In terms of cinema, Paraguay is an invisible nation, a nation without images, without audio-visual stories until recently, when they pleasantly surprised the world at Cannes.

The Paraguayan film industry is quite small compared to those in Argentina and Brazil but that does not mean that this Latin American country does not have a strong culture with many stories to be told.

In recent years, Paraguayan films have been inching into the artistic movie genre with such films as "El Toque del Oboe" in 1998, "Maria Escobar" in 2002 and "O Amigo Dunor" in 2005 which competed for Best Movie in the Rotterdam International Film Festival.

But the big eye opener came in 2006 when "Hamaca Paraguaya," which was screened at the Cannes Film Festival, gaining critical acclaim both in Paraguay and abroad.

Movie goers at Cannes and other film festivals outside of Paraguay were mesmerized by the film`s style that is not only simple but beautiful.



To bring their film industry to the next level, Paraguay Culture Minister Ticio Escobar told The Korea Herald that he is working on a cooperation agreement with his counterpart in Korea.

"Right now we are talking with Korea about a more general framework but in the future we will see the possibilities about creating a cooperation in the film industry," he said.

It is no secret that the Korean film industry has taken the world by storm.

Korean films have won prizes in some of the biggest and most highly revered international film festivals while commanding the ultimate coup de gras, by selling large amounts of tickets abroad.

"It`s a new phenomenon for us; Paraguayan films won a few high ranking film festival prizes," Escobar said. "The cooperation agreement with Korea would be a technical agreement and one where we can work together."

While the film industry was virtually nonexistent just 20 years ago, the situation has been slowly improving since 1990, the year in which the Paraguayan Cinematheque Foundation was set up and the annual Asuncion Film Festival was inaugurated.

Several new cinemas have been built both in the capital of Asuncion and other Paraguayan cities.

Funding remains a problem, exacerbated by economic difficulties. In addition, the domestic market is dominated largely by American and Argentine films.

"Our films are not for mass distribution," he said. "They are for a more selective group of artistic filmgoers but it`s the very early stage of the film industry in Paraguay."

Yet Paraguay is not invisible to the movie world.

In 1986, Paraguay was the backdrop for the Academy Award for Best Cinematography winner "The Mission." In 2006, Hollywood came back to film parts of "Miami Vice." Even James Bond had a scene shot in Paraguay for the film "Moonraker."

Escobar`s ministry is also working to establish a Korean Cultural Center in Paraguay.

The minister explained that he is not looking for a part-time center. What he wants is a fully functional center offering everything cultural all year round.

"This is not only for exhibitions but also to learn the Korean language, its culture and Korean cooking classes," he said.

(yoav@heraldm.com)











By Yoav Cerralbo