The Peruvian comedy film 'Santidad' will open in cinemas across Peru on September 24, 2026, following a well-received showing at the Lima Film Festival earlier this year.
The film will also hold an avant premiere in Cusco, ahead of its nationwide release, on Wednesday, September 16.
'Santidad' blends humor with social commentary on faith, power and moral judgment, following a small town thrown into turmoil by the rigid views of a visiting archbishop.
Who directed 'Santidad'
The film was written and directed by Rodolfo Espinoza Ríos, marking his feature debut. Espinoza studied Communication Sciences at the Universidad Nacional de San Antonio Abad del Cusco and later studied filmmaking at the Université Paris 8 Vincennes-Saint-Denis in France. He has also worked as a journalist and as an assistant director in French television.
What 'Santidad' is about
The story is set in Sarapampa, a town preparing to mark the 100th anniversary of the apparition of the Virgen del Maíz, an image venerated by local residents. The celebrations are thrown into disarray by the arrival of Archbishop Pedro Boluarte, who has been sent to crown the statue.
Boluarte's rigid views on morality, and his determination to impose what he considers correct behaviour, set off a chain of events that end up calling his own authority into question. The religious festival spirals out of control, bringing arrests, outbreaks of fanaticism, police overwhelmed by the unfolding chaos, and secrets tied to the Church.
What begins as a religious feast turns into what the production describes as a peculiar moral persecution, one in which none of the characters is entirely free of guilt.
Cast and production team
The cast is led by Pedro Olórtegui as Archbishop Pedro Boluarte and Beto Benites as Father Fermín Pinares. They are joined by Ubaldo Huamán, Lilian Nieto, Natalia Bonifaz, Víctor Acurio, Hugo Bonet, Mauricio Rueda, Marina Pumachapi and Adolfo Baca, along with members of the Comunidad Cultural Ñawpa Ñan.
The film is produced by Beyker Bances, founder of Llanki Cine, who specializes in literary adaptations and international co-productions, together with Beto Benites of +58 Producciones. Besides acting, Benites has developed film projects in Latin America, Europe and the United States.
'Santidad' is set to reach cinemas throughout Peru on September 24, 2026, following its Cusco avant premiere on September 16.
