Marco Berger

Marco Berger is an Argentine film director and screenwriter whose work has become a touchstone for contemporary queer cinema in Latin America. Born on 8 December 1977, Berger honed his craft at the Universidad del Cine in Buenos Aires, where he absorbed both the technical rigors of filmmaking and the experimental impulses that would later define his aesthetic. He burst onto the scene in 2007 with two short films, Última voluntad and El reloj, showcasing an early fascination with intimate storytelling, visual rhythm, and the subtle choreography of desire. His first feature, Plan B (2009), debuted at several international festivals—including Buenos Aires, Rome and London—signaling his ambition to blend narrative tension with nuanced character studies. Yet it was Ausente (2011), released internationally as Absent, that cemented his reputation: the film earned the Teddy Award for Best Feature at the Berlin International Film Festival and was praised for its “original screenplay, innovative aesthetic and sophisticated approach,” a combination of homo‑erotic longing, suspense, and dramatic tension that marked a departure from mainstream Argentine cinema. Throughout his career, Berger has repeatedly explored the interplay of sexuality, power, and identity, often employing deliberate pacing, muted color palettes, and a keen focus on the body as a site of narrative conflict.

Since Ausente, Berger has directed a prolific series of feature films—including Hawaii (2013), Butterfly (2015), Taekwondo (2016, co‑directed with Martín Farina), Un rubio (2019), Young Hunter (2020), The Carnival (2021), Horseplay (2023), and the forthcoming Los amantes astronautas (2024). His collaborative projects, such as the anthology Cinco (2010) and the Tensión sexual volumes, demonstrate a commitment to collective storytelling and an openness to experimental formats. In addition to directing, he has contributed as an editor on Fulboy (2014) and continues to work on shorts like El intercambio (2023). Openly gay, Berger’s personal experiences inform his nuanced portrayal of queer desire, making his work both politically resonant and artistically daring. His films have been celebrated at festivals worldwide, influencing a new generation of filmmakers who seek to foreground LGBTQ+ narratives within a distinctly Argentine sensibility.