A Panama Movie ‘Chichero’ May Represent the Isthmus at the 2027 Oscars and Goyas.
The film directed by Arturo Montenegro and Aarón Bromley was selected to represent the country at the 2027 Goya Awards and seek an Oscar nomination.
Panama is once again looking to Hollywood and Spain. The film “Chichero” has been selected to officially represent the country at the 2027 Goya Awards and enter the race for an Oscar nomination in 2027. The selection was announced by the Academy of Cinematographic Arts and Sciences of Panama, which determined that the production met the bases and requirements to assume the Panamanian representation in both awards. Directed by Arturo Montenegro and Aarón Bromley, “Chichero” tells the story of Josué, a young Quechua man who flees the armed conflict that Peru experienced during the 1980s and arrives in Panama hoping to build a new life.
In the country, the protagonist survives by selling chicha and empanadas while pursuing his dream of becoming a boxing champion . Amidst these hardships, he meets Gaby, a woman in a vulnerable situation, with whom he shares a story marked by migration, love, and resilience. The film features a cast led by Peruvian actor Júnior Béjar Roca and the participation of renowned Panamanian talents such as Andrea Pérez Meana , Mafe Achurra, Gaby Gnazzo, Diego de Obaldía, Domil Leira and Elmis Castillo. For the Oscars, the selection represents just the beginning of the journey. “Chichero” must overcome the different stages of the Hollywood Academy’s evaluation process before knowing if it makes the shortlist and, subsequently, becomes one of the five nominees for “Best International Feature Film”.
In the case of the Goya Awards, the production will seek a nomination in the category corresponding to “Best Ibero-American Film”, so it will also have to advance in the selection process of the Spanish Film Academy. “Chichero” enters this international competition after winning the 2023 Film Fund Competition. The production was handled by QFilms and Dicine, with support from the Ministry of Culture of Panama (MiCultura). The film will also have the opportunity to meet Panamanian audiences in movie theaters, as its commercial release is scheduled for the end of September 2026. Thus, “Chichero” begins a new challenge for Panamanian cinema: to bring a story of migration, dreams and resistance to two of the most important film showcases in the region and seek a place among the productions that will compete for the Goya and the Oscars 2027. The preview of the Chichero below on ‘YouTube’ is in Spanish only.
