The South / Sur

Fernando Solanas

Fernando Ezequiel Solanas (1936-2020) is an Argentinian filmmaker and politician. He is one of the founders and theorists of the “Cine Liberación” movement, which was part of the national movement calling for a “third cinema”, one that is more independent from European and Hollywood cinema. His documentary The Hour of the Blaze (1968), an aesthetic and political manifesto of the movement, co-directed clandestinely with Octavio Getino, was banned until 1973. Exiled to Paris during the military dictatorship, he gained international visibility and recognition. Tangos, Gardel’s Exile (1985) received the Special Grand Jury Prize in Venice. Followed The South (1988) which won the prize for direction at Cannes, and The Journey (1992). Back in Argentina, he became involved in the country’s political life. In the 2000s, Solanas made a series of documentaries, reflecting on the Argentinian economic crisis, the failures and possibilities of his country. In 2018, he was invited to the Cannes Film Festival to present a restored copy of The Hour of the Blaze, now considered a documentary classic.