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[title]BAFICI is one of those festivals that excites… and overflows with options. With more than 300 films in its packed lineup, choosing what to watch can be as tempting as it is challenging. Between one-off screenings, venues spread across the city, and programs ranging from experimental to more classic fare, the key is finding your own path.
Rather than trying to see everything, the best approach is to go in with a strategy: pick by sections, by directors, or, even проще, by mood. Whether you’re looking for an intense experience, something more relaxed, or a film that will stay with you for days, this guide will help you plan your schedule without missing the best of BAFICI 2026.
1. If you’re into experimental cinema (and stepping outside the conventional)
If you’re interested in film as an experience rather than a narrative, these are safe bets.
- CIN3 (Argentina, 2026)
Raúl Perrone presents a new work with no synopsis or trailer, inviting audiences to engage with it free of expectations. A radical proposal that reaffirms his free and experimental style.
Section: Out of Competition
- Eight Bridges (United States, 2026)
James Benning offers an exercise in pure contemplation: static shots of bridges capturing the passage of time and the movement of the world in a hypnotic, minimalist experience.
Section: Trajectories
2. If you’re looking for films to think about (and discuss afterward)
Two titles that reflect on cinema itself: one from the perspective of gender and power in representation, the other from the intimacy of a master like Ozu.
- No Mercy (Germany/Austria, 2025)
Through interviews with female and non-binary filmmakers, this film reflects on violence and power in an investigation that questions the limits of cinematic language.
Section: Films About Film
- The Ozu Diaries (United States, 2025)
Through diaries, letters, and previously unseen material, this documentary dives into the life and work of Yasujiro Ozu in a sensitive portrait of how cinema transforms personal experience.
Section: Films About Film
3. If you prefer strong, emotional stories
Here, the focus is on relationships. From a small moment that triggers an emotional crisis to a father-son reunion loaded with the past. More accessible films, but no less profound.
- My Wife Cries (Germany/France, 2026)
In the middle of his workday, a man receives an unexpected call that disrupts his routine. With a restrained narrative, the film explores relationships and emotions starting from the smallest details.
Section: Trajectories
- The Disenchantment (El desencanto, Spain, 1976)
This classic by Jaime Chávarri returns to the big screen as one of the key works of Spanish documentary cinema. Fourteen years after the death of poet Leopoldo Panero, his widow and children reconstruct family memories in Astorga. Through words, objects, and memory-laden spaces, an intimate portrait emerges—marked by tensions, differences, and identities. More than a documentary, it is an emotional dissection of a family shaped by the weight of the father figure and its historical context.
Section: Restorations
4. If you want something lighter (but with social critique)
Films that combine humor with a sharp take on today’s world.
- Idiocracy (United States, 2006)
Mike Judge’s film imagines a future dominated by ignorance, where an average man becomes the smartest person on the planet. A biting comedy that works as both social critique and warning.
Section: Restorations
- Sicko (Kazakhstan, 2025)
Two men invent a terminal illness to raise money on social media, but the lie spirals out of control. A story about desperation, ethics, and digital exposure.
Section: Nocturna
5. If you’re interested in biographies and art figures
Two portraits of artists shaped by their times—from the intensity of Eleonora Duse to the physical and emotional power of Jorge Donn. Perfect for those who enjoy the intersection of art, history, and biography.
- Duse (Italy/France, 2025)
Pietro Marcello reconstructs the life of Eleonora Duse, a key figure in theater, within a context shaped by wars and political transformations. A journey between biography and memory.
Section: Trajectories
- Donn. God’s Instrument (France/Argentina/Belgium/Spain, 2026)
A documentary that revisits Jorge Donn through archival material and testimonies, tracing his career, artistic intensity, and legacy.
Section: Arts & Crafts
6. If you want to see “the most talked-about” film of the festival
- The True Story of Richard III (Argentina, 2026)
Marcelo Piñeyro brings Calixto Bieito’s staging of Richard III to the screen, transforming the tragedy into a sensory experience where the camera bursts into the stage. The result is a hybrid between theater and cinema that reshapes the viewer’s perception.
Section: Special Screenings
Quick tips to survive BAFICI (and its intensity)
- Tickets cost ARS 5,000.
- Discounts available for students and seniors, plus 2-for-1 deals with Banco Ciudad.
- Buy tickets in advance (screenings sell out fast).
- Arrive early: many screenings don’t have long trailers.
- Consider a pass if you plan to see several films.
- Choose nearby venues to save time between screenings.
Venues
Teatro San Martín – Sala Lugones (Av. Corrientes 1530)
Teatro Presidente Alvear (Av. Corrientes 1659)
Cinépolis Plaza Houssay (screens 1–4, Av. Córdoba 2135)
Cinépolis Recoleta (screens 2–3, Vicente López 2025)
Cinearte Cacodelphia (screens 1–3, Av. Pres. Roque Sáenz Peña 1150)
Centro Cultural 25 de Mayo (Av. Triunvirato 4444)
Usina del Arte (Agustín R. Caffarena 1)
Museo del Cine Pablo Ducrós Hicken (Agustín R. Caffarena 51)