Argentine cinema has spent over a century building a filmography as extensive as it is unique, where coexist Silent classics, melodramas, dark comedies, political cinema, and top-notch thrillersOver the decades, its industry has had to cope amid economic crises, cuts in public aid and various instabilities, but, curiously, it is precisely when the outlook becomes more complicated that it tends to respond best in creativity and risk.
In this tour we will review The best Argentine films of all timeFrom the pioneers who filmed the first fiction films to the contemporary hits that sweep festivals, platforms, and IMDb charts, we'll see how the cinema of this country has managed to address dictatorships, memory, identity, love, humor, and everyday misery with a blend of emotional depth and technical skill that has made it a global benchmark.
The origins: from silent film to the arrival of sound
To understand the current richness of Argentine cinema, one must look to its beginnings, when directors like Mario Gallo dared to transform national history into spectacle. His work “The Execution of Dorrego” (1909) It is considered the first Argentine fiction, a reconstruction of a key episode of the 19th century that paved the way for everything that would come later.
A few years later he arrived “Amalia” (1914), by Enrique García Velloso, considered the country's first feature film, based on the famous novel by José Mármol. And from there he went on to titles such as “Gaucho Nobility” (1915), by Eduardo Martínez de la Pera and Ernesto Gunchewhich consolidated the figure of the gaucho as a founding myth of Argentine cinema, mixing adventure, landscape and rural melodrama.
In the 1920s, the figure of José Agustín Ferreyra, one of the essential names of the silent era. Among his works are “Blonde Doves” (1920) y “The girl from the slums” (1922), films centered on popular characters from Buenos Aires, with stories of neighborhoods, impossible loves and environments that anticipate the working-class and tango tone that would mark an entire industry.
The great technological leap came with sound. Argentina recorded one of its first sound films with “Muñequitas porteñas” (1931), also by José A. Ferreyrawhich already showcased a new way of understanding entertainment, where music and speech were the main characters. Shortly afterwards, the musical and the tango they consolidated their position with “Tango” (1933), by Luis Moglia Barthand comedies of manners such as “The Three Whims” (1933), by Enrique Susini, which played precisely with the great Argentine passions: cinema, football and tango.
In 1934 came “Riachuelo”, by Luis Moglia Barth, which continued to delve deeper into the representation of the Buenos Aires slums, and towards the end of the decade premiered “The Return to the Nest” (1938), by Leopoldo Torres Ríos, a more intimate and dramatic work that demonstrated the ability of Argentine cinema to explore psychological and family conflicts.
Golden age and consolidation of classic Argentine cinema
The 40s and 50s saw a real golden age for Argentine cinemaWith ambitious productions, big stars, and directors who are now considered benchmarks. It dates from 1939. “Prisoners of the Earth”, by Mario Soffici, a social drama that denounced the conditions of exploitation in the yerba mate plantations, mixing realism with great visual power.
In 1942 came “The Gaucho War”, by Lucas DemareA classic war adventure that recreated the fight against the royalist invasions, with an epic tone and meticulous production that marked a turning point. Shortly after, “The Phantom Lady” (1945), by Luis SaslavskyHe championed the comedy of errors with a refined staging, while “Pampa bárbara” (1945), by Lucas Demare and Hugo FregoneseIt combined Creole western and frontier cinema with a level of violence unusual for the time.
In 1949, Hugo Fregonese He signed one of the titles that current critics strongly praise: “Just a criminal”A tense and stylized noir about a man who decides to fake a robbery and turn himself in so that, after serving his sentence, he can recover a hidden loot. The result is a masterful psychological thriller that, decades later, many film buffs still consider a key work.
Already in the 50s we find films like “The waters run turbid” (1952), by Hugo del Carril, who revived the fighting spirit and denounced the injustices against the yerba mate workers, or “Grey Neighborhood” (1954), by Mario Soffici, focused on urban marginality. In that same vein of film noir, he excelled “The Bitter Stems” (1956), by Fernando Ayala, famous for its daring photography and its plot of deceit and guilt.
The prestige of Leopoldo Torre Nilsson It began to take shape with films like “Graciela” (1956), “The House of the Angel” (1957) y “The Fall” (1959)where she explored repression, guilt, and class conflict through young female protagonists, giving Argentine cinema an existentialist and literary feel. In the realm of crime drama, “The Boss” (1958), by Fernando AyalaHe portrayed the inner workings of political and mafia power with heartbreaking realism.
Meanwhile, directors like Lautaro Murúa They contributed more humanistic perspectives with “Shunko” (1960), about a teacher assigned to a rural school, or Fernando Birri, who approached neorealism with “The Flood Victims” (1961), a bittersweet chronicle about a family displaced by the river's floods.
Renewal, political commitment and new perspectives (60-70)
The 60s and 70s brought with them a powerful renewal of language and a strong political chargeManuel Antín contributed literary sensibility with “The Odd Number” (1961)While Leonard Favio, an indispensable figure in Argentine culture, revolutionized social cinema with “Chronicle of a Lonely Child” (1965)where marginalized childhood and institutional violence were shown without filters.
At this stage appears the so-called Third Cinema, driven by Fernando Ezequiel Solanas and Octavio Getino, who signed the monumental political documentary “The Hour of the Furnaces” (1968)This work, with its militant vocation and audiovisual essay, analyzed economic dependence and political oppression in Latin America, inviting the viewer to direct action.
The allegorical and fantastical component reached a high point with “Invasion” (1969), by Hugo SantiagoA cult film co-written by Jorge Luis Borges and Adolfo Bioy Casares. In it, a fictional city resists the advance of unknown forces, in a story that blends crime, science fiction, and metaphysical reflection.
The diversity of proposals expanded with “Hermógenes Cayo” (1970), by Jorge Prelorán, an ethnographic portrait of a highland artisan, and with epics like “Juan Moreira” (1973), by Leonardo Favio, which brought the gaucho back to the center of the screen, now loaded with political and social meaning.
In 1974 and 1975, fundamental titles emerged such as “The Truce” (Sergio Renán), a delicate drama based on the novel by Mario Benedetti, and “The Rebel Patagonia” (Héctor Olivera)which recreated the repression of workers' strikes in Patagonia. It also appeared “La Raulito” (1975), by Lautaro Murúa, centered on a marginalized woman, and dark comedy “The boys of yesteryear did not use arsenic” (1976), by José Martínez Suárez, who played with crime and macabre humor.
The list of essential works from this era is completed with films such as “Free Stone” (1976), by Leopoldo Torre Nilsson, and “The Island” (1979), by Alejandro Doria, which showed a growing social tension as the country headed into the darkest years of its recent history.
Dictatorship, democratic transition and historical memory
The 1976 coup and the subsequent dictatorship profoundly marked Argentine cinema, both through censorship and the exile of many filmmakers. Even so, the early 80s saw the emergence of key films that offered insights into that era through fiction and thrillers. “Time for Revenge” (1981), by Adolfo AristarainIt featured a former union leader taking on a large corporation in a plot that denounced the corruption of power.
Aristarain himself continued to explore themes of violence and guilt in “Last days of the victim” (1982)A tense crime story that film buffs often place among the best of the genre, and which some readers and critics always demand be included on any list of great Argentine films. Meanwhile, Héctor Olivera adapted Osvaldo Soriano's novel into “There will be no more sorrows or forgetting” (1983), fiercely satirizing the internal divisions of Peronism.
The restoration of democracy brought with it One of the absolute milestones of Argentine cinema: “The Official Story” (1985), by Luis PuenzoThis war-political drama told the story of a middle-class teacher who suspects her adopted daughter might be the child of disappeared persons, opening a huge moral and familial rift. It was the first Argentine film to win the Oscar for Best International Feature Film and has become an essential reference point for understanding the memory of the dictatorship.
That same year, 1985, also saw the release of “Waiting for the Hearse”, by Alejandro Doria, a delirious black comedy that ferociously portrays the Argentine middle-class family, and “Tangos, the exile of Gardel”, by Fernando Solanas, which addressed the issue of political exile through music and melodrama.
Other notable titles from the second half of the 80s were “The King’s Movie” (1986), by Carlos Sorín, a meta-film about the failed attempt to shoot a blockbuster in Patagonia; “Man looking southeast” (1986), by Eliseo Subiela, a philosophical and fantastical fable about a psychiatric patient who might be an alien; and “South” (1988), also by Solanas, which told the story of a political prisoner's return and his attempt to rebuild his life.
Already in the 90s, Subiela continued his line of magical realism with “Last images of the shipwreck” (1990) y “The Dark Side of the Heart” (1992), while Aristarain continued to combine intimacy and political reflection in “A Place in the World” (1992) and later on “Common Places” (2002)In that decade also appeared “Autumn Sun” (1996), by Eduardo Mignona, and “Martín (Hache)” (1997), by Aristarain, now as a Spanish-Argentine co-production, exploring the relationships between parents and children and generational disenchantment.
Dark comedies, auteur cinema and the renewal of the 90s and 2000s
In the late 90s, Argentine cinema experienced a new breath of fresh air linked to urban realism and low budgets. titles like “Pizza, birra, faso” (1997), by Bruno Stagnaro and Adrián CaetanoThey portrayed marginalized young people from Buenos Aires trapped between petty crime and a lack of future, with a starkness that marked an entire generation.
During that same period, it appeared “The Cross” (1997), by Alejandro Agresti, and “The Lighthouse of the South” (1998), by Eduardo Mignona, which combined intimate drama and Patagonian landscapes. “Silvia Prieto” (1999), by Martín RejtmanHe contributed a dry and humorous minimalism that would be very influential in the so-called New Argentine Cinema, while “Crane World” (1999), by Pablo TraperoHe focused on job insecurity and the life of a construction worker in an almost documentary style.
The turn of the century brought with it one of the great phenomena of national cinematography: “Nine Queens” (2000), by Fabián BielinskyThis story of two con artists, Juan and Marcos, who become embroiled in a multi-million dollar operation against the clock, became a benchmark of the deception thriller genre. Fast-paced rhythm, sharp dialogue, and a portrait of the roguish Buenos Aires character They managed to endure and today it is still considered one of the best Argentine films of all time, in addition to being very high in IMDb lists.
During those same years he stood out “Congratulations” (2000), by Lucho Bender, a Christmas ensemble comedy full of irony; “Freedom” (2001), by Lisandro Alonso, which proposed a contemplative and minimalist cinema following the routine of a lumberjack; and, above all, “The Swamp” (2001), Lucrecia Martel's debut film, which revolutionized the international landscape of auteur cinema.
“The Swamp” focuses on two families spending a sweltering summer in northwestern Argentina. Martel manages to film the dampness, the decay, and the class and gender tensions Through exquisite sound and visual work, it transforms an everyday environment into something oppressive and almost ghostly. It is one of the most influential films of the 21st century within auteur cinema.
Also from 2001 is “The Son of the Bride”, by Juan José CampanellaA melodrama with touches of comedy about a man absorbed by his restaurant and a life with no time for anything, who is forced to rethink everything when his father decides to fulfill his mother's (who suffers from Alzheimer's) long-held wish to have a church wedding. The film blends tenderness, humor, and reflection on familyAnd it was a tremendous success, including an Oscar nomination.
In the first half of the 2000s, the following also appeared “Minimal Stories” (2002), by Carlos Sorín, a delicate mosaic of characters in Patagonia; “Bombón, the dog” (2004), also by Sorín, and “Luna de Avellaneda” (2004), by Campanellawhere a social club threatened with becoming a casino serves as a backdrop for discussing community, economic crisis, and belonging to a neighborhood.
International recognition, Oscars and sophisticated genre cinema
In 2004, the Brazilian Walter Salles directed “The Motorcycle Diaries”An international co-production that chronicled the journey through Latin America of the young Ernesto Guevara alongside Alberto Granado. Although not exclusively Argentinian, the presence of Che and the regional landscape make it feel deeply connected to the country's identity. It is a road movie of personal transformation, with Gael García Bernal and Rodrigo de la Serna shining on screen.
One of the great milestones of the 2000s came with “The Aura” (2005), by Fabián BielinskyIn this film, an introverted taxidermist with epileptic seizures dreams of committing the perfect heist. When a series of circumstances put him in that situation, mental fiction and reality blend into a an atmospheric, dark and absorbing thriller which many consider superior even to "Nine Queens".
In 2007, Esteban Sapir signed “The Antenna”, one of the most experimental works in recent Argentine cinema. Shot in black and white and virtually silent, this film constructs A surreal universe about the loss of voice and the control of communicationdrawing from German Expressionism, classic French cinema, and the Soviet avant-garde to create something unique.
International recognition was consolidated in 2009 with “The Secret in Their Eyes”, by Juan José Campanellawhich won the Oscar for Best International Feature Film. The story intertwines an old rape and murder case with an unresolved love story, through the investigation reopened by a retired U.S. Marshal. The film shines for its suspenseful structure, its romantic component, and memorable technical moments —like the famous sequence shot in a football stadium—, and has become for many the definitive Argentine work.
Along these same lines of sophisticated genre cinema, the following stands out “The Clan” (2015), by Pablo TraperoBased on the true story of the Puccio family, who were involved in kidnapping and murder in the 80s, the film portrays the patriarch Arquímedes and his sons during the late dictatorship, showing the macabre coexistence between a seemingly normal home and a brutal criminal networkIt's a powerful thriller supported by impeccable acting.
IMDb, dark comedies and audience phenomenon
In recent years, user ratings of IMDb (Internet Movie Database) These surveys have helped identify which Argentine films are the favorites of global audiences. Among the top twenty highest-rated films are, as expected, titles already mentioned such as “The Secret in Their Eyes”, “Wild Tales”, “Waiting for the hearse”, “The official story” o “Nine Queens”, alongside more recent works such as "Argentina, 1985" o “The Odyssey of the Fools”.
“Wild Tales” (2014), by Damien SzifrónIt has become a perfect showcase for Argentine dark humor. The film is composed of six independent stories where the characters are pushed to their limits and allowed to be swept away by... Rage, revenge, and the pleasure of losing controlFrom a traffic argument that spirals out of control to a wedding that turns into a battlefield, the film combines social satire with perfect pacing.
“Waiting for the Hearse” (1985), by Alejandro Doria, remains, decades later, an absolute classic of the comedy of mannersThe disappearance of Mama Cora, an 80-year-old woman, unleashes family chaos that exposes misery, hypocrisy, and resentment in a farcical way. Its dialogue has become part of popular culture, and the film is a must-see on television and streaming platforms.
In the realm of social drama with humor, “The Odyssey of the Fools” (2019), by Sebastián BorenszteinIt showed a group of neighbors who, after losing their savings to a bank scam during the corralito (bank freeze), decide to organize themselves to recover what was stolen from them. The film combines tone of adventure, comedy and criticism of the financial system, with an ensemble cast headed by Ricardo Darín.
“The Distinguished Citizen” (2016), by Mariano Cohn and Gastón Duprat, offers another acerbic perspective: a Nobel laureate in Literature living in Barcelona returns to his small hometown to receive a tribute, discovering an environment as hostile as it is hilarious. It is a A satire about fame, identity, and the relationship with one's place of origin, which has connected very well with viewers all over the world.
Cinema of memory and dictatorship in an intimate key
Beyond the major award-winning titles, Argentine cinema has developed a solid line of films about the dictatorship and its consequencesoften from intimate perspectives. “Kamchatka” (2002), by Marcelo Piñeyro, recounts the harsh years of military repression through the eyes of Harry, a ten-year-old boy whose family is forced to hide in the countryside. With a tender yet heartbreaking approach, it shows how Childhood is interrupted by political violence.
“Clandestine Childhood” (2011), by Benjamín Ávila, focuses on Juan, a boy who adopts a new identity because his parents are members of the resistance against the dictatorship. The clash between his secret life and a first teenage love gives rise to a A story that combines romance, tension, and historical testimonywithout losing humanity.
Another relevant work is “The Student” (2011), by Santiago MitreThe film follows a young man from the provinces who arrives in Buenos Aires to study, wanders aimlessly through university, and ends up becoming involved in student activism. the kitchen of student politics, the alliances and betrayals that foreshadow the workings of national politics.
This line of memory cinema reaches a new peak with “Argentina, 1985” (2022), by Santiago MitreIt tells the story of the historic Trial of the Military Juntas from the perspective of prosecutors Strassera and Moreno Ocampo. It is a classic courtroom drama, which It repeats many genre codes but gives them its own unique stamp. Thanks to the humor, the humanity of the protagonists, and a particularly emotional moment where documentary material blends with fiction.
In a more direct account of repression, we also find the story known as “The Night of the Pencils”It tells the story of seven high school students who were demanding student bus passes and were kidnapped and tortured by the dictatorship. The narrative focuses on Pablo, the only survivor, who discovers the horrific fate of his classmates and becomes a key witness. It is a story that summarizes the brutality of the regime and the importance of keeping the memory alive.
Family drama, silent terror, and new authorial forms
Recent Argentine cinema has also excelled in portraying family units in crisis, with a tension almost bordering on psychological terror.A notable example is Paula Hernández's "The Sleepwalkers" (2019), which follows a family that reunites at a country house and experiences a seemingly normal summer while secrets and tensions build. The film is patient, meticulous and oppressiveand it gradually darkens the atmosphere until it becomes unsettling.
Lucrecia Martel, beyond "La Ciénaga," has consolidated her own style where sound and mise-en-scène suggest more than they show, while other filmmakers like Lisandro Alonso and Martín Rejtman continue to explore minimalist and contemplative paths. This auteur cinema has made Argentina... regular presence at festivals like Cannes or Venice.
In this independent film ecosystem, specialized criticism and festival programming also play an important role. Professionals trained in audiovisual analysis and criticism, present at events such as Cannes, Venice, Berlin or the Valladolid Film FestivalThey enrich the debate and help to position these works. Many of them, in addition to writing for cultural magazines and newspapers, are part of programming committees at festivals such as l'Alternativa de Barcelona or Most, or teach audiovisual narrative at universities and film schools.
This network of reviews, festivals, schools, and cycles makes it so that Argentine auteur cinema not only survives, but continually renews itselfeven when institutions do not support it as much as they should and the political context is even hostile towards culture.
Crime, satire, and dark characters in the 21st century
In the realm of recent crime films, one of the most striking titles is “The Angel” (2018), by Luis OrtegaBased on the life of serial killer Carlos Robledo Puch, the film blends thriller and melodrama in a stylized portrait of evil. With lavish staging and pitch-black humor, Ortega It observes both the protagonist and the social context that surrounds him., relying on Lorenzo Ferro's magnetic interpretation.
Films like “The Man Next Door” (2009), by Mariano Cohn and Gastón Dupratwhere a simple conflict over a window between two houses escalates into a clash of classes and lifestyles. The conflict between a wealthy designer and his noisy neighbor allows for a a very sharp X-ray of the Argentine bourgeoisie.
It has also been strongly asserted “The Shop Assistant”, by Leonardo FavioAs one of the notable absences from many lists, it's yet another example of how Argentine cinema has masterfully combined tragedy, tenderness, and strangeness. Other titles often cited as essential by critics and readers include “Quebracho”, by Ricardo Wullicher, focused on workers' struggles, or “The man on the pink corner”, based on a story by Borges.
In the romantic and melodramatic genre, works such as the following also stand out: “Camila” (1984), by María Luisa Bemberg, about the forbidden love between a young aristocrat and a priest in the 19th century; and “The House of the Angel” (1957), by Torre Nilsson, where a teenage girl, dominated by her mother, lives under constant fear of sin and divine punishment.
The genre diversity is such that the lists of best Argentine films include thrillers like “The Aura”, dark comedies like “Wild Tales”, historical dramas like “Rebellious Patagonia” or “The Odyssey of the Fools”, tragic romances like “Camila” and formal experiments like “The Antenna”This combination of artistic risk and popular appeal largely explains the international prestige of Argentine cinema.
New rarities, social critiques, and cinema that challenges the viewer
In the 2020s, Argentine cinema has continued to offer works that They challenge the viewer and play with conventions“The Criminals” (2023), by Rodrigo Moreno, is one of the most talked-about examples: a heist film that takes the conventions of the genre only to subvert them. With a deliberate pace and unconventional narrative, it proposes A reflection on work, freedom, and the desire to escape the systemwhich may require patience but rewards those who enter its game.
This nonconformist spirit adds to a tradition of filmmakers who had already been experimenting for years, such as Mariano Llinás with “Extraordinary Stories” (2008), a very long story in episodes that mixes adventures, mystery and digressions, breaking all ideas of classical structure.
The combination of rarities, genre-based films, political cinema, and family melodramas makes contemporary Argentine cinema unique. extraordinarily varied and livelyIn the same year, very academic films can premiere—such as "Argentina, 1985," with a clear aim of reaching a large international audience—and others that are much more formally radical, present in parallel sections of A-list festivals.
All of this is based on a rich heritage that includes everyone from the pioneers of silent cinema to established authors such as Leonardo Favio, Adolfo Aristarain, Eliseo Subiela, Lucrecia Martel, Pablo Trapero or Juan José Campanella, not forgetting more recent names such as Santiago Mitre, Damián Szifrón, Luis Ortega, Mariano Cohn, Gastón Duprat or Rodrigo Moreno.
Looking at the set of titles that are repeated in historical rankings, IMDb lists, and critics' selections, it is clear that Argentine cinema has managed to turn its crises, its political memory, and its particular humor into creative fuel.From "The Execution of Dorrego" to "The Criminals," including "Nine Queens," "The Official Story," "The Swamp," "Wild Tales," and "Argentina, 1985," the country's filmography offers an essential catalog that any film lover should explore at their leisure, knowing that behind each decade there are hidden gems and films that, no matter how many years pass, continue to speak powerfully about the world we live in.
