Paraguayan film Narciso continues its successful international journey after winning Best South American Feature Film at the fourth Bonito CineSur Festival in Bonito, Brazil. The award arrived during the festival’s closing ceremony in August, 2026, and recognised director Marcelo Martinessi’s latest production. Meanwhile, actor Diro Romero attended the event and accepted the Troféu Pantanal on behalf of the filmmakers. The latest recognition added another international achievement for Paraguayan cinema.
A new international honour for Narciso
The victory placed Narciso among the leading South American productions presented at the 2026 edition of festival. This year, the competition brought together six feature films from Argentina, Brazil, Peru, Paraguay and a Venezuela-Colombia co-production. An international jury chooses the Paraguayan production as the winner after reviewing each competing film. Consequently, the award showcased the growing strength of Paraguay’s film industry on the regional stage.
The jury included Brazilian director and screenwriter Dandara Ferreira, Paraguayan actor Celso Franco and Chilean producer Gabriela Sandoval. Together, they selected Narciso for its contribution to South American cinema. Moreover, the recognition follows the film’s growing success on the international festival circuit.
The story behind Narciso
The film draws inspiration from Guido Rodríguez Alcalá’s novel of the same name while also taking its foundation from real events. It is set in Asunción in 1959 and follows Narciso, a radio presenter who introduces rock and roll to Paraguay after returning from Buenos Aires. However, his passion for music unfolds during a period marked by political tension and historical memory.
Diro Romero leads the cast alongside Manuel Cuenca, Margarita Irún, Natalia Cálcena and Belén Vierci. Together, they bring to life a story that explores culture, identity and human rights during a defining chapter of Paraguayan history.
A message beyond the award
During the closing ceremony, Romero thanked the organisers for creating a space where filmmakers from across South America can share their work. He mentioned the festival proves the region still has many powerful stories waiting to reach audiences. Furthermore, he encouraged stronger collaboration between filmmakers so they can continue telling those stories together.
In addition, Romero highlighted he importance of protecting freedom and democracy. He finished his speech by repeating the film’s central question, “Who killed Narciso?”, while declaring that dictatorship must never return. Therefore, the award ceremony became a celebration of cinema and a reflection on the film’s deeper themes.
International journey continues
The Bonito CineSur prize follows another important milestone for Narciso. Earlier this year, the film won the FIPRESCI Critics’ Prize during its world premiere at the Berlin International Film Festival. Since then, it has continued to attract international attention from audiences and critics alike.
Next, the film travels to Spain to compete in the Horizontes Latinos section of the San Sebastián International Film Festival in September. Afterwards, it will arrive in Spanish cinemas in October. With every new festival selection and award, Narciso continues to increase Paraguay’s reputation as a producer of internationally recognised cinema.
