The renovation of Rincón de los Sauces’ local movie theater, including a new screen donated by Tecpetrol, offers a good opportunity to look at the company’s broader community strategy: a long-term approach that combines investment in infrastructure with STEM programs designed to support the region’s growth.

With the belief that the spaces that endure are those built alongside the community, Tecpetrol continues to strengthen its work in Rincón de los Sauces, Neuquén, through a local agenda that brings together education, culture and regional development. The recent donation of a new screen for the town’s movie theater adds to a series of initiatives the company has been supporting there for several years. Rincón de los Sauces is the main urban center for Los Toldos II Este, home to one of the area’s leading unconventional oil developments.

More than just a place to watch films, the theater is a social, cultural and educational hub—the only one for hundreds of kilometers around. It hosts movie premieres, scholarship ceremonies, institutional events and family activities. “It has an impact on so many different levels, and that really reflects the way we like to work,” explains Natasha Volij, Community Relations Analyst. The theater has also become a symbol of a relationship built over time.

“Since 2019, Tecpetrol has been developing a steady program of cultural and educational initiatives in Rincón de los Sauces, shaped by our relationship with the community and by the growth of Los Toldos II Este,” points out Andrea Fernández, Community Relations Manager.

Technical training and opportunities for an unconventional future

The projected growth of unconventional development in the area is creating greater demand for strong local capabilities and technical talent equipped to meet the industry’s challenges.

Camila Faija, Community Relations Lead Analyst, says that, “At Tecpetrol, we’re putting a particular focus on technical training and educational initiatives to help prepare the young people who will be part of that future.”

Programs such as Roberto Rocca Technical Gene, GenEra Neuquén, Tecnoaventura and the Roberto Rocca Scholarships are all part of a broader strategy to expand opportunities and strengthen local skills, often in partnership with institutions such as the National Technological University (UTN in Spanish). “What people value most is the quality of the programs and the commitment that comes from building them together,” Faija adds.

Learning through play

Within this network of initiatives, the movie theater has become a natural platform for extending their reach. The new screen will make its debut during the annual Children’s Film Festival, an event that brings families from across Rincón de los Sauces together and goes well beyond entertainment. “In recent editions, the screenings have been combined with hands-on workshops and STEM activities that make learning fun,” Volij says. “We work on values, social and emotional skills, and technology, always with families involved.”

For the community, the impact is clearly visible in the town’s everyday life. Mariana Amorós, External Community Programs Coordinator in Rincón de los Sauces, sees it firsthand. “These activities get a bigger response every year because people already know what this place represents,” she says. Today, the theater is fully woven into community life. “It’s recreational, cultural and educational. School ceremonies, exhibitions, artistic performances and the flag pledge all take place there. It’s a real source of pride for Rincón.”

Real impact: a relationship built to last

Over time, these different initiatives have helped create a network that supports the town’s social and urban development alongside the growth of Los Toldos II Este. Programs that create real opportunities, spaces that bring people together and initiatives that put people at the center all show that when this work is sustained and shared, it builds lasting relationships that can grow well into the future.