Argentine actor Ricardo Darin has received a prestigious achievement award at the Latin American Film Festival on Saturday.

The star of the Oscar-winning movie, "The Secret in Their Eyes", spoke at the closing ceremony of the event, held in Lima.

[Ricardo Darin, Argentine Actor]:
"It seems a little imprudent for me to accept being the face of Argentine film. I would like to be the body of Argentine film, above all in some areas."

During his speech, Darin spoke of the growing cultural impact of Argentine cinema.

He discussed how the end of the Argentine dictatorship formed a generation of filmmakers that focused solely on one theme, but that now people had more freedom to pursue other topics in their movies.

Speaking of Latin America film more broadly, Darin said that it has great potential, but needs a change in thinking.

[Ricardo Darin, Argentine Actor]:
"What happens is that we have to have a little more confidence in ourselves. Still, we have put our gaze in wrong places. We have to know to look a little more inward. I have great confidence in Latin American film."

The 53 year old award winning actor also spoke of his future projects, including a forthcoming collaboration with Brazilian director Walter Salles.

[Ricardo Darin, Argentine Actor]:
"The film by Walter Salles is a project of a very beautiful book that he wrote - it is the story of two brothers that don't know each other and are going to the south of Argentina because of the death of their father, who was a sailor. It is a fantastic story that we were going to do at the end of this year, but because of not economic issues, but personal ones, it was delayed and it will be done at the end of next year."

The Brazilian film, "Hotel Atlantico" came away with the "Best Film" title for this year's festival.