Argentinian Movie Scene

Besides being a popular holiday destination, Argentina is well known for its movie scene and home to one of the most important South American actors, Ricardo Darín (more about him later). Watching foreign movies is a great way to familiarize yourself with another country’s culture by learning about important topics and how people talk to each other. Moreover, if you’re learning a language (such as Spanish), movies are a great way to improve your listening skills. However, there’s really no need to have a specific reason for watching Argentinian movies because they’re simply very entertaining.

Argentina’s Most Famous Actor

Ricardo Darín is one of the most famous South American actors of this century. I often joke that South American blockbusters always either star Darín or Gael García Bernal (a famous Mexican actor). Still, as you start discovering more famous Latin movies, you will realize that it’s not that far from the truth. The following top 5 Argentinian movies will prove that point because Ricardo Darín stars in all five movies. He later continued to direct 1 movie and produce 2.

So Now The Best 5 Argentinian Movies

Relatos Salvajes – Wild Tales

Have you ever wondered what happens if you’re in distress for too long? Wild Tales gives you the answer: chaos, anger, and complete escalation. Damián Szifron presents the viewer with 6 short and explosive stories. Each story revolving around misunderstandings, arguments, and revenge. Every one of them goes from interesting to disturbing very quickly until it escalates into one big show full of fireworks. A very entertaining and high-paste movie and one of my all-time favorites.

IMDB Rating: 8.1 – You can find the trailer here

El Secreto de Sus Ojos – The Secret in her Eyes

Benjamín Esposito, a retired federal officer, decides to spend his retirement days writing a novel. The topic of his novel will be the unsolved case of the rape and murder of a young girl. He was never able to let this case go and decides to investigate it further. Initially, his journey brings him in contact with his former boss (whom he had an unexpressed love for), but as soon as he tells her what he’s doing, the ambiance changes. As he dives further into the case, flashbacks and unpleasant memories gradually darken the story until he’s forced to look the unpleasant truth in the eye. A gripping thriller that won an Oscar for best international film.

IMDB Rating: 8.2 – trailer

Un Cuento Chino – Chinese Take-Away

Roberto is a grumpy small business owner who believes in order and diligence. His grumpiness, he explains, is a direct result of fighting in the Falkland war. His orderliness probably stems from this time too. As a hobby, Roberto collects absurd news articles to prove that the world is going mad. Due to his own diligence, he believes that this madness will not affect him. Until one day, a helpless Chinese man is thrown out of a driving taxi. Roberto frustratingly decides to help the man who doesn’t speak a word of Spanish. Through this encounter, the madness of the world seems to affect him after all, much like his collection of stories. Cuento Chino is a simple yet intriguingly funny movie.

IMDB Rating: 7.3 – You can find the trailer here

El Hijo de la Novia – The Son of the Bride

Rafael has an ex-wife, a daughter, a girlfriend, a romantic dad, and a mum with dementia, but above all, he has a restaurant. His restaurant, once belonging to his parents, takes all his time and energy. What may have started as an act of love is now an all-consuming endeavor and gradually taking away everything he loves. When, one day, his father decides to remarry his demented mum, and the stress becomes too much and Rafael is forced to rethink his life decisions. Although simple at first sight, it’s difficult not to be moved by this romantic drama.

IMDB Rating: 7.8 – Click here for the trailer

Nueve Reinas – Nine Queens

Marcos and Juan are two con-artists who met in a convenience store. Marcos, the more experienced of the two, teaches Juan the tricks of being a swindler, and the two men start working together. Then, an interesting opportunity comes their way; Marcos is contacted about a set of rare stamps (the nine queens). The plan is to forge the stamps and sell them to a businessman who’s in a rush to leave the country. Although it seems like a golden opportunity, tricksters trick, get tricked, and distrust, making it challenging to find out who’s scamming who at the end of the day. Nine Queens is a fast-paced movie full of twists. The only thing you have to remember is that nothing is what it seems.

IMDB Rating: 7.9 – You can find the trailer here

If you’re also interested in music and books from Argentina, check out the full list here.