Press Release
Contact: Jean Anne Lauer
press@cinelasamericas.org
512-710-9544
22ND CINE LAS AMERICAS INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES LINEUP,
HIGHLIGHTING EVENING FILMS AND GUESTS AT AFS CINEMA,
INCLUDING OPENING AND CLOSING NIGHT FILMS
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
AUSTIN, Texas (April 17, 2019) – Cine Las Americas (CLA) is pleased to announce the program for the twenty-second Cine Las Americas International Film Festival (CLAIFF22), May 1-5, 2019, in Austin, Texas.
Feature films, short films, music videos, and more, highlighting a diversity of themes, genres, and styles characteristic of contemporary national and international cinema trends will be presented at two primary partnership venues: AFS Cinema (6406 N I-35 Suite 3100) and The Emma S. Barrientos Mexican American Cultural Center (600 River St.). Films are presented in English or with English subtitles (if English is not the original language). Additional screenings and events will take place at other venues around the capital city during the five-day festival. “This is the time of year I look forward to most: Spring and Cine Las Americas,” says Jean Anne Lauer, in her first year as Executive Director and eleventh as part of the festival team. She adds, “Where else can you see the breadth of Latinx and Indigenous talent and stories than right here in Austin, this May 1st – 5th? It’s an honor to be at the helm of this amazing organization and I’m excited to share the films and events with everyone in attendance.”
This year’s CLAIFF will kick off at 7pm on Wednesday, May 1st, with the documentary CARLOS ALMARAZ: PLAYING WITH FIRE at the AFS Cinema – with co-director Richard Montoya in attendance. Carlos Almaraz was one of the leading figures in the Chicano art movement of the ’70s and ’80s and the subject of a recent LACMA exhibition. CARLOS ALMARAZ: PLAYING WITH FIRE is the first ever retrospective look at the life, work, and legacy of this important figure in Chicano culture whose life was tragically cut short by AIDS in 1989. The film is co-directed by multimedia artist Elsa Flores Almaraz and features interviews with Edward James Olmos, Cheech Marin, and Shepard Fairey.
The spotlight films at AFS Cinema continue on Thursday evening, May 2nd at 8pm, with a screening of WINDOWS ON THE WORLD with director and other cast and crew in attendance. WINDOWS ON THE WORLD, a film about a father and son, stars Edward James Olmos and is directed by his son Michael D. Olmos. Ed Olmos stars as Balthazar an undocumented busboy working at the top floor restaurant Windows on the World on the morning of 9/11. His family, including his son Fernando are back in Mexico and can only watch TV while they await word from Balthazar. As the days turn to weeks Fernando decides to make the journey from Mexico to New York City. Along the way, he discovers the hard truths about his father, the melting pot of America, and the immigrant experience.
Friday evening’s 8pm headliner at AFS Cinema is HUACHICOLERO (THE GASOLINE THIEVES), the debut feature film from Mexican filmmaker Edgar Nito. Nito will join the evening’s presentation in Austin after world-premiering the title at the Tribeca Film Festival. The plot centers on Lalo, a teenager in need of quick cash to try and win the affection of Ana. He turns to the local huachicoleros, gangsters who siphon off gas from government pipelines and sell it on the black market. His plan backfires when he realizes one of the thieves has feelings for Ana as well.
And at 8pm on Saturday evening at AFS Cinema, Austin Film Society co-presents with CLAIFF the enigmatic EMPTY METAL directed by Adam Khalil and Bayley Sweitzer, a film that is at times political manifesto, revolutionary treatise, or post apocalyptic fantasy, depending on your point of view; a bracing, challenging call to arms – perhaps literally. EMPTY METAL world premiered at the Film Society Lincoln Center in 2018 where they wrote about the film: “Filled with energy, rage, and the smallest measure of hope, EMPTY METAL is a new kind of political film for these extraordinary times.” Khalil will be present at the screening for discussion and Q&A about this polemic film.
On closing night, starting at 7pm., May 5th at AFS Cinema, CLAIFF will present this year’s festival award winners, followed by a screening of the Peruvian box office hit NO ME DIGAS SOLTERONA (DON’T CALL ME A SPINSTER), written and directed by Ani Alva. In this film, Ani aims to offer a fresh take on the classic romantic comedy. Patricia is a 35-year-old hopeless romantic who discovers her long-time boyfriend Alonso has cheated on her with beautiful 20 year old Belén, just before their wedding. Patricia is forced to return to the ranks of single life where she will try to survive with the help of her close friends. To add to her troubles, her mother reminds her daily that she’s about to miss the boat. NO ME DIGAS SOLTERONA has been a success as it has been watched by almost 900 thousand viewers, making Ani the first female director to achieve such success at the box office in Peru, and now it comes to Austin. Ani and Executive Producer Alex Pedemonte will be joining us for the screening and a Q&A after the film.
Throughout the five-day festival, attendees will have numerous opportunities to view films from all over the Americas, the Iberian Peninsula, and beyond. This year’s films selections were curated primarily by the team of Ernie Quiroz, Florencia Choto, and Alan McLane, who each bring years of expertise to the table and a commitment to the mission of CLA. “I first attended Cine Las Americas in 2005 with a feature film that I produced,” says Quiroz. He continues, “Years later when I founded a film festival called Cine Latino, CLAIFF was one of the film festivals I looked to for inspiration. They’ve been a leader in showcasing Latinx cinema and a festival I’ve always admired. Now I’m thrilled to be a part of the festival team as a Film Program Associate and I’m thrilled to be showcasing the latest films from Latin America, Mexico, and the USA.” The Hecho en Tejas, Music Video, and Emergencia Youth Film Festival go through separate curatorial processes, and complement the quality of the overall lineup.
The full schedule for the 2019 Cine Las Americas International Film Festival will be released online this week, with more details announced in upcoming releases and newsletters. For more information and to check for screening schedule release go to www.cinelasamericas.org.
Selection for the 22nd Annual Cine Las Americas International Film Festival
Titles by Program Section
NEW RELEASES
OPENING NIGHT:
Carlos Almaraz: Playing with Fire, Dirs. Elsa Flores Almaraz & Richard Montoya, USA
CLOSING NIGHT:
No me digas solterona (Don’t Call Me a Spinster), Dir. Ani Alva Helfer, Peru
Additional New Release Titles:
* América, Dirs. Erick Stoll & Chase Whiteside, USA
* Boni Bonita, Dir. Daniel Barosa, Brazil/Argentina
* Cómprame un revólver (Buy Me a Gun), Dir. Julio Hernández Cordón, Mexico/Colombia
* Councilwoman, Dir. Margo Guernsey, USA
* El baile de la gacela (The Gazelle’s Dance), Dir. Iván Porras Meléndez, Costa Rica/Mexico
* El pueblo soy yo: Venezuela en populismo (I Am the People: Venezuela Under Populism), Dir. Carlos Oteyza, Venezuela/Mexico
* El silencio de otros (The Silence of Others), Dirs. Almudena Carracedo & Robert Bahar, Spain/USA/Canada/France
* Empty Metal, Dirs. Adam Khalil & Bayley Sweitzer, USA
* Enigma, Dir. Ignacio Juricic Merillán, Chile
* Falls Around Her, Dir. Darlene Naponse, Canada
* Harvest Season, Dir. Bernardo Ruiz, USA
* Huachicolero (The Gasoline Thieves), Dir. Edgar Nito Arrache, Mexico/USA/UK/Spain
* La camarista (The Chambermaid), Dir. Lila Avilés, Mexico
* Lo que siento por ti (What I Feel for You), Dir. Raúl Camilo, Dominican Republic
* Mamacita, Dir. José Pablo Estrada Torrescano, Mexico/Germany
* Rojo, Dir. Benjamin Naishtat, Argentina/Brazil/France/Netherlands/Germany
* Rutas en febrero (Roads in February), Dir. Katherine Jerkovic, Canada/Uruguay
* Segunda estrella a la derecha (Second Star to the Right), Dir. Ruth Caudeli, Colombia
* Singing Our Way to Freedom, Dir. Paul Espinosa, USA
* Socrates, Dir. Alexandre Moratto, Brazil
* Tarde para morir joven (Too Late to Die Young), Dir. Dominga Sotomayor, Chile/Brazil/Argentina/Netherlands/Qatar
* Temporada (Long Way Home), Dir. André Novais Oliveira, Brazil
* Vientos del sur (Southern Winds), Dir. Franco García Becerra, Peru
* Windows on the World, Dir. Michael D. Olmos, USA
NARRATIVE FEATURE COMPETITION
* Collisions, Dir. Richard Levien, USA
* Guerra de Algodão (The Cotton Wool War), Dirs. Marília Hughes & Cláudio Marques, Brazil
* Medea, Dir. Alexandra Latishev, Costa Rica/Chile/Argentina
* Ocho de cada diez (Eight out of Ten), Dir. Sergio Umansky Brener, Mexico
* The Grizzlies, Dir. Miranda de Pencier, Canada
DOCUMENTARY FEATURE COMPETITION
* Bakosó: AfroBeats de Cuba (Bakosó: AfroBeats of Cuba), Dir. Eli Jacobs-Fantauzzi, Cuba/USA
* El silencio es un cuerpo que cae (Silence is a Falling Body), Dir. Agustina Comedi, Argentina
* Midnight Family, Dir. Luke Lorentzen, Mexico
* Nos llaman guerreras (They Call Us Warriors), Dirs. Jennifer Socorro & Edwin Corona Ramos & David Alonso, Venezuela/USA/Mexico/Jordan
* Warrior Women, Dirs. Elizabeth Castle & Christina D. King, USA
HECHO EN TEJAS
Feature Film:
* Bentley’s Will, Dir. Zachary P Grigg, USA
Short Films:
* Cake, Dir. Esmeralda Hernandez, USA
* Cantina, Dirs. Erik Mauck & Daniel Reyes, USA
* First Generation, Dir. Aaron Chávez, USA
* Plane Pretend, Dir. Sharon Arteaga, USA
* The Bubbleman, Dir. Sachin Dheeraj Mudigonda, USA
* This Feels Like a Setup, Dir. Patrick Higgins, USA
* West of Leona, Dir. Christopher James Thompson, USA
NARRATIVE SHORTS COMPETITION
* Hombre, Dir. Juan Pablo Arias Muñoz, Chile
* ĩuja ɓekea (Swamp), Dir. Juan Sebastián Mesa, Colombia
* Lo cotidiano (The Usual), Dir. David Lara, Spain
* Me 3.796, Dir. Elaine Del Valle, USA
* O Órfão (The Orphan), Dir. Carolina Markowicz, Brazil
DOCUMENTARY SHORTS COMPETITION
* A Cabeça e a Mão (The Head & the Hand), Dir. Marc Serpa Francoeur, Portugal/Canada
* Abrázame, Dir. Jas Doyle Pitt, Bolivia/UK
* El vuelo de Michael (Michael’s Flight), Dir. Jesús de Frutos Ayaso, Spain
* Fast Horse, Dir. Alexandra Lazarowich, Canada
* La Flaca (The Bony Lady) Dirs. Adriana Barbosa & Thiago Zanato, USA/Brazil/Mexico
LOURDES PORTILLO RETROSPECTIVE
* Columbus on Trial, Dir. Lourdes Portillo, USA
* Corpus: A Home Movie for Selena, Dir. Lourdes Portillo, USA
* Vida, Dir. Lourdes Portillo, USA
AMBULANTE SHOWCASE
* A morir a los desiertos (To Die in the Deserts), Dir. Marta Ferrer Carné, Mexico
* Hasta los dientes (Armed to the Teeth), Dir. Alberto Arnaut Estrada, Mexico
FEMME FRONTERA SHOWCASE
* 7 Planets, Dir. Milda Baginskaite, UK
* Before I Forget, Dir. Razan Hassan, Syrian Arab Republic
* Birth on the Border, Dir. Ellie Lobovits, USA/Mexico
* En la Frontera del Arte (On the Margins of Art), Dirs. Miranda Harris-Martinez & Mike Curran, USA/Mexico
* Hashtł’ishnii (Mud), Dir. Shaandiin Tome, USA
* Salt in Wounds, Dir. Alison Adriano, Australia
OFFICIAL SELECTION PANORAMA, NON-COMPETITION SHORTS
* After the Silence, Dir. Natalie Cubides-Brady, UK/Colombia
* Ánima, Dir. Fátima Tamayo Anchuelo, Spain
* Bolas Criollas (Creole Balls), Dirs. Juan Vicente Manrique & Vittorio Dugarte Barbarito, Venezuela
* Contramaré, Dir. Daniel Marenco, Brazil
* Es confuso (It’s Confusing), Dir. Matthew Bernard, Cuba/USA
* Hooghan (Home), Dir. Blackhorse Lowe, USA
* Libre, Dir. Anna Barsan, USA
* San Miguel, Dir. Cris Gris, Mexico/USA
* Sin vergüenza (Without Shame), Dir. David E. Valdez, USA
* Sweetheart Dancers, Dir. Ben-Alex Dupris, USA
* The Ronaldo-over, Dir. Hugh Mitton, UK/Portugal
* Wakcha, Dir. Pierre G. Llanos, Peru
MUSIC VIDEOS
Competition Line-up:
* Atiza, Dir. Arturo Segoviano, Music by Chhoti Maa, Mexico/USA
* Fantasia, Dir. Caitlin Díaz, Music by Sávila, USA
* La Victoria, Dirs. Lido Pimienta & Gustavo Cerquera Benjumea, Music by Chancha Via Circuito featuring Lido Pimienta and Manu Ranks, Canada/Colombia
* Por encima (Above Mountains), Dirs. Camilo Iguarán & Liliana Conde Sierra, Music by MAKU Soundsystem, Colombia/USA
* Una Casita (A Little Home), Dir. Tatiana del Fuego, Music By STEFA*, USA
Official Selection, Non-competition Line-up:
* La Diaspora, Dir. Cutter Hodierne, Music by Nitty Scott, USA/Mexico
* La Llorona (The Weeping Woman), Dir. Tanya Marin, Music by Tanya Marin, USA
* Marinos, Dir. Omar Zuñiga, Music by Francisco Victoria, Chile
* Obsidiana, Dir. Camilo Coba Riofrio, Music by Nicola Cruz, Ecuador
* Santuario (Sanctuary), Dir. Alex Palma, Music by Lester Rey featuring Ric Wilson, USA
* Veneno, Dir. Hugo Rubiano, Music by Monsieur Periné, Colombia
Special Presentation, Videos by Oro Pictures
* All I Can Say, Dir. Hugo Rubiano, Music by Tempe, Colombia
* Conexión, Dir. Hugo Rubiano, Music by Juan Pablo Vega, Colombia
* Hoy para siempre, Dir. Hugo Rubiano, Music by Los Rolling Ruanas featuring Catalina García, Colombia
* La sombra, Dir. Hugo Rubiano, Music by Monsieur Periné, Colombia
360º VIDEO PRESENTATION
* Lionhearted, Dir. Ricarda Saleh, Germany
* Tragicomedia, Dir. Vadim Lasca, Music by Le Cinema, Venezuela
CINECLUB MÉXICO
* Los ladrones viejos: Las leyendas del artegio (Old Thieves: The Legend of Artegio), Dir. Everardo González, Mexico
EMERGENCIA YOUTH FILM FESTIVAL
* Information forthcoming at www.cinelasamericas.org. This special selection of films by youth, curated by local young and talented jury members, will be presented on Saturday May 4th, starting at 11:30am, at The Emma S. Barrientos Mexican American Cultural Center (600 River St.)
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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 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.