What images come to mind when you think of Argentina? Soccer great Diego Maradona? Hit musical Evita? The country's insatiable consumption of red meat and red wine? Whatever your preconceptions, your chance to learn more about the vibrant South American country's rich culture has arrived with the first Argentina Film Festival in Beijing.

The coming month will see screenings of the best Argentine films at the festival, which was launched by the Argentine embassy and Instituto Cervantes on September 12.

The festival features altogether four films made by award-winning directors. Recent films The Finger (2011) by Sergio Teubal and Asleep in the Sun (2012) by Alejandro Chomski will be screened, covering a wide range of themes from daily life to politics and literature to tango.

Santiago Rafael Martino, head of the embassy's cultural department, told Metro Beijing that he hopes the films will help Chinese people better understand Argentina. "We've chosen all these films carefully, as each of them will present a unique perspective of Argentine society," said Martino.

Argentine films have shone on the global stage in recent years, with The Secret in Their Eyes (2009) by Juan José Campanella winning Best Foreign Language Film at the 2010 Academy Awards. Yet many of these films are not available in China, which Martino considers a "pity." "Cinema is a media of socialization and is an important medium to learn about Argentina," he said.

The festival's free admission has been warmly welcomed by cinema lovers in Beijing along with those curious about Argentina. University student Xu Wan, 21, told Metro Beijing she considered the festival an "ideal opportunity" to learn more about a different culture. "Most Chinese know Argentina because of its soccer team and tango, yet few know about its other sides," said Xu. "It's always fascinating to embrace a new culture."

Festival films will be screened at Instituto Cervantes with English and Chinese subtitles. Martino also said the embassy is organizing other activities including polo games and tango lessons to promote Argentine culture throughout the festival.

Festival schedule:

Sept. 22, 6 pm: Made Up Memories

Sept. 23, 5 pm: The Die is Cast

Sept. 29, 6 pm: Asleep in the Sun                          

Sept. 30, 5 pm: Made Up Memories              

Oct. 6, 6 pm: The Die is Cast

Oct. 7, 5 pm: Asleep in the Sun

Where: Instituto Cervantes, 1A Gongti Nanlu, Chaoyang district

Admission: Free 

Contact: 5879-9666