The World Cup is a distant memory now, in the winter of our discontent. Luckily, Buenos Aires’ cultural calendar this weekend offers plenty of reasons to venture out, whether you’re after a memorable meal, an unusual art experience, or a night at the movies.
One of Argentina’s most celebrated chefs, Francis Mallmann, takes over the kitchen at NESS for a charity lunch, while artist Romina Juárez invites visitors to witness the destruction of a gallery before transforming it into an immersive installation.
Rosalía fans can catch her at Movistar Arena — it’s sold out, but apparently some people with a grudge are selling their tickets, so keep your eyes open — while film lovers can revisit Charlie Chaplin’s The Gold Rush with live music, catch an acclaimed documentary on Argentina’s December 2001 economic meltdown, or take a chance on surprise 35mm screenings at Cine York.
As always, the Herald’s got you covered.
Francis Mallmann at NESS Saturday, Aug. 1, lunch service
Ness (Grecia 3691)
AR$150,000 per person
One of Argentina’s most celebrated chefs is heading to Buenos Aires for a lunch with a purpose. On Aug. 1, Francis Mallmann will take over the kitchen at NESS, the Núñez restaurant created by Leo Lanussol and Esteban Cigliutti, to prepare a special multi-course menu for a charitable event benefiting the Padre Carlos Mugica Community Kitchen in Barrio Mugica (Villa 31).
The lunch is part of NESS’s ongoing series of culinary collaborations that bring together acclaimed chefs while fostering a spirit of shared tables and community. The special menu will be paired with wines from Bodega Chacra, alongside non-alcoholic beverages.
Reservations begin at 12 p.m., subject to availability, and cost AR$150,000 per person, including the tasting menu, wine pairings and soft drinks.
Magic Jam July 30, 7 p.m.
Konex Cultural Center (Sarmiento 3131)
Tickets AR$20.000 + service charge
Think you’ve seen great magic before? The creators of #JamDeMagia would argue otherwise. Billed as an immersive experience for audiences aged 10 to 99, the show brings together illusionists Marcelo Goobar, Emanuel Zaldua, Pablo Kusnetzoff and Juan Barone for an intimate performance where sleight of hand, mentalism and close-up magic unfold just inches from the audience.
Staged in a secret location within the Konex Cultural Center, the experience blurs the line between reality and illusion in a setting designed to make the impossible feel tangible. As the organizers put it: “It’s not theater. It’s magic.”
Forced Autopsy at Cassia House August 5 & 6
Cassia House (Laprida 1811)
Artist and TikToker Romina Juárez pushes the boundaries of the traditional gallery space with Forced Autopsy, a month-long site-specific intervention opening August 8 at Cassia House in Recoleta.
Curated by Catalina Bagnato Irigoyen, the exhibition extends across every surface of the gallery — from its glass façade and floors to its walls, ceiling and second level — turning the building itself into part of the artwork. Through vulnerable bodies, dark humor, blood and violence, Juárez challenges the conventions of the white cube while exploring the tension between creation and destruction.
Visitors can also witness the transformation before opening day. On August 5 and 6, Cassia House will host guided visits to the installation process in two shifts, offering a rare glimpse into the artist’s intervention and the deliberate dismantling of the space. Advance registration is required, and, as the organizers warn, visitors enter at their own risk.
FILM Lucas Gallo’s December July 31, 10 p.m.
MALBA Cine (Av. Pres. Figueroa Alcorta 3415)
After premiering at the International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam (IDFA) and opening the Fuera de Campo festival, Lucas Gallo’s December will be screened this weekend as part of MALBA Cine’s Caligari Autores series.
Gallo’s documentary revisits Argentina’s political, economic and social collapse of December 2001 through painstakingly restored television archive footage.
Rather than relying on interviews or retrospective narration, December immerses viewers in the chaos of the protests that erupted under the slogan “¡Que se vayan todos!” (“They all must go”), the police repression and the political instability that saw five presidents take office in rapid succession. The result is an atmospheric, real-time portrait of one of the most defining moments in Argentina’s recent history.
If you miss Friday’s show, you’ll get a second chance with two screenings on August 21 and 28 at 8 p.m. at Arthaus Central (Bartolomé Mitre 434).
Surprise films in 35mm July 31, August 1 and August 2, 4 p.m.
Cine York (Juan Bautista Alberdi 895, Olivos)
Free admission, tickets available one hour before the screening, with a limit of two per person
Cine York’s Films for the Entire Family series ends this weekend with three surprise classics, screened in 35mm format — which is enough reason to go in the blind, in our opinion. We won’t spoil the surprise films here, but let’s just say that on Friday you can watch a 1999 classic kung fu comedy by Hong Kong martial arts star Stephen Chow’s (original language with Spanish subtitles).
You can follow on Saturday with Australia’s most famous talking little pig by film genius George Miller (dubbed in Spanish), and adventure master Sam Raimi’s first superhero film about a building-swinging friendly neighbor in New York City (in English with Spanish subtitles).
Charlie Chaplin’s The Gold Rush with live music Thursday, July 30, 4 p.m.
Cine York (Juan Bautista Alberdi 895, Olivos)
Free admission; tickets available one hour before the screening, with a limit of two per person
Experience Charlie Chaplin’s silent classic The Gold Rush as audiences did a century ago: with live musical accompaniment. Presented by La Linterna Mágica during the winter school holidays, the special screening revives the atmosphere of 1920s movie theaters and includes a theatrical performance by Priscila and Damián before the film, offering families an engaging introduction to Chaplin’s creative world.
The version on screen is Chaplin’s own 1942 re-edit, featuring his narration and a new score, with the spoken portions dubbed into Spanish so younger viewers can easily follow the story. Our advice? Arrive early: events like these tend to fill up quickly during the winter break.
MUSIC Rosalía August 1, 2, 4 and 6, 9 p.m.
Movistar Arena (Humboldt 450)
Admission AR$95,000 to 290,000
Spanish sensation Rosalía arrives in Buenos Aires with her celebrated Lux Tour, just two weeks after her accidental social media gaffe involving Argentina.
Silvina Garré July 31 & August 1, 8.45 p.m.
Café Berlín (Av. San Martín 6656)
Admission AR$45,000
The warm, sultry and intimate voice of Rosario born singer-songwriter gives new life to a collection of covers with the common thread of having a woman’s name in the title. They belong to her new album Con nombre de mujer.
Electronic Piazzolla by Nico Sorín July 30, 8 p.m.
Niceto Club (Niceto Vega 5510)
Admission AR$25,000
Film composer Nico Sorín relives tango giant Astor Piazzolla’s electronic period with the impressive rock energy of a powerful band with talented jazz musicians.