Award-Winning Queer Chilean Drama ‘The Mysterious Gaze of the Flamingo’ Secures U.S. Distribution

In a notable move for international queer cinema, Altered Innocence has acquired U.S. distribution rights for the Chilean drama ‘The Mysterious Gaze of the Flamingo,’ following its award-winning debut at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival. Written and directed by Diego Céspedes in his feature-length debut, the film has garnered critical acclaim for its poignant portrayal of a queer family grappling with fear, prejudice, and myth in the shadow of an emerging health crisis in the early 1980s Chilean desert. The distributor describes the work as a “queer Western that reimagines the early AIDS era with poetic intimacy and desert-dry surrealism” .

Set in 1982 in a remote mining town in northern Chile, ‘The Mysterious Gaze of the Flamingo’ centers on eleven-year-old Lidia, who lives with her beloved queer family. As an unknown, deadly disease begins to sweep through the community, a myth takes hold: it is said that the illness is transmitted through a simple glance between two men when they fall in love. Gay men, including members of Lidia’s family, become the targets of suspicion and blame. The narrative follows the young protagonist’s quest for truth amid rising hysteria, as she navigates the intersection of childhood innocence and the harsh realities of prejudice and stigma .

The film’s cast is led by Tamara Cortés as Lidia, with standout performances from Matías Catalán as Flamingo and Paula Dinamarca as Mama Boa. The story’s emotional resonance emerges from its blend of magical realism and historical allegory, using the lens of a child to interrogate the fear, misinformation, and discrimination faced by queer communities during the onset of the AIDS epidemic .

The genesis of ‘The Mysterious Gaze of the Flamingo’ began in 2019 when director Diego Céspedes participated in the Cannes Cinéfondation Residence, developing a script that would eventually draw international attention. The project attracted support from major European and Latin American film funds, including a €50,000 grant from the TorinoFilmLab in 2020 and further support from Eurimages and co-producers in France, Germany, Spain, and Belgium. Principal photography commenced in May 2024, with a multinational team contributing to the film’s unique visual and narrative palette .

The film’s world premiere took place in the Un Certain Regard section at the 78th Cannes Film Festival on May 15, 2025. There, it was awarded the Un Certain Regard Award, the top prize in the section, and was nominated for the Queer Palm and the Camera d’Or. Its recognition at Cannes quickly established it as a major contender on the international festival circuit. The film subsequently won the Best Debut Film and received a Special Jury Prize at the 2025 Lima Film Festival .

Described by its distributor as a “queer Western,” the film blends genres to create a narrative that is both timeless and deeply rooted in its historical context. The Western motif is reimagined through the lens of queer experience—isolated characters confronting not only the harsh desert landscape but also the existential threat posed by disease and community ostracization. The film’s desert setting serves as both a physical and psychological space, amplifying the sense of isolation and vulnerability experienced by its characters .

Céspedes employs elements of magical realism and poetic surrealism to challenge the myths and superstitions that often accompanied early reports of HIV/AIDS, particularly in marginalized communities. The motif of illness transmitted through a glance is a metaphor for the ways in which love, desire, and difference have been pathologized and weaponized against queer people. By exploring these themes through the eyes of a child, the film fosters empathy and prompts reflection on the enduring impact of stigma and misinformation .

Following its success at Cannes, ‘The Mysterious Gaze of the Flamingo’ was selected as Chile’s official entry for Best International Feature Film at the 98th Academy Awards, positioning it as one of the year’s foremost Oscar contenders from Latin America. Its upcoming U.S. release through Altered Innocence—an independent distributor with a track record of championing innovative, boundary-pushing queer cinema—will make the film accessible to a wider audience and further amplify its impact .

The film is also scheduled for theatrical releases in Spain (January 16, 2026, via BTeam Pictures) and in Chile (first half of 2026, via Cinecolor Films), underscoring its international appeal and relevance .

‘The Mysterious Gaze of the Flamingo’ has been praised by LGBTQ+ advocates and critics for its nuanced, empathetic depiction of queer lives, particularly in a historical moment marked by fear and uncertainty. The film’s refusal to sensationalize or pathologize its characters stands as a corrective to decades of harmful media representation. Instead, it foregrounds the strength, resilience, and humanity of queer families, while acknowledging the very real dangers they faced during the early years of the AIDS epidemic .

The film’s narrative resonates beyond Latin America, offering a universal meditation on the impact of stigma and the necessity of community solidarity. By centering the perspective of a young girl, Céspedes invites audiences to question inherited prejudices and to consider the ways in which misinformation and fear can fracture families and communities. The critical and commercial momentum generated by the film’s festival run and forthcoming U.S. release reflects a growing appetite for stories that authentically reflect diverse LGBTQ+ experiences.

With its poetic storytelling, bold aesthetic vision, and unflinching exploration of queer history, ‘The Mysterious Gaze of the Flamingo’ stands as a landmark achievement in contemporary Latin American cinema. Its U.S. release by Altered Innocence is poised to bring this vital story to new audiences, fostering greater understanding and dialogue around the legacy of the AIDS crisis and the ongoing fight for LGBTQ+ dignity and representation .