The Peruvian Ambassador to Malaysia, Ricardo Morote Canales, opened the 24th Latin American Film Festival at Sunway University on October 29, 2026, serving as dean of the Latin American and Caribbean Group of Countries (GRULAC), gob.pe reported.
- Ambassador Ricardo Morote Canales inaugurated the 24th edition on October 29, 2026.
- Screenings ran at Sunway University through November 6, 2026.
- Peru featured Rossana Díaz Costa’s film adaptation of Alfredo Bryce Echenique’s novel Un mundo para Julius.
Ambassador Morote Canales spoke on behalf of GRULAC nations participating in Malaysia, including Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Cuba, Mexico, Peru, and Uruguay. He thanked event coordinators Felipe Salgueiro for GRULAC and Dr. Padma Pillai from Sunway University’s Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences.
During his opening remarks, the ambassador pointed to the international prestige of Latin American cinema. He noted how its narratives blend social realism with rich visual and sonic elements, sometimes carrying the distinctive mark of magical realism.
The festival served as a bridge for Malaysian audiences to explore universal themes such as love, family, social crisis, and human aspiration from a non-Western perspective. Eight participating countries showcased distinct linguistic traditions and artistic approaches.
Organizers structured the program to benefit students in film, communication, literature, Spanish, Portuguese, and social sciences. The lineup offered fresh directions in narrative structure and critical evaluations of social reality across adventure, biography, comedy, documentary, and drama.
| Event Detail | Specification |
|---|---|
| Host Institution | Sunway University |
| Dates Active | October 29 to November 6, 2026 |
| Opening Feature | Aún estoy aquí ( I’m Still Here) |
Walter Salles directed the opening night feature, the political drama Aún estoy aquí ( I’m Still Here), which won the 2025 Oscar for Best International Feature Film. The broader slate covered various cinematic genres.
Peru presented Un mundo para Julius on October 30. Rossana Díaz Costa wrote, co-produced, and directed the feature based on Alfredo Bryce Echenique’s foundational contemporary Peruvian novel. gob.pe reported that the screening received a very strong reception from the audience.
