19TH ANNUAL CINE LAS AMERICAS INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL OPENING AND CLOSING NIGHTS ANNOUNCED (CORRECTED)
AUSTIN, Texas (April 12, 2016) — Cine Las Americas is excited to announce this year’s opening and closing films for the 19th annual Cine Las Americas International Film Festival: MAGALLANES and VIAJE, respectively. Doors will open for the Opening Reception at 6pm on Wednesday, May 4th and the screening of MAGALLANES will follow opening remarks at 7pm. Ceremonies for the Closing Night Awards, followed by the presentation of VIAJE, will begin at 7pm on Sunday, May 8th. Both celebrations are held at the Marchesa Hall & Theatre.
MAGALLANES, a Peruvian film written and directed by Salvador del Solar, reveals the atrocities of war and its aftereffects. The drama and thriller follows the story of Magallanes (Damián Alcázar), a taxi driver and former army soldier. He also serves as a chauffeur for a retired colonel (Federico Luppi), who was his commander during the struggle against subversion in Ayacucho. A dark secret begins to emerge when Celina (Magaly Solier), takes a ride in Magallanes’ cab. The film is del Solar’s first feature and, among other accolades, was nominated for Best Latin American Film for the 2016 Goya Awards, Spain’s most prestigious annual film awards.
VIAJE, a drama and comedy from Costa Rica written and directed by Paz Fábrega, explores attraction and commitment for a generation whose understandings of personal freedoms and traditional limitations are more open to interpretation. After meeting at a party, Luciana (Kattia González) and Pedro (Fernando Bolaños) spark up a spontaneous rendezvous. Eschewing the fraudulent nature of traditional relationships, the pair embarks on a spur-of-the-moment journey that takes them to the forest where they delve into the beauty of nature and their own personal beliefs. Nominated for Best Narrative Feature by Tribeca Film Festival in 2015, VIAJE is Paz’ second feature; her first feature AGUA FRIA DEL MAR (COLD WATER OF THE SEA) won the Tiger Award at Rotterdam in 2010.
“We are long-time fans of the esteemed actors Damián Alcázar and Federico Luppi, whose turns in MAGALLANES are outstanding; their talent is complimented by one the best performances of 2015 — Magaly Solier’s riveting performance as Celina is one that no one should miss,” says Festival Director Jean Lauer. “For closing night, we’ve invited another outstanding film with an entirely different tone, a lyrical reflection on attraction and spontaneity. To my knowledge the film VIAJE will represent a first for the Festival — closing with a film from Costa Rica. We’re thrilled to be opening and closing the Festival with these two highly praised films, book-ending four days of wonderful programming. We’re proud of our selections, which we look forward to announcing more of in upcoming days.”
For the 19th consecutive year, Austin will serve as host to a wide range of international films and filmmakers. The festival creates networking opportunities for industry professionals and focuses on creating a rich cultural experience for statewide audiences. The festival will showcase contemporary films from the US, Canada, Latin America, and the Iberian Peninsula. All films are presented in English and/or subtitles.
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ABOUT CINE LAS AMERICAS: Cine Las Americas is a multi-cultural, 501(c)3 non-profit organization based in Austin Texas, offering theatrical screenings of films made by and/or about Latinos or indigenous peoples of the Americas. Films from Spain and Portugal are also included, enhancing a truly Pan-American cinematic experience. The mission of Cine Las Americas is to promote cross-cultural understanding and growth by educating, entertaining and challenging the diverse Central Texas community through film and media arts.
Press Contact: Melinda Gonzales Boe | 512.535.0765 | press@cinelasamericas.org