7 Best Ecuadorian Movies: A Celebration of Cinema From Ecuador

Ecuador, the small yet diverse South American country, has been the backdrop of numerous films over the years. With its rich cultural heritage, lush rainforests, and stunning landscapes, it’s no wonder filmmakers are drawn to it.

Best Movies From Ecuador

This article brings together some of the best movies about or set in Ecuador, portraying its traditions, landscapes, and people.

All picks in one table

1. Qué tan lejos (2006)

Qué Tan Lejos is a 2006 Ecuadorian film written and directed by Tania Hermida.

The movie follows Esperanza, a Spanish tourist, and Tristeza, an Ecuadorian student, who meet as strangers on a bus from Quito toward Cuenca. A national strike stops the bus. Tristeza is trying to reach Cuenca in time to stop the wedding of a man she thought was her boyfriend; Esperanza wants to keep traveling through Ecuador.

Stranded, they hitchhike across the Andes and the coast, meet other travelers, and form an unlikely friendship as the trip they planned falls apart.

Qué Tan Lejos received critical acclaim for its portrayal of Ecuadorian culture and its exploration of complex social issues, such as migration and globalization. The film also features stunning cinematography, capturing the beauty and diversity of the Ecuadorian landscape.

Overall, Qué Tan Lejos is a heartfelt and thought-provoking film that offers a unique perspective on contemporary Latin American cinema.

Que Tan Lejos

Venevision International

View on Amazon

2. Ratas, Ratones, Rateros (1999)

Ratas, Ratones, Rateros is a drama film released in 1999, directed by Sebastián Cordero and starring Carlos Valencia and Marco Bustos. Set in Quito, it follows Salvador (Bustos), a teenager already caught up in petty theft, whose life changes when his cousin Ángel (Valencia), an ex-convict from Guayaquil, shows up looking for money and a place to hide.

Salvador and his friends steal car radios and hubcaps. Ángel pulls him into more dangerous crimes, and Salvador’s friends and family are dragged into the fallout.

The film explores themes of poverty, crime, and corruption, and offers a bleak portrait of life in Quito’s urban slums.

Ratas, Ratones, Rateros received critical acclaim upon its release and is widely regarded as a landmark of Ecuadorian cinema.

The film was praised for its gritty realism and its honest portrayal of the struggles faced by many people living in poverty in Latin America. It premiered at the 1999 Venice Film Festival and won best film and best first feature at the Trieste Latin American Film Festival, plus best first feature and best actor for Carlos Valencia at the Huelva Ibero-American Film Festival.

For more about Ecuador cinema, you can check out our overview of the best films from Ecuador and our country-by-country exploration of global cinema.

Ratas, Ratones Rateros [DVD]

VANGUARD

• The world of Salvador, a young na ve petty thief, is about to be shake with the arrival of his cousin angle, an ex-convict in search of easy money and a hideout. Salvador gets wrapped in his cousin s twisted dealings in an attempt to escape from his suffocating family environment in poverty stricken Ecuador. Dragging along his family and friends, Salvador ends up destroying the few things made sen

The world of Salvador, a young na ve petty thief, is about to be shake with the arrival of his cousin angle, an ex-convict in search of easy money and a hideout. Salvador gets wrapped in his cousin s twisted dealings in an attempt to escape from his suffocating family environment in poverty stricken Ecuador. Dragging along his family and friends, Salvador ends up destroying the few things made sen

View on Amazon

3. Pescador (2011)

Pescador is a 2011 drama film directed by Sebastián Cordero. Blanquito (Andrés Crespo) is a fisherman who lives with his mother in El Matal, a village on Ecuador’s Manabí coast, until packages of cocaine wash up on the beach.

He teams up with Lorna (María Cecilia Sánchez), a Colombian woman who needs money to get home and find her daughter. They take the drugs to Guayaquil, where she says buyers will pay more, and the trip costs Blanquito more than he expected.

The film deals with themes of poverty, family, and the consequences of making difficult choices.

It is set against the backdrop of the beautiful but harsh coastal landscape of Ecuador, which adds to the film’s atmosphere and sense of place.

Pescador was well-received by critics, who praised the film’s strong performances, authentic portrayal of the fishing community, and its exploration of complex moral issues.

Andrés Crespo won best actor for the film at the 2012 Havana Film Festival. Pescador also won best director and best actor at the Guadalajara International Film Festival, and best actor at the Cartagena Film Festival.

Overall, Pescador is a compelling and thought-provoking film that offers a glimpse into the lives of people living on the margins of society and the difficult choices they must make to survive.

Pescador (OmU) - Cinespanol 3 [DVD] [2011]

Leuchtturm

View on Amazon

4. My Time Will Come (2006)

My Time Will Come (Cuando me toque a mí) is an Ecuadorian drama directed by Víctor Arregui, adapted from Alfredo Noriega’s novel. Manuel Calisto plays Quito morgue pathologist Dr. Arturo Fernández, whose detached life among the dead intersects with love, chance, and a citywide web of tragedies.

Calisto won Best Actor at Biarritz’s Latin American festival; the film screened at Miami, Locarno, and AFI Latin American festivals.

My Time Will Come (Cuando Me Toque A Mi) - Amazon.com Exclusive

Global Lens

View on Amazon

5. With My Heart in Yambo (2011)

With My Heart in Yambo is a 2011 Ecuadorian documentary directed by María Fernanda Restrepo. It tells the story of her brothers, Carlos Santiago and Pedro Andrés Restrepo, abducted in Quito on January 8, 1988, by a secret unit of the Ecuadorian police, then killed. Their bodies are believed to have been thrown into the Yambo lagoon. The case was later declared a state crime.

The film follows the family’s long search to learn what happened and to get justice. It also looks at how that political violence marked the families left behind.

Using archival footage and firsthand testimony, With My Heart in Yambo is a moving account of memory and a demand for the truth.

It has won multiple festival awards, including the audience award at EDOC 2011, a best-documentary prize at the Taiwan International Documentary Festival in 2012, and the second-place Coral for documentary at the Havana Film Festival.

6. Crónicas (2004)

Crónicas is a 2004 Ecuadorian thriller film directed by Sebastián Cordero. The movie stars John Leguizamo as Manolo Bonilla, a Miami-based journalist who travels to a small town in Ecuador to cover a story about a serial killer who preys on young children.

As he investigates the case, Bonilla becomes increasingly obsessed with the killer, known as “the Monster of Babahoyo.” The man at the center of his reporting is Vinicio Cepeda (Damián Alcázar), a traveling Bible salesman. What Bonilla is willing to trade for the story becomes the film’s real subject.

Crónicas is notable for its exploration of complex social issues, such as the role of the media in shaping public opinion, the impact of globalization on local cultures, and the psychological toll of violence and trauma.

The film also features strong performances from its cast, including Leguizamo, Alcázar, and Leonor Watling, who plays Bonilla’s producer.

The movie received critical acclaim. It competed in Sundance’s 2005 World Cinema Dramatic section and won best film, best screenplay, and best actor at the Guadalajara International Film Festival.

Crónicas is a compelling and thought-provoking film that offers a unique perspective on the intersection of journalism, crime, and social justice.

Cronicas [DVD] [2004] [Region 1] [US Import] [NTSC]View on Amazon

7. Alba (2016)

Alba is a drama film released in 2016, directed by Ecuadorian filmmaker Ana Cristina Barragán.

The film tells the story of Alba, a painfully shy 11-year-old. After her mother is hospitalized, she is sent to live with Igor, the father she barely knows, in his small, isolated house.

School is cruel, and Alba is ashamed of her eccentric father. Slowly the two begin to know each other. The film explores family, shame, and growing up.

Alba was critically acclaimed upon its release. It premiered at the 2016 International Film Festival Rotterdam, where it won the Lions Film Award, and it received a special mention in San Sebastián’s Horizontes Latinos section.

The film was praised for its nuanced performances and its sensitive portrayal of a young girl’s coming-of-age in a complex and challenging environment.

Dal Tramonto All'Alba 2

Eagle Pictures

View on Amazon

3 Characteristics of Ecuadorian Movies

Ecuadorian cinema is a relatively new and emerging film industry, but it has already begun to establish its own unique style and voice. Here are three characteristics that are often found in Ecuadorian movies:

Social Realism: Many Ecuadorian films explore social issues and address the challenges faced by marginalized communities, such as poverty, discrimination, and political corruption.

These films often use a realistic, naturalistic style to depict the lives of everyday people and bring attention to important social issues.

Regionalism: Ecuador is a country with diverse landscapes and cultures, and this diversity is often reflected in its cinema. Many Ecuadorian films are set in specific regions of the country and incorporate local customs, traditions, and languages.

This regionalism adds richness and authenticity to the stories being told, and helps to create a sense of national identity and pride.

Political memory: Several notable Ecuadorian films return to violence that official stories leave unfinished. With My Heart in Yambo follows a family still searching for two brothers disappeared by police in 1988, and Crónicas looks at how a child-murder case becomes a media story.

These characteristics are not necessarily present in every Ecuadorian film, but they are often seen as defining features of the country’s emerging film industry.

3 Reasons To Watch Ecuadorian Movies

Diverse Perspectives: Ecuadorian cinema offers a unique perspective on the country’s culture, history, and social issues. Through film, audiences can gain a deeper understanding of the diverse voices and experiences that make up the Ecuadorian people.

Unique Storytelling: Ecuadorian films often explore unconventional storytelling techniques and non-linear narratives, providing a fresh and creative approach to filmmaking.

Audiences can expect to be challenged and surprised by the bold and experimental techniques used in many Ecuadorian films.

Growing Industry: Ecuadorian cinema is a rapidly growing industry, with a new wave of talented filmmakers and actors emerging in recent years.

By watching Ecuadorian films, audiences can support and celebrate the growth and development of the country’s film industry. Additionally, watching Ecuadorian films can also serve as a way to discover new and exciting talent in the global film industry.

Related on Filmmaking Lifestyle

Read next: 9 Best Belgian Movies Of All Time: A Celebration Of Cinema From Belgium, 10 Best Greek Films: A Celebration of Cinema From Greece, and 20 Best Latvian Movies: A Celebration of Cinema From Latvia.

Best Ecuadorian Movies – Wrap Up

A short recap of the seven films above:

Qué tan lejos (2006): two women thrown together on the road from Quito to Cuenca during a national strike.

Ratas, Ratones, Rateros (1999): a Quito teenager pulled deeper into crime by his ex-convict cousin.

Pescador (2011): a Manabí fisherman who tries to sell cocaine that washed up on the beach.

My Time Will Come (2006): a Quito morgue pathologist whose routine collides with the city’s tragedies.

With My Heart in Yambo (2011): María Fernanda Restrepo’s documentary about her brothers, disappeared by police in 1988.

Crónicas (2004): a Miami journalist covering a child killer in a small Ecuadorian town.

Alba (2016): a shy 11-year-old sent to live with the father she barely knows.

From Expressionism to New Wave — dive deeper into Film History.

Let's Get Lost: The Essential Breakdown

The Old Dark House: Context, Themes, and Style

Night and Fog: Themes, Mood, and Visual Language

Runaway Train: Key Ideas and Lasting Influence

Even the Wind Is Afraid: A Deep Dive Into Story and Style

Introducing The Big Combo: Why It Still Matters

A Fistful of Dollars: What to Notice on a Rewatch

Anima: A Guide to Watching It Like a Critic

Raging Bull: The Meaning Behind the Moments

12…10