Argentine Film Critics Association

Argentine Film Critics Association
Name	Argentine Film Critics Association
Native name	Asociación de Cronistas Cinematográficos de la Argentina
Formation	1942
Headquarters	Buenos Aires
Region	Argentina
Language	Spanish
Leader title	President

Argentine Film Critics Association

The Argentine Film Critics Association is a professional body of film critics, journalists, and scholars based in Buenos Aires that annually awards the Silver Condor for achievements in Argentine and Latin American cinema. Founded in the early 1940s amid a flourishing period for Argentine film alongside institutions such as the Museo del Cine Pablo Ducrós Hicken and the Cinemateca Argentina, the Association has played a central role in shaping critical discourse around works by filmmakers like Luis Buñuel, Fernando Ayala, and Lucrecia Martel. Its activities intersect with festivals and institutions including the Mar del Plata International Film Festival, the Berlinale, the Cannes Film Festival, and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in terms of festival programming, awards visibility, and international promotion.

History

The Association was established in 1942 during a golden age of Argentine cinema marked by studios such as Lumiton and Argentina Sono Film and stars like Tito Lusiardo and Libertad Lamarque. Early members organized screenings and critical gatherings in cultural hubs such as the Teatro Colón precinct and the Centro Cultural General San Martín, responding to transnational currents from Hollywood and European cinemas including Italian Neorealism and French New Wave. Throughout the 1950s and 1960s the Association debated cinema policy amid state interventions exemplified by disputes involving the National Institute of Cinema and Audiovisual Arts and political events such as the Revolución Libertadora. During the 1970s and the National Reorganization Process, critics navigated censorship that affected releases like those from Jorge Luis Borges adaptations and independent producers. The 1980s democratic transition and the return of festivals revitalized criticism, aligning the Association with contemporary auteurs such as Adolfo Aristarain and international co-productions with Spain and Mexico.

Organization and Membership

Membership comprises accredited critics from outlets including newspapers like Clarín, La Nación, and Página/12; magazines such as Noticias and Crisis; broadcasters including Radio Mitre and Telefe; and academic institutions like the Universidad de Buenos Aires's film studies programs. Voting membership categories distinguish between active critics, associate members, and honorary fellows drawn from institutions like the Instituto Torcuato Di Tella and the Universidad Nacional de las Artes. Governance follows a charter with an elected board — president, vice-president, secretary, and treasurer — and committees for programming, awards adjudication, and festival liaison. The Association maintains working relationships with regional bodies such as the Latin American Federation of Film Critics and international networks like the International Federation of Film Critics (FIPRESCI).

Dante Quinterno Awards (Silver Condor)

The Association’s flagship honor is the Silver Condor (Cóndor de Plata), formally known as the Dante Quinterno Awards in some contexts, which recognizes excellence in categories such as Best Film, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress, and technical crafts. Past recipients include films and filmmakers like El secreto de sus ojos director Juan José Campanella, actor Ricardo Darín, director Pablo Trapero, and screenwriter Mariano Llinás. The awards ceremony traditionally takes place in venues across Buenos Aires and has coincided with retrospectives at festivals such as the Mar del Plata International Film Festival and exhibitions at the Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes. The Silver Condor has served as a barometer for selection to international awards circuits including submissions to the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film and entries to the Berlin International Film Festival and Venice Film Festival.

Activities and Publications

Beyond awards, the Association organizes screenings, roundtables, and symposiums in collaboration with institutions such as the Cineteca Nacional and the Centro Cultural Kirchner. It sponsors year-end critics’ lists, curated programs for film clubs, and panels at events like the INCAA Cine conferences and the Buenos Aires International Festival of Independent Cinema (BAFICI). Members contribute reviews and essays to outlets including Revista Ñ, La Prensa, and academic journals from the Universidad Nacional de La Plata and the Universidad Nacional del Litoral. The Association has produced catalogs and critical anthologies on Argentine cinema history, with dossiers on filmmakers like Manuel Antín and Alejandro Doria, and themed studies on genres such as tango films and political cinema.

Influence and Criticism

The Association has influenced programming choices at festivals and the market visibility of Argentine films in international circuits such as Cannes and Toronto International Film Festival. Its awards have boosted careers and distribution for films by directors including Martín Rejtman and Pablo César. Critics, however, have debated the Association’s criteria, with disputes over perceived biases toward Buenos Aires-based productions versus regional cinema from provinces like Córdoba Province and Mendoza Province. Scholars and commentators from institutions such as the Universidad Torcuato Di Tella and publications like El País have critiqued its transparency and representativeness, prompting reforms in voting procedures and outreach to younger critics affiliated with film schools and independent outlets.

Notable Members and leadership

Prominent figures associated with the Association have included veteran critics and cultural personalities linked to publications and institutions such as Ricardo Piglia (literary and film criticism), Tristán Bauer (filmmaker and cultural administrator), Jorge Miguel Couselo (film historian), and journalists from La Nación and Clarín. Leadership has periodically featured presidents who later occupied roles in cultural policy and festivals, connecting the Association to bodies like the National Commission for Culture and the INCAA. Honorary members and award jury participants have encompassed international critics from The New York Times, Sight & Sound, and organizations including FIPRESCI and the European Film Academy.

Category:Film organizations in Argentina Category:Argentine culture