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Fernando Brenner, an Argentine film critic, curator, and consultant for the 30th IFFK, who curated the Latin American section, is also a passionate football enthusiast. In an exclusive interview held as part of the festival, he shared his views on Argentine and Malayalam cinema, his second passion football and the enduring legacy of Lionel Messi.

Reflecting on the evolution of Latin American cinema, Brenner noted that films from the region were strongly political about five decades ago, before shifting toward more escapist fantasy narratives. This trajectory changed significantly with the emergence of the Nuevo Cine Argentino movement in the mid-1990s, which transformed Argentine cinema by adopting low-budget filmmaking and working extensively with non-professional actors.

Speaking about the festival, Brenner said, “The Latin American films selected for the 30th International Film Festival share a common theme of migration. Elder Son is one of the highlights of this selection.”

Commenting on the immense admiration for Lionel Messi in Kerala, Brenner remarked, “Messi remains an extremely important figure in Argentina. I am both surprised and delighted to witness such overwhelming admiration for him in Kerala. The football enthusiasm here is extraordinary. Messi truly should have visited Kerala.”

Sharing his impressions of India, Brenner observed that many of his colleagues tend to view the country through a stereotypical, Bollywood-centric lens. “They often associate India with spices, Bollywood, and polluted water,” he said. “However, I am well aware of the reality of Indian cinema and what IFFK represents. The diversity of subjects and the depth of themes explored in Malayalam cinema are truly impressive.”