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101m
SPA26: Narciso
Book Tickets
Synopsis
Australian premiere
Inspired by notorious real-life events, this seductive new noir from award-winning writer/director Marcelo Martinessi (The Heiresses) unravels the mysterious death of a charismatic radio host in late-1950s Paraguay — as the rebellious pulse of rock ’n’ roll crackling over the airwaves sparks fear, scandal and moral panic.
Asunción, 1959. Under dictator Alfredo Stroessner’s suffocating military regime, magnetic DJ Narciso Arévalos’ (Diro Romero) popularity has risen in tandem with the arrival of imported American music. Narciso, having returned from Buenos Aires energised by the likes of Chuck Berry and Buddy Holly, has convinced the radio station’s owner to play it instead of traditional Paraguayan folk standards. Narciso’s show ignites a generation craving freedom, yet his defiant allure also earns powerful, dangerous attention.
Visually stunning and immersive, Martinessi’s atmospheric thriller probes how desire, fear, and shared beliefs work together to sustain dictatorships, and reminds us that few forces challenge conformity more powerfully than art, especially the electrifying sound of rock ’n’ roll.
Festivals & Awards
WINNER – FIPRESCI Prize for Best Film: Panorama, Berlin International Film Festival 2026
OFFICIAL SELECTION – Panorama, Berlin International Film Festival 2026
Paraguay, Brazil, Portugal, Germany, Spain, France, Uruguay | Spanish, Guaraní with English subtitles
Opening Date
Friday, Jun 12, 2026
Rating
CTC
Length
101m
Reviews
The film is visually gorgeous, and this beauty serves a narrative and dramatic purpose – to have us fully immersed in the times, to live them as if they were the present.
Luna Recommended
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