Sept 19 – oct 9
Now in its 24th year, the AFI Latin American Film Festival showcases the best filmmaking from Latin America and, with the inclusion of films from Spain and Portugal, celebrates Ibero-American cultural connections. This year’s selection of more than 40 films includes international festival favorites, award-winners, local box-office hits and debut works by promising new talents.
From Argentina:
OPENING NIGHT THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 7:30
VIOLA
Q&A with 32-year-old filmmaker Matías Piñeiro (pictured), recently named by The New York Times as one of “Twenty Directors to Watch,” plus post-screening reception sponsored by the Embassy of Argentina, (also showing Sat, Sep 21, 3:00) Matías Piñeiro’s spritely adaptation of Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night,” set among contemporary Buenos Aires hipsters, would make both the Bard and Eric Rohmer, the French New Wave’s resident contempo-classicist, proud. The action shifts from an all-female Shakespeare production, to rehearsals, to reality and back again as the women contemplate love and relationships in the big city. Manohla Dargis of The New York Times proclaimed the film “wonderfully inventive…a triumph of narrative imagination and bottom line ingenuity.” Official Selection, 2012 Toronto Film Festival; 2013 Berlin, New Director/New Films Film Festivals. DIR/SCR Matías Piñeiro; PROD Melanie Schapiro. Argentina/US, 2012, color, 65 min. In Spanish with English subtitles. NOT RATED (Above photo by Alessio Rigo de Righi)
Screening with:
ROSALINDA
A precursor to VIOLA in both its joyful tone and imaginative vision, Matías Piñeiro’s first brush with Shakespeare follows a troupe of young actors who retire to an island getaway to rehearse “As You Like It.” The movie begins with heartbreak: Luisa, who plays Rosalinda, breaks up with her boyfriend on her cellphone. But as the day progresses and she gets deeper into character, the play starts to overtake reality, as she now finds herself the object of affection of her eccentric castmates. DIR/SCR Matías Piñeiro; PROD Iván Granovsky. Argentina, 2012, color, 43 min. In Spanish with English subtitles. NOT RATED
SPECIAL PRESENTATION:
THESIS ON A HOMICIDE [Tesis sobre un homicidio] Fri, Sep 20, 7:00 (also showing Tue, Sep 24, 9:10) Roberto Bermúdez (Ricardo Darín, THE SECRET IN THEIR EYES) is a well-respected law professor and celebrated author whose life is changed forever when a young woman’s body is found just outside his classroom window. Convinced that his star pupil, the all-too charming Gonzalo (Alberto Ammann), is behind the murder and plotting his next kill, Roberto risks his life, prestige and perhaps even his sanity to prove Gonzalo’s guilt. Brimming with sex, murder and intrigue, this twist-filled thriller was a box office phenomenon in Argentina. DIR Hernán Goldfrid; SCR Patricio Vega, from the book by Diego Paszkowski; PROD Diego Dubcovsky, Gerardo Herrero. Argentina/Spain, 2013, color, 106 min. In Spanish with English subtitles. NOT RATED
THE GERMAN DOCTOR [Wakolda]
Sat, Sep 28, 7:15 (also showing Mon, Sep 30, 7:00)
Patagonia, 1960. The infamous Nazi criminal Josef Mengele (Àlex Brendemühl), going by the alias Helmut Gregor, connects with an Argentine family and follows them to Bariloche, where they are set to open a new hotel. Chillingly interested in the mother, pregnant with twins, and their diminutive 12-year-old daughter, Mengele’s dark passions are reignited. Unaware of his true identity, the family welcomes the charismatic man with open arms, until they discover his disturbing secret. Filmmaker Lucía Puenzo (XXY) adapts her own novel, loosely based on historical facts, to create a slow-boiling thriller. Official Selection, 2013 Cannes Film Festival. DIR/SCR/PROD Lucía Puenzo; PROD Gudny Hummelvoll, Stan Jakubowicz, Axel Kuschevatzky, José María Morales, Fabienne Vonier. Argentina/France/Spain/Norway, 2013, color, 93 min. In Spanish, German and Hebrew with English subtitles. NOT RATED
LA PAZ
Fri, Sep 20, 5:15; Sun, Sep 22, 11:10 a.m.; Mon, Sep 23, 7:00
Liso is a damaged young man, suffocating from his overprotected middle-class upbringing. Just released from a psychiatric clinic, he struggles to re-adapt to his privileged world. Failing to revive relationships with past girlfriends and his parents, he takes solace in the company of his Bolivian maid and his understanding grandma. In this affecting portrait of a man searching for inner peace, playwright and filmmaker Santiago Loza finds a beautiful honesty in quiet moments, quotidian reality and ultimately, hope. The film garnered the Best Argentine Film Award at the 2013 BAFICI Film Festival. Official Selection, 2013 Berlin Film Festival; Opening Night, 2013 Latinbeat Film Festival. DIR/SCR/PROD Santiago Loza; PROD Iván Eibuszyc. Argentina, 2013, color, 73 min. In Spanish with English subtitles. NOT RATED
THE CRITIC [El crítico]
Sun, Sep 29, 7:25; Thu, Oct 3, 7:00
“Shit. I’m stuck in a romantic comedy.” Film critic Victor Tellez, a devotee of the French New Wave, finds himself in the middle of a movie he would normally laugh off the screen before the second act. But when he meets-cute with his own manic pixie dream girl, he starts to fall in love and—gulp—might even write a positive review for the latest chick flick. A hilarious, quirky and intelligent tribute to romantic comedies, first-time filmmaker and career film journalist Hernán Guerschuny has crafted a film that will delight fans of both WHEN HARRY MET SALLY… and BREATHLESS. Official Selection, 2013 BAFICI Film Festival. DIR/SCR Hernán Guerschuny; PROD Carlos Nuñez. Argentina, 2013, color, 90 min. In Spanish and French with English subtitles. NOT RATED
LEONES
Sun, Oct 6, 9:15; Mon, Oct 7, 9:15
Deep in the forest, a group of five friends wanders around like a lion herd. Lost in their word games, they play and seduce each other while going back and forth into adult territory, in a desperate search to avoid their already written story. An Argentine GERRY, Jazmín López’s mysterious and astonishing Borgesian debut may be shot by Gus Van Sant’s Steadicam operator, but it flows with an energy and pacing all of its own. (Note courtesy of the Vancouver Film Festival.) Official Selection, 2012 Venice Film Festival, 2013 New Directors/New Films, Rotterdam Film Festival. DIR/SCR Jazmín López; PROD Jean des Forêts, Benjamín Doménech, Santiago Gallelli, Marleen Slot. Argentina/France/Netherlands, 2012, color, 82 min. In Spanish with English subtitles. NOT RATED
BOLIVIA
ONCE UPON A TIME IN BOLIVIA [Erase una vez en Bolivia]
Q&A with filmmaker Patrick Cordova and producer Nahuel Attar on Sep 28
Sat, Sep 28, 3:00; Mon, Sep 30, 9:00
Half-brothers Rocky and Nene couldn’t be more different. Rocky is a no-good schemer with zero respect for Bolivia, while the naïve and gentle-hearted Nene is a true patriot. But when the 2003 gas conflict begins to escalate, they must put their differences aside to race to the Chilean border before the civil unrest forces it to close. A truly independent feature, filmmaker Patrick Cordova shot on a micro budget in dangerous slums, breathtaking deserts and remote villages with a cast of non-professional actors. Best International Feature, London Independent Film Festival. DIR/SCR/PROD Patrick Cordova; PROD Nahuel Attar, Paola Gosalvez. Bolivia, 2011, color, 81 min. In Spanish with English subtitles. NOT RATED
VIRAMUNDO
Fri, Sep 27, 5:00; Sat, Sep 28, 5:00; Mon, Sep 30, 5:00After decades of sold-out shows and international recognition, musician Gilberto Gil embarks on a new kind of world tour through the southern hemisphere. From the Amazon of Brazil to the Australian Outback and townships of South Africa, Gil continues the work he began as Brazil’s first black Minister of Culture—promoting the power of cultural diversity in a globalized world and sharing his vision for the future: a diverse, interconnected planet filled with hope, exchange…and of course, music! DIR Pierre-Yves Borgeaud; PROD Frédéric Corvez, Clément Duboin, Emmanuel Gétaz. France/Switzerland, 2013, color, 95 min. In English and Portuguese with English subtitles. NOT RATED
THEY’LL COME BACK [Eles Voltam]
Sun, Sep 29, 3:15; Tue, Oct 1, 9:20
“If you two don’t stop fighting, I’m going to pull this car over and leave you by the side of the road.” Cris and her brother don’t, so their parents do. Stranded in the rugged northwest of Brazil, the bickering doesn’t stop and the siblings part ways. On her own, 12-year-old Cris is forced to navigate a world far from her upper-middle-class upbringing. This modern fable about independence and identity, subtly dissects issues of class and race in modern day Brazil. Best Film, Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress, 2012 Brasilia Film Festival; Official Selection, 2013 Rotterdam, New Directors/New Films, San Francisco Film Festivals. DIR/SCR Marcelo Lordello; PROD Marilha Assis. Brazil, 2012, color, 100 min. In Portuguese with English subtitles. NOT RATED
ONCE UPON A TIME VERONICA [Era uma vez eu, Verônica]
Fri, Oct 4, 5:00; Sun, Oct 6, 9:05
Veronica is a young woman in the throes of a quarter-life crisis. Fresh out of med school, she lives with her ailing father in the coastal town of Recife and finds out the hard way that adult life isn’t all that it’s cracked up to be. But between struggling with her patients and taking care of her father, she still manages to let loose, hang with her girlfriends and indulge in some casually mind-blowing sex. “Strikingly impressive on every level, Marcelo Gomes’ snapshot of modern urban life—as seen through the sharp eyes of a Brazilian woman—is one of the year’s best South American films.”—Neil Young, The Hollywood Reporter. Special Mention, Horizontes Section, 2012 San Sebastian Film Festival. Official Selection 2012 Toronto Film Festival. DIR/SCR Marcelo Gomes; PROD Sara Silveira João Vieira Jr. Brazil/France, 2012, color, 91 min. In Portuguese with English subtitles. NOT RATED
RIO 2096: A STORY OF LOVE AND FURY [Uma História de Amor e Fúria]
Sun, Oct 6, 5:00; Mon, Oct 7, 9:00
Spanning 600 years of tumultuous Brazilian history, this bold animated epic follows the passionate romance of an immortal warrior and the love of his many lives, as they are reincarnated, persecuted, torn apart and reunited again. “The ambitious RIO 2096: A STORY OF LOVE AND FURY fuses old-fashioned animation style with computer work and comes up with a film that blends legend with politics, finding plenty of room [for] sex, violence and mythology as it freewheels through the centuries.” –Mark Adams, Screen Daily. Best Feature, 2013 Annecy Animation Film Festival. DIR/SCR/PROD Luiz Bolognesi; PROD Marcos Barreto, Laís Bodanzky, Caio Gullane, Fabiano Gullane, Débora Ivanov, Gabriel Lacerda. Brazil, 2013, color, 98 min. In Portuguese with English subtitles. NOT RATED
PÁNICO: THE BAND THAT MET THE SOUND BENEATH [La banda que buscó el sonido debajo]
Q&A with filmmaker James June Schneider
Wed, Oct 2, 7:30
In 2010, the Chilean band Pánico traveled through the desert of northern Chile to record a new album. After two decades of playing rock ‘n’ roll, these Santiago city slickers have their world rocked by the strange sounds and voices of the north, not to mention a major earthquake. Official Selection, 2013 BAFICI Film Festival. DIR/SCR James June Schneider, Benjamín Echazarreta; PROD Bruno Bettati, Jean Philippe Raymond, Julien Féret. Chile/France, 2012, color, 85 min. In Spanish with English subtitles. NOT RATED
Co-presented with Sonic Circuits Festival 2013 (dc-soniccircuits.org).
MUCH BETTER THAN YOU [Soy mucho major que vos]
Mon, Oct 7, 7:00; Tue, Oct 8, 9:15
An outrageously depraved comedy, this semi-sequel to YOU THINK YOU ARE THE PRETTIEST, BUT YOU ARE THE SLUTTIEST (2010 AFI Latin American Film Festival) follows Cristobal, a 40-year-old degenerate on an endless night on the town in search of sex, drugs and happiness. Still reeling from the separation from his wife, Cristobal’s self-esteem is at an alltime low. But that won’t stop him from hitting on every woman in sight, with hilarious, cringe-inducing results. Filmmaker Che Sandoval won the FEISAL Award at BAFICI for his sardonic script, filled with some of the most imaginative putdowns in the history of cinema. DIR/SCR Che Sandoval; PROD Soledad Santelices. Chile, 2013, color, 85 min. In Spanish with English subtitles. NOT RATED
COLOMBIA
2012 Oscar Submission for Best Foreign Language Film, Colombia
THE SNITCH CARTEL [El cartel de los sapos]
Q&A with executive producer Francisco Cardona on Sep 20
Fri, Sep 20, 9:15; Mon, Sep 23, 9:00
Based on a true story, this high-octane thriller follows young buck Martin as he rises through the ranks of a vicious drug cartel in hopes of winning the hand of the sophisticated Sofia. But when the cartel’s kingpin is murdered, Martin is left with no choice but to become a snitch for the DEA. Set against the violent drug wars of the 1990s, Carlos Moreno (DOG EAT DOG, ALL YOUR DEAD ONES) combines breakneck action with steamy romance. Ranging from Bogotá to Miami, an attractive young cast brings this vital story to life with support from Hollywood vet Tom Sizemore and Oscar nominee Adriana Barraza (BABEL). Official Selection, 2013 Palm Springs Film Festival. DIR Carlos Moreno; SCR Luiso Berdejo, Juan Camillo Ferrand, Andrés López; PROD Manolo Cardona, Alex Garcia. Colombia, 2011, color, 115 min. In Spanish with English subtitles. RATED R
EDIFICIO ROYAL
Sun, Sep 29, 5:30; Wed, Oct 2, 5:00
Death, cockroaches and Tom Cruise come crashing together in this absurd black comedy from first-time filmmaker Iván Wild. The residents of the once-glorious “Edificio Royal” teeter on
the edge of sanity as their building begins literally to fall to pieces. An old man with Alzheimer’s is convinced a portrait of Tom Cruise in A FEW GOOD MEN is his successful military son; an embalmer is forced to bring his appalling work home; his wife calls into a cheesy TV psychic to help interpret her recurring dream featuring Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie and—who else?—Tom Cruise. Official Selection, 2013 Miami and Cartagena Film Festivals. DIR/SCR Iván Wild; PROD Cristina Gallego. Colombia/France/Venezuela, 2012, color, 90 min. In Spanish with English subtitles. NOT RATED
SOFIA AND THE STUBBORN MAN [Sofía y el Terco]
Sat, Sep 28, 3:15; Sun, Sep 29, 3:30
Pedro Almodóvar muse Carmen Maura (WOMEN ON THE VERGE OF A NERVOUS BREAKDOWN) shines as Sofía, a silently suffering yet dutiful wife, going through the motions in her tiny Andean village. She’s always dreamt of the sea, but her cranky husband unfailingly comes up with an excuse to keep them from going. Slowly gathering up the courage, Sofía packs a bag, heads for the highway and gets on a bus towards the coast. Embarking on a life-changing adventure, Sofía encounters oddballs and outcasts who help her on her way. A joyful, quirky coming-of-(old)-age film. DIR/SCR Andrés Burgos; PROD Carolina Anrango, Cristina Villar. Colombia, 2012, color, 82 min. In Spanish with English subtitles. NOT RATED
COSTA RICA
THE END [El fin]
Sat, Oct 5, 1:15; Mon, Oct 7, 5:00
A Costa Rican companion to this summer’s slew of apocalyptic comedies, Miguel Alejandro Gomez’s film is a life-affirming bromance between downtrodden Nicolas and liberated Carlos. With a life-destroying asteroid locked into a collision course with Earth, Nicolas spends his last months shut up in his house, hiding from the world. But Carlos sees the imminent final days as a gift, an excuse to live life to the max. So he coaxes Nicolas out of bed and drags him on a wild road trip to Nosara, a memorable beach from their childhood. DIR/SCR/PROD Miguel Alejandro Gomez; SCR Antonio Chamu, Charlie VanVleet; PROD Dennis Josue Gomez, Andrea Truque. Costa Rica, 2012, color, 85 min. In Spanish with English subtitles. NOT RATED
CUBA
MOLASSES [Melaza]
Sun, Sep 22, 7:00; Thu, Sep 26, 5:15
Aldo and Mónica are a picture-perfect couple, deeply in love, but struggling to make ends meet ever since their town’s sugarcane mill closed its doors. Living with their chubby daughter and cantankerous grandma in rural Cuba, Aldo is now a swimming teacher and Mónica the sole remaining employee at the mill. Hoping to make a few extra bucks, they turn to illegal means to stay afloat but only end up deeper in trouble. Is their love enough to pull them through? A bittersweet romance, this delicate first feature from Carlos Lechuga is an authentic tale of ordinary Cubans and their determination to survive. Biznaga de Plata Award, Málaga Film Festival; Official Selection, 2012 Havana, 2013 Rotterdam, Miami Film Festivals. DIR/SCR Carlos Lechuga; PROD Claudia Calviño, Inti Herrera. Cuba/France/Panama, 2012, color, 80 min. In Spanish with English subtitles. NOT RATED
THE SWIMMING POOL [La piscina]
Sat, Sep 28, 11:20 a.m.; Sun, Sep 29, 11:20 a.m.
Esteban is a former swimming champ, teaching lessons to a group of kids with disabilities down at the local Havana pool. Rodrigo has trouble walking, but is wrapped around the finger Diana, a one-legged beauty. They’re joined on their daily lessons by Dani, a happy-go-lucky guy with Down syndrome and a mute named Oscar. As they fight, swim and nap, the rag-tag group learns to stick together despite their differences. Striking widescreen compositions distinguish filmmaker Carlos Machada Quintela’s poetic film, one that suggests that it’s not about what one lacks in life, but where one belongs. Best First Film, 2013 Miami Film Festival; Best First Film, 2013 Havana Film Festival. DIR Carlos Macheda Quintela; SCR Abel Arcos. Cuba/Spain/Venezuela, 2012, color, 76 min. In Spanish with English subtitles. NOT RATED
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
ARROBÁ
Featuring post-screening refreshments sponsored by the Embassy of the Dominican Republic, on Sep 24
Sun, Sep 22, 9:15; Tue, Sep 24, 7:00
Pedro, Samuel and Pilón are a ragtag trio down on their luck. Hoping to change their fortunes, they strap on some Marilyn Monroe masks and attempt to rob a bank. But these “Three Stooges of the Caribbean” do it all wrong. Fortunately, Pedro is the proud owner of a time machine, so they can go back and do it all over, again and again, until they get it right. José María Cabral (CHECK MATE, 2012 AFI Latin American Film Festival) continues to be a young Dominican filmmaker to watch, toying with notions of genre with pure glee in this GROUNDHOG DAY meets BACK TO THE FUTURE mash-up. DIR/SCR José María Cabral. Dominican Republic, 2013, color, 97 min. In Spanish with English subtitles. NOT RATED
ECUADOR
NO AUTUMN, NO SPRING [Sin otoño, sin primavera]
Sun, Sep 22, 8:45; Wed, Sep 25, 5:15
The lives of Guayaquil’s disenfranchised youth come together in this sexy, punky kaleidoscopic drama from filmmaker Iván Mora Manzano. A once-promising law student turns to anarchy and falls for his sleeping-pill dealer, while a vivacious young woman facing a terminal disease reaches out to her engaged ex-boyfriend for one final fling. Manzano tells a modern story of an invisible generation coming to terms with adulthood, successfully weaving his interconnected stories with a keen sense for love, loneliness and rock ‘n’ roll. Official Selection, 2013 Miami and Cartagena Film Festivals. DIR/SCR Iván Mora Manzano; PROD Isabel Carrasco, Arturo Yepez. Ecuador/Colombia/France, 2012, color, 115 min. In Spanish with English subtitles. NOT RATED
EL SALVADOR
THE METAL STORK [La cigüeña metálica]
Sat, Oct 5, 11:10 a.m.; Wed, Oct 9, 5:00
In this powerful documentary, filmed twenty years after the Chapultepec Peace Accords brought an end to the brutal civil war in El Salvador, three formerly missing children try to repair the damage and reconstruct their lives. During the conflict, rural kids Ana Lilian, Ricardo and Blanca witnessed the murder of their families and grieved as the “metal stork”—the military helicopter—chose a new life for them. A military family took in Ricardo, and Blanca was adopted by a family in Spain, while Ana Lillian wandered alone, then bounced around a succession of foster families. Now with children of their own, they reconnect with their long-lost families, hoping to reconcile their pasts and bring peace to the present. Official Selection, 2013 Guadalajara Film Festival. DIR/SCR Joan López Lloret; SCR Ana Paola Van Dalen; PROD Cristina Gironés. Spain, 2012, color, 81 min. In Spanish with English subtitles. NOT RATED
GUATEMALA
DUST [Polvo]
Sun, Sep 29, 9:30; Thu, Oct 3, 5:00
Thirty-year-old filmmaker and father Ignacio sets out to make a documentary with his pregnant girlfriend about the indigenous survivors of the civil war who are still searching for lost family members. When they discover Juan, obsessed with finding his father, it appears they’ve found the perfect subject for their film, but Juan has other priorities: getting revenge on those responsible for his father’s disappearance. The latest from acclaimed filmmaker Julio Hernández Cordón (MARIMBAS FROM HELL, 2011 AFI Latin American Film Festival) delicately builds a metaphor for modern-day Guatemala, a nation intent on moving forward, but still wounded by the past. Official Selection, 2012 Locarno and Toronto Film Festivals; 2013 Miami Film Festival. DIR/SCR Julio Hernández Cordón; SCR Mateo Iribarren; PROD Juan Ignacio Correa. Guatemala/Spain/Chile/Germany, 2012, color, 80 min. In Spanish with English subtitles. NOT RATED
MEXICO
SPECIAL PRESENTATION
SUGAR KISSES [Besos de Azúcar]
Q&A with filmmaker Carlos Cuaron, plus post-screening reception sponsored by the Mexican Cultural Institute, on Sep 21
Sat, Sep 21, 7:00 (also showing Sun, Sep 22, 5:00)
Mischievous tween Nacho can’t seem to do anything right. His stepfather hates him, his mom never takes his side and, to make matters worse, he’s in love with Mayra, the daughter of the most feared woman in the Tepito neighborhood of Mexico City. His only respite is hitting the arcade with his best friend and partner in crime, Cacayo. But as the harsh realities of inner-city life set in, can Nacho overcome all obstacles to keep his innocence and first romance alive? Featuring breakout performances by young leads César Kancino and Daniela Arce, filmmaker Carlos Cuarón (RUDO Y CURSI, Y TU MAMÁ TAMBIÉN) leavens this “Romeo and Juliet”-esque tale with good-hearted humor. Official Selection, 2013 Guadalajara Film Festival. DIR/SCR/PROD Carlos Cuarón; SCR Luis Usabiaga; PROD Alex Garcia. Mexico, 2013, color, 86 min. In Spanish with English subtitles. NOT RATED
CLOSING NIGHT
WHO IS DAYANI CRISTAL?
Sat, Oct 5, 7:00 (also showing Sun, Oct 6, 1:00)
August 3, 2010. An unidentified body is found in the Arizona desert near the Mexican border, a tattoo on the man’s chest, “Dayani Cristal,” the only clue to his identity. As forensic scientists in the U.S. do their best to solve the mystery, Gael García Bernal (Y TU MAMÁ TAMBIEN, THE MOTORCYCLE DIARIES) retraces the man’s tough journey from Honduras, on trains and on foot through Mexico toward the border. This potent docu-drama gracefully breathes life into the story of the undocumented and underrepresented. Cinematography Award, World Cinema Documentary, 2013 Sundance Film Festival. DIR Marc Silver; SCR Mark Monroe; PROD Thomas Benski, Gael García Bernal, Luca Ochoa. Mexico/UK, 2013, color, 85 min. In English. NOT RATED
LAST CALL [Tercera llamada]
Sat, Oct 5, 5:00; Sun, Oct 6, 3:00
Doing theater is an act of faith, and this production of “Caligula” is teetering on the precipice of destruction. The director is a neurotic depressive with a constantly changing vision for the show, the costumer can’t keep her hands off the stagehand and the leading lady struggles to get into the bloodthirsty head of the title character (yep, a woman plays Caligula). In this acerbic satire of the world of theater, filmmaker Francisco Franco puts his characters through the wringer before the curtain rises, because after all…the show must go on. Audience Award, Press Award for Best Mexican Film and Best Actress Award, 2013 Guadalajara Film Festival. DIR/SCR Francisco Franco; SCR María Renée Prudencio; PROD Laura Imperiale. Mexico, 2013, color,
92 min. In Spanish with English subtitles. NOT RATED
NICARAGUA
MAGIC WORDS (BREAKING A SPELL) [Palabras mágicas (para romper un encantamiento)]
Sat, Sep 21, 11:10 a.m.; Mon, Sep 23, 5:15
A personal and nostalgic story of coming home, filmmaker Mercedes Moncada Rodríguez explores Nicaragua’s past, present and future through the lens of her childhood and the Sandinista Revolution. With beautiful juxtapositions of archival and present-day documentary footage, the film presents a collage of living memory, feeling and history. Official Selection, 2012 San Sebastian Film Festival; 2013 Guadalajara, Latin Beat Film Festivals. DIR/SCR Mercedes Moncada Rodríguez; PROD Jorge Sánchez Sosa. Nicaragua/Mexico/Guatemala, 2012, color, 86 min. In Spanish with English subtitles. NOT RATED
PANAMA
ROUTE OF THE MOON [Ruta de la luna]
Sat, Sep 21, 11:15 a.m.; Tue, Sep 24, 5:15
A delightfully droll road trip through Costa Rica and Panama forces Tito, a 32-year-old recently divorced albino, and César, his macho father, to realize why they never got along in the first place. César trained boxing champions, while Tito would rather spend his time bowling, a sport his father refuses to recognize. Along the way they pick up Yadia, an attractive young woman, who tries to dissolve the mounting tension between father and son but only ends up driving a wedge between them as they both vie for her affections. Writer/director Juan Sebastían Jacome’s feature debut creates a realistic portrait of a family in flux and the busted old car that forces them to face their differences. DIR/SCR Juan Sebastian Jacome; SCR Rocco Melillo; SCR/PROD Irina Caballero; PROD Luis Pacheco. Panama/Ecuador, 2012, color, 75 min. In Spanish with English subtitles. NOT RATED
PARAGUAY
7 BOXES [7 Cajas]
Sat, Sep 21, 1:00; Thu, Sep 26, 9:00
At the bustling Municipal Market in Asunción, 17-year-old Victor wields his wheelbarrow, schlepping goods from one side of the massive market to the other. Thinking a camera phone is his ticket out of the slums and into movie stardom, he jumps at the opportunity to transport a mysterious cargo of seven boxes for a cool hundred bucks. But what should have been a simple job turns deadly as the cops, a gang of thieves and a spiteful competitor are soon hot on his trail. In this crowd-pleasing, action-packed thriller, filmmakers Juan Carlos Maneglia and Tana Schembori craft something like a Paraguayan SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE. Official Selection, 2012 Toronto, San Sebastian Film Festivals. Audience Award, World Competition, 2013 Miami Film Festival. DIR/SCR Juan Carlos Maneglia; DIR Tana Schembori; PROD Maneglia Schémbori Realizadores. Paraguay, 2012, color, 100 min. In Spanish and Guarani with English subtitles. NOT RATED
PERU
CHICAMA
Sat, Sep 21, 3:20; Sun, Sep 22, 3:00
Fresh-faced elementary school teacher César is forced to put his big-city dreams on hold when he’s assigned to a small school in a remote Andes village. His students trek from near and far to attend his class and, while it takes César some time to adjust to life in the bucolic village, he begins to warm to the charms of his students, the townsfolk and a captivating new coworker. A genuine and heartwarming journey of self-discovery, filmmaker Omar Forero’s third feature won five prizes, including Best Peruvian Film, at the 2012 Lima Film Festival. Official Selection, 2013 BAFICI Film Festival. DIR/SCR Omar Forero; PROD Carolina Denegri. Peru, 2013, color, 75 min. In Spanish with English subtitles. NOT RATED
THE CLEANER [El limpiador]
Sat, Oct 5, 3:00; Tue, Oct 8, 7:15
Eusebio (Víctor Prada, OCTUBRE) is a quiet man, a forensic cleaner living his routine and solitary life even as a devastating and mysterious epidemic sweeps Lima, keeping him busier than ever at work. As the city crumbles around him, Eusebio discovers a scared 8-year-old and reluctantly agrees to take him in, hoping he may yet find the boy’s family. The debut feature of writer/director Adrián Saba is a haunting, thought-provoking vision of a dystopian future, “an oddball ‘fantasy’ film, brimming with memorable images.” –Mark Adams, Screen Daily. New Voices/New Visions Award, 2013 Palm Springs Film Festival; Special Mention, New Director’s Award, San Sebastian Film Festival; Official Selection, 2013 Seattle, San Francisco Film Festivals. DIR/SCR Adrián Saba; PROD Carolina Denegri. Peru, 2012, color, 95 min. In Spanish with English subtitles. NOT RATED
PORTUGAL
THE END OF THE WORLD [Um fim do mundo]
Sat, Sep 21, 5:00; Wed, Sep 25, 9:40
Pedro Pinho’s largely improvised, day-in-the-life chronicle of a group of teenagers skipping school and looking for kicks crackles with cinéma vérité immediacy and the reckless energy of youth. Leaving their blighted Lisbon housing project for the beach, a motley group of boys and girls alternately flirts and fights in the surf and sand. That night, they meet at a club, where the girls get in but the boys don’t, testing the group’s solidarity and leading to problems. Greatly distinguished by Pinho and Vasco Viana’s gorgeous black-and-white cinematography, the look of the film is both contemporary and timeless. Official Selection, 2013 Berlin Film Festival. DIR Pedro Pinho; PROD Leonor Noivo, Filipa Reis. Portugal, 2013, b&w, 62 min. In Portuguese with English subtitles. NOT RATED
SPAIN
A GUN IN EACH HAND [Una pistol en cada mano]
Sat, Sep 21, 9:30; Wed, Sep 25, 7:30
The misadventures of eight fortysomething men on the verge of a nervous breakdown collide in this witty battle of the sexes from Catalan filmmaker Cesc Gay. Javier Cámara (TALK TO HER, I’M SO EXCITED!) tries to woo back the ex-wife he divorced for another woman; Candela Peña (ALL ABOUT MY MOTHER) gleefully preys on the inappropriate advances of coworker Eduardo Noriega (THE DEVIL’S BACKBONE); and Ricardo Darín (THE SECRET IN THEIR EYES) is slow to catch on that his wife is having an affair. With a fresh and funny script by Gay, each actor relishes the chance to subvert expectations and challenge gender roles. Best Supporting Actress (Peña), 2013 Goya Awards; Jury Prize for Best Performance, 2013 Miami Film Festival. Official Selection, 2012 Rome, 2013 Seattle Film Festivals. DIR/SCR Cesc Gay; SCR Tomàs Aragay; PROD Marta Esteban. Spain, 2012, color, 95 min. In Spanish with English subtitles. NOT RATED
HOLD-UP! [¡Atraco!]
Fri, Sep 27, 9:15; Tue, Oct 1, 7:00
A snappy 1950s-set heist caper, this film is based on the bizarre true story of the staged robbery of Eva Peron’s jewels in Madrid, set up by the exiled Perón to prevent them from being appropriated by Franco’s greedy wife. Professional criminal and staunch Perón loyalist Merello (Guillermo Francella, THE SECRET IN THEIR EYES) is enlisted to pull off the heist along with Miguel (Nicolás Cabré), a bumbling young actor with a nervous habit of going off script. Lush period detail and a rousing big-band score set the scene for this rollicking crowdpleaser. Official Selection, 2012 San Sebastian Film Festival, 2013 Seattle Film Festival. DIR/SCR Eduard Cortés; SCR Piti Español, Marcelo Figueras; SCR/PROD Pedro Costa; PROD Gerardo Herrero, Luis A. Scalella. Spain/Argentina, 2012, color, 111 min. In Spanish with English subtitles. NOT RATED
SPECIAL PRESENTATION
THE DEAD MAN AND BEING HAPPY [El muerto y ser feliz]
Q&A with filmmaker Javier Rebollo, plus post-screening reception sponsored by SPAIN arts & culture, Embassy of Spain with support from Pragda, on Oct 4
Fri, Oct 4, 7:00 (also showing Wed, Oct 9, 6:30, Montgomery College Show)
Spanish filmmaker Javier Rebollo’s oddball road movie centers on an aging, cancer-stricken hitman, Santos, who goes on the lam in his Ford Falcon after flaking out on his most recent assignment. Stealing away from his Buenos Aires hospital bed, he hits the road and heads north, hoping to make it to Bolivia. He’s joined by Alejandra, a woman seeking change in her own life, who impulsively jumps in the car with Santos at a gas station. This quirky picaresque has both an offhand charm and a light sense of gravitas. Best Actor for José Sacristán, 2012 Goya Awards; Official Selection, 2012 San Sebastian, New York Film Festivals; 2013 Rotterdam, Karlovy Vary Film Festivals. DIR/SCR Javier Rebollo; SCR Lola Mayo, Salvador Roselli; PROD Luis Miñarro, José Nolla, Damián París. Spain/Argentina/France, 2013, color, 92 min. In Spanish with English subtitles. NOT RATED V
THE BODY [El cuerpo]
Fri, Oct 4, 9:30; Sat, Oct 5, 3:10
A body mysteriously vanishes from the morgue; the prime suspect is Alex Ulloa (Hugo Silva, I’M SO EXCITED!), husband of the deceased (Belén Rueda, THE ORPHANGE). As baffled by his wife’s disappearance as the lead investigator (José Coronado, NO REST FOR THE WICKED), Alex is subjected to hours of grueling interrogation. But when he receives a note from his dead wife, he is caught in a psychological game of cat and mouse—yet with whom, he does not know. With this edge-of-your-seat thriller from the producers of THE ORPHANAGE, filmmaker Oriol Paulo keeps viewers guessing right up until the shocking finale. DIR/SCR Oriol Paulo; SCR Lara Sendim; PROD Mercedes Gamero, Mikel Lejarza, Joaquín Padró, Mar Targarona. Spain, 2012, color, 108 min. In Spanish with English subtitles. NOT RATED
United States
HARVEST OF EMPIRE: THE UNTOLD STORY OF LATINOS IN AMERICA
Sun, Sep 22, 3:10 FREE ADMISSION
Based on the groundbreaking book by Juan González, this historical documentary takes an unflinching look at the role that U.S. interests have played in triggering an unprecedented wave of migration that is transforming the nation’s cultural and economic landscape. The film features present-day immigrant stories and rarely seen archival material, as well as interviews with such respected figures as Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Rigoberta Menchú, the Rev. Jesse Jackson, ACLU Executive Director Anthony Romero, Pulitzer Prize-winning writer Junot Díaz, Mexican historian Dr. Lorenzo Meyer, groundbreaking television journalist Geraldo Rivera, Grammy award-winning singer Luis Enrique and poet Martín Espada. DIR Peter Getzels; DIR/PROD Eduardo Lopez; PROD Wendy Thompson-Marquez. US, 2012, color, 90 min. In English. NOT RATED
SPECIAL PRESENTATION
BLESS ME, ULTIMA
Fri, Sep 27, 7:00 (also showing Sat, Sep 28, 1:00)
Adapted from Rudolfo Anaya’s landmark Chicano novel, this sensitive coming-of-age story follows Antonio, a young boy in 1940s New Mexico, and Ultima, the village elder who becomes his curandera, mentor and protector. Despite rumors that Ultima is a witch who practices black magic, Antonio seeks out her teaching and she quickly opens his eyes to the wonders of the spiritual world. Director Carl Franklin (DEVIL IN A BLUE DRESS) honors the book’s spirit with handsome cinematography, lush period detail and moving performances, in a film which the late Roger Ebert gave one of his final four-star reviews. “A deeply satisfying feat of storytelling.”—Kenneth Turan, The Los Angeles Times. DIR/SCR Carl Franklin, from the novel by Rudolfo Anaya; PROD Jesse Beaton, Sarah DiLeo, Mark Johnson. US, 2013, color, 106 min. In English and Spanish with English subtitles. RATED PG-13
URUGUAY
SOLO
Sun, Sep 22, 1:00; Thu, Sep 26, 7:00
Nelson is a middle-aged air force musician leading a lackluster life. His wife just left him and he can’t seem to rise above self-described mediocrity. Just when it appears there is no hope, Nelson is awakened by the opportunity to perform in a local music contest. He breaks out his old tape recorder, forms a band and sets his sights on winning. But when Nelson comes up for promotion—a move that would send him to Antarctica the same day as the contest finale—he’ll have to choose between his life-long dream and the adventure of the unknown. Best First Film, 2013 Miami Film Festival. DIR/SCR/PROD Guillermo Rocamora; SCR/PROD Javier Palliero. Uruguay/Argentina/Holland/France, 2013, color, 90 min. In Spanish with English subtitles. NOT RATED
ANINA
Sat, Sep 28, 11:10 a.m.; Sun, Sep 29, 11:00 a.m.; Tue, Oct 1, 5:00
An adorable and heart-warming animated film for the whole family. A young girl with a triple palindrome name, Anina Yatay Salas, must endure a weeklong suspension after a schoolyard fight, and ultimately learn a lesson. A beautifully animated tale of friendship and acceptance, cartoonist and illustrator-turned-filmmaker Alfredo Soderguit brings to life a striking 2003 children’s book by Sergio López Suárez (which Soderguit also illustrated). Best Film and Director, 2013 Cartagena Film Festival; Audience Award, International Official Selection, 2013 BAFICI Film Festival; Official Selection, 2013 Berlin Film Festival. DIR/SCR Alfredo Soderguit; SCR Federico Ivanier, Alejo Schettini, from the book by Sergio López Suárez; SCR/PROD Julián Goyoaga, Germán Tejeira. Uruguay/Colombia, 2013, color, 80 min. In Spanish with English subtitles. NOT RATED
3 [Tres]
Sun, Sep 29, 1:00; Thu, Oct 3, 9:05
Rodolfo is filled with regret. He’s divorced and remarried but none the happier. His ex-wife Graciela and his teenage daughter Ana are wary about letting him back into their lives, but Rodolfo is determined to ingratiate himself with them both, thinking up ways to help around the house, eventually camping out on the couch. Complicating matters, Graciela takes up with a man who looks eerily like her ex-husband, only much smarter, and Ana experiences her own first serious relationship. A quirky dramedy about three people condemned to the same, absurd fate: being a family. Official Selection, 2012 Cannes, Toronto Film Festivals. DIR/SCR Pablo Stoll Ward; SCR Gonzalo Delgado Galiana. Uruguay/Argentina/Germany, 2012, color, 119 min. In Spanish with English subtitles. NOT RATED
SO MUCH WATER [Tanta Agua]
Sun, Oct 6, 7:00; Tue, Oct 8, 9:00
Sullen 14-year-old Lucía’s week-long vacation with her brother and her divorced dad appears ruined when torrential rainstorms arrive, closing the pool and canceling all outdoor activities. But Lucía befriends a local girl at the arcade, not to mention the dreamy-looking Santiago, which soon leads to sneaking out at night, parties on the beach, first love and first heartache. An unsentimental portrait of family life under less-than-ideal circumstances, graced with genuine moments of humor and tenderness. Grand Prix and Best Screenplay, 2013 Miami Film Festival; Best First Feature Award, 2013 Guadalajara Film Festival; Official Selection, 2013 Berlin Film Festival. DIR/SCR Ana Guevara, Leticia Jorge; PROD Agustina Chiarino, Fernando Epstein. Uruguay/Mexico/Netherlands/Germany, 2013, color, 102 min. In Spanish with English subtitles. NOT RATED
VENEZUELA
2012 Oscar Submission for Best Foreign Language Film,
ROCK, PAPER, SCISSORS [Piedra, Papel o Tijera]
Sat, Oct 5, 11:00 a.m.; Tue, Oct 8, 5:00
Like Alejendro González Iñarritu’s AMORES PERROS and BABEL, this film is a multi-layered and grittily realistic drama, a fragmented narrative reflective of a fragmented society. Héctor,
an absent father and distant husband, discovers his wife has long been having an affair. Cristian, a blue-collar laborer heavily in debt, lives with his girlfriend Valentina. Desperate for money, he kidnaps the well-to-do Héctor’s son, initiating a series of events that will change the lives of both families forever. A huge box-office success in Venezuela. DIR/SCR Hernán Jabes; SCR Irina Dendiouk. Venezuela, 2012, color, 110 min. In Spanish with English subtitles. NOT RATED
TICKETS & PASSES
$12/$10 AFI Members (2-star level & up)
PASE ESPECIAL
Explore Latin American cinema with an AFI Latin American Film Festival pass — the Pase Especial! Want to see all the hottest films in the festival without having to worry about buying tickets in advance? With the Pase Especial, you have priority access to every film. NO TICKETS NEEDED. The all-access Pase Especial gives you admission for one to every screening in the AFI Latin American Film Festival, including Opening and Closing Night, Special Presentations and Festival Happy Hours. Valued at more than $500!
$150 General Admission/$125 for AFI Members
COMBO TICKET PACKAGES*
If you plan to buy eight or more tickets to films in the AFI Latin American Film Festival, in any combination, ask for the Combo Ticket Package discounted rate of just $10 per ticket. (Normal ticket price is $12.) You can buy several ticketsto one show, or one ticket to several shows! It’s perfect for families attending shows together and festival-goers who have planned out their schedule of must-see shows in advance. *Combo Ticket Package purchases must be completed in a single transaction at the AFI Silver box office for discount to apply. Offer does not apply to web sales and may not be used for Opening or Closing Night or Special Presentations. Subject to availability
WEEKLY HAPPY HOURS
Stop by the AFI Silver Café every Thursday and Friday during the festival from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m. for Happy Hour! Happy Hours feature complimentary snacks courtesy of Nando’s Peri Peri, Latin American drink specials and festive music. Enjoy a cold drink and a delicious appetizer before your film. Happy Hour dates: September 20, 26 & 27; October 3 & 4. Happy Hour specials are valid only for AFI Latin American Film Festival pass holders and ticket holders to films playing on the given dates
