Talks, Workshops and Free Screenings Bring the Second Version of the Tocopilla Soccer Film Festival to Life

The energy of children officially launched the Tocopilla Soccer Film Festival. On Tuesday, April 4, students of Pedro Aguirre Cerda F-9 School were given the task of inaugurating the second edition of the gathering, which seeks to bring soccer and cinema to local residents.

The Tocopilla Soccer Film Festival will kick off officially next Friday, April 21, at the Andrés Pérez Theater, with the screening of the short film that won the first festival: “Un tesoro, 60 años” (A Treasure, 60 years) by Rubén Martínez. The film narrates the discovery of hundreds of photographic negatives with images from the 62nd World Cup, including some of former 1962 Chilean national team player, Humberto “Chita” Cruz.

“We are very proud to bring this new version of the festival to Tocopilla after a successful first run in 2022 that allowed us to combine themes that are very important in the city, such as sports, healthy living, culture and local heritage. This year we are reaffirming our commitment to these issues, with a stronger focus on sustainability and clean energies,” commented Pablo Pisani, Director of Communities and Public Affairs for SQM’s Nitrate and Iodine businesses.

The program will run until Monday, April 24, in Tocopilla, María Elena and Quillagua and will include screenings of “Pena Máxima,” an adaptation of the book of the same name by Santiago Roncagliolo and “The Making of Mi Amigo Alexis,” a behind the scenes look at the film starring the current Olympique Marseille striker, Alexis Sánchez. Also participating is Director Gurinder Chadha’s English production, “Bend it Like Beckham,” about a young Indian girl living with her family in England who respects the traditions of her country of origin, but dreams of being a soccer player like her idol David Beckham.

“In April, Tocopilla will once again be decked out for soccer and cinema, with a new lineup of films featuring Alexis Sanchez, Pele, Beckham and other outstanding figures. We invite the community to watch the films and attend the talks we have organized for Tocopilla, Quillagua and María Elena,” commented Matías Carvajal, Director of the Tocopilla Soccer Film Festival.

Saturday, April 22 is loaded with activities for the whole family: Nine short films produced in Tocopilla will be presented at the city’s theater, and soccer personalities Jean Beausejour and Gonzalo Fouillouix will give a talk at the same venue. The festival will also take to the streets, as the central plazas of Quillagua and Tocopilla hold outdoor screenings of “The Making of Mi Amigo Alexis,” while “Pena Máxima” by Santiago Rocangliolo will be presented at the theater in María Elena.

Another film on the festival program is “Pelé: Birth of a Legend,” written and directed by Jeff Zimbalist and Michael Zimbalist (USA). The film portrays the early life of Brazilian soccer player Pelé and his journey with the Brazil team to win the 1958 FIFA World Cup.

We are very happy to support the festival again this year, to work with these films. We would like to invite all the people of Tocopilla to participate in these wonderful activities that SQM and the Chilean Chamber of Construction have organized for us. I invite you to come and enjoy these activities,” commented the Director of Culture, Heritage and Tourism for Tocopilla, José Miguel Nadal.

The Tocopilla Soccer Film Festival was organized by the Cultural Corporation of the Chilean Chamber of Construction and SQM, with support from the Municipality of Tocopilla. This project is part of the Cultural Donations Law.

Details of the festival program, reviews and trailers of the films are available at festivalfutbolcine.cl