Renowned Chilean documentary filmmaker Patricio Guzmán dies at 85 in Paris

Patricio Guzmán, a leading figure in documentary cinema, died in Paris at the age of 85, according to the Academy of Cinema of Chile. Born in Chile, he spent more than four decades in France, producing a body of work that exceeds two dozen films, most of them documentaries. His seminal “A Batalha do Chile” trilogy (1975-1979) documented the Popular Unity era, the 1973 coup, and the ensuing Pinochet regime, becoming the most widely seen Latin-American political documentary.

French filmmaker Chris Marker helped preserve and distribute the trilogy in Europe. Guzmán’s later titles, including “Nostalgia da Luz,” “O Botão de Nácar,” and “A Cordilheira dos Sonhos,” garnered honors such as the Berlin Silver Bear, Cannes documentary prize, and a Goya award. His final feature, “Meu País Imaginário,” examines the 2019 Chilean protests and constitutional reform debates under former President Gabriel Boric. In 2023 he received Chile’s National Prize for Performing and Audiovisual Arts.