PampaDocFest Documentary Film Festival to Be Held for Fifth Time in Argentina

The International Documentary Film Festival PampaDocFest will take place from 9 to 12 April in Argentina’s La Pampa province, TV BRICS reported. The TV BRICS International Media Network acts as an information partner of the event.

According to the organisers, more than 500 applications from over 40 countries worldwide were submitted to the festival. Among the selected works are films from Argentina, Brazil, Cuba, Ethiopia, Chile, Peru, Colombia, and Guatemala. For the first time, a competition of audiovisual works for social media will be held among secondary school students.

The festival has been held in the province since 2020. Its main objective is to integrate Argentina’s provinces into the international film community and promote their cultural potential. Documentary films addressing contemporary social, cultural, environmental and political issues are accepted for participation.

"For us, the organisers of the International Documentary Film Festival PampaDocFest, it is very important to establish international cooperation that will allow documentary cinema to be distributed more widely and make it accessible to audiences around the world. PampaDocFest is the only international film festival in La Pampa province. It takes place in Santa Teresa, a small rural town where local residents actively assist in organising the event," said Migue Roth, Director of the International Documentary Film Festival PampaDocFest."Since its foundation in 2020, the festival has aimed at cultural decentralisation: it creates a space for meetings between directors, students, film critics and the general public. […] Documentary cinema, in our view, serves as a catalyst for reflection, a foundation for memory and a shared creative endeavour. We believe that international cooperation strengthens the diversity of perspectives and creates new opportunities for sharing participants’ stories beyond their original borders,".

The festival is supported by regional authorities for its positive impact on society. As noted by the organisers, they aim not only to entertain audiences but also to inspire viewers to engage more deeply with issues relevant to people around the world, turning the film festival into a tool for social change. The authorities of La Pampa province noted that PampaDocFest represents “cultural and legislative interest” for the region and also contributes to the province’s economic development.

All festival events are free of charge. The programme includes educational seminars, round tables and masterclasses, for example on documentary filmmaking, where participants, under the guidance of experienced directors, will be able to learn about production stages and even create their own short film. During the festival days, local musicians will perform in Santa Teresa, while artisans and producers will present their goods at fairs.

In 2025, in Bolivia, TV BRICS acted as a partner of the 3rd Edition of the Latin American Amateur Animation Festival “ANIMATEUR” and the IV International “Lions of Fire” Film Festival, where it also organised a special screening of documentary films by directors from BRICS+ countries.

In April 2025, the TV BRICS network presented a special documentary film programme in the Cuban city of Gibara in Holguín province as part of the 19th International Low-Budget Film Festival (FIC Gibara).