President Javier Milei’s administration officially suspended the operational funding of the National Institute of Film and Audiovisual Arts (INCAA by its Spanish initials) as part of its austerity plan for the public sector.

A resolution published on Tuesday in the Official Bulletin established the termination of contracts and a series of cuts that effectively paralyze INCAA’s everyday operations, canceling cell phone lines, messaging services, overtime pay, meals, and transport fares.

The decision is expected to also affect national film festivals like the Mar del Plata International Film Festival, the only A-class festival in Latin America. It also suspends all financial support for national film releases.

“Today is a horrible day for Argentine cinema, one of the most powerful film production scenes in this part of the world,” wrote Chilean scriptwriter Gonzalo Maza on X, co-writer of his country’s sole Oscar-winning film A Fantastic Woman.

“Chilean........

© Buenos Aires Herald