Chile’s Néstor Cantillana a Triple Threat at the Guadalajara Film Fest, Prepping Second Directorial Outing (EXCLUSIVE)

Chile’s Néstor Cantillana has been a triple threat at the Guadalajara Film Fest (FICG), starring in two pics as well as “Hidden Island,” a series penned by international sci fi phenomenon Julio Rojas. Cantillana is also developing his second directorial outing with the short, ‘Humedal.”

“This has been my first time at a festival with two films and a series, all so different—from characters to visual style to the unique voices of young Chilean directors. I’m grateful to be here and to feel the love from the people in Guadalajara,” Cantillana told Variety.

Participating in FICG’s series showcase where its pilot episode played, sci fi thriller “Hidden Island” (“Isla oculta”), co-written by Rojas, Juan M. Dartizio and Felipe Carmona (“Prison in tghe Andes”), centers on a detective who returns to her hometown in southern Chile to investigate the disappearance of a Mexican archeologist who was searching for the mythical Friendship Island.

Rojas is best known for his acclaimed audio series, “Caso 63,” the most popular Latin American podcast and starring Cantillana. He also served as story editor on Lucía Puenzo’s “La Jauría,” and writer on Pablo Fendrik’s “El Refugio” and Matías Bize’s “The Life of Fish,” selected by Variety in 2020 as one of the 10 best foreign films in the last decade still without U.S. distribution.

“There’s been great interest in this Chilean-Mexican co-production, and the collaboration between artists from both countries has been wonderful,” said Cantillana.

The two pics are Chilean film “Cuerpo Celeste,” directed by Nayra Ilic García, which had its world premiere at Tribeca and now vies for the Premio Mayahuel in FICG’s Ibero-American official competition, and genre pic, “Patio de Chacales.”

“’Cuerpo Celeste’ is an intimate, moving coming-of-age film about a 15-year-old girl. I act alongside Daniela Ramírez as the parents. The response has been just as heartfelt – audiences are deeply moved and stay after screenings to ask questions, which is beautiful,” said Cantillana about the family drama set in post-Pinochet 1990 Chile.

Competing in FICG’s new genre competitive section, “Patio de Chacales,” directed by Diego Figueroa, was awarded best debut feature at the Tallinn Black Nights Fest in Estonia.

Set during Chile’s bloody dictatorship, Raúl, a quiet model-maker, finds comfort in the calm of his neighborhood. But everything changes when mysterious new neighbors arrive, setting off a wave of fear and violence that leaves lasting scars.

“With its psychological suspense and horror, ‘Patio de Chacales’ has left a strong impression. Though there are no monsters, the terror lies in what’s unseen and unspoken—and that’s worked really well,” observed Cantillana.

His second short film, which he plans to direct in November is tentatively titled “Humedal” and follows his debut short, “Igor,” which he shot some years ago in Stockholm and Santiago, Chile.

“’Humedal’ tells the story of Aurora, a 50-year-old university professor who’s been widowed for a year and has found a unique way to keep connecting with her deceased husband. But now, it’s time to let go and move on,” he explained.

Set in Valdivia, Cantillana will be working with actors from both Valdivia and Santiago. “Aurora will be played by Aline Kuppenheim [“Chile ’76”], and one of the distinctive aspects of this project is that I’ll be directing and acting – I’ll play Carlos, Aurora’s late husband.

“It’s a dark comedy that explores death, love, and the complexity of relationships. There’s humor, a touch of sadness and melancholy, and echoes of ‘Dona Flor and Her Two Husbands’ — that blend of fantasy with deeper, existential themes like grief, intimacy, and closure,” said Cantillana.

Cantillana is repped by Constanza Arena’s Agencia La Luz. “It’s an honor to support Néstor on his international journey as an artist, and to help elevate his work – not just as a multifaceted actor, but also as a director,” said Arena who recently signed Peruvian actor Rodrigo Palacios and Brazilian actress Denise Weinberg.