NARCISO

PARAGUAY, BRAZIL, PORTUGAL, GERMANY, FRANCE, URUGUAY | 2026 | COLOR | DCP | 101’ | SPANISH, GUARANI

Narciso is young, charming, charismatic. He is desired by women and men alike, at a time when any form of sexual desire is condemned. In 1959, whilst the country was under a harsh military dictatorship, he arrived in the Paraguayan capital with rock ’n’ roll in his luggage. He became a radio producer, introduced the revolutionary sounds of Elvis Presley and Little Richard, and turned his program into a symbol of freedom for young people, provoking the wrath of conservative society. His meteoric rise is, however, violently cut short when he is found mysteriously dead. Who killed Narciso? The answer seems almost irrelevant in the dark and menacing world depicted by the film, a world that conspires fatally against anything perceived as different. Drawing on a much-publicized true story, the Paraguayan director of “Las Herederas” (Golden Athena at the 2018 AIFF) delivers a captivating political thriller about a country condemned to silence and criminal complicity. Paraguay’s official entry for the 2027 Oscars. Loukas Katsikas

DIRECTOR: Marcelo Martinessi
SCREENWRITER: Marcelo Martinessi
DoP: Luis Arteaga
MUSIC: Zeltia Montes Muñoz
EDITORS: Fernando Epstein, Marcelo Martinessi
PRINCIPAL CAST: Diro Romero, Manuel Cuenca, Nahuel Pérez Biscayart, Mona Martínez
Margarita Irún, Arturo Fleitas

MARCELO MARTINESSI
Paraguayan director and screenwriter. He studied communication and film at the London Film School. His attempt at coming to terms with the ensuing political chaos gave rise to his short film “The Lost Voice”, which won Best Short at the 2016 Venice IFF. “Las Herederas”, his first feature film was a festival darling in international film festivals such as those of Seattle, Sydney, Cartagena, Berlin, San Sebastian and Athens.

FILMOGRAPHY
2026 Narciso
2018 Las Herederas