There is no single turning point in Marcelo Martinessi’s journey into cinema. Instead, his story unfolds gradually, shaped by curiosity, experimentation, and a persistent need to tell stories. Marcelo Martinessi is one of Paraguay’s most internationally recognised filmmakers, known for his thoughtful, character-driven cinema.
Born in Asunción in 1973, Martinessi began exploring storytelling at a young age before studying film and building a career across television and cinema. He gained global attention with The Heiresses (2018), a critically acclaimed film that earned awards at major festivals, and continues to shape contemporary Paraguayan cinema with projects like Narciso, combining local narratives with universal themes.
The start of it all
“I was always interested in storytelling. Since I was a child, I played a lot with Playmobil and tried to create stories with them,” Martinessi begins, grounding the conversation with The Asunción Times in place and identity. “Later, I started writing poetry and short stories. Then I became interested in theatre and film during high school. I made my first short film when I was about 13 or 14.”
Still, filmmaking did not immediately become his career. “I worked in television for several years. And then, when I was about to turn 30, I decided to quit everything and go to London to study cinema. That is when I became more serious about trying to make films.”
“In Paraguay, we had to build everything from scratch”
Marcelo Martinessi is clear about the structural challenges of filmmaking in Paraguay. “It has always been difficult to make films here. We did not have a film institute. We did not have film funds. I believe we are among the first who can really work as a group and tell stories for the big screen.”
Even now, the system relies heavily on collaboration beyond borders. “The way I mainly work is through co-productions. We still depend a lot on international support.”
Marcelo Martinessi and his interest in asking questions
When the conversation turns to his creative process, Martinessi pushes back against the idea of cinema as a vehicle for clear messages.
“It usually starts with an urgency. You see something that makes you uncomfortable, and you want to work around that. But I do not believe in film as a message. I do not try to give a message. I am more interested in asking questions. Not answering them, but finding new ones.”
For him, cinema becomes a tool for reflection. “It helps me understand who we are, our society, our history. And also to communicate with others, in Paraguay and abroad.”
“We are still building Paraguayan cinema”
Despite his international influences, Martinessi insists on grounding his work locally.
“I enjoy many currents of cinema. I love Italian neorealism, European filmmakers, and some independent American cinema. I know I cannot reproduce that today. I have to find a contemporary language.”
That search leads him back home. “Whenever I sit in front of a blank page, I try to forget everything and think about Paraguayan literature, Paraguayan poetry, Paraguayan memory. I think about the people I work with and the images we can create together. It is a very unique process.”
Asked about the evolution of national cinema, Marcelo Martinessi answers with a mix of realism and optimism.
“We have not made that many films. Someone once told me, “You could study all Paraguayan cinema in one semester. There is diversity. There are very unique voices. We do not yet have a clear portrait of Paraguayan cinema. We are still emerging.”
From The Heiresses to Narciso
Martinessi’s breakthrough film, The Heiresses, brought international recognition. But success came with its own pressures.
“At the beginning, you feel a bit scared. You wonder why there is so much attention. It was the moment of the Me Too movement. It had an all-female cast. It connected with that context.”
Now, with Narciso, he is exploring new territory.
“I feel Narciso will be seen in many different ways. It is a dialogue with the fear of authoritarian regimes, but it is also more cinematic. It has more music, more show, more noise. The Heiresses was very intimate. This one has a wider range. We invested a lot in portraying Asunción in the 1950s. I think it is the first time a Paraguayan film attempts that.”
“The audience comes later”
Martinessi’s approach to audiences may surprise some. “I do not think about the audience at the beginning. It comes much later in the process.” He compares filmmaking to conducting. “You are directing an orchestra. You focus on what is happening there, not on who will listen. Then you ask if it can reach an audience, even a small one.”
Martinessi also co-founded Cine de Barrio (Neighbourhood Cinema), a project aimed at expanding cinematic exposure.
“What we try to do is create audiences. We show Latin American, European, and Asian cinema. We want people to experience different ways of storytelling. There is room for everything. Like in music, you can have folk and rock and roll.”
Paraguay as a wide canvas
As the conversation closes, Martinessi returns to the idea of potential.
“There are so many stories to tell. From our history, from our culture, from our resistance. We are still a wide canvas.”
For now, his focus is on navigating the release of Narciso. “I am still underwater. Trying to manage everything around the premiere.” But the conversation, like his films, does not end with a conclusion. “It would be great to continue this dialogue. Because cinema does not end when the film is finished.”
To watch Martinessi’s latest film, Narciso, check all local cinemas in Paraguay.
