Paraguayan cinema welcomes a new homegrown comedy this September with Timoteo: El Loro Que Se Volvió Santo (Timoteo: The Parrot Who Became a Saint), Directed by Osvaldo Ortiz Faiman, the feature opens in Paraguayan cinemas on 3 September 2026. The story takes audiences into the Asunción neighbourhood of Sajonia, where friendship, faith and an unusual parrot create an extraordinary neighbourhood story.
The film follows Doña Porota, Doña Chiquita and Doña Nena, three older women who share a close friendship. Porota cares for her husband while Chiquita owns Timoteo, a parrot known around the neighbourhood. However, their quiet routine changes when Timoteo apparently dies. Soon, an unexpected event gives the three friends a reason to question everything around them.
A story rooted in Asunción
Ortiz Faiman developed the story around the traditions and everyday life of a traditional Asunción neighbourhood. Consequently, the film explores faith, friendship, ageing and community through comedy and absurd situations. The setting also gives the production a distinctly Paraguayan identity, while keeping the story accessible to audiences beyond Paraguay.
The project began years before the September release. Ortiz Faiman first developed Timoteo as a short film during a directing workshop in 2013. After the short travels to festivals and received awards, the director saw an opportunity to expand the story into a feature film. The longer version then developed through several years of writing and production.
Moreover, the project received international support during its development. Ibermedia selected Timoteo in its 2019 call, while Puatarara Films produced the Paraguayan project with Argentina’s Aleph Cine. The film later received additional support through Paraguay’s National Audiovisual Institute.
An ensemble connecting Paraguay and Argentina
The cast brings together established Paraguayan performers alongside internationally recognised actors. Amada Gómez, Katty Pacuá and Georgina Genes lead the Paraguayan ensemble, alongside Argentine actress Norma Aleandro. Enciso and Mexican actor Damián Alcázar also joined the cast.
Georgina Genes also brings a connection to Paraguayan cinema. She previously starred as Cándida in Paz Encina’s acclaimed film: Hamaca Paraguaya, a landmark Paraguayan film that won the FIPRESCI Prize at Cannes. Meanwhile, Katty Pacuá remains a recognised figure in Paraguay’s theatre scene, having performed with the Municipal Theatre Ensemble of Asunción.
From neighbourhood story to cinema
The production also carries a connection with the local communities. Filming took place in Asunción and used the city’s neighbourhood as an important part of the story. The production completed 26 filming days, with a large crew working across five weeks.
Now, audiences finally get the chance to meet Timoteo on the big screen. From 3 September, the Paraguayan feature invites viewers into a world where a neighbourhood parrot becomes the centre of an unexpected story about friendship and community.
For Paraguayan cinema, Timoteo arrives as another locally made feature ready to bring an unmistakably Paraguayan story to audiences in cinemas.
Also read: Narrator And Filmmaker Hugo Giménez And The Future Of Paraguayan Cinema
