LATINBEAT 2010

The Film Society of Lincoln Center presents 2010's Latinbeat Film Festival 11 Filmmakers over 11 Days 5 US & 9 NYC Premieres Wednesday, September 8th through Saturday, September 18th New York - July 27th, 2010 - The Film Society of Lincoln Center announces the upcoming 13thLatinbeat Film Festival, with sixteen films from eight different countries, this year's Latinbeat Film Festival is as eclectic as Latin America itself. The countries represented are vastly different from each other, yet their films share a sense of urgency, embodying a constant search for new forms of expression -- whether they delve into the past to explain the present (Cuchillo de palo/108, Thursday Widows, El Rati Horror Show, My Life with Carlos, Eva y Lola) or take the audience on deeply transformative journeys through overwhelmingly beautiful landscapes in remote areas of the region (Cephalopodus, The Cramp, Crab Trap), the Latinbeat Film Festival looks to offer audiences the opportunity to experience great filmmaking from a visceral and passionate region that has consistently served up captivating characters, images and stories. This coming September's program features impressive debuts by up and coming filmmakers with bold new films like; Renate Costa's Cuchillo de palo/108, Oscar Ruiz Navia'sCrab Trap, and  Mariano Llinas's Extraordinary Stories, as well as the welcome return of familiar names who have premiered here in the past, such as; Enrique Piñeyro, this year with the U.S premiere of El Rati Horror Show, Marcelo Piñeyro with the U.S. premiere ofThursday Widows, and Matias Meyer withThe Cramp. With five films making their US premiere and nine additional titles having their New York premiere at the Film Society's Walter Reade Theater, the 2010 edition of the Latinbeat Film Festival promises to delight, engage and inspire audiences.             "No matter the subject or genre, the films in this year's Latinbeat Film Festival seem to challenge our ideas of Latin American identity, allowing us to experience the vertigo of its constant renewal almost first hand," says The Film Society's Marcela Goglio. "As democracies consolidate and societies try to come to terms with their turbulent pasts, a constant search for a new identity is palpable in the stories told on film; and whether fiction or documentary, many of this year's films deal with abrasive historical issues that are still having an impact on Latin American people today, which gives the series a sense of urgency and excitement."             The 2010 Latinbeat Film Festival opens with the US Premiere of Marcelo Piñeyro'sThursday Widows (Las viudas de los jueves), based on the best selling thriller by Argentine author Claudia Piñeiro. Widows unravels a web of deception, violence, corruption and alienation that underlies the apparently seamless lives of four families living in an upscale gated community outside of Buenos Aires, set within the explosive context of Argentina's political and economic crisis of 2001. Featuringan all-star cast that includes Juan Diego Botto, Leonardo Sbaraglia, Ernesto Alterio, Pablo Echarri,Thursday Widows, has already seen box office success in Argentina and Spain and is certain to leave audiences at the edge of their seats, as a thriller not to be missed.             The 2010 Latinbeat Film Festival will also host two special events; Women Leading the Latinbeat, is the Film Society's popular brunch event honoring the talented Latin American women filmmakers participating in this year's program. The filmmakers in attendance will include Eva and Loladirector Sabrina Farji, Thursday Widows producer Vanessa Ragone, (with more to be confirmed in the weeks ahead) , who will participate in a panel discussion to be held in the Film Society's Furman Gallery on September 12th at 11am. Co-presented by The International Committee of New York Women in Film and Television, Women Leading the Latinbeat is a free event with the purchase of a ticket to the 1pm screening of Eva y Lola.             Also scheduled, Latin-O-America, co-presented with Cinema Tropical, that will feature up-and-coming, New York-based U.S. Latino and Latin American filmmakers followed by a cocktail reception in the Furman Gallery on September 9th beginning at 700pm. Moderated by Carlos A. Gutiérrez, co-founding director, Cinema Tropical, the Latin-O-America participants will include: Nicolás Entel (Sins of My Father); Sandra Kogut (Mutum); David Barba (Pop Star on Ice); Margarita Jimeno (Gogol Bordello Non-Stop).             Additional Latinbeat Film Festival highlightswill include the screening of the astonishing and groundbreakingExtraordinary Stories, co-presented by Film Comment Selects. Immediately after the screening, the audience can join in on the conversation between the Film Society's Scott Foundas and director Mariano Llinas, taking place Friday Sept 17th at 630pm. Also showing, a sampling of original shorts by renowned Argentine directors, in celebration of Argentina's bicentennial this year.             The 2010 Latinbeat Film Festival will host one of its largest contingents of Latin American directors to visit New York since the series began over a decade ago. Filmmakers confirmed to attend this year will include: German Berger (My Life With  Carlos), Efterpi Charalambidis (Libertador Morales), Sabrina Farji (Eva y Lola), Carlos Hagerman (Back to Life), Ruben Imaz (Cephalopodus),Mariano Llinas (Extraordinary Stories), Matias Meyer (The Cramp), Enrique Piñeyro (El Rati Horror Show), Cristian Jimenez (Optical Illusions), Marcelo Piñeyro (director, Thursday Widows), andVanessa Ragone (producer, Thursday Widows).             The Latinbeat Film Festival is presented by The Film Society of Lincoln Center, programmed by the Film Society's Richard Peña and Marcela Goglio, with generous support from the Consulate General of Argentina in New York, the Mexican Cultural Institute of New York, the Mexico Tourism Board, Secretaría de Cultura Presidencia de la Nación Argentina, the New York Latin Media and Entertainment Commission and Telemundo 47. Special Thanks to Cinema Tropical, New York Women in Film and Television, Hispanic New York Project, Sarita Khurana, Mario Diaz and Gemma Sanz de la Serna. Press Screenings (to be held at Walter Reade Theater) Please join us for advance press screenings at the Walter Reade Theater, 165 West 65th St., close to Amsterdam Ave. RSVP to pressoffice@filmlinc.com Monday, August 23 10am EL RATI HORROR SHOW 94m Noon THURSDAY WIDOWS, 123m Tuesday, August 24 10am CUCHILLO DE PALO/108, 93m Noon PERPETUUM MOBILE, 90m     MEDIA CONTACTS: The Film Society of Lincoln Center Irika Slavin, Director of Communications, islavin@filmlinc.com, 212-875-5281 Online press office: Press releases and hi-res images may be downloaded from www.FilmLinc.com/press (Password: press2) Ticket Information: On Sale: Thursday, August 26th 2010  Pricing & Purchase Options: Online: visit www.filmlinc.com In Person: Walter Reade Theater box office; Hours: Mon-Fri opens at 12:30pm, Sat/Sun opens 1/2 hr before first public screening; closes 15 minutes after last public screening, at 6pm when there are no public screenings. For more information visit www.Filmlinc.com or call 212 875 5601. All sales are final. No refunds or exchanges. All showings are subject to change. Latecomers will be seated at the discretion of the management. All films are screened at: Walter Reade Theater at The Film Society of Lincoln Center 165 West 65th Street, upper level (between Broadway and Amsterdam Ave.) Subways: 1 train to 66th Street Lincoln Center Buses: M5 M7 M104 More options available at nearby Columbus Circle About the Film Society of Lincoln Center The Film Society of Lincoln Center was founded in 1969 to celebrate American and international cinema, to recognize and support new directors, and to enhance the awareness, accessibility and understanding of film. Advancing this mandate today, the Film Society hosts two distinguished festivals. The New York Film Festival annually premieres films from around the world and has introduced the likes of François Truffaut, R.W. Fassbinder, Jean-Luc Godard, Pedro Almodóvar, Martin Scorsese, and Wong Kar-Wai to the United States. New Directors/New Films, co-presented by the Museum of Modern Art, focuses on emerging film talents. Since 1972, when the Film Society honored Charles Chaplin, its annual Gala Tribute celebrates an actor or filmmaker who has helped distinguish cinema as an art form. Additionally, the Film Society presents a year-round calendar of programming at its Walter Reade Theater and offers insightful film writing to a worldwide audience through Film Comment magazine. For more information, visit: www.filmlinc.com The Film Society receives generous, year-round support from 42BELOW, Audi, American Airlines, GRAFF, The New York Times, Stella Artois, The New York State Council on the Arts, and The National Endowment for the Arts. FILM DETAILS Opening Night Thursday Widows/Las viudas de los jueves Marcelo Piñeyro, Argentina, 2010; 126m U.S. Premiere             Based on the best-selling thriller by Argentine author Claudia Piñeiro, Pineyro's newest film was a box office hit in Spain and Argentina this year. Widows unravels the web of deception, violence, corruption and alienation that underlies the glossy and apparently seamless lives of four families living in an upscale gated community outside Buenos Aires. Building on the suspense created by the discovery of a possible crime, the film unfolds in the explosive context of Argentina's political and economic crisis of 2001. Featuring a stellar cast that includes Juan Diego Botto, Leonardo Sbaraglia, Ernesto Alterio, and Pablo Echarri. "The acuteness, range and relevance of Thursday's Widows ensure that it brings something new to the table." -Variety Wed Sep 9: 7:00 Fri Sep 10: 8:30 Back to Life (Vuelve a la vida) Carlos Hagerman, Mexico, 2010; 72m U.S. Premiere             The story of the legendary "Long Dog," a fearless diver/fisherman from Acapulco, and his mythical shark hunt in the 70s, as told by several people who knew him intimately and witnessed the feat. Among them are four of his children (a stepson is the film's cinematographer) and his glamorous wife, a top New York model. Backed by a catchy, nostalgic soundtrack that includes some great Acapulcan classics, these complex characters tell the story of a legend and his peculiar family, but also paint a nostalgic portrait of an idyllic Acapulco three decades ago. Sat Sep 11: 9:00 Mon Sep 13: 9:00 Cephalopod (Cefalopodo) Ruben Imaz, Mexico, 2009; 83m NY Premiere             A Basque painter mourning the loss of his beloved Mexican partner travels to Mexico, where he retraces the steps of her planned research trip to study giant squids (aka cephalopods). Embarking on an almost mystical quest, he heads to Guaymas, on the coastline along Sonora desert, where, embraced by the imposing starkly beautiful landscape, he is able to create a ritual to cope with his loss and find peace by being at one with nature. Mon Sep 13: 4:45 Tue Sep 14: 6:30 Crab Trap/El vuelco del cangrejo Oscar Ruiz Navia, Colombia, 2009; 95m NY Premiere             Skillfully combining documentary and fiction, Ruiz Nava's first feature draws you into the languorous everyday life of La Barra, a remote jungle village on Colombia's Pacific coast. Wandering into La Barra on his way to an unknown destination, Daniel gets a job with the community's leader, Cerebro. Through his eyes we experience life in the community, his encounters with astute little Lucia, and how they are bullied by Paisa, a white outsider who wants to build a resort on their beach. The beautiful cinematography and gravity of characters create a strong sense of place. Thu Sep 9: 9:00 Sat Sep 11: 2:30 The Cramp/El calambre Matias Meyer, Mexico, 2010; 92m U.S. Premiere             Julien, a withdrawn young Frenchman, arrives at a remote fisherman village in Oaxaca, on Mexico's lush, beautiful Pacific coast. He soon befriends Pablo, a local fisherman, who agrees to show him around. Their exploration of the coast, lagunas, and underwater becomes a contemplative inner quest that will give Julien's relationship to himself and to the outside world a renewed sense of transcendence. Just as in his debut feature, Wadley (Latinbeat '08), Meyer lovingly and respectfully documents a man's relationship to the imposing and transformative natural world that surrounds him. But in this, his second feature, adapted from a story by Nobel Prize laureate Gao Xingjian, he takes the idea one step further by incorporating the powerful element of human connection to the mix. Fri Sep 17: 4:30 Sat Sep 18: 5:00 Eva y Lola Sabrina Farji, Argentina 2010; 96m U.S. Premiere             Eva (played by charismatic TV star Celeste Cid) and her best friend Lola (singer/actress Mariela "Emme" Vitale) are performers in a glittering punk cabaret act. Lola doesn't know it, but she is an "appropriated child," born during the dictatorship while her mother was in captivity, and raised by her parents' torturer, "The Bear," a powerful military man. When the truth emerges after relentless searching by Grandmothers of Plaza de Mayo, Eva-herself a daughter of disappeared parents-tries to convince Lola to accept a DNA test that would establish her true identity. Avoiding melodrama, director Sabrina Farji tackles a deeply complex psychological social and political issue with honesty, playfulness, and even humor. Featuring impeccable cinematography and sound design, with music by Liliana Felipe. Based on the real cases of Victoria Donda (now a congresswoman, the youngest ever to attain that post in Argentina) and Victoria Grigera (co-writer of the film). SCREENING WITH La Voz Sabrina Farji, Argentina, 2010; 8m             A short commissioned by Secretaría de Cultura Presidencia de la Nación in Argentina to celebrate the country's bicentennial. Sat Sep 11: 6:30 Sun Sep 12: 1:00 Extraordinary Stories/Historias Extraordinarias Mariano Llinás, Argentina, 2009; 245m Co-presented with Film Comment Selects             "Extraordinary is by no means an immodest moniker for this incredibly audacious first dramatic feature by Argentine director Mariano Llinás, which suggests a telenovela co-scripted by Thomas Pynchon and Jorge Louis Borges. The three primary story lines concern men known only as X, Z, and H, respectively, each of them minor bureaucratic functionaries in nondescript Patagonian towns, who find themselves tossed by circumstance into unexpectedly complicated adventures. The first man witnesses a murder (before committing one himself); the second scours the countryside for clues about his predecessor, an international man of mystery with a possible sideline in illegal wildlife trafficking; the third travels up river in search of the large stone 'monoliths' he has been hired to photograph.             Each thread is a mini road-movie of a sort... Stories give way to other stories - some comic, some tragic, some romantic - which are themselves riddled with dreams and flashbacks, until we no longer care if we will ever reach the end, for so pleasurably intoxicating is the air of elaborate narrative gamesmanship. There is nary a dull moment here, or one devoid of visual or storytelling invention. This is a work of consistent astonishment."-Scott Foundas, in LA Weekly             A conversation between director Mariano Llinás and Scott Foundas will follow the screening. Fri Sep 17: 6:30 Libertador Morales Efterpi Charalambidis, Venezuela, 2009; 105m             In modern-day Caracas, survival can sometimes be a matter of luck. In this hilarious and entertaining dramatic comedy, Libertador (loosely translated as Freedom Fighter) Morales is a motorcycle taxi driver and model citizen who quotes Simon Bolivar with conviction and stands out from his peers as a sort of Robin Hood on wheels. His thirst for justice leads him to bravely confront a gang of local thieves with the help of a homeless man, as he pursues the love of beautiful Daisy. Charalambidis's first feature embraces Venezuela's popular tradition of storytelling through an urban tale that denounces corruption and individualism, and upholds solidarity, community values and good citizenship when institutions fail. Selected as Venezuela's candidate for the Academy Award for Best Foreign. Wed Sep 15: 8:30 Thu Sep 16: 4:15 My Life With Carlos/Mi vida con Carlos German Berger, Chile, 2009; 83m NY Premiere                                                                                               Presented in association with the Human Rights Watch Film Festival             Through photos, recordings, archival material, and the memories of brothers and mother (renowned human rights lawyer, Carmen Hertz), German Berger lovingly assembles the puzzle of who his father was, and explores the searing impact his disappearance by the Pinochet regime had on the life of his family. German was only a child when his father disappeared, and in the process of making the film, his own silhouetted memories are made more vivid as his relationship to his father takes on a new existence. This intensely personal, engaging, and elegantly crafted journey is paced like a thriller, with lyrical, gorgeous cinematography by Miguel Littin. Thu Sep 16: 6:30 Sat Sep 18: 3:00 Cuchillo de palo/108 Renate Costa, Paraguay/Spain, 2010; 93m NY Premiere             Costa returns to her native Paraguay 21 years after Stroessner's fall and delves into the story of her uncle Rodolfo, a persecuted gay man found dead in his home during the dictatorship. In trying to unravel the reasons of his death, what emerges is an intensely personal and poignant portrait of a man who dreamed of becoming a dancer in a country mired in oppression. ("108" refers to Stroessner's lists of persecuted homosexuals.) But it is also a clear-eyed and incisive depiction of Paraguayan society, both during those years and now, when self-censorship and repression remain to an alarming degree. Costa's style is direct but also lyrical, conveying the sense of a quiet, reflexive journey into the culture of a country not often explored on screen. Fri Sep 10: 4:30 Sun Sep 12: 7:30 Sat Sep 18: 9:40 Optical Illusions/Ilusiones Opticas Cristian Jimenez, Chile, 2010; 105m NY Premiere             Juan is able to see again after a lifetime of blindness, but this only seems to have made his life worse. Rafa, a security guard at the local mall falls in love with a wealthy shoplifting customer and Manuela, his sister, works in a dreary office but dreams of breast implants to improve her life. Jimenez's delightful satirical comedy turns inside out the perceptions of a parade of quirky but endearing interconnected characters, poking fun at our own assumptions of reality. Mon Sep 13: 6:30 Tue Sep 14: 4:15 Paradise/Paraiso Hector Galvez, Peru, 2009; 91m NY Premiere             One month after their buddy "Che Loco" was killed by a rival gang, five teenage friends from a marginal neighborhood outside Lima meet to remember him and make vows for a better future. In his debut feature, Galvez captures with poignant realism the disheartening conditions of violence, poverty, and thwarted opportunities that sabotage their aspirations. But he also imbues his characters and story with a disarming freshness and vitality that deeply engage the spectator as they strive to transcend their limitations. Sat Sep 11: 4:30 Sun Sep 12: 9:30 Perpetuum Mobile Nicolás Pereda, Mexico/Canada/France, 2009; 90m NY Premiere             Two young amateur movers navigate the populated streets of Mexico City in their dilapidated truck, infiltrating the intimate lives of oddball husbands, wives, mothers and sons of all classes and ages who inhabit tight quarters in this complicated bustling city. As they witness (and participate in) family brawls, romantic heartbreaks, separations, their own family lives come to a head after an unexpected discovery. Though still very young, Pereda is an incredibly prolific rising member of Mexico's new generation of filmmakers (he has made 5 films in the last three years), and his impressive third feature, winner of Best Mexican Feature at the Guadalajara Film Festival, is a compelling portrait of family relations in urban Mexico today. Fri Sep 10: 6:30 Sun Sep 12: 3:30 The Rati Horror Show (El Rati Horror Show) Enrique Piñeyro, Argentina, 2010; 95m  U.S.Premiere             "Unpredictable actor-writer-director Enrique Pineyro turns his editing suite into an audio-visual complex to defend convicted murderer Fernando Carrera in the quirkily provocative The Rati Horror Show. One of the few filmmakers who can claim to have effected social change with a movie (namely his brilliant narrative debut, Whisky Romeo Zulu, which reformed Argentine aeronautic law), Pineyro uses cinematically charged evidence to press his argument that Carrera is a victim of gross judicial malfeasance. Whether it all will be enough to set Carrera free (he remains behind bars, though his case is on appeal) is anyone's guess. But if it works, Pineyro's efforts to change the world by making movies will be an amazing two-for-two. The Rati in pic's title is the Argentine Spanish slang equivalent of the derogatory 'pig' for police in English."-Variety SCREENING WITH The Spy (El Espía) Juan Stagnaro, Argentina, 2010; 8m A short commissioned by Secretaría de Cultura Presidencia de la Nación in Argentina to celebrate the country's bicentennial. Thu Sep 16: 8:45 Sat Sep 18: 7:15 La Yuma Florence Jauguey; Nicaragua, 2009; 91m NY Premiere             Nicaragua's first full-length feature in 20 years, La Yuma tells the story of a young woman who dreams of transcending her bleak life in the slums of Managua by becoming a boxer. Looking beyond the meager possibilities that seem available to her (and ignoring the advice of her gang-member friends), she finds solace and hope in her training and falls in love with a middle-class journalism student. In Jauguey's words, "the strength, the astuteness and determination of the main character, reflect the feelings of a population that faces up adversity and inequality." With an extraordinary performance by Alma Blanco as Yuma, Jaugey's film allows us the rare opportunity to get a glimpse of everyday life in this Central American country. SCREENING WITH Cinema Alcázar Florence Jauguey, Nicaragua, 1998; 10m Jauguey's 1998 short won the Silver Bear at the Berlin Film Festival. Sun Sep 12: 5:30 Tue Sep 14: 9:00 Bicentennial Shorts Various directors, Argentina, 2010; 80m NY Premiere             A selection of 9 shorts out of 25 commissioned by Secretaría de Cultura Presidencia de la Nación in Argentina to celebrate the country's bicentennial this year, featuring works by some of the most celebrated Argentine filmmakers: Mercedes, Marcos Carnevale; Guillermina P,Ines de Oliveira Cezar; The Voice (La Voz) Sabrina Farji; Lovable People (Gente Querible),Leonardo Favio; Posadas, Sandra Gugliotta; Chasqui, Nestor Montalbano; Las voces y los silencios, Carlos Sorin; The Spy (El Espía), Juan Stagnaro; Fallas de origen, Juan Tarattuto. Sat Sep 11: 1:00 Sat Sep 18: 1:15 Latin-O-American Panel Co-presented with Cinema Tropical             A special panel discussion in the Walter Reade Theater featuring up-and-coming, New York-based U.S. Latino and Latin American filmmakers, followed by a complimentary cocktail reception in the Furman Gallery. This free event strives to open up a much-needed dialogue in hopes of building bridges from which all groups can benefit and finding better, more accurate ways to incorporate the diverse cultural manifestations coming from both the U.S. Latin and Latin American filmmaking experience.             Beyond the apparent homogeneity of Latino culture in the U.S., a vast array of cultural and racial distinctions exists that ultimately form the different Latin-American communities in this country. An unfortunate consequence of this fact is that these same communities are often fragmented based on place of origin, generation, location, class, and race. In some cases the U.S. Latino experience can be profoundly different from the cultural experience within Latin America itself. This fragmentation is also evident in the artistic sphere-including filmmaking-and in many instances the Latino and Latin American categorizations are used indiscriminately without reflecting the realities of these divergences and similarities.             Moderated by Carlos A. Gutiérrez, co-founding director, Cinema Tropical. Participants include: Nicolás Entel (Sins of My Father); Sandra Kogut (Mutum); David Barba (Pop Star on Ice); Margarita Jimeno (Gogol Bordello Non-Stop).  Please check the website for updates. Complimentary admission to the panel and reception, on a first come-first serve basis. Thu Sep 9: 7:00   Women Leading the Latinbeat Co-presented by The International Committee of New York Women in Film and Television.             Our popular brunch event honors the talented Latin American women filmmakers in this year's program. The filmmakers in attendance will participate in a panel discussion. Check the website for updates. Admission is free with the purchase of a ticket to the Sunday, September 12th, 1pm screening of Eva y Lola. Sun Sep 12: 11:00am (Furman Gallery)