilean documentary filmmaking.
(1916-1985). Chilean actress, filmmaker, documentarian, and artist. She studied Fine Arts in England and later sociology and psychology in Yugoslavia. Upon returning to Chile, she was part of the Experimental Theater team at the University of Chile and worked at Chile Films. In 1946, she married Jorge Di Lauro, with whom she developed a significant body of documentary work. Among her most notable works are 'Summer in Winter' (1962), 'San Pedro de Atacama' (1964), 'Easter Island' (1965), and 'When the People Advance' (1967).