Day 2 (Evening): Cine Las Americas Film Festival [4.22.2011]

Films for Friday Evening 22 April

Wow! I am still trying to process last night’s festival opening film, the Guatemalan comedy/drama LAS MARIMBAS DEL INFIERNO, which had some amazing moments and is doubtlessly the most independent film I’ve seen in a while. The trailer didn’t do justice to Chiquilín, who turned out to be a totally beguiling character that should have his own series, Las Aventuras de Chiquilín. I wish the film were showing again, so more people could see this story of impossible, perhaps ridiculous but heartfelt dreams of merging the gentle, ethereal sounds of the marimba with heavy metal. That would be a film pitch totally incomprehensible to Hollywood studios. Perhaps Cine Las Americas will want to bring that film back for a special screening in the summer.

Meanwhile, this evening there are some great selections of films at both Alamo S. Lamar and the Mexican American Cultural Center.

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Mexican American Cultural Center
[600 River Street, the continuation of Holly St. west of I35]

Hecho en Tejas Short Film Showcase
8:00pm
Free

Seven short films made by Tejanos, exploring a wide range of subjects ranging from super-heroes, the importance of Our Lady of Guadalupe Church in East Austin, and vets returning from the Iraqi battlefields to differing taco consumers, the vanilla crops of Vera Cruz, undocumented high school students with dreams of college in the US, and a “comic” kidnapping.

For film synopses, trailers, and ticket information>>

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Alamo S. Lamar
1120 S. Lamar
Food and drink available inside theaters

7:00pm (Theater 1)
EL EDIFICIO DE LOS CHILENOS (The Chilean Building)
North American Premiere
Macarena Aguiló Marchi, Susana Foxley
Chile/Cuba/France/Netherlands, Autobiographical Documentary, 2010
96 min, HDV, Color
Spanish with English subtitles

7:30pm (Theater 2)
HAVANA EVA
Austin Premiere
Fina Torres, Cuba/Venezuela/France, Comedy, 2010
100 min, 35mm, Color
Spanish with English subtitles

In a slowly evolving Cuba (casi pos-Fidelista con sabor a Raúl), a young seamstress dreams of becoming a clothing designer. But how? She is stuck with un huevón of a boyfriend, who isn’t helping anybody’s dreams. Then she meets an inspiring entrepreneurial capitalist who just might make wishes come true. But is he a deceiver? Will she be forced to choose between two men or find a third option? This film was directed by Venezuelan veteran filmmaker Fina Torres, who has continually focused on a variety of intriguing female protagonists.  

For trailer, film synopsis, and ticket information>>

9:45pm
TE CREÍS LA MAS LINDA…PERO ERÍS LA MAS PUTA (You Think You Are the Prettiest, But You’re the Sluttiest)
Austin Premiere
Ché Sandoval, Chile, Comedy, 2010, 84 min, HD, Color
Spanish with English subtitles

With a title like that, you know the film will be confrontational, probably a battle of the adolescent sexes. The trailer seems to confirm not only that, but also reveals a loser teenager that seems so clueless as to be fun to watch. Just how is he going to fuck up now? I’m slightly reminded of the wonderful Uruguayan film 25 WATTS (2001, a CLA festival feature), but that was laid back, in black & white, and about slackers in a nowhere town in a sadly rarely visited country. Here a young self-styled Romeo named Javier strikes out in a sexual adventure and wanders the streets of Santiago de Chile checking out other people’s lives and talking about his exploits (real or imagined). Looks like a fun movie about growing up. The director made the film at the age of 25, so one could guess he is pretty close to the lives of his youthful characters. For trailer, film synopsis, and ticket information>>

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