Exhibitions
A journey through the history of Chilean cinema at La Moneda
The La Moneda Cultural Center and the National Film Archive of Chile present Cinema in Chile: History(ies) in Motion , a groundbreaking exhibition on view until May 31st that offers a journey through more than a century of Chilean film history. The exhibition positions cinema as a key player in the country's social, political, and cultural life, highlighting how it has accompanied—and at times created tension within—Chile's various historical periods.
The opening coincides with the 20th anniversary celebrations of both institutions, reaffirming their commitment to preserving memory, protecting heritage, and promoting audiovisual culture. In this context, the exhibition stands as a landmark: the most ambitious exhibition on Chilean cinema to date, both in its scope and the diversity of materials it brings together.
More than 500 pieces—including films, photographs, original posters, heritage objects, archival documents, and interactive displays—combine to form a broad and dynamic narrative. The curatorial approach addresses cinema as art, industry, and entertainment, but also as a living heritage, fundamental to the construction of the country's collective memory and cultural identity.
The pieces come from more than 30 institutions and private collections, including the Ministry of Culture, Arts and Heritage, as well as national and international museums and film archives. This network of collaborations reinforces the cross-cutting and heritage-focused nature of the project, linking public and private archives into a coherent and enriching narrative.
The exhibition's itinerary is organized chronologically, from the arrival of cinema in Chile to contemporary productions. Beyond filmmaking itself, it explores the circuits of exhibition, distribution, preservation, and reception, allowing visitors to recognize continuities, ruptures, and transformations that have shaped the relationship between cinema and society.
Regina Rodríguez, executive director of the La Moneda Cultural Center, emphasizes that the exhibition invites viewers to understand cinema not only as an artistic discipline, but also as a language that records the country's social, political, and cultural changes, offering new ways of looking at history. For his part, Morales Cortés, director of the Chilean National Film Archive, explains that one of the central objectives is to awaken memories and emotions in the public, evoking emblematic works, historic theaters, and their first encounters with cinema.
“Chilean cinema reflects the diverse ways in which the country has been imagined and dreamed of,” says Morales Cortés. From the first films made in Iquique in 1897 to recent titles such as Denomination of Origin or Warm Christmas , the exhibition offers a journey through the history of Chilean cinema, connecting past, present, and future in a unique experience for all audiences.
