Latino Film Festival 2016: March 10-20

http://sdlatinofilmfestival.com/

See recommended movies below:

Alias María
Dir. José Luis Rugeles
(Colombia / Argentina / France, 92 min., 2015, Spanish w/ English subtitles, Drama / War)
3/12 / 8:15 / S3
3/14 / 6:05 / DGC
3/16 / 6:00 / S10
María, a 13-year-old guerrilla soldier, is burdened with the mission of bringing her commander’s newborn baby to safety in a neighboring town. However, Maria also has a secret to hide, her pregnancy, and must figure out what she’ll do with the baby she’s expecting. Through Maria’s eyes, the devastating effects of Colombia’s armed conflict are laid bare. Country of Focus Showcase: Colombia.


Click "Red more" to see more recommended films:


Amir
Dir. José Paredes
(Mexico, 88 min., 2015, Spanish w/ English subtitles, Drama)
3/11 / 10:15 / S9
3/14 / 6:30 / S2
Amir, an aspiring musician, finds himself drawn to a beautiful singer he meets during a night out with his friends. This attraction complicates his relationship with his current girlfriend who is expecting his child. As Amir attempts to work out his feelings for his newfound love interest, adulthood forces him to make some challenging choices in this coming-of-age film produced and shot in Tijuana. Fronteras Filmmakers Showcase.

Bastards y Diablos
Dir. A.D. Freese
(Colombia / USA, 99 min., 2015, English, Spanish w/ English subtitles, Adventure / Drama)
3/13 / 9:30 / S2
3/19 / 1:15 / S10
3/20 / 8:15 / S2
Ed and Dion are half-Colombian half brothers ,raised in the U.S. and estranged from their father, their roots, and each other. After their father’s death, they reunite and travel together to Bogotá to fulfill the wishes in their father’s will, only to find a mysterious set of instructions sending them on an unexpected journey all over Colombia, re-discovering their connection to Colombia and to each other. Country of Focus Showcase: Colombia.

La calle de la amargura
Dir. Arturo Ripstein
(Mexico, 99 min., 2015, Spanish w/English subtitles, Drama / Crime)
3/12 / 9:45 / S1
3/18 / 6:35 / S3
Mexico’s unparalleled auteur, Arturo Ripstein, returns with his latest masterpiece “ripped from the headlines” about two elderly prostitutes dealing with external and internal crises: Jeza is having a hard time relating to her teenage daughter and coping with her cross-dressing husband; Adela suffers from loneliness. An encounter with twin mini-luchadores results in the two men’s deaths, forcing Jeza and Adela to come up with a solution for their newfound circumstances. Unflinching, darkly humorous, and filmed in beautiful black and white, La calle de la amargura is a cinematic experience unlike any other. Mexico Today Showcase.

The Clan
Dir. Pablo Trapero
(Argentina / Spain, 110 min., 2015, Spanish w/ English subtitles, Biography / Crime / Drama)
3/11 / 7:00 / S3
3/16 / 6:30 / S2
3/20 / 11:30 AM / S9
In the dying days of Galtieri and his Dirty War, the Puccio family appears to be like any other high-class Argentine family. When they fall on hard times, the patriarch of the clan, Arquimedes (Guillermo Francella), makes up for it by following the government’s lead: kidnapping, extorting and murdering victims for large sums of money. Arquimedes pulls his eldest son, Alejandro, a professional rugby player, into his schemes while the rest of the family seems blissfully unaware, or chooses to ignore what is happening right under their noses. When the junta collapses, so does the Puccio family business. Based on a case that shook Argentina, this film asks what is the moral price of complicity. Spotlight Films Showcase.

El comienzo del tiempo
Dir. Bernardo Arellano
(Mexico, 110 min., 2014, Spanish w/ English subtitles, Drama)
3/13 / 3:05 / DGC
3/15 / 9:15 / S1
Antonio and Bertha, an elderly couple in their nineties, find themselves in deep trouble when their pensions are suspended due to Mexico’s social and economic crisis. Their children are long gone and, the couple may have to sell their belongings and peddle tamales, or turn to a life of crime to survive. Things take an unexpected turn when their son Jonas and grandson Paco unexpectedly reappear in their lives. Mexico Today Showcase.

Dauna. Lo que lleva el río
Dir. Mario Crespo
(Venezuela, 104 min., 2015, Warao w/ English subtitles, Drama)
3/10 / 6:45 / S9
3/18 / 5:15 / S1
Dauna, a young indigenous woman, lives in the Orinoco Delta. Torn between her love for her husband, Tarsicio, and her desire to study, Dauna must decide whether to follow the traditional ways of her tribe or those of a foreign, modern world. Loosely based on a real story, the film is shot on location, with nonprofessional actors, and is the first Venezuelan film featuring Warao as the primary language. Spotlight Films Showcase.

Eva no duerme
Dir. Pablo Agüero
(Argentina / France / Spain, 85 min., 2015, Spanish w/ English subtitles, Drama)
3/13 / 7:15 / S1
3/19 / 8:00 / DGC
3/20 / 7:35 / S10
After a military coup in 1955, Juan Domingo Peron is deposed and forced to flee Argentina. He does so before ensuring proper arrangements for the embalmed body of his deceased wife, Eva Perón. The military junta kidnaps the body and launches a decades long odyssey in which the corpse is transported throughout Europe. Pablo Agüero’s visionary and unforgettable interpretation of Peron’s body’s journey is suspenseful, surreal, and features the supporting work of Gael Garcia Bernal at the peak of his acting powers. Spotlight Films Showcase.

A Father’s Journey
Dir. David Fernandez, Jr.
(USA / Mexico, 87 min., 2015, English, Spanish w/ English subtitles, Drama)
3/12 / 11:15 / S10
3/14 / 4:10 / S9
Based on a true story, a tragic accident sends a man on a journey of twists and turns towards a path of forgiveness, love, and healing. Directed by David Fernandez Jr. and filmed on location throughout San Diego, this film explores the complicated relationship between a father and son. Winner of Best Feature Film at the Las Vegas Latino Film festival. Fernandez is known for his roles in recent films like Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones. Fronteras Filmmakers Showcase.
http://sdlatinofilm.com/narrativefeatures/

Ixcanul
Dir. Jayro Bustamante
(Guatemala / France, 100 min., 2015, Kaqchikel, Spanish w/ English subtitles)
3/12 / 4:00 / S3
3/17 / 4:45 / S1
3/19 / 8:35 / S10
María, a young 17 year old Mayan girl, lives and works with her parents on a coffee plantation at the foothills of an active volcano in Guatemala. An arranged marriage awaits her. Although Maria dreams of going to the “big city,” her condition as an indigenous woman does not permit her to change her destiny. Unforeseen circumstances put her life at risk, forcing her to go out into the modern world where her life is saved, but at a steep price. Spotlight Films Showcase.

Kidnap Capital
Dir. Felipe Rodriguez
(Canada, 93 min., 2015, English, Spanish w/ English subtitles, Thriller)
3/12 / 10:30 / S9
3/15 / 6:15 / S9
3/19 / 4:30 / DGC
After a harrowing journey to “El Norte,” Wyler, a rogue “coyote,”imprisons his charges in his seemingly mundane residence in Phoenix, Arizona, which he has transformed into a prison. Based loosely on true events, Kidnap Capital is an engrossing thriller in which the captives must put aside their differences, band together, and execute the perfect escape before it’s too late. Spotlight Films Showcase.

La luz incidente
Dir. Ariel Rotter
(Argentina / France / Uruguay, 95 min., 2015, Spanish w/ English subtitles, Romance / Drama)
3/13 / 4:00 / S2
3/17 / 6:05 / DGC
3/18 / 6:45 / S9
Set in 1960’s Argentina, the story follows Luisa, who is trying to raise her twin daughters after her husband’s tragic death. When Luisa encounters an older, seductive stranger, she feels an immediate attraction. In the midst of her grief and desire to rebuild her family, Luisa has yet to stop and wonder why he seems so eager to make her his. Spotlight Films Showcase.

Mar
Dir. Dominga Sotomayor Castillo
(Argentina / Chile, 70 min., 2015, Spanish w/ English subtitles, Drama / Romance)
3/13 / 9:05 / S1
3/18 / 8:55 / S3
Dominga Sotomayor Castillo’s (De jueves a domingo) sophomore effort focuses the microscope on a married couple taking a long-overdue vacation by the sea. Although calm and seemingly relaxing at first, the arrival of an unexpected guest shifts the energy of the holiday, forcing the spouses to evaluate their relationship. Viva Mujeres Showcase.

Rio, I Love You
Dirs. Guillermo Arriaga, Fernando Meirelles, John Turturro, et al.
(Brazil, 110 min., 2015, Portuguese w/ English subtitles, Romance / Drama)
3/20 / 7:00 / S1
The third episode of the Cities of Love franchise, Rio, I Love You is an anthology, created by 10 visionary directors from across the globe. The story line of each segment focuses on an encounter of love in a different neighborhood of the city, demonstrating the distinctive qualities and character of that location. The film serves to bridge gaps between cultures, educating and entertaining the audience while celebrating unique and universal expressions of love. Featuring segments directed by Guillermo Arriaga and John Turturro, with an all-star international cast including Rodrigo Santoro, Wagner Moura, Harvey Keitel, Vincent Cassel, and Emily Mortimer. Spotlight Films Showcase.

Siempreviva
Dir. Klych López
(Colombia, 111 min., 2015, Spanish w/ English subtitles, Drama)
3/10 / 4:00 / DGC
3/14 / 8:30 / S2
3/20 / 4:15 / S3
Lucia is on the verge of losing her mortgage, placing her family and the rest of the tenants that live with her under the threat of eviction. The inhabitants pin their hopes on Julieta, Lucia’s daughter, whose new job at the Palace of Justice promises financial salvation. However, a guerilla attack at Julieta’s job leaves the building engulfed in flames. As Lucia and the rest of the inhabitants scramble find Julieta after the attack, puzzling accounts of her whereabouts leads them down a path that will change them forever. Country of Focus Showcase: Colombia.
Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qZia7argJsU

Sin alas
Dir. Ben Chace
(Cuba / USA, 90 min., 2015, Spanish w/ English subtitles, Drama)
3/11 / 5:00 / S2
3/15 / 8:45 / S2
3/19 / 10:30 / S3
The first American film shot in Havana since 1959, centers on Luis Vargas, an old writer who, as a young man, chose the excitement and possibilities of the revolution over the wealth of his family. AS a young man, Varga fell in love with a young ballerina, the wife of a military commander. After the death of his former lover, he begins to see visions of her and has to come to terms with lost love and the choices he has made in his life. Cuban Films Showcase.