Ten Unmissable Paraguayan Films

A new generation of moviemakers are putting Paraguay on the map.

Though the sector has long struggled with a lack of resources, Paraguay has managed to build a one-of-a-kind audiovisual legacy in Latin America, holding its own against the more-established film sectors in Argentina and Brazil.

Back in university, we were taught that the Chaco War — the brutal conflict fought by Paraguay and Bolivia from 1932 to 1935 — was one of the first in South America to be captured on film. The cameras mostly served as tools of wartime propaganda. Yet as the 20th century wore on, a handful of bold writers and directors carved out space in an industry dominated by bigger players.

This personal top 10 of my favourite Paraguayan films tries to answer several key questions. What Paraguayan stories have made it to the big screen? How do Paraguayans see themselves through cinema?

This run-down is meant as an entry point — a way to help new viewers get acquainted with Paraguayan cinema, a small but dogged film scene that keeps finding cracks in the system to break through, both at home and abroad. As a filmmaker, I know just how much of a feat it is to finish making a movie in this country: and that it’s something worth celebrating.

10. Paraguay, droga y banana (2016)

Juan M. Salinas’ political documentary had to make the list. This is an unflinching, rigorously researched film that points the finger — without hesitation — at the players behind Paraguay’s narcopolitics. Beyond naming names, it lays bare the devastating social and economic consequences that continue to ripple through the country today.

This film gave a face to the corruption that Paraguayans know all too well, sparking uncomfortable conversations and heated debate across all sectors of society.

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🏆 TAKING HOME THE TROPHY: Last night, The Paraguay Post won the National Environmental Journalism Prize for our investigation into deforestation and narcotrafficking in the Mbaracayú Forest Nature Reserve!

A massive thank you to the organizers of the prize, the Periodismo por la Acción Climática programme for helping to fund our reporting, and to everyone in Canindeyú who trusted us with their stories.

And big congratulations to our fellow winners at Ciencia del Sur and Revista Pausa!

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9. Morgue (2019)

Morgue reminded us that there are filmmakers outside the capital who are hungry for box office success — in this case, director Hugo Cardozo from Encarnación. A cleverly crafted horror film, Morgue took audiences by surprise and became a commercial milestone in Paraguayan cinema, even later being optioned for a US remake.

The story follows Diego, a young man starting his first shift at the morgue in Encarnación’s public hospital — a cold, desolate place where he soon encounters supernatural phenomena and finds himself trapped. The film ramps up the practical effects and wields a sharp sound design to keep the tension high from start to finish.

8. Miss Ameriguá (1994)

The return to democracy brought with it a wave of eager new filmmakers — among them director Luis R. Vera, who helmed this Paraguayan–Swedish co-production. Miss Ameriguá is a colorful tragicomedy set during the lead-up to a small-town beauty pageant. Through that lens, we’re given a glimpse of corruption, rebellion, and the wonderfully surreal idiosyncrasies of Paraguayan life.

It might not be a perfect film, but it arrived like a breath of fresh air in our cultural landscape. Personally, I love seeing Areguá on screen — it has that old-school, small-town charm, bursting with color and character, like a place frozen in time. Many of the people who worked on this project are now mentors in local film schools, still championing cinema that’s homegrown and rooted in national identity.

7. Matar a un muerto (2019)

Directed by Hugo Giménez, this tense political thriller drops us into the Paraguayan wilderness of the 1970s, at the height of the Stroessner dictatorship. Two men are tasked with quietly disposing of the bodies of political dissidents abducted and murdered by the regime. But one day, they discover that one of the “corpses” is still breathing. What follows is a chilling ethical dilemma: do they finish the job or risk everything by letting him live?

Everything in this film — the color palette, the thick undergrowth the harsh Guaraní dialogue, the stifling atmosphere — paints a vivid portrait of Paraguay. It feels like stepping into one of Augusto Roa Bastos’ short stories.

6. Apenas el sol (2020)

Arami Ullón’s documentary plays like a slow-building premonition — a haunting reflection on colonisation and the erasure of Indigenous memory. We follow Mateo Sobode Chiqueno, a man on a mission to rescue the oral history of his people, the Ayoreo, using a tape recorder and worn-out cassettes. He travels across the Chaco gathering testimonies, songs, and rituals, trying to preserve what little remains of a culture being pushed out of existence.

I saw it in theaters and sat in stunned silence after the final shot, with a tightness in my chest that stayed with me for days. Apenas el sol is a deeply affecting, meditative experience — one that’s not easy to shake.

5. 7 Cajas (2012)

You can’t talk about Paraguayan cinema without mentioning the most famous, highest-grossing, and beloved film of our generation, directed by Juan Carlos Maneglia and Tania Schémbori. I was a teenager when 7 Boxes premiered, and it felt like a World Cup-level moment of national unity. We truly believed a huge door had opened, and that Paraguayan cinema had entered a golden new era.

The film is a thriller set in the Mercado 4, following Víctor as he races to deliver seven mysterious boxes in exchange for a reward. What starts as a simple job turns into a full-blown nightmare. This film launched the career of Lali González and gifted us a new hit: Huye hermano by Revolber. After 7 Cajas was released, film school enrollment skyrocketed — suddenly, it felt possible to make a commercial hit in Paraguay.

4. El Pueblo (1969)

This medium-length documentary, directed by Carlos Saguier, pushed back against the Stroessner dictatorship’s censorship and the cinematic norms of its time, proudly placing Paraguay within the Latin American avant-garde of the 1960s.

It captures rural life through a raw and realistic lens — a stark contrast to the glossy, nationalist propaganda broadcast by state media. The film is a sensory journey, full of poetic expression and bold editing choices. Its artistic vision was an act of courage during a dark chapter in our history, and that alone earns its place on this list.

3. Hamaca Paraguaya (2006)

Paz Encina was one of the first contemporary directors to put Paraguay on the map. The film competed in Cannes in the Un Certain Regard category and took home the International Critics’ Prize. Hamaca Paraguaya is essential viewing to understand that other cinematic rhythms, textures, and perspectives — far from the Hollywood mould — are not only valid but deeply necessary.

The film is a minimalist meditation on waiting. We sit with Cándida and Ramón as they hope for the return of their son, conscripted to fight in the Chaco War. I have a soft spot for Hamaca Paraguaya — my eighth-grade teacher lent me the DVD, and that first encounter with contemplative cinema felt poetic in itself.

2. Las Herederas (2018)

Marcelo Martinessi’s acclaimed drama is a quietly understated journey of identity, liberation, and a sharp portrait of class and aging among Asunción’s elite. With a brilliant all-female cast, the film follows Chela and Chiquita — a high-society couple who, after a life of comfort, find themselves facing financial hardship in their sixties.

Ana Brun absolutely owns the screen — her performance is magnetic, all in the eyes — and it won her the Silver Bear for Best Actress at the Berlinale. This is a sensitive film, rich in detail. Every artistic choice reflects the slow unraveling of this couple’s world. The direction is thoughtful, the characters are lovingly drawn, and the dialogue feels real — a challenge that Paraguayan cinema continues to face, especially when it comes to capturing natural speech with an authentic local tone. Martinessi nails it.

It’s also worth mentioning the backlash faced by The Heiresses: some members of the Senate insulted it and walked out during a session celebrating the film. Personally, I think when art has the courage to dissent and stir the hornet’s nest, it earns its place.

1. 108 Cuchillo de Palo (2010)

Renate Costa’s deeply personal documentary takes the top spot for me, without question. She brings the camera into her own home and doesn't shy away from appearing on screen herself, engaging her family in conversations about her late uncle, a gay man who died under the brutal Stroessner regime.

There’s a quiet brilliance in Renate’s legacy — in the way she uses vulnerability, uncomfortable silences, and tender questioning to expose the double standards and repression at the heart of Paraguay’s conservative society.

The number 108 — used to identify and persecute members of the LGBTQ+ community during the dictatorship — still carries a heavy stigma in Paraguay. Renate reclaims that number, transforming it into a tribute to her uncle. Every time I watch this film, it moves me deeply. It’s astonishing how the portrait of one family can so powerfully reflect an entire country.

THE PARAGUAY POST RECOMMENDS:
Where to Watch Paraguayan Movies on the Big Screen

• Cine de Barrio: created by Marcelo Martinessi, this intimate space in Las Mercedes is championing classics of local, Latin American, and world cinema.

• Cineclub Itinerante: this periapetic club of politically-minded cinephiles recently screened a trio of pioneering dictatorship-era films.

• ASUFICC: Held in October, this international festival is the place to catch up-and-coming Paraguayan filmmakers before they hit the big time.