‘Suiza Pop’ cultural festival returns to Buenos Aires

Following a successful debut, Suiza Pop, the free cultural festival presented by the Embassy of Switzerland in Argentina, returns with an expanded programme celebrating some of the most innovative expressions of contemporary Swiss creativity. Taking place during the Argentine winter holidays, this year's edition brings together animation, film, video games, virtual reality, visual arts and the dialogue between art and science through a rich programme of screenings, workshops, immersive experiences and talks.

The festival's main venue will be Palacio Libertad in Buenos Aires, with additional activities at Centro Cultural Recoleta and the Alliance Française. For the first time, Suiza Pop will also reach audiences beyond the capital, with selected events taking place at Cine York (Vicente López), Casa del Bicentenario (Colón, Entre Ríos), Nave UNCUYO (Mendoza) and Centro Cultural Cine Lumière (Rosario).

Switzerland has topped the World Intellectual Property Organization's Global Innovation Index for fifteen consecutive years and ranks first in the World Talent Ranking, reflecting the strength of an ecosystem that combines scientific research, higher education, cultural industries and technological development. Suiza Pop draws inspiration from that same spirit of innovation, creating a space where audiences can explore new ways of imagining, creating and experiencing culture while fostering dialogue between the Swiss and Argentine creative communities.

Building on the success of its inaugural edition, the festival significantly broadens its scope in 2026 by introducing new disciplines and strengthening collaboration between artists, cultural institutions and research centres. Over five days, Suiza Pop will present more than fifteen film screenings, over ten free workshops, immersive virtual reality experiences, professional encounters and activities for both young people and adults.

Among the international guests is Giulia Bini, Director of Arts at CERN, the arts programme of the European Organization for Nuclear Research, the world's leading particle physics laboratory. She will present Connect Argentina, an initiative developed together with Pro Helvetia and Presente Continuo to foster collaboration between artists and scientists. Joining her will be Swiss artist Céline Manz, currently participating in the Connect Argentina residency between CERN and the Pierre Auger Observatory, alongside Argentine artist Juan Sorrentino, who will discuss their work at the intersection of art, science and research.

New technologies also play a central role in this year's programme. Gad Baruch Hinkis, co-founder of Swiss studio PatchXR, will introduce audiences to PatchWorld, one of the world's most innovative virtual reality platforms for music and audiovisual creation. The festival will open with an immersive performance created using PatchWorld, followed by a workshop exploring musical creation within extended reality (XR) environments.

Animation remains one of Suiza Pop's defining pillars. This year's edition welcomes Swiss animation studio Asako Film, represented by its founders Anja Kofmel and Frances McStea. Alongside a screening of Kofmel's internationally acclaimed documentary Chris the Swiss, the festival will present a special focus on Asako Film, featuring works produced by the studio together with a curated selection of short films chosen by its founders, offering audiences an insight into some of the most exciting voices in contemporary Swiss animation. The filmmakers will also participate in public discussions and workshops exploring the creative process behind independent animation.

The film programme features more than fifteen screenings and around forty Swiss productions spanning different generations and artistic approaches. Highlights include Mary Anning by Marcel Barelli, family-oriented animation programmes, a selection of contemporary animated shorts for adult audiences and a retrospective dedicated to experimental animator Robi Engler, one of the leading figures in Swiss animation.

Hands-on learning remains at the heart of the festival. Workshops will include video game creation for children in collaboration with Da Vinci School, a virtual reality laboratory developed by UNSAM, an XR music creation workshop led by Gad Baruch Hinkis, a sound laboratory with Sebastián Verea, an illustrated storytelling workshop with Daniela Arias, animation workshops led by Anja Kofmel and Frances McStea, as well as sessions dedicated to character design for video games, visual identity for artistic projects and the relationship between art, science and emerging technologies.

Virtual reality will feature prominently throughout the festival. A permanent immersive exhibition at Palacio Libertad will run from 23 to 26 July, while the Alliance Française will host a dedicated XR programme between 23 and 25 July, allowing visitors to experience some of Switzerland's most innovative immersive works and interactive narratives.

By bringing together cinema, animation, video games, virtual reality, scientific research and immersive art under one roof, Suiza Pop continues to establish itself as a long-term cultural initiative designed to strengthen ties between Switzerland and Argentina through artistic exchange, innovation and education. More than a festival, it offers a platform where creativity becomes a shared language between both countries, inviting audiences to discover the many ways in which art, science and technology can inspire one another.

The full programme is available on the Embassy of Switzerland in Argentina's Instagram account: @suizaargentina.

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