Film Policy in Latin America 1

In the 1990s, Latin American film industries face an uncertain future. Perhaps they have always faced an uncertain future. In Argentina, Brazil and Mexico, the countries with longest and strongest cinematic traditions, film industries have developed in a cyclical pattern in which moments of success have been followed by periods of decline and crisis. In smaller countries filmmaking has tended to be sporadic at best (Table 8.1). Political turmoil, economic instability, high inflation rates and debt crises have contributed to the instability of national industries. But they are not the only factors. Table 8.1 Latin American film production (selected countries)

Country	1970	1975	1980	1985	1991
Argentina	28	34	27	24	21
	…	1 1	-	…	6
Bolivia	…	…	…	2	1 2
Brazil	72	90	103	86	9 3
	…	1	…	…	…
Columbia	…	2	5 4	9	3 5
	…	-	-	1	…
Cuba	1	8	6	10	6
	-	-	-	3	3
Ecuador	…	…	…	…	1
Mexico	124	162	109	101	32
	2	…	48	5	1
Peru	…	1	1	4 6	1
	…	-	1	2	1
Venezuela	3	9	12	16	7
	3	1	4	1	1

1

Source: UNESCO, Statistical Yearbook 1994. Bottom figure indicates international co-production. Hyphen = no production. Three dots (…) indicates that no information is available.

2

1989 figure.

3

The 1991 figure for Brazil is an estimate. Fewer than ten films were produced in that year.

4

1982 figure.

5

1989 figure.

6

1986 figure.