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Chile🇨🇱 | festivalsFEMCINEWomen directors, Q&As, workshops, short blocks | things to do and best time to go

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Backpacking in FEMCINE
👌 Worth visitingfestival ranked #14
By Johan Kruseman 🇳🇱 | Updated October 19, 2026

FEMCINE began as a small, women-focused film showcase with modest screenings, and it has grown into an established international festival of films made by women. It takes place in Santiago, Chile’s capital, with screenings in central venues you can reach on the metro. My mistake was turning up for a popular screening without a reserved seat, and I learned that free entry still means queuing early. Programming runs in clusters, so you can plan around one neighborhood. Unlike the sprawling, industry-heavy Santiago a Mil, FEMCINE stays small, so you actually talk with directors.

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✨ Why go?
Ranked #14 festival in ChileThe unique appeal for travelers

FEMCINE gives backpackers a rare way to meet Santiago’s creative scene without paying festival-circuit prices. Screenings are compact and many are free or low cost, so the same audience keeps bumping into each other between films, and conversations start easily. Q&A sessions with women directors from Chile and across Latin America are the main draw, and they run in Spanish with the occasional subtitled screening, so even basic Spanish helps. It also fits a longer route well. Santiago works as an arrival or departure point, and a days-long festival in the capital makes a useful pause between the coast and the Andes. You leave with film recommendations, contacts and a sharper sense of Chilean stories.

💡 HighlightsMust-see experiences and standout moments

  1. Feature film competition screenings: FEMCINE (Festival Internacional de Cine de Mujeres) in Santiago is best known for programming built around films directed by women, with Latin American and international titles in competition. Audiences are mixed and talkative, and the programming leans toward directors you won’t see in a multiplex.
  2. Director Q&As and talks: After many screenings the filmmakers stay to answer questions. You hear how a low-budget film got financed and shot, which beats any program note.
  3. Industry and training activities: Workshops, masterclasses and meetings for emerging filmmakers run alongside the screenings. Some are open to the public, so a curious non-professional can sit in on a real conversation about the craft.
  4. Retrospectives and special tributes: Programmers often
… read more 👉
  1. Feature film competition screenings: FEMCINE (Festival Internacional de Cine de Mujeres) in Santiago is best known for programming built around films directed by women, with Latin American and international titles in competition. Audiences are mixed and talkative, and the programming leans toward directors you won’t see in a multiplex.
  2. Director Q&As and talks: After many screenings the filmmakers stay to answer questions. You hear how a low-budget film got financed and shot, which beats any program note.
  3. Industry and training activities: Workshops, masterclasses and meetings for emerging filmmakers run alongside the screenings. Some are open to the public, so a curious non-professional can sit in on a real conversation about the craft.
  4. Retrospectives and special tributes: Programmers often devote a slot to a pioneering woman filmmaker or a themed selection of older work. It is a cheap way to catch up on film history that rarely reaches Chilean cinemas.
  5. Short film programs: Shorts are grouped into blocks, so one ticket gets you several directors and styles in about 90 minutes. They suit a traveler with limited time and a wish to sample widely.
The shorts blocks often hold the boldest, strangest work and the friendliest post-screening crowds.
Spotted a mistake or missing something? Contact us.

Things to do around FEMCINE

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A Fabulous Walking tour by the Old Santiago of Chile -

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Private Tour: Half-Day Santiago Discovery

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Santiago: Half-Day Sightseeing City Tour with Chauffeur and Guide

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Ratings based on Tripadvisor reviews. When you book through this link, you support our work at no extra cost to you.

🌤️ When to go?When is the celebration of FEMCINE?

FEMCINE, Santiago’s international women’s film festival, is held in Santiago, Chile, usually over about six days in late autumn (in May in recent editions), with screenings centered on the downtown and Providencia area cinemas.
  • Best day: Opening night has guests and Q&As; weekdays are quieter and easier for seats.
  • Weather: Expect 10 to 24°C (50 to 75°F), dry days, cool evenings and long daylight. Bring a light jacket.
  • Booking: Reserve beds 3 to 4 weeks ahead; prices rise little, maybe 10 to 20 percent.
  • Crowds: Avoid Metro rush hours (7:30 to 9:00 and 18:00 to 20:00).
Check the program as soon as it is published and pick two or three must-see films.

source: climatestotravel.comJANJanuary: not recommended for travelingFEBFebruary: not recommended for travelingMARMarch: not recommended for travelingAPRApril: not recommended for travelingMAYMay: not recommended for travelingJUNJune: not recommended for travelingJULJuly: not recommended for travelingAUGAugust: not recommended for travelingSEPSeptember: not recommended for travelingOCTOctober: excellent for travelingNOVNovember: not recommended for travelingDECDecember: not recommended for traveling

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🛏️ Where to stay?How to pick the right area

Barrio Bellavista, Barrio Lastarria and Barrio Brasil are the best areas to stay for FEMCINE, since all sit within a short Metro ride or walk of central screening venues.
Lastarria is the easiest pick for solo travelers. It is walkable, well lit into the evening, full of cafes and small cinemas, and the hostel scene there is sociable. Bellavista has the most nightlife and a younger backpacker crowd, so it is lively but louder; stay near the Pío Nono end only if you like late nights, and take taxis or app rides home. Barrio Brasil is calmer, more local and cheaper, with older mansions turned into … read more 👉
Barrio Bellavista, Barrio Lastarria and Barrio Brasil are the best areas to stay for FEMCINE, since all sit within a short Metro ride or walk of central screening venues.
Lastarria is the easiest pick for solo travelers. It is walkable, well lit into the evening, full of cafes and small cinemas, and the hostel scene there is sociable. Bellavista has the most nightlife and a younger backpacker crowd, so it is lively but louder; stay near the Pío Nono end only if you like late nights, and take taxis or app rides home. Barrio Brasil is calmer, more local and cheaper, with older mansions turned into hostels and lots of cheap lunch spots.
Providencia is quieter and very safe, good if you want sleep, and Metro Line 1 links everything. Stay close to a Metro station and you can skip taxis.
Best hostels in Chile


Best quality hotels in Chile

👛 Costs (as of 19 October 2026)What things cost and how to budget

Expect to spend about US$62 a day at FEMCINE in Santiago, with hostel beds and cheap meals being the main costs.
CategoryBudget RangeLocal Reality
Festival ticketsUS$0 to 6Many screenings are free or low cost; allow about US$4 per film.
AccommodationUS$15 to 30Hostel dorm beds; US$30 in high season around the festival.
Local transportUS$3 to 6Metro fares are about US$1 each ride with a Bip! card.
Food & drinksUS$12 to 22Set lunches at US$6 to 9, plus a drink or two at night.
Miscellaneous expensesUS$3 to 6Coffee, SIM data and small extras.
Total Daily BudgetUS$62Per person, per day, in high season.
⚠️ Prices can change and everyone travels differently, so take this as a rough guide. Hope it helps you plan your adventure!

🍲 FoodWhat to Eat & Drink

Expect cinema snacks more than a food fair: popcorn, empanadas (baked cheese or pino beef) and sopaipillas from vendors and cafes near the venues.
For drinks, grab a café con leche, a fresh jugo natural, or a terremoto or pisco sour in a Bellavista or Lastarria bar after evening screenings. Try a completo, Chile’s loaded hot dog with avocado and tomato, for a cheap bite between films.
Meals in the nearby cafes run about US$6 to 12, and many offer a set weekday menú del día worth grabbing. Cards are widely accepted in cafes, but carry some Chilean pesos for small stalls and street vendors. Eat before a screening, as lines at the concession counter swell right before start times.

FAQTraveler FAQ

FEMCINE takes place in Santiago, Chile, usually for about a week in late autumn, in May in recent editions. Screenings are held at central cinemas and cultural venues in downtown Santiago and Providencia. Exact dates change each year, so check the official program a month or two ahead.
Attending FEMCINE costs little, with many screenings free or around US$4 per film. Budget about US$62 a day in total, including a US$15 to 30 hostel bed, US$12 to 22 for food and US$3 to 6 for Metro rides. Costs rise slightly for dorm beds near the festival dates.
Tickets for FEMCINE are not always needed in advance, as many screenings are free entry or sold at the door. Popular opening-night events and Q&A sessions can fill up, so reserve online or arrive 30 to 45 minutes early. Check the festival website for which sessions require registration.
⚠️ Things can change over time, so always validate details locally before you go.

Other Chilean festivals near FEMCINE

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We 💚 feedbackKey takeaways before you go

FEMCINE works best as a few days tacked onto a wider Santiago stay, paired with the city’s museums, the Mercado Central and a day trip to Valparaíso or a wine valley. I would pick two or three screenings, arrive early, and leave evenings open for the post-film conversations.

✈️ When did I visit Chile?
I have visited Chile, together with Argentina, in September 2012.

✍️ Help improve this page!
The information on this page is based on my own backpacking experience in Chile, supplemented with up-to-date research and feedback from other travelers. Travel details can change, so if you notice anything outdated or incomplete, feel free to let me know.



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