AFI, the Association of Ibero-American Cultural Attaches and the Inter-American Development Bank's Cultural Center are proud to present the annual AFI Latin American Film Festival. Now in its 19th year, the Festival offers an extensive exploration of filmmaking throughout Latin America, Spain and Portugal. Last year's selection of over thirty films included multiple award-winners, festival favorites, local box-office hits and debut works by promising new talents. Details on the 2008 Festival will be released soon!

More information: www.dclatinamericanfilmfestival.org.

AFI Member passes will be accepted at all screenings in the AFI Latin American Film Festival.

2007 films are listed below in alphabetical order by country:

Download [pdf] list of festival films in chronological order

Download [pdf] list of films in alphabetical order by TITLE

NOTE ON FILM RATINGS
Because many films in the AFI Latin American Film Festival have not been submitted to the MPAA rating system in the US, AFI has made its best effort to inform audiences about content that could earn a restricted rating if released in the US. The following is a guide:

contains violence contains sexuality contains drug use

A R G E N T I N A
GLUE

Shy and awkward teenager Lucas (watch-worthy Nahuel Perez Biscayart) spends his days hanging out with his best friend, heartthrob Nacho, and their bookish companion Andrea. Their tiny, remote Patagonia town offers little in the way of amusement so they use drugs and each other to satisfy their urges until the strangeness of puberty passes. Critic's Prize, 2006 Rotterdam Film Festival.

DIR/SCR/PROD Alexis Dos Santos; PROD Soledad Gatti-Pascual. Argentina/UK, 2006, color, 110 min. In Spanish with English subtitles. NOT RATED. Print Courtesy of Picture This! Entertainment

Friday, September 28, 10:00; Saturday, September 29, 8:00

A R G E N T I N A
DEVIL'S POINT
[La punta del diablo]

Marcelo Pavan's debut feature, a must-see on the big screen, boasts atmospheric sound design and a sharp script. Diagnosed with a brain tumor, a Buenos Aires doctor (Manuel Callau) drops everything and takes to the road, winding up in a remote coastal town in Uruguay. Smitten by a fellow traveler who resembles a former patient of his, Callau is drawn into an uncertain love triangle in his unfamiliar surroundings.

DIR/SCR Marcelo Pavan; SCR Enrique Cortes; PROD Martin Cortes, Pablo Rovito and Fernando Sokolowicz. Argentina/Uruguay/Venezuela, 2006, color, 90 min. In Spanish with English subtitles. NOT RATED. Print Courtesy of Primer Plano

Saturday, September 22, 1:00; Wednesday, September 26, 9:45

A R G E N T I N A
CITY IN HEAT
[Ciudad en celo]

*Special Event:
Closing Night Reception, Friday, October 5
6:30 reception; 8:00 screening
Sponsored by Taberna del Alabadero

Gaffet's character-driven comic debut, a light intelligent comedy, centers around Buenos Aires's Garllington pub, the daily meeting place for Daniel Kuzniecka, who has recently instigated a spectacular break-up with his girlfriend, and his group of late thirty-something friends, all variously unlucky in love. Into their group comes tango singer Dolores Sola, who's one of the guys but also a catalyst for some emotional maturing. Her torchy singing adds spice to the movie's cockeyed romance. Audience Award, 2007 Mar del Plata Film Festival.

DIR/SCR Hernán Gaffet; PROD Mariela Besuievski, Gerardo Herrero, Vanessa Ragone. Argentina, 2006, color, 104 min. In Spanish with English subtitles. NOT RATED. Print Courtesy of Latido Films

Friday, October 5, 8:00*; Saturday, October 6, 9:45

B O L I V I A
AMERICAN VISA

In Person: Adrian Althoff, who provided the English translation of the novel, will sign copies of the book at both screenings of the film.

Director Valdivia's earthy post-9/11 film garnered Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Actress honors at Mexico's Ariel Awards as well as a GOYA nomination for Best Foreign Film. Retired Bolivian teacher Maro dreams of immigrating to America but is denied a visa through official channels. He resorts to the black market, but begins to rethink his decision after meeting kind-hearted prostitute Blanca. 2006 Oscar Selection from Bolivia for Best Foreign Language Film.

DIR/SCR/PROD Juan Carlos Valdivia, based on the novel by Juan de Recacochea; PROD Felipe Galdo, Alejandro Gonzalez Padilla and Oscar Quintela. Bolivia/Mexico, 2005, color, 100 min. Spanish with English subtitles. RATED R. Print Courtesy of Ondamax

Friday, September 21, 6:00; Saturday, September 22, 3:00

B O L I V I A
WHO KILLED THE WHITE LLAMA?
[Quién mató a la llamita blanca]

In Person: Director Rodrigo Bellott

Sponsored by

Upon its release in Bolivia, the wildly creative and fast-paced WHO KILLED THE WHITE LLAMA shattered domestic box office records, quickly becoming the must-see film of the year. Jacinto and Domitila are happily married — as well as the most wanted criminals in the country. Under contract from "El Negro" to transport fifty kilos of cocaine to the Brazilian border, they embark on a journey through the jungles, mountains and deserts in a riotous adventure that will test their relationship.

DIR Rodrigo Bellott; SCR Juan Cristobal Rios Violand; PROD Alex Moreno and Donald Ranvaud. Bolivia, 2006, color, 112 min. In Spanish with English subtitles. NOT RATED. Print Courtesy of Ondamax

Wednesday, September 26, 7:00; Saturday, September 29, 3:15

B R A Z I L
FISH DREAMS
[Sonhos de Peixe]

A beautiful but impoverished Brazilian fishing village is the setting for director Kirill Mikhanovsky's eloquent and detailed story of Jusce, an orphan who scrapes together a living as a lobsterman. Jusce endures his treacherous job, diving nearly 100 feet underwater with rudimentary equipment, in hopes of a better life with Ana, the girl he loves. But Jusce's simple ambitions may not be enough to win Ana's affections. Youth Prize, 2006 Cannes Film Festival: Special Jury Award, 2007 Miami Film Festival.(note courtesy of Miami Film Festival)

DIR/SCR Kirill Mikhanovsky; PROD Fernanda De Capua, Eliane Ferreira, Matias Mariani, Emanuel Michael and Jacob Michelson. US/Brazil/Russia, 2006, color, 111 min. In Portuguese with English subtitles. NOT RATED. Print Courtesy of Bavaria Films

Thusday, September 20, 7:00; Saturday, September 22, 7:15

B R A Z I L
SUELY IN THE SKY
[O Céu de Suely]

Hermila returns from São Paulo to the expansive rural landscape of her youth. Eagerness fades to sorrow as she realizes the father of her newborn son has no intention of joining her. Seizing life on her own terms, she sets up a raffle--first of whiskey but soon of her own body, promising a night of paradise to the winner. Director Ainouz depicts Hermila as a proud nonconformist exploring the breadth and limitations of her sexuality. (note courtesy of San Francisco Film Festival).

DIR/SCR Karim Ainouz; SCR Felipe Braganca, Mauricio Zacharias, based on the story by Simone Lima; PROD Thomas Häberle, Hengameh Panahi, Mauricio Andrade Ramos, Peter Rommel and Walter Salles. Portugal/Germany/France/Brazil, 2006, color, 90 min. In Portuguese with English subtitles. NOT RATED. Print Courtesy of Strand Releasing

Friday, September 21, 8:00; Monday, September 24, 7:00

B R A Z I L
THE GREATEST LOVE OF ALL
[O Maior Amor do Mundo]

Seasoned Brazilian director Diegues's solemn tale delves into the human search for closure. At 55-years-old and battling cancer, a middle-aged astrophysics professor at an American university returns to the Rio slums to find out why his mother abandoned him at birth. On the unpaved ghetto streets, he encounters a host of characters, including his elderly adoptive father, a drug dealing street kid and a woman who may have the secrets to his past. Best Film, 2006 Montreal Film Festival.

DIR Carlos Diegues; PROD Renata Almeida Magalhães. Brazil, 2006, color, 106 min. In Portuguese with English subtitles. NOT RATED. Print Courtesy of Vereda Films

Sunday, September 30, 4:45; Tuesday, October 2, 7:00

B R A Z I L
FABRICATING TOM ZÉ
[Fabricando Tom Zé]

A documentary profile of sui generis musician/provocateur Tom Zé: a gifted, self-taught tunesmith, one of the founders of Brazil's Tropicalia scene in the 1960s, and the man most likely to trade in his guitar and drums for a vacuum cleaner and hammers. Filmed on tour in Europe 2005, the film mixes contemporary performances with archival footage, animated sequences, and interviews with Gilberto Gil, Caetano Veloso, and David Byrne. Audience Award, Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo Film Festivals.

DIR/PROD Décio Matos Jr.; PROD Elaine Ferreira, Omar Jundi and Matias Mariani. Brazil, 2007, color, 90 min. In Portuguese with English subtitles. NOT RATED. Print Courtesy of Ondamax

Saturday, October 6, 1:00; Sunday, October 7, 7:30

C H I L E
CITY OF PHOTOGRAPHERS
[La Ciudad de los fotógrafos]

Pinochet had the power and the guns, but the people had a weapon — the camera. In the bloody riots and protests on Chile's streets, taking pictures was resistance — a way of being more than spectators. Fearless photojournalists honed their craft, creating many of the now-legendary images which helped focus world attention on the Pinochet regime's repressive tactics.

DIR/SCR Sebastian Moreno; SCR Claudia Barril and Nona Fernandez; PROD Viviana Erpel. Chile, color, 2006, 80 min. In Spanish with English subtitles. NOT RATED. Print Courtesy of Sebastian Moreno

Saturday, October 6, 11:30 AM; Sunday, October 7, 9:30

C H I L E
FIESTA PATRIA

The ghosts of Chile's Pinochet-era history, in the guise of family secrets, come back to haunt two families. Bride-to-be Macarena learns some startling facts about her parents when her fiancé's uncle recognizes her mother as a fellow leftist from the early 1970s — bringing up uncomfortable questions about how her mother and her army officer father met during the 1973 coup. Official Selection, 2007 Tribeca Film Festival.

DIR/SCR/PROD Luis R. Vera; PROD Gustavo Sánchez. Chile, 2006, color, 102 min. In Spanish with English subtitles. NOT RATED. Print Courtesy of Luis R. Vera

Monday, October 1, 9:00; Wednesday, October 3, 9:00

C O L O M B I A
BLUFF

Double crosses abound in this wickedly funny thriller. Nicolas (Federico Lorusso) wants revenge. Ever since his boss Pablo stole and married his girlfriend Margarita, Nicolas has been consumed with the need to catch his former employer cheating on his ex. When indiscretion arrives in the form of an aspiring actress, Nicolas confronts Pablo and threatens blackmail, but the boss suggests something more insidious: murdering Margarita.

DIR/SCR Felipe Martínez; PROD Alessandro Angulo. Colombia, 2007, color, 102 min. In Spanish with English subtitles. NOT RATED. Print Courtesy of Laberinto Producciones

Friday, September 21, 10:00; Saturday, September 22, 9:45

C O L O M B I A
A TON OF LUCK
[Soñar no cuesta nada]

What do you do with $46 million of untraceable loot? Testosterone-fueled soldiers in a Colombian antiguerrilla patrol face this tough dilemma when they stumble on a staggering cache of drug money. Their answer is to shirk their duty, divvy-up the treasure and--if they can--keep it a secret. Based on a true story of military corruption, this morality tale expands a local incident into a smart and witty look at the ravages of greed. (note courtesy of Miami Film Festival)

DIR Rodrigo Triana; SCR Jorge Hiller, based on an idea by Clara María Ochoa; PROD Clara María Ochoa. Colombia, 2006, color, 100 min. In Spanish with English subtitles. NOT RATED. Print Courtesy of Latido Films

Friday, September 28, 8:00; Saturday, September 29, 10:10

C O S T A . R I C A

Please see Documentary Double Feature Listing below.

C U B A
THE BENNY
[El Benny]

Cuba's candidate for the Best Foreign Film Oscar was this colorful biopic of one of the biggest legends in Cuban music, 1950s bandleader and all-around mambo king Benny More. Exciting music and dance numbers sparkle against the darker passages in More's life, including his hard drinking and struggles to retain his artistic integrity in the face of those who would manipulate him for economic or political gain. Best Film, Cartagena Film Festival

DIR/SCR Jorge Luis Sánchez; SCR Abrahán Rodríguez; PROD Iohamil Navarro. Cuba/UK/Spain, 2007, color, 132 min. Spanish with English subtitles. NOT RATED. Print Courtesy of Rive Gauche Films

Friday, October 5, 10:10; Saturday, October 6, 7:20

D O M I N I C A N . R E P U B L I C
JUNIOR
[Yuniol]

Writer/director/producer Alfonso Rodriguez's issue-oriented film packs in plenty of action and drama with an optimistic message about the resilience of the Dominican people. Thrown together in the same university class, child-of-privilege Alberto "Junior" Rios (Frank Perozo) and working-class scholarship kid Juan "Yuniol" Perez (Shalim Ortiz) get off to a rocky, even violent start, before coming to a better understanding of one another. Charytin Goico, host of Escándalo TV from Telefuturo, shines as Alberto's icy mother.

DIR/SCR/PROD Alfonso Rodriguez; PROD Kendy Yanoreth. Dominican Republic, 2007, color, 96 min. In Spanish with English subtitles. NOT RATED. Print Courtesy of Producciones Alfonso Rodriguez

Thursday, October 4, 9:30

Also please see Documentary Double Feature Listing below.

E C U A D O R
ANYTIME SOON
[Esas no son penas]

In Person: Director Anahi Hoeneisen

AFI graduate Daniel Andrade's first feature is a character-driven, female ensemble drama centered on the emotional journeys and personal struggles of five former school friends from Quito who reunite for the first time in 14 years. Screenwriter, co-director and star Anahí Hoeneisen's tale gives us a rare portrait of the Ecuadorian middle class.

DIR Daniel Andrade and Anahí Hoeneisen; SCR/PROD Anahi Hoeneisen; PROD Verónica Andrade. Ecuador, 2007, color, 90 min. In Spanish with English subtitles. NOT RATED. Print Courtesy of Wide Management

Saturday, October 6, 3:00; Sunday, October 7, 3:00

E C U A D O R
HOW MUCH FURTHER
[Qué tan lejos]

Esperanza ("Hope"), a Spanish tourist looking for exotic adventure, meets Tristeza ("Sadness"), a cynical Ecuadorian student, when a bus strike strands them in the middle of nowhere. They start to hitchhike their way to the Andean village of Cuenca and meet a tall, scrawny man carrying the ashes of his recently deceased grandmother. In the nearly desolate landscape, the three continue together in what becomes a journey of friendship and self-discovery. (note courtesy of Philadelphia Film Festival)

DIR/SCR Tania Hermida. Ecuador, 2006, color, 92 min. In Spanish with English subtitles. NOT RATED. Print Courtesy of Latinofusion

Sunday, September 23, 1:00; Tuesday, September 25, 7:10

E L . S A L V A D O R
GLASS HOUSE

In Person: Director Brad Marlowe and producer Leonor Avila Marlowe

From its consulate in Geneva, the tiny country of El Salvador issued life-saving certificates of citizenship to some thirty thousand Jews fleeing the Third Reich. Featuring interviews with survivors and the children of the Salvadoran diplomats who helped them, GLASS HOUSE documents one of the most successful rescue efforts of the war--an untold story of humanity during the Holocaust.

DIR/PROD Brad Marlowe; PROD Brad Marlowe, Leonor Avila Marlowe. US, 2005, color, 78 min. In English. NOT RATED. Print Courtesy of Brad Marlowe

Friday, October 5, 6:00; Sunday, October 7, 1:00

M E X I C O
UNDER THE SAME MOON
[La Misma Luna]

In Person: Screenwriter Ligiah Villalobos

In director Patricia Riggen's debut film, nine-year-old Carlitos and his mother Rosario live parallel but separate lives in Mexico and the United States. Rosario works illegally in America, hoping to make a better life for her son, but unexpected circumstances drive mother and son in a desperate attempt to reunite. The heartwarming family story also offers subtle commentary on the contentious issue of illegal immigration. Official Selection, 2007 Sundance Film Festival. (note courtesy of Fox Searchlight)

DIR/PROD Patricia Riggen; SCR Ligiah Villalobos; PROD Gerardo Barrera and Lorenzo O'Brien. Mexico/US, color, 2007, 109 min. In English and Spanish with English subtitles. RATED PG-13. Print Courtesy of Fox Searchlight

Sunday, September 23, 3:00
JUST ADDED! Sunday, September 30, 7:00

M E X I C O
DRAMA/MEX

One hot day and night on the seedy side of Acapulco, the lives of several lonely and desperate people crash against each other, in this moody and atmospheric hardboiled melodrama from AFI Alum Gerardo Naranjo. Beautiful Fernanda is happy with her kind-hearted but hapless boyfriend Gonzalo, but her ne'er-do-well ex's bold attempt to win her back has unforeseen consequences. Meanwhile, suicidal middle-aged paperpusher Jaime strikes up an unusual friendship with a member of a local girl gang.

DIR/SCR Gerardo Naranjo; PROD Gabriel Garcia, Santiago Paredes and Miriana Moro. Mexico, 2006, color, 92 min. In Spanish with English subtitles. NOT RATED. Print Courtesy of IFC FirstTake

Saturday, September 29, 6:00; Tuesday, October 2, 9:05

M E X I C O
THE VIOLIN
[El Violin]

Called "a masterpiece" by Mexican critics, Francisco Vargas's rich and layered debut feature melds compelling social consciousness with a moving — and metaphorical — folk music score. A peasant guerilla movement has risen in response to a tyranical regime. When his villagers and comrades are forced into hiding, street musician Don Plutarco turns his violin into a Trojan Horse, slipping into the good graces of a local regime representative and gaining access to hidden ammunition. Best Actor, 2006 Cannes Film Festival; Jury Prize, 2007 Miami Film Festival.

DIR/SCR/PROD Francisco Vargas. Mexico, 2005, b&w, 99 min. In Spanish with English subtitles. NOT RATED. Print Courtesy of Film Movement

Saturday, October 6, 5:15; Sunday, October 7, 5:15

P A N A M A
FISTS OF A NATION
[Los puños de una nación]

The greatest Latin American lightweight of all time, Panamanian Roberto "Stone Hands" Duran, is the subject of this documentary on the power of sports to uplift a nation. Through archive material and exclusive interviews with Sugar Ray Leonard, the film examines the parallels between Duran's meteoric career and the history of conflict between the USA and Panama.

DIR/SCR/PROD Pituka Ortega-Heilbron. Panama, 2006, color, 75 min. In Spanish with English subtitles. NOT RATED. Print Courtesy of Ondamax

Saturday, September 29, 11:30a.m.; Sunday, September 30, 11:30a.m.

P A R A G U A Y
PARAGUAYAN HAMMOCK
[Hamaca paraguaya]

The first Paraguayan 35mm theatrical release since 1978. At a rural Paraguana home, a Guarani couple sits waiting for their soldier son to return from the Chaco War. With long shots reminiscent of Michelangelo Antonioni, the film beautifully captures the essence of rural Paraguay. FIPRESCI Prize, 2006 Cannes Film Festival; Critics Prize, 2006 Sao Paulo Film Festival. (note courtesy of Toronto International Film Festival)

DIR/SCR Paz Encina; PROD Ilse Hughan, Gabriella Sabate and Marianne Slot. Argentina/ Paraguay/ Netherlands/ Austria/ France/ Germany, 2006, color, 78 min. In Guarani with English subtitles. NOT RATED. Print Courtesy of Scalpel Films

Saturday, September 29, 1:00; Wednesday, October 3, 7:00

P E R U
BLACK BUTTERFLY
[Mariposa negra]

Veteran director Francisco Lombardi freely adapts the novel by Alonso Cueto, itself a "free interpretation" of real-life events surrounding former Peruvian president Fujimori's intelligence chief Vladimir Montesinos, currently awaiting trial on murder and drug trafficking charges. Schoolteacher Melania Urbina suspects political motivations behind her fiance's murder and teams up with a muckraking journalist to investigate. The pair's journey into Peru's political heart of darkness leads Urbina to the realization that she's capable of anything in her quest for revenge. Official Selection, 2007 Tribeca Film Festival.

DIR Francisco J. Lombardi; SCR Giovanna Pollaroio, based on the story by Alonso Cueto; PROD Gustavo Sanchez, Miriam Porte and Pedro Pastor. Spain/Peru, 2006, color, 118 min. In Spanish with English subtitles. NOT RATED. Print Courtesy of Latinofusion

Wednesday, September 19, 9:10; Tuesday, September 25, 9:20

P E R U
CHICHA TU MADRE

Peruvian director Quattrini's first feature film follows taxi driver Julio César after news of his teenage daughter's pregnancy compels him to change his destiny and become a Tarot reader. Guided by the wisdom of the cards, he searches the unpredictable streets of Lima, meeting a young prostitute, an enigmatic Argentine nurse and a second-tier soccer team--all on their own quests for salvation and self-determination.

DIR/SCR/PROD Gianfranco Quattrini; SCRChristopher Vazquez; PROD Oscar Azar and Diego Dubcovsky, Ernesto Gonzalez Quattrini. Argentina/Peru, 2006, color, 96 min. In Spanish with English subtitles. NOT RATED. Print Courtesy of Primiquattrini

Sunday, September 30, 1:00; Tuesday, October 2, 7:10

P O R T U G A L
TRANCE
[Transe]

Provocative Portuguese director Teresa Villaverde's latest film is an abstract and dreamlike mood piece recounting the abduction and forced prostitution of a young Russian woman passed from hand to hand across Europe. Of a piece with recent films on the subject like Lukas Moodysson's LILYA 4-EVER and Giuseppe Tornatore's Donatello-winning THE UNKNOWN, TRANCE is more detached and coolly enigmatic, anchored by Ana Moreira's fearless performance and Joao Ribiero's expressive, eye-popping photography.

DIR/SCR Teresa Villaverde; PROD Paulo Branco and Andrey Deryabin. Italy/Russia/France/Portugal, 2006, color, 126 min. In Portuguese with English subtitles. NOT RATED. Print Courtesy of Madragoa Filmes

Sunday, September 23, 7:00; Monday, September 24, 9:00

S P A I N
DARKBLUEALMOSTBLACK
[Azuloscurocasinegro]

Sponsored by

In this stirring drama of lost opportunities and second chances, awarded Best European Film at the Venice Film Festival, youthful romance clashes with claustrophobic family ties. Jorge dreams of being a businessman, but when his father suffers a stroke he has no choice but to take over his janitorial job and become his caretaker. When Jorge's childhood crush returns from Germany, she makes him yearn for something better. Best New Director, New Actor, Supporting Actor, 2007 Goya Awards. (note courtesy of Miami Film Festival)

DIR/SCR Daniel Sanchez Arevalo; PROD Jose Antonio Felez. Spain, 2006, color, 105 min. In Spanish with English subtitles. NOT RATED. Print Courtesy of Strand Releasing

Wednesday, September 19, 7:00; Thursday, September 20, 9:20

S P A I N
US Premiere!
THE INFLUENCE
[La influencia]

An official selection at Cannes Director's Fortnight, Pedro Aguilera's riveting debut feature recalls the ambitious work of filmmaker Robert Bresson in its sensibility and observational acuity. Depressive single-mom Paloma sleepwalks through life, unresponsive to the world around her. Eviction sends her spiraling into reckless despair, with the children ultimately descending into anarchic self rule. Remarkable performances from the young actors stand out in this unsettling gothic psychodrama.

DIR/SCR/PROD Pedro Aguilera; PROD Mafer Galindo Chico, Carlos Reygadas and Jaime Romandia. Spain/Mexico, 2006, color, 84 min. In Spanish with English subtitles. NOT RATED. Print Courtesy of Bac Films

Saturday, September 22, 5:15; Sunday, September 23, 5:15

S P A I N
THE NIGHT OF THE SUNFLOWERS
[La Noche de los girasoles]

Spain's isolated backwoods provide the setting for this noir thriller told in six interconnected "episodes" whose timelines and characters overlap. The innovative structure is secondary, however, in a film where strong ensemble performances and an atmosphere of creeping menace provide the real allure. A traveling salesman rapes a young urban woman. When her husband and his assistant confront the man they believe to be the rapist, the consequences are life-altering for everyone involved. Audience Award, Miami Film Festival. (note courtesy of Miami Film Festival)

DIR/SCR Jorge Sánchez-Cabezudo; PROD Enrique González Macho. Spain, 2006, color, 123 min. In Spanish with English subtitles. NOT RATED. Print Courtesy of Films Distribution

Thursday, September 27, 9:30; Sunday, September 30, 9:30

U R U G U A Y
THE DOG POUND
[La perrera]

Failed college exams lead to academic exile for David Olivera (Pablo Riera), a hapless student who longs to head back to university in Montevideo. His businessman father, disdainful of higher education, is sick of seeing his son mooch off everyone, including the Uruguayan state, so he forces him to do the unthinkable-- actually work for a living. (note courtesy of Miami Film Festival)

DIR/SCR/PROD Manolo Nieto; PROD Parviz Yazdani. Uruguay/Argentina/Canada/Spain, 2006, color, 109 min. In Spanish with English subtitles. NOT RATED. Print Courtesy of One Eyed Films

Sunday, September 23, 9:30; Tuesday, September 25, 7:00

V E N E Z U E L A
TO PLAY AND TO FIGHT
[Tocar y luchar]

Sponsored by

This captivating documentary of the Venezuelan Youth Orchestra System--an incredible network of hundreds of town and village orchestras--portrays the inspirational stories of world-class musicians trained by the system, including the Berlin Philharmonic's youngest player Edicson Ruiz and world-renowned conductor Gustavo Dudamel. Once a modest program designed to expose rural children to the wonders of music, the Youth Orchestra has attracted worldwide attention, for the quality of musicians it produces and it's role as a 20th century social experiment. Audience Award, Best Documentary, 2007 Miami Film Festival.

DIR/SCR Alberto Arvelo Mendoza; SCR Carlos Díaz; PROD Pedro Mezquita Arcaya and Nestor L. Lopez-Duran. Venezuela, 2006, color, 70 min. In Spanish with English subtitles. NOT RATED. Print Courtesy of Explorart Films

Sunday, September 30, 3:00

SPECIAL FEATURES

DOCUMENTARY DOUBLE FEATURE:
D O M I N I C A N . R E P U B L I C
CHOCOLATE COUNTRY

Winner of the Grand Jury Prize-Documentary Short at the Seattle International Film Festival, CHOCOLATE COUNTRY tells the fascinating, triumphant and music-filled story of the struggling Dominican farmers who provide the bulk of the world's chocolate crop. With help from two Peace Corps volunteers, they form a chocolate collective to capitalize on the first-world's demand for "organic" and "fair trade" products.

DIR Robin Blotnick; PROD Joe Blotnick and Jill Higgins. Dominican Republic/US, 2007, color, 30 min. In Spanish with English subtitles. NOT RATED. Print Courtesy of the Filmmakers

Screening With:
C O S T A . R I C A
RECYCLERS OF RIO AZUL
[Los recicladores de Río Azul]
RECYCLERS OF RIO AZUL is in Spanish without English subtitles. We apologize for any inconvenience.

Two recyclers watch as their plant, Rio Azul, is closed down.

DIR Felipe Calvo. Costa Rica, 2007, color, 46 min. In Spanish with no subtitles. Print Courtesy of the Filmmakers

Saturday, September 22, 11:30a.m.; Sunday, September 23, 11:30a.m.

SPECIAL PRESENTATION:
S P A I N
THE SUGAR CURTAIN
[El telon de azúcar]

Filmmaker Camila Guzman Urzua was raised and schooled in Cuba in the seventies and eighties during the "golden years" of the Cuban revolution, when the state provided education, healthcare, and housing for "pioneers" enthusiastically working toward the revolutionary vision. In this autobiographical documentary, Urzua captures both the disillusionment that infected Cuba after the collapse of the Soviet Union and the nostalgia of a shared dream. TVE Award, 2006 San Sebastian Film Festival.

DIR/SCR/PROD Camila Guzmán Urzúa; PROD Richard Copans. Spain/France, 2006, color, 82 min. In Spanish with English subtitles. NOT RATED. Print Courtesy of First Run Films

Friday, September 28, 6:00; Monday, October 1, 7:00