Iberodocs opening night on song

Mercedes Sosa: The Voice Of Latin America

The second edition of Iberodocs got off to a crowdpleasing start last night with documentary Mercedes Sosa: The Voice Of Latin America. The film, directed by Rodrigo H Vila, looks at the life and work of the Argentine singer. Featuring a wealth of archive music and interview footage along with considerable input from her family, the film was warmly received by the crowd in Edinburgh's Filmhouse 1.

Introducing the film, festival artistic director Mar Felices said the festival has "grown into a toddler - full of courage and ready to start walking". She added: "Today we will see if we are ready, have enough balance and if our arms will stop us falling down."

Following the film, Vila took a quick break from shooting his latest film - football documentary Boca Juniors 3D - in Buenos Aires to take questions via Skype from the audience. Asked why he had decided to make a second film about Sosa, after his first Mercedes Sosa: Cantora, An Intimate Journey, he said: "I had the opportunity to work with her during the last two years of her life. After she passed away, her son asked me to do this film because Cantora is more of a backstage film. We wanted to make a film with her weaknesses and her human side."

Speaking about the very personal perspective that the film has, with its large amount of first-person archive, he said: "We tried to let her say what she had to say - not Fabian [Matus, her son] or me - it's more her point of view."

Rodrigo H Vila takes questions in Filmhouse 1. Photo: Amber Wilkinson

He said the film - which took three years to make - had been very well received in his homeland. "People get very emotional about the film," he added. "Documentaries don't usually work very well [in Argentina] but this was one of the most viewed. The thing that surprised me most was in different cultures - Korea, Australia, Sweden - people reacted in an emotional way."

Asked about continuing problems in Argentina, he said: "Here in Argentina, we live in a permanent crisis. It's very difficult for us but I am a hopeful person, so I always have hope it will be better tomorrow."

The evening wrapped up with a lively after party at Edinburgh bar The Cuckoo's Nest. The festival continues throughout the weekend in Edinburgh before relocating to Glasgow next weekend for further films and events. Read our preview of the festival here, and find out more about the programme from the official site