Maite Alberdi

Maite Alberdi Soto is a Chilean filmmaker whose work has reshaped contemporary documentary cinema both in Latin America and internationally. Born on 29 March 1983 in Santiago, Chile, she studied Aesthetics and Social Communication at the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile, where she also began teaching documentary directing at several universities. Since 2004, Alberdi has worn many hats—producer, director, documentarian, screenwriter, and film critic—and she founded the production company Micromundo Producciones to nurture independent voices. Her breakthrough came with The Mole Agent (2020), a quietly powerful portrait of an elderly spy‑like caretaker that earned her a historic Academy Award nomination, making it the first Chilean documentary ever to be recognized in that category. The film also garnered a Goya nomination for Best Ibero‑American Film, cementing her reputation for crafting emotionally resonant stories that cross cultural boundaries. Building on that momentum, Alberdi released The Eternal Memory (2023), which premiered at Sundance and won the Grand Jury Prize, later securing both the Forqué Award for Best Latin American Film and the Goya Award for Best Ibero‑American Film, as well as a second Oscar nomination for Best Documentary. Her earlier works, such as La once (2014) and Los niños (2016), earned her the Best Female Documentary Director Award at IDFA, highlighting her consistent excellence in exploring intimate human experiences. In addition to her feature projects, she has contributed as an acting producer to Los Reyes (2018) and written insightful film criticism for the magazine La Fuga, while co‑authoring a scholarly book on Chilean documentary theory. Invited to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in 2018, Alberdi continues to mentor emerging talent and expand the reach of Chilean documentary storytelling on the world stage.