After being cancelled last year, sadly, for lack of funding, the Latino International Film Festival (Laliff) returns stronger than ever to treat audiences to some of the best cinematic works, of all lengths and genres, created by Latino American filmmakers in their native countries or by Latino creators here in the U.S. This 16th edition of the festival will run from Thursday October 10th to Monday October 14th, and showcases a varied compilation of films from 14 Latin filmmaking countries.
"We are very excited and honored to have this record breaking number of Premieres presented at Laliff," said Marlene Dermer, Co-founder/Executive Director/Programmer of Laliff. "16 years and it keeps getting better because of the films." added co-founder Edward James Olmos.
This year's diverse selection of 62 works includes 28 features, 11 documentaries, and 23 shorts, which represent an eclectic mosaic of styles, subject matters, and experiences. The festival will close with the special presentation of the Mexican box-office smash hit Nosotros los Nobles, directed by Gary Alazraki, followed by an after party sponsored by Cine Latino. The list of films include the Guatemalan feature Polvo by Julio Hernandez or the Argentinian La Paz by Santiago Loza Directorial debuts like Water & Power by Richard Montoya, based off his acclaimed play by the same name, compelling documentaries like Narco Cultura and Gimme the Power, among many others.
For more information, single tickets, and festival passes click Here
This year's Laliff films are as follows (in alphabetical order):
Amor Cronico , Jorge Perugorria, 83 min
Country: Cuba
Premiere: West Coast
A Puerta FRÍA , Xavi Puebla, 80 min
Country: Spain
Premiere: USA
A Truth In Silence , Jonathan Salemi, 4:23 min
Country: USA
Premiere: World
Bordando La Frontera (Embroidering The Border) , Rene Rhi, 27 min
Country: Mexico/ USA
Captive Radio , Lauren Rosenfeld, 23 min
Country: USA/ Colombia
Premiere: Los Angeles
Carne De Perro (Dog's Flesh) , Fernando Guzzoni, 81min
Country: Chile
Premiere: Los Angeles
Catch , David Henrie, 10 min
Country: USA
Premiere: World
Cement Suitcase , Rick Castañeda, 94 min
Country: USA
Close Your Eyes , Sonia Malfa, 14:32 min
Country: USA
Con La Pata Quebrada (Barefoot In The Kitchen) , Diego Galán, 83 min
Country: Spain
Premiere: U.S.
Defectuosos (Defective) , Gabriela Martínez Garza & Jon Fernández López, 8 min
Country: Mexico
Dentro De Uno (Inside Oneself) , Salvador Aguirre, 8 min
Country: Mexico
Desert Road Kill , Michael Carreño, 16:57 min
Country: USA
Detained In The Desert , Iliana Sosa, 80 min
Country: USA
Premiere: World
Dragon Day , Jeffrey Travis, 95 min
Country:usa/Mexico
Premiere: World
Dreamer , Jesse Salmeron, 93 min
Country: USA
El Alcalde (The Mayor) , Emiliano Altuna, 80 min
Country: Mexico
Premiere: Los Angeles
El Cocodrillo , Steve Acevedo, 15 min
Country: USA
El Doctor , Heather de Michele, 11:24 min
Country: USA
El Jazz (Jazz) , Andrés Peralta, 10:30 min
Country: Mexico
Esther En Alguna Parte (Esther Somewhere) , Gerardo Chijona, 95 min
Country: Cuba
Premiere: World
Gimme The Power , Olallo Rubio, 101min
Country: Mexico
Greencard Warriors , Miriam Kruishoop, 91min
Country: USA
Premiere: World
Homebound , Fanny Veliz, 105 min
Country: USA
¡Huelga! (Strike) , Skeets McGrew, 57:32 min
Country: USA
Interstate , Camille Stochitch, 19:56 min
Country: USA
Premiere: World
JARDĺN De Amapolas (Field Of Amapolas) , Juan Carlos Melo Guevara, 86min
Country: Colombia
Premiere: World
Justice For My Sister , Kimberly Bautista, 69 min
Country: USA
Premiere: Los Angeles
Kill The Dictator (El Teniente Amado) , Félix Limardo, 90 min
Country: Dominican Republic
Premiere: West Coast
La Calle Estereo (The Stereo Street) , Santiago León Cuellar, 30min
Country: Colombia
La Paz , Santiago Loza, 73 min
Country: Argentina
Premiere: Los Angeles
La Piscina (The Swimming Pool) , Carlos Machado Quintela, 66 min
Country: Cuba
Premiere: Los Angeles
Las Tardes De Tintico (Tintico's Afternoons) , Alejandro García Caballero, 8:30 min
Country: Mexico
Llegar A Ti (To Reach You) , Alejandro Torres Rezzio, 8 min
Country: USA
Lo Azul Del Cielo , Juan Alfredo Uribe, 112min La
Country: Colombia
Premiere: Los Angeles
Maestra , Catherine Murphy, 33 min
Country: USA/ Cuba
Meu Pais (My Country) , André Ristum, 84min
Country: Brazil
Premiere: Los Angeles
Miradas MÚLTIPLES (La MÁQUINA Loca) / (Multiple Perspectives (The Crazy Machine) , Emilio Maillé, 90 min
Country: France/ Mexico
Muerte De Una Ama De Casa (Death Of A Housewife) , Marisé Samitier, 27 min
Country: Spain
Narco Cultura , Shaul Schwarz, 102 min
Country: USA
Premiere: West Coast
Ni Un Hombre MÁS (Iguana Stew) , Martin Salinas, 83 min
Country: Argentina
Premiere: West Coast
Nosotros Los Nobles (The Noble Family) , Gaz Alazraki, 95 min
Country: Mexico
Premiere: Los Angeles
O Afinador (The Tuner) , Fernando Camargo & Matheus Parizi, 15 min
Country: Brazil
Premiere: Los Angeles
Our Boys , Leonardo Ricagni, 88 min
Country: USA
Premiere: World
Pablo , Richard Goldgewicht, 93 min
Country: USA / Brazil
Premiere: Los Angeles
Phoenix , Stefano Capuzzi Lapietra, 13 min
Country: Brazil
Premiere: West Coast
Polvo (Dust) , Julio Hernández Cordón, 80 min
Country: Guatemala/Spain/Chile/Germany
Premiere: Los Angeles
Ponchao , Josh Crook, 85 min
Country: Dominican Republic
Premiere: World
POTOSÍ , Alfredo Castruita, 120min
Country: Mexico
Premiere: USA
Princesas Rojas (Red Princesses) , Laura Astorga Carrera, 100 min
Country: Costa Ria/ Venezuela/ Nicaragua
Premiere: Los Angeles
Rebel , Maria Agui Carter, 75 min
Country: USA
Premiere: Los Angeles
Sleeping With The Fishes , Nicole Gómez Fisher, 101 min
Country: USA
Stand & Deliver , Ramón Menéndez, 102 min Special Screening - 25Th Anniversary
Tanta Agua , Ana Guevara & Leticia Jorge, 102 min
Country: Urugua/ Mexico/ Netherlands/ Germany
Premiere: West Coast
Tierra De Sangre , James Katz, 106 min
Country: Chile
Premiere: North American
The Graduates (Los Graduados) , Bernardo Ruiz, 60 minYOUTH Program
Country: USA
The Price We Pay , Jesse Garcia, 7:24 min
Country: USA
Premiere: World Premiere
The Shooting Star Salesman , Kico Velarde, 20 min
Country: USA
Water & Power , Richard Montoya, 87 minOpera Prima
Country: USA
We Women Warriors (Tejiendo Sabiduria) , Nicole Karsin, 82 min
Country:usa/Colombia
Your Father's Daughter , Carlos Bernard, 15:20 min
Country: USA
Premiere: World
Zero Hour , Dan Carillo Levy, 7:20 min
Country: USA/Mexico...
"We are very excited and honored to have this record breaking number of Premieres presented at Laliff," said Marlene Dermer, Co-founder/Executive Director/Programmer of Laliff. "16 years and it keeps getting better because of the films." added co-founder Edward James Olmos.
This year's diverse selection of 62 works includes 28 features, 11 documentaries, and 23 shorts, which represent an eclectic mosaic of styles, subject matters, and experiences. The festival will close with the special presentation of the Mexican box-office smash hit Nosotros los Nobles, directed by Gary Alazraki, followed by an after party sponsored by Cine Latino. The list of films include the Guatemalan feature Polvo by Julio Hernandez or the Argentinian La Paz by Santiago Loza Directorial debuts like Water & Power by Richard Montoya, based off his acclaimed play by the same name, compelling documentaries like Narco Cultura and Gimme the Power, among many others.
For more information, single tickets, and festival passes click Here
This year's Laliff films are as follows (in alphabetical order):
Amor Cronico , Jorge Perugorria, 83 min
Country: Cuba
Premiere: West Coast
A Puerta FRÍA , Xavi Puebla, 80 min
Country: Spain
Premiere: USA
A Truth In Silence , Jonathan Salemi, 4:23 min
Country: USA
Premiere: World
Bordando La Frontera (Embroidering The Border) , Rene Rhi, 27 min
Country: Mexico/ USA
Captive Radio , Lauren Rosenfeld, 23 min
Country: USA/ Colombia
Premiere: Los Angeles
Carne De Perro (Dog's Flesh) , Fernando Guzzoni, 81min
Country: Chile
Premiere: Los Angeles
Catch , David Henrie, 10 min
Country: USA
Premiere: World
Cement Suitcase , Rick Castañeda, 94 min
Country: USA
Close Your Eyes , Sonia Malfa, 14:32 min
Country: USA
Con La Pata Quebrada (Barefoot In The Kitchen) , Diego Galán, 83 min
Country: Spain
Premiere: U.S.
Defectuosos (Defective) , Gabriela Martínez Garza & Jon Fernández López, 8 min
Country: Mexico
Dentro De Uno (Inside Oneself) , Salvador Aguirre, 8 min
Country: Mexico
Desert Road Kill , Michael Carreño, 16:57 min
Country: USA
Detained In The Desert , Iliana Sosa, 80 min
Country: USA
Premiere: World
Dragon Day , Jeffrey Travis, 95 min
Country:usa/Mexico
Premiere: World
Dreamer , Jesse Salmeron, 93 min
Country: USA
El Alcalde (The Mayor) , Emiliano Altuna, 80 min
Country: Mexico
Premiere: Los Angeles
El Cocodrillo , Steve Acevedo, 15 min
Country: USA
El Doctor , Heather de Michele, 11:24 min
Country: USA
El Jazz (Jazz) , Andrés Peralta, 10:30 min
Country: Mexico
Esther En Alguna Parte (Esther Somewhere) , Gerardo Chijona, 95 min
Country: Cuba
Premiere: World
Gimme The Power , Olallo Rubio, 101min
Country: Mexico
Greencard Warriors , Miriam Kruishoop, 91min
Country: USA
Premiere: World
Homebound , Fanny Veliz, 105 min
Country: USA
¡Huelga! (Strike) , Skeets McGrew, 57:32 min
Country: USA
Interstate , Camille Stochitch, 19:56 min
Country: USA
Premiere: World
JARDĺN De Amapolas (Field Of Amapolas) , Juan Carlos Melo Guevara, 86min
Country: Colombia
Premiere: World
Justice For My Sister , Kimberly Bautista, 69 min
Country: USA
Premiere: Los Angeles
Kill The Dictator (El Teniente Amado) , Félix Limardo, 90 min
Country: Dominican Republic
Premiere: West Coast
La Calle Estereo (The Stereo Street) , Santiago León Cuellar, 30min
Country: Colombia
La Paz , Santiago Loza, 73 min
Country: Argentina
Premiere: Los Angeles
La Piscina (The Swimming Pool) , Carlos Machado Quintela, 66 min
Country: Cuba
Premiere: Los Angeles
Las Tardes De Tintico (Tintico's Afternoons) , Alejandro García Caballero, 8:30 min
Country: Mexico
Llegar A Ti (To Reach You) , Alejandro Torres Rezzio, 8 min
Country: USA
Lo Azul Del Cielo , Juan Alfredo Uribe, 112min La
Country: Colombia
Premiere: Los Angeles
Maestra , Catherine Murphy, 33 min
Country: USA/ Cuba
Meu Pais (My Country) , André Ristum, 84min
Country: Brazil
Premiere: Los Angeles
Miradas MÚLTIPLES (La MÁQUINA Loca) / (Multiple Perspectives (The Crazy Machine) , Emilio Maillé, 90 min
Country: France/ Mexico
Muerte De Una Ama De Casa (Death Of A Housewife) , Marisé Samitier, 27 min
Country: Spain
Narco Cultura , Shaul Schwarz, 102 min
Country: USA
Premiere: West Coast
Ni Un Hombre MÁS (Iguana Stew) , Martin Salinas, 83 min
Country: Argentina
Premiere: West Coast
Nosotros Los Nobles (The Noble Family) , Gaz Alazraki, 95 min
Country: Mexico
Premiere: Los Angeles
O Afinador (The Tuner) , Fernando Camargo & Matheus Parizi, 15 min
Country: Brazil
Premiere: Los Angeles
Our Boys , Leonardo Ricagni, 88 min
Country: USA
Premiere: World
Pablo , Richard Goldgewicht, 93 min
Country: USA / Brazil
Premiere: Los Angeles
Phoenix , Stefano Capuzzi Lapietra, 13 min
Country: Brazil
Premiere: West Coast
Polvo (Dust) , Julio Hernández Cordón, 80 min
Country: Guatemala/Spain/Chile/Germany
Premiere: Los Angeles
Ponchao , Josh Crook, 85 min
Country: Dominican Republic
Premiere: World
POTOSÍ , Alfredo Castruita, 120min
Country: Mexico
Premiere: USA
Princesas Rojas (Red Princesses) , Laura Astorga Carrera, 100 min
Country: Costa Ria/ Venezuela/ Nicaragua
Premiere: Los Angeles
Rebel , Maria Agui Carter, 75 min
Country: USA
Premiere: Los Angeles
Sleeping With The Fishes , Nicole Gómez Fisher, 101 min
Country: USA
Stand & Deliver , Ramón Menéndez, 102 min Special Screening - 25Th Anniversary
Tanta Agua , Ana Guevara & Leticia Jorge, 102 min
Country: Urugua/ Mexico/ Netherlands/ Germany
Premiere: West Coast
Tierra De Sangre , James Katz, 106 min
Country: Chile
Premiere: North American
The Graduates (Los Graduados) , Bernardo Ruiz, 60 minYOUTH Program
Country: USA
The Price We Pay , Jesse Garcia, 7:24 min
Country: USA
Premiere: World Premiere
The Shooting Star Salesman , Kico Velarde, 20 min
Country: USA
Water & Power , Richard Montoya, 87 minOpera Prima
Country: USA
We Women Warriors (Tejiendo Sabiduria) , Nicole Karsin, 82 min
Country:usa/Colombia
Your Father's Daughter , Carlos Bernard, 15:20 min
Country: USA
Premiere: World
Zero Hour , Dan Carillo Levy, 7:20 min
Country: USA/Mexico...
- 10/10/2013
- by Carlos Aguilar
- Sydney's Buzz
This year started off with a Bang (with a capital 'B') for Latino film festivals. Although Latino representation at Miami is a given, it wasn't as obvious at Sundance as in previous years and is a ghost town at Tribeca leaving SXSW, as always, to pick up the slack for the “mainstream” festivals. But, it was the Latino film festivals that really pushed the rainbow of Latino cinema upon the festival landscape. San Diego Latino (Sdlff) had, in my opinion, its strongest lineup in many years. They celebrated their 20th anniversary by showcasing classics that Sdlff had screened over the years, giving the audience a chance to fall in love with them on the big screen all over again. CineFestival in Tejas, who has always played by the beat of their own drum, dropped the mic on everyone by announcing the Latino Writers Project Lab, a collaboration with Sundance Institute’s Feature Film Program, which will give filmmakers telling 'American Latino' stories a venue to have their projects mentored. Next up we have three diverse festivals with the Chicago Latino Film Festival celebrating its 29th year, Cine Las Americas in Austin, TX who very much embody their local community with an 'Hecho en Texas' and Youth specific programs, and then there's a new kid on the block in Philly, the Filadelfia Latin American Film Festival. In only its 2nd year, they have put together a two day event to bring Latino films to an underserved vibrant city. LatinoBuzz painstakingly selected our personal top picks that we think are a “must-see.” But don't just take our word for it, check out their websites for full listings and see for yourself how fly Latino cinema really is!
Chicago Latino Film Festival
The Precocious and Brief Life of Sabina Rivas (La Vida Precoz y Breve de Sabina Rivas) – Mexico
Dir. Luis Mandoki
Honduran teenager Sabina Rivas intends to get to the United States, harboring dreams of becoming a famous singer and distancing herself from her former young lover, Jovany, now a vicious gang member.
The Wild Ones (Los niños salvajes) – Spain
Dir. Patricia Ferreira
Alex, Oky and Gabi are three angry, misunderstood teens from Barcelona who have to deal with parents who have completely forgotten that they too were once teens; parents who, on most occasions, blame their children for their unfulfilled dreams. The trio has dreams and ambitions of their own and they love to test the limits imposed by society. But push comes to shove and Oky commits an unforgivable act that will leave many in shock in this thoughtful and sober drama.
Nevertheless (Y Sin Embargo) - Cuba
Dir. Rudy Mora
Lapatun is late for his math exam at a music school; to justify his tardiness he invents a wild story about having seen a UFO and spoken with its crew. The school is turned upside down by Lapatun’s claims; with some students demanding his expulsion and some teachers questioning the role creativity plays in a child’s education.
Cine Las Americas
Dust (Polvo) – Guatemala
Dir. Julio Hernández Cordón
In a small Guatemalan village where many were "disappeared" during the country's civil war, a troubled young man struggles with the memory of his murdered father — and the nearby presence of the man who turned his father in.
From Tuesday To Sunday (De Jueves A Domingo) – Chile
Dir. Dominga Sotomayor
Two children travel with their parents from Santiago Chile to the north of Chile for a family holiday. The landscape's loneliness and the car's confinement help bring out the couple's troubles and the children learn that this might turn out to be their father's farewell and their last family vacation.
Delusions of Grandeur – USA
Dir. Iris Almaraz, Gustavo Ramos
In the mid-1990s a medicated grungy girl stopped taking her medication (Prozac), crossed over a rainbow, and became a woman in a crazy, wonderful place called San Francisco. Lulu, Rocio, and Illusion are struggling with the sexuality and gender roles that we all play. It is said that there is someone for everyone, and the heroines in this story put that theory to the test in a city with a history of love at its core - but will they respect themselves in the morning?
Filadelfia Latin American Film Festival
Violeta Went to Heaven (Violeta Se Fue A Los Cielos) – Chile
Dir. Andres Wood
Violeta Went To Heaven tells the story of the iconic Chilean singer and folklorist Violeta Parra, tracing her evolution from impoverished child to international sensation and Chile's national hero, while capturing the swirling intensity of her inner contradictions, fallibilities, and passions.
Lemon – USA
Dir. Laura Brownson, Beth Levison
Three-time felon. One-time Tony award winner. Lemon Andersen is a pioneering poet whose words speak for a generation. But Lemon has landed back in the 'hood, living in the projects with thirteen family members and desperate for a way out. So he turns to the only thing he has left, his pen and his past
7 Boxes (7 Cajas) – Paraguay
Dir. Juan Carlos Maneglia, Tana Schémbor
Víctor receives an unusual proposal, to carry 7 boxes of unknown content through the Market Number 4 but things get complicated along the way.
Written by Juan Caceres and Vanessa Erazo, LatinoBuzz is a weekly feature on SydneysBuzz that highlights Latino indie talent and upcoming trends in Latino film with the specific objective of presenting a broad range of Latino voices. Follow @LatinoBuzz on Twitter and Facebook.
Chicago Latino Film Festival
The Precocious and Brief Life of Sabina Rivas (La Vida Precoz y Breve de Sabina Rivas) – Mexico
Dir. Luis Mandoki
Honduran teenager Sabina Rivas intends to get to the United States, harboring dreams of becoming a famous singer and distancing herself from her former young lover, Jovany, now a vicious gang member.
The Wild Ones (Los niños salvajes) – Spain
Dir. Patricia Ferreira
Alex, Oky and Gabi are three angry, misunderstood teens from Barcelona who have to deal with parents who have completely forgotten that they too were once teens; parents who, on most occasions, blame their children for their unfulfilled dreams. The trio has dreams and ambitions of their own and they love to test the limits imposed by society. But push comes to shove and Oky commits an unforgivable act that will leave many in shock in this thoughtful and sober drama.
Nevertheless (Y Sin Embargo) - Cuba
Dir. Rudy Mora
Lapatun is late for his math exam at a music school; to justify his tardiness he invents a wild story about having seen a UFO and spoken with its crew. The school is turned upside down by Lapatun’s claims; with some students demanding his expulsion and some teachers questioning the role creativity plays in a child’s education.
Cine Las Americas
Dust (Polvo) – Guatemala
Dir. Julio Hernández Cordón
In a small Guatemalan village where many were "disappeared" during the country's civil war, a troubled young man struggles with the memory of his murdered father — and the nearby presence of the man who turned his father in.
From Tuesday To Sunday (De Jueves A Domingo) – Chile
Dir. Dominga Sotomayor
Two children travel with their parents from Santiago Chile to the north of Chile for a family holiday. The landscape's loneliness and the car's confinement help bring out the couple's troubles and the children learn that this might turn out to be their father's farewell and their last family vacation.
Delusions of Grandeur – USA
Dir. Iris Almaraz, Gustavo Ramos
In the mid-1990s a medicated grungy girl stopped taking her medication (Prozac), crossed over a rainbow, and became a woman in a crazy, wonderful place called San Francisco. Lulu, Rocio, and Illusion are struggling with the sexuality and gender roles that we all play. It is said that there is someone for everyone, and the heroines in this story put that theory to the test in a city with a history of love at its core - but will they respect themselves in the morning?
Filadelfia Latin American Film Festival
Violeta Went to Heaven (Violeta Se Fue A Los Cielos) – Chile
Dir. Andres Wood
Violeta Went To Heaven tells the story of the iconic Chilean singer and folklorist Violeta Parra, tracing her evolution from impoverished child to international sensation and Chile's national hero, while capturing the swirling intensity of her inner contradictions, fallibilities, and passions.
Lemon – USA
Dir. Laura Brownson, Beth Levison
Three-time felon. One-time Tony award winner. Lemon Andersen is a pioneering poet whose words speak for a generation. But Lemon has landed back in the 'hood, living in the projects with thirteen family members and desperate for a way out. So he turns to the only thing he has left, his pen and his past
7 Boxes (7 Cajas) – Paraguay
Dir. Juan Carlos Maneglia, Tana Schémbor
Víctor receives an unusual proposal, to carry 7 boxes of unknown content through the Market Number 4 but things get complicated along the way.
Written by Juan Caceres and Vanessa Erazo, LatinoBuzz is a weekly feature on SydneysBuzz that highlights Latino indie talent and upcoming trends in Latino film with the specific objective of presenting a broad range of Latino voices. Follow @LatinoBuzz on Twitter and Facebook.
- 4/17/2013
- by Juan Caceres
- Sydney's Buzz
It is not easy to make a film in Guatemala. There is no national film commission, leaving filmmakers few opportunities for government funding. They must rely on the private sector to raise money but attracting investors is no easy feat. Audiences within the country mostly prefer to watch Hollywood blockbusters over national films making it unlikely that private investors will make their money back in ticket sales. And without a government entity overseeing the film industry there is no infrastructure to support filmmakers throughout the process of making their film.
Despite these challenges and against all odds there has been a boom in the number of films produced in Guatemala over the last few years. Projects have been completed by entering into partnerships with other countries in Latin America or Europe that have strong film industries. Plus, hiring professional actors in Guatemala can be a bargain, cutting down the budget.
Julio Hernández Cordón, one of Guatemala’s most celebrated directors, has made three award-winning films – Gasolina (Isa: Ondamax Films), Marimbas del Infierno and Polvo. His movies have garnered international attention and toured the film festival circuit. His debut feature film, Gasolina, was made for about $150,000. Because of the obstacles they face, Guatemalan filmmakers are forced to work with minimal budgets but the desire to tell authentic stories that take place within their own country drives them to forge ahead.
Mario Rosales, a New York-based but Guatemalan-born filmmaker, was one of those who felt compelled to hold up a mirror to Guatemalan society and portray the injustices he has witnessed. Mario set out to make a film about the increased violence in his country and began researching the worsening situation. A few months later his younger brother, who lives in Guatemala, became a victim of police violence while riding as a passenger in his friend’s car. They were shot at by police and after pulling over, were savagely beaten. Mario’s brother had been shot in the leg and was arrested along with his friend. They were jailed and denied medical attention. The day next day when Mario’s mother showed up to the police station with a lawyer, all charges were dropped and his brother was released. After a failed attempt at pressing charges against the police, Mario became even more determined to make his film.
El Regreso de Lencho (The Return of Lencho) tells the story of a 30-something graffiti artist who has returned to Guatemala after spending years living in New York. Disillusioned by the chasing the American dream, he goes back to his country in search of a more meaningful path. He reads, he paints murals, and together with other activists organizes an arts festival in Rabinal, a small village that is mostly indigenous. Rosales’ film portrays Post-Civil War Guatemala as the paradox that it is. Violence, on the part of gang members, petty thieves, and police, is a constant but a thriving community of young graffiti artists, writers, and musicians are attempting to use their art as means to change society. It’s not the kind of story that a major Hollywood studio is going to back. As is true for many Latin American filmmakers, the film became a do-it-yourself kind of project.
Rosales wrote, directed, and produced the film. The biggest challenge was raising money. The budget was $250,000 but as Rosales explains he never saw much cash, “I financed the film, with the collaboration of Maxi Films in Guatemala who gave us a truck full of equipment and a 16mm camera. Here in New York we collaborated with Romeo Galante Productions who did put down some cash for the film and airplane tickets for the crew that came from New York and Spain.” Some good news came right before heading down to Guatemala to shoot, Rosales was awarded a $100,00 grant from a foundation in New York. But, the money proved elusive, “We never got the funds. Even though the money did go to Guatemala, through a local Ngo, two weeks before production the Ngo that received the money wanted to censor the script. So we shot with no money, that was super difficult.” Even without the money, the production continued.
El Regreso de Lencho was shot in Guatemala city with a crew of about 50 people in 30 days. After a year of editing and putting together the soundtrack, the film premiered at the 2011 Havana Film Festival New York. After touring the film to different film festivals, Rosales continues to use a Diy approach and has decided to self-distribute the film. After the New York run he will take El Regreso de Lencho to Guatemala and in the spring heads to the West Coast, playing in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and San Diego.
El Regreso de Lencho (The Return of Lencho) opens November 9 at the Quad Cinemain downtown Manhattan, 34 West 13th Street.
El Regreso de Lencho on Facebook | Website | Trailer
Written by Juan Caceres and Vanessa Erazo, LatinoBuzz is a weekly feature on SydneysBuzz that highlights Latino indie talent and upcoming trends in Latino film with the specific objective of presenting a broad range of Latino voices. Follow @LatinoBuzz on twitter.
Despite these challenges and against all odds there has been a boom in the number of films produced in Guatemala over the last few years. Projects have been completed by entering into partnerships with other countries in Latin America or Europe that have strong film industries. Plus, hiring professional actors in Guatemala can be a bargain, cutting down the budget.
Julio Hernández Cordón, one of Guatemala’s most celebrated directors, has made three award-winning films – Gasolina (Isa: Ondamax Films), Marimbas del Infierno and Polvo. His movies have garnered international attention and toured the film festival circuit. His debut feature film, Gasolina, was made for about $150,000. Because of the obstacles they face, Guatemalan filmmakers are forced to work with minimal budgets but the desire to tell authentic stories that take place within their own country drives them to forge ahead.
Mario Rosales, a New York-based but Guatemalan-born filmmaker, was one of those who felt compelled to hold up a mirror to Guatemalan society and portray the injustices he has witnessed. Mario set out to make a film about the increased violence in his country and began researching the worsening situation. A few months later his younger brother, who lives in Guatemala, became a victim of police violence while riding as a passenger in his friend’s car. They were shot at by police and after pulling over, were savagely beaten. Mario’s brother had been shot in the leg and was arrested along with his friend. They were jailed and denied medical attention. The day next day when Mario’s mother showed up to the police station with a lawyer, all charges were dropped and his brother was released. After a failed attempt at pressing charges against the police, Mario became even more determined to make his film.
El Regreso de Lencho (The Return of Lencho) tells the story of a 30-something graffiti artist who has returned to Guatemala after spending years living in New York. Disillusioned by the chasing the American dream, he goes back to his country in search of a more meaningful path. He reads, he paints murals, and together with other activists organizes an arts festival in Rabinal, a small village that is mostly indigenous. Rosales’ film portrays Post-Civil War Guatemala as the paradox that it is. Violence, on the part of gang members, petty thieves, and police, is a constant but a thriving community of young graffiti artists, writers, and musicians are attempting to use their art as means to change society. It’s not the kind of story that a major Hollywood studio is going to back. As is true for many Latin American filmmakers, the film became a do-it-yourself kind of project.
Rosales wrote, directed, and produced the film. The biggest challenge was raising money. The budget was $250,000 but as Rosales explains he never saw much cash, “I financed the film, with the collaboration of Maxi Films in Guatemala who gave us a truck full of equipment and a 16mm camera. Here in New York we collaborated with Romeo Galante Productions who did put down some cash for the film and airplane tickets for the crew that came from New York and Spain.” Some good news came right before heading down to Guatemala to shoot, Rosales was awarded a $100,00 grant from a foundation in New York. But, the money proved elusive, “We never got the funds. Even though the money did go to Guatemala, through a local Ngo, two weeks before production the Ngo that received the money wanted to censor the script. So we shot with no money, that was super difficult.” Even without the money, the production continued.
El Regreso de Lencho was shot in Guatemala city with a crew of about 50 people in 30 days. After a year of editing and putting together the soundtrack, the film premiered at the 2011 Havana Film Festival New York. After touring the film to different film festivals, Rosales continues to use a Diy approach and has decided to self-distribute the film. After the New York run he will take El Regreso de Lencho to Guatemala and in the spring heads to the West Coast, playing in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and San Diego.
El Regreso de Lencho (The Return of Lencho) opens November 9 at the Quad Cinemain downtown Manhattan, 34 West 13th Street.
El Regreso de Lencho on Facebook | Website | Trailer
Written by Juan Caceres and Vanessa Erazo, LatinoBuzz is a weekly feature on SydneysBuzz that highlights Latino indie talent and upcoming trends in Latino film with the specific objective of presenting a broad range of Latino voices. Follow @LatinoBuzz on twitter.
- 11/7/2012
- by Vanessa Erazo
- Sydney's Buzz
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