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This is the latest list of the FIRST SEATTLE INTERNATIONAL LATINO FILM FESTIVAL from SEPTEMBER 24-27, 2009IF YOU WISH TO SEE THE DESCRIPTION IN SPANISH, YOU MAY GO TO:http://www.centroculturalha.org/content/plays.html
These are the venues were Movies will be shown:
Langston Hughes Performing Arts Center: 104 17th Ave. S., Seattle, WA 98144
Northwest Film Forum: 1515 12th Ave, Seattle, WA 98122 (NWFF)
CINERAMA: 2100 4th Avenue, Seattle, WA 98121
Harvard Exit: 807 E Roy St., Seattle, WA 98102
============================CHILDREN
The light of the forest/ La luz del bosqueSunday, September 27 - 11:00 AM – 12:30 PM @NWFF 4580/2008-Argentina North American PremiereSpanish w/English subtitlesEspañol con subtítulos en inglésDirected by/Dirigido por: Jorge José Pstyga & Ofelia Escasany.Cast /Elenco: Cecilia Carrizo, Fernando Lupiz, Jorge Dorio, Micaela Brusco.Three children lost in an enchanted forest, live fantastic adventures engaged in the eternal struggle, between good and evil. Hunters, loggers, and the Fire Destroyer have a job to do: save the spring so the forest doesn´t die.
Los últimos malos días de Guillermino/ Last bad days of GuillerminoSunday, September 27 - 11:00 AM – 12:30 PM @NWFF 11975/2008-Colombia North American PremiereSpanish/EspañolDirected by/Dirigido por: Gloria Nancy Monsalve.Cast/Elenco: Cristian Fernando Osorio, Daniel Betancourt, Edward Betancourt, Gloria Nancy Monsalve, Juan Carlos Arango, Daniela Arciniegas, Oscar Hernández, Gustavo Vallejo, Tulita Gómez.When you are eight years old and live in a neighborhood full of friends and fantastic places, you can have lots of fun and adventures, as well as get into a few tight spots. While playing ball with César and La Guama, Guillo loses the money Rosalía, his mother, gave him for errands. Unbeknownst to Guillo, El Chino, who’s watching the game, pockets the money when no one is looking. Now he’s in the worst trouble he can imagine, since Rosalía warned him to stay out of trouble or else. She threatens to send Guillo away, to pick coffee beans at his Uncle Libardo’s plot, outside Pereira.
Teo’s journey /El viaje de TeoSaturday, September 26 - 11:00 AM – 12:45 PM @NWFF 119100/2008-México NW PremiereSpanish/w English subtitlesEspañol con subtítulos en inglésDirected by/Dirigido por: Walter Doehne. Cast/Elenco: Damián Cañizares, Erick Cañete, Joaquín Cosío, Dagoberto gama, Ernesto Gomez Cruz, Dolores Heredia.A touching and inspiring story! Teo, a nine year old boy, travels toward an uncertain destiny, with his father. Teo has never met his father, until he appears in Teo’s kitchen to take him away. Father and son, illegally, cross the Mexican-American border, with the help of a negligent “pollero”. During the night, in the Sasabe desert, they are attacked and robbed. Teo runs away, in an attempt to keep his belongings, but gets separated from the group. When he stops his frantic sprint, he realizes he is by himself and alone, in the night. Chuy, a 12 year old pollero, meets Teo and helps him escape the desert. Teo is forced to wait at the check point, in Nogales, for his father’s certain deportation. Day by day, he witnesses the failed attempts of men and women who are sent back to México, while a strong friendship develops between the two boys.
Mission in Mocland. A super special adventure / Misión en Mocland. Una aventura super-espacialSaturday, September 26 – 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM @ Langston Hughes Performing Arts Center84/2008-Spain (Animation/Animación) North-American PremiereSpanish w/English subtitlesEspañol con subtítulos en inglés. Directed by/Dirigido por: Juanma Suárez.Cast/Elenco: Paco Cardona, Lola Álvarez Bermejo, Bernabé Rico, Juan Carlos Villanueva, Nonia de la Gala, Alberto Hidalgo, Jorge Tomé, Jesús Prieto, Ángel Corpa, Antonia de Miguel.Planet Moc is in distress. Límbar, the essence of its life, has disappeared and all of its inhabitants are at serious risk. The terrible general, Neflin, has stolen the vital substance.Determined to restore peace and life to Mocland, Queen Pola, ordered an expedition seeking Áloma, a power generating mineral. Lalo, Mina, Gobi and Lilium are chosen for this mission, but will they finally find the Áloma or will it be just a legend?
============================TEENAGERS
PRESENTED AND SPONSORED BY CENTRO CUNTURAL HISPANO AMERICANO
The accordion's angel/El angel del acordeٕónSaturday, September 26 - 5:45 PM– 7:45 PM @ Langston Hughes Performing Arts Center119/2008-Colombia Musical (*Coproduction/Coproducción: Spain) NW PremiereSpanish w/ English subtitlesEspañol con subtítulos en inglésDirected by/Dirigido por: María Camila Lizarazo.Cast/Elenco: Camilo Molina, Cesar Navarro, Dyonnel Velasquez, Carlos Buelvas, Etty Grossman, Estefanía Borge, Marlon Moreno, Alfonso “Poncho” Zuleta (Grammy Vallenato) and Gonzalo “El Cocha” Molina (Grammy Vallenato).This story takes place in the exotic Guajira, of Colombia. Poncho Danza, an eleven year old boy, who is an incredibly talented, good person, has two dreams: get an accordion and win over the heart of Sara María, the girl of his dreams. She has the challenged him with becoming a great accordion player, capable of composing a heartfelt song. However, his family’s financial problems demand great effort. As a result, he is unable to obtain an accordion and learn how to play. His father, a male chauvinist, humiliates him for being left-handed and obsessed with music. He, also, suffers because of Pepe, Sara María’s other suitor. Pepe manages to get a beautiful accordion, which he uses to captive the girl. Poncho will be forced into adulthood because of these great circumstances, but he will, also, become a great legend. He will be known as “The Accordion’s Angel”.
============================ADULT COMEDY
A boyfriend for my wife/Un novio para mi mujerSaturday, September 26 - 3:10 AM – 5:30 PM @NWFF 11996/2008-Argentina NW PremiereSpanish w/ English subtitlesEspañol con subtítulos en inglésDirected by/Dirigido por: Juan Taratuto.Cast/Elenco: Valeria Bertuccelli, Gabriel Goity, Adrián Suar.“El Tenso” doesn’t know how to tell his wife, “La Tanal”, he wants a divorce. She is, constantly, cranky and protests everything. "El Tenso" convinces "The Raven Flores," an irresistible, old fashioned Latino seducer, to charm his wife into falling in love with him. Once she does, he hopes she will, finally, be compelled to leave him.Que parezca un accidenteFriday, September 25 -8:15 – 10:00 p.m. @ Langston Hughes Performing Arts Center89/2008-Spain NW PremiereSpanish w/ English subtitlesEspañol con subtítulos en inglésDirected by/Dirigida por: Gerardo HerreroCast/Elenco: Carmen Maura, Federico Luppi, Celia Castro, Javier Collado, Marta Fernández Muro, Juan Carlos Guerra, Yaiza Guimaré.Pilar, a widow, contently lives her day-to-day life, but begins to see her lovely routine come apart when she discovers her son-in-law has been unfaithful. Pilar is determined to end this annoying problem; and in a comedic fashion, she decides “to fix it”, by contracting Arturo. He is just the right man for the job, as he keeps wives happy by “eliminating” their irritating husbands.
Gigante (*)Sunday, September 27 – 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM @CINERAMA 84 MIN/2009 Uruguay West Coast PremiereSpanish w/English subtitlesEspañol con subtítulos en inglésDirected by/Dirigida por: Adrian Biniez.Cast/Elenco: Horacio Camandule, Leonor Svarcas, Fernando Alonso, Diego Artucio, Ariel Caldarelli, Fabiana Charlo.A chronicle of a supermarket security guard's obsession with a late‐shift janitor.Winner of the Silver Bear Award at Berlin International Film Festival This will be an American Premiere.NochebuenaSaturday, September 26 - 5:45 PM – 7:45 PM @NWFF 11984/2009-Colombia West Coast PremiereSpanish w/English subtitlesEspañol con subtítulos en inglésDirected by/Dirigida por: María Camila Loboguerrero. Cast/Elenco: Matías Maldonado, Connie Camelo, Edgardo Román, Roxana Blanco, Alberto Valdiri.In this hysterical dark comedy, from Colombia, Bernardo has his hands full after having invested all of the family savings in a bad, Indonesian stock deal. This is all done in order to pay off a large debt, to the sleaze-ball provincial governor. And as if that weren’t enough, he is having an affair with the governor’s daughter, who is also his brother’s wife, while his mother tries to fix him up with an unattractive widow, who might be his only way out of this mess.
============================ADULT DRAMA COMEDY
The gift/El regaloFriday, September 25 – 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM @ Langston Hughes Performing Arts Center108/2008-Chile NW PremiereSpanish w/ English subtitlesEspañol con subtítulos en inglésDirected by/Dirigida por: Cristián Galaz & Andrea Ugalde.Cast/Elenco: Nelson Villagra, Francisco Rodríguez, Julio Jung Jr., Verónica Hodar, Jorge Arecheta, Mario Soto, Oscar Vásquez, Paula Ruiz, Verónica Lapostol, Rodrigo Molina, Felipe Vera, Paulina Stuardo.The real gift is the story of three close friends, Francisco, Pacheco and Tito. Francisco, recently widowed and retired, is going through a difficult time. To cheer him up, his friends decide to invite him to the Chillan hot springs. They, also, invite Lucy, the love of Francisco’s youth, who, excitedly, agrees to join them. However, things are not always as we plan for this tour will bring many surprises. They will meet Carmen, Nicholas, and Martin and the following events will change the plans and lives of all involved.
Looking for Palladín. Saturday, September 26 - 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM @NWFF 119115/2008 –USA (*Coproduction/Coproducción: Guatemala) North West Coast PremiereEnglishInglésDirected by/Dirigido por: Andrzej Krakowski.Cast/Elenco: Ben Gazzara, Talia Shire, Vincetn Pastore, David Moscow, Angélica Aragón, Pedro Armendáriz, Jr., Roberto Díaz Gomar, Jimmy Morales, Sammy Morales.A young, Hollywood player is drawn into a remote place, looking for a quick deal. Instead, he finds a sanctuary, a community, and himself.
El arriero. Saturday, September 26 - 5:45 PM – 7:45 PM @NWFF 45104/2009-Colombia (*Coproduction/Coproducción: Spain) North-American PremiereSpanish w/English subtitlesEspañol con subtítulos en inglésDirector: Guillermo Calle.Cast: Julián Díaz, Paco Hidalgo, María Cecilia, Paula Castaño.I am Ancizar López, Colombiano. I live in Madrid and I am in love with two women: Virginia, my wife, and Lucía, my lover. I met Virginia in Barranquilla, but my mother- in-law threatened to kill me. We had to split. Of course, I came back for her when I made my first Euros and married her. Later, I met Lucía, a fascinating, little Spanish girl. I got involved with her and decided to keep them both. When I began thinking about retiring, I began to think about breaking up with Lucía. To get back at me, she told Virginia everything. Virginia escaped to Colombia, with all my dough and gave some to Lucía who disappeared, in Madrid. Lucía was my mistress, she could betray me. Not Virginia, she was my wife. She had no right to betray me. I had her killed.
============================ADULT DRAMA COMEDY VIOLENT
I love you Ana Elisa/ Te amo Ana ElisaThursday, September 24 – 7:00 PM @ Harvard Exit104/2008-Colombia NW Premiere FESTIVAL OPENING Directors’ favorite!Spanish w/English subtitlesEspañol con subtítulos en inglésDirected by/Dirigida por: Robinson Díaz, Antonio Dorado.Cast/Elenco: Adriana Arango, Robinson Díaz, Juan Carlos Vargas, Julián Arango.A new heroine, powerless but with values, strives to overcome a number of cruel situations to achieve her dream: graduating as a doctor. Ana Elisa lives in neighborhood where life and death are harsh, constant realities. Nonetheless, she feels strong because she has the gift of healing. Ana knows this gives her a privileged place in her community. She can prevent people from feeling pain. Full of courage, Ana decides to; finally, confront her ex-boyfriend, leader of a gang of thieves. The decision has dire consequences and Ana Elisa is, ultimately, forced to leave the city. She travels to Bogotá looking for aid, from what’s left of her family hoping they can help her, during this difficult time.
============================ADULT DRAMA VIOLENT
Dog eat dog/Perro come perro. Friday, September 25 – 10:30 – 12:00 Midnight @ NWFF106/2008-Colombia Sundance award winner NW PremiereSpanish w/English subtitlesEspañol con subtítulos en inglésDirected by/Dirigida por: Carlos Moreno. Cast/Elenco: Marlon Moreno, Oscar Borda, Blass Jaramillo, Alvaro Rodríguez, Paulina Rivas.A gritty, Colombian gangster flick — with humor! Dog Eat Dog follows two small-time thugs, Eusebio and Victor, who share a room and a boss. When, for completely different reasons, they manage to get on the boss' bad side, they try to escape their fate, with the each other’s help.
La milagrosa. Saturday, September 26 – 8:00 PM – 9:45 PM @ Langston Hughes Performing Arts Center104/2008-Colombia NW PremiereSpanish w/English subtitlesEspañol con subtítulos en inglésDirector: Rafael Lara.Cast: Antonio Merlano, Guillermo Iván, Mónica Gómez, Hernán Méndez.In 1999, an upper–class young man, from Bogotá, is kidnapped, by a guerilla group. His life is radically transformed as he lives captive, in the midst of a violent conflict between the army, the guerillas, and paramilitary groups. His vision of reality and of a country turned upside down changes, while he struggles not to lose his sanity… and life itself.
The enemy/ El enemigoSaturday, September 26 – 10:00 PM – 12:00 Midnight @ Langston Hughes Performing Arts Center82/2008-Venezuela West Coast PremiereSpanish w English subtitlesEspañol con subtítulos en inglésDirected by/Dirigida por: Luís Alberto Lamata.Cast/Elenco: Lourdes Valera, Carlos Cruz, Daniela Alvarado, Elba Escobar, Darío Soto.She is Antonieta Sánchez, a humble single-mother, who fought to give her son, Odulio, a good start in life. Despite her efforts, he becomes a juvenile delinquent. When Odulio is shot, Antonieta’s life won’t be the same. He is Benigno Robles, a public prosecutor. The day after Elisa, his only daughter, has been shot; Benigno’s life will never be the same. However, this encounter between Antonieta and Benigno, apparently a product of chance, is not fortuitous. A secret is hidden behind the false coincidence.
============================ADULT DRAMA
Zeal/Celo. Saturday, September 26 – 8:00 PM – 9:45 PM @ NWFF 11994/2007-Argentina North-American Premiere(Erotic thriller)Spanish w/ English subtitlesEspañol con subtítulos en inglesDirected by/Dirigida por: Fabián Forte.Cast/Elenco: Julieta Benedetto, Martín Borisenko, Matías del Pzo, carlos Echeverría, Monica Escudero, Monica Galán.Daniel (Carlos Echevarria), a typical thirty-something, reunites with Eduardo (Martin Borisenko), a high school peer. Eduardo does not remember him fondly, but meets Lucia (Josefina Sanz) because of him. Their relationship begins to grow, under the gaze of Eduardo who offers the use of his house, for sex. Eduardo grows in curiosity as Daniel grows in passion. Eduardo remains close to Lucia and has impromptu sex with her. She becomes an uninhibited lover, with him. Daniel is falling in love, but Lucia disappears at the crucial moment. Daniel visits Eduardo, in his photography studio, looking for advice. Eduardo shows sparing and recommends Daniel forget her. A few minutes later, Daniel finds a photo of Lucia, among the photos of many models. This first discovery, in a disquieting chain, will allow him to understand the kind of trio, in which he is involved.
My Name Ain´t Johnny /Meu Nome não é Johnny. Sunday, September 27 – 3:00 PM – 5:30 PM @ Langston Hughes Performing Arts Center128 Min/2008-Brazil North-American PremierePortuguese w/English subtitlesPortugués con subtítulos en inglésDirected by/Dirigida por: Mauro Lima.Cast/Elenco: Selton Mello, Cleo Pires, Júlia Lemmertz, Cássia Kiss, Eva Todor, André Di Biasi, Ângelo Paes Leme, Rafaela Mandelli, Giulio Lopes, Gilray Coutinho, Luis Miranda, Aramis Trindade, Kiko Mascarenhas, Flavio Bauraqui,Orã Figueiredo.João had everything but limits. João Guilherme Estrella was a typical, middle class guy of Rio de Janeiro, who lived his youth intensely. Clever and charming, he was loved by his parents and was popular among his friends. His adventurous and Bohemian spirit drove him to live all the expected craziness of youth. It, also, drove him to the unconventional. In the beginning of the nineties, he became the drug trade King of Rio. His name passed from the agenda of his cool clients, to the list of those prosecuted by the police. Once arrested, his name was printed in newspapers’ front pages. Instead of parties, he entered the hall of defendants. His story reveals dreams and dramas common to all youth, in any place around the world. Based on a true story.
María Antonia. Sunday, September 26 – 3:00 PM – 5:30 PM @NWFF 119Cuba Classic111/1991-Cuba NW PremiereSpanish w/English subtitlesEspañol con subtítulos en inglésDirected by/Dirigida por: Sergio Giral.Cast/Elenco: Alexis Valdés, Alina Rodríguez, Daysi Granados, José A. Rodríguez, Tito Junco, Asenenh Rodríguez.In this melodrama, Maria has been waiting for her boyfriend to be released from prison. He is an aspiring luminary, in the boxing world. Though she is a prostitute, she earns her living, primarily, as a "kept" woman. She does not have to walk the streets. At first, he is glad to see her, but his dreams of making the big time lead him to send her away. Perhaps he only wants to concentrate on his athletic pursuits, in that ascetic way some sports figures favor. However, she must still earn her keep, and she takes up, briefly, with a married man. Meanwhile, followers of an Afro-Cuban belief system, Santeria (a voodoo-like religion), have been warning her that the loas (spirits) are not happy with her. She must ask their forgiveness for the affronts committed. Soon after taking up with the married man, she meets another man. This man would love to marry her and take her away, from her sex-for-hire world. However, the married man turns out to be insanely jealous, as well as being deeply insulted by Maria’s slight. His efforts to get revenge soon take on a violent, even tragic, turn.
Broken Gods /Los dioses rotos (*)96/2008- Cuba, México West Coast PremiereSpanishEspañolDirected by/Dirigida por: Ernesto Daranas.Cast/Elenco: Silvia Aguila, Carlos Ever Fonseca, Néstor Noas, Annia Bu Maure, Isabel, Eman Xor Oña.Laura es una profesora universitaria que investiga sobre el famoso proxeneta cubano Alberto Yarini y Ponce de León, asesinado a balazos por sus rivales franceses que controlaban el negocio de la prostitución en La Habana de comienzos del siglo XX. Interesada en demostrar la vigencia del legendario personaje, se adentra en una de las zonas más complejas de la realidad habanera de hoy. Near the end of the film, Laura, a university professor who delves into the Havana underworld says, “Like a reoccurring cycle of reincarnations, Alberto Yarini returns to be crowned in San Isidro, Belen, Jesus María, Colon, and Guanabacoa. His power of seduction captivated the soul of a culture that both criticizes and reveres him. I don’t want to be sacrilegious...and in fact, I would like it be the other way around.” This is precisely the ambiguity between adoration for those whose passions plunge them into the abyss and the rationality of the intellectual who seeks understanding. This passionate and beautiful film is a Cuban version of the Greek tragedy as recreated in Carlos Felipe’s play Réquiem por Yarini.
The good life/La buena vida. DIRECTOR’S FAVORITESunday, September 27 – 12:45 PM– 2:30 PM @ Langston Hughes Performing Arts Center90/2008 –Chile (*Coproduction/Coproducción: Spain, Argentine, UK, France) NW PremiereSpanish w/English subtitlesEspañol con subtítulos en inglésDirected by: Andrés Wood. Cast/Elenco: Aline Kuppenheim, Manuela Martelli, Eduardo Paxeco, Manuela Oyarzún, Paula Sotelo, Nestor Corona, Daniel Antivilo, Alfredo Castro, Bélgica Castro, Francisco Acuña, Jorge Alis, Luis Roque.In the ensemble narrative form, respected Chilean filmmaker, Andrés Wood, created a complex and affectionate patchwork of stories. These stories are about ordinary people struggling to follow their dreams in a despairing world. A social worker teaches prostitutes about safe sex; ironically, her troubled, teenage daughter (a brilliant, brooding performance by Manuela Martelli) becomes pregnant and can’t confide in her own mother. The daughter has dreams too; she is secretly writing a novel. A hairdresser applies for car financing through a lonely loan officer, who quietly pines for him. The hairdresser is lonely too, but family obligations stand in the way, leading to a bitter unraveling of their budding romance. An ambitious young clarinetist auditions for the hallowed philharmonic orchestra. Frustrated in this aspiration, he settles for joining the army, and playing with the military band. Home alone, he plays Puccini to fill the void. These small stories of perseverance and frustration are presented with penetrating empathy. Together, they rise to the level of the human comedy of everyday life, in a Chilean metropolis. Though the stories are told in a parallel fashion and intersect in, only, a few, small instances, they coalesce on a different plane. Driven by dissatisfaction and reaction against circumstance, at some point, everyone commits thoughtless acts once deemed unthinkable. They struggle to make their lives work in an unaccommodating world, where mere survival is equated to success.
Heart of time/Corazón del tiempo. Saturday, September 26 - 3:10 PM – 5:30 PM @NWFF90/2008-México North-American PremiereSpanish w/English subtitlesEspañol con subtítulos en inglés Directed by: Alberto Cortés.Cast/Elenco: Rocío Barrios, Francisco Jiménez, Leonardo Rodríguez, Marisela Rodríguez, Doña Aurelia.In La Esperanza de San Pedro, Chiapas, in the midst of the Zapatista struggle, Sonia, a member of the community, is about to be married. Her dowry, a cow, has been delivered. Her boyfriend’s family has been spoken to… However, Sonia is in love with another: an insurgent. Now, the EZLN (Zapatista Army) has a problem on their hands and the entire community must come together so that the voice of its members can be heard and respected; and so that duty may be overcome by love.
============================ADULT FANTASTIC
Saints/Santos. Sunday, September 26 - 12:45 PM – 2:30 PM @NWFF 11980/2008-Chile NW PremiereSpanish w/ English subtitlesEspañol con subtítulos en inglésDirected by: Nicolás López.Cast/Elenco: Elsa Pataky, Javier Gutiérrez, Leonardo Sbaraglia, Guillermo Toledo, Teresita Reyes, Nicolás Martínez, Sebastián Berta Muñiz.Santos is a failed comic book artist living in a parallel universe. Here he becomes a superhero charged with saving the universe. This enjoyable, wacky world will appeal to sci-fi fans, especially as dozens of film references will keep film buffs on their toes. Writer-director Nicolas Lopez has included a myriad of ideas into the visual wit of this alternative universe.
============================DOCUMENTARIES
Indigenous languages Children of Amazon Friday, September 25 - 4:00 – 5:45 p.m. @ Langston Hughes Performing Arts Center72/2007-Brazil (*Coproduction/Coproducción: USA) NW PremiereEnglish, Portuguese & Surui-Nagarte w/ English subtitles Inglés, Portugués & Surui-Nagarte con subtítulos en inglésDirected by/Dirigido por: Denise ZmekholChildren of the Amazon follows Brazilian filmmaker, Denise Zmekhol, as she travels a modern highway deep into the Amazon. She is searching for the Indigenous Surui and Negarote children she photographed fifteen years ago. Part road movie, part time travel, her journey tells the story of what happened to life, in the largest forest on Earth, when a road was built straight through the Amazon’s heart.
Grissi Siknis, la enfermedad mágica de la selva. Saturday, September 26 - 11:00 AM – 12:45 PM @NWFF Grissi Siknis, The Magic Sickness of The Jungle94/2008-Nicaragua (*Coproduction/Coproducción: Spain, Mexico) West Coast PremiereMiskito, Spanish w/ English subtitles.Miskito, español con subtítulos en inglés.Directed by/Dirigido por: Enrique Ruiz-SkipeyThe jungle madness known as Grissi Siknis is a contagious, naturally bound syndrome occuring among the Miskito of Eastern Central America. It predominately affects young women. Grissi Siknis is typically characterized by long periods of anxiety, nausea dizziness, irrational anger and fear. These periods are interlaced with shorter periods of rapid frenzy, in which the victim loses consciousness, believes that devils beat them, and has sexual relations with them. Traditional Miskito belief holds that Grissi Siknis is the result of evil spirits or black sorcerers. While western medicine typically has no effect on the sick, the remedies of Miskito herbalists are often successful in curing the madness.
No son invisibles: Maya women & microfinance. Sunday, September 27 – 11:00 AM– 12:30 PM @ Langston Hughes Performing Arts Center45/2008-USA (*Coproduction/ coproducción: México) North-American Premiere. Maya, English & Spanish w/English subtitlesMaya, inglés y español con subtítulos en inglésDirected by/Dirigido por: Melissa Eidson. Interviewees/Entrevistados: Josefina Patricia Vázquez Hernández, Lorenza Hernández Pérez, María Verónica Sánchez Pérez, Micaela García Jiménez, Pilar García Quintana, Dr. Muhammad Yunus (Peace Nobel Prize).In the highlands of Mexico, the Maya women of Chiapas have a story to tell about survival, strength, and endurance. Microfinance loans have given these women the chance to start or improve a small business. This gives them the ability to lift themselves and their children out of abject poverty, through their own talents and skills. Muhammad Yunus, Nobel Peace Prize recipient, explains how microfinance works while we see it through the lives of Maya women. He appears and is the voiceover in the film.
Shika Shika. Sunday, September 27 – 11:00 AM– 12:30 PM @Langston Hughes Performing Arts Center10/2008-USADirected by: Stephen Hyde.*******Shikashika is a short documentary that offers a rare glimpse into life, in the Andes mountains of Peru. The filmmakers focus on the unseen practices of extracting glacial ice for shikashika, which is sold at the steps of a cathedral beneath the mountain, Huscaran.
============================POLITICAL
Fidel Castro: Hombre o Mito/Fidel Castro - Man and Myth Friday, September 25 - 10:15 – 12:00 Midnight @ Langston Hughes Performing Arts Center60/2008- Germany (*Coproduction: Cuba, USA) Seattle PremiereEnglishInglésDirected by/Dirigido por: Stephan Lamby.Interviewees/Entrevistados: Former Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev, Former United States President George Bush sen., James Baker, Aleida Guevara, daughter of Che Guevara; Hubor Matos, Castro's comrade; Natalia Revuelta, mother of Castro’s daughter Alina; former CIA-agent Philipp Agee, former US-diplomat Wayne Smith.He outlived generations of American presidents, Russian leaders, CIA-directors, and exiled Cubans. He survived innumerable assassination attempts. He was in power for, almost, fifty years. Fidel Castro: an idol, an enemy. Over decades, he is the world’s most controversial statesman. Even after his resignation in 2008, he continues to influence Cuban politics. What kind of person is Fidel Castro? What kind of character is hidden, behind the facade of an army uniform? Is he a revolutionary, a Latin American caudillo, or just a dictator addicted to power? This documentary is a key into Fidel Castro’s mysterious psyche. It describes Fidel Castro’s life, from the early years as the son of a wealthy farmer, near Santiago de Cuba, to his time as a talented law student, in Havana. It analyzes Castro’s behavior, during the revolution in 1959, his friendship with Che Guevara, and the treatment of rivals such as Camilo Cienfuegos and Huber Matos. With never before known details, the documentary explains how Castro’s love-hate-relationship with the United States developed, especially under President John F. Kennedy. It explores how he behaved after the end of the Soviet Union and during recent conflicts, with the United States. Furthermore, the documentary describes the religious side of Castro’s character, his qualities as a womanizer, his moral convictions, and his lack of fear. The directors of the film took a close look at Fidel Castro at public events, were able to use unknown archival footage.
Agustin´s Journal /El diario de Agustín. Saturday, September 26 - 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM @NWFF 45Seattle Premiere80/2008-ChileSpanish w/ English subtitlesEspañol con subtítulos en inglésDirected by/Dirigido por: Ignacio Agüero.A group of students, from the University of Chile, investigate the newspaper El Mercurio’s responsibility in human rights violations, during Pinochet’s dictatorship. The search reveals how the newspaper, the oldest and most influential in Chile, manipulated information by hiding crimes.
============================Inmigration Made in LA. Friday, September 25 – 4:00 PM – 5:45 PM @ NWFF 11970/ 2007-USA – Emmy award Winner Spanish w/English subtitlesEspañol con subtítulos en inglesDirected by/Dirigido por: Almudena Carracedo & Robert Bahar.Made in L.A. is an Emmy award-winning feature documentary (70 min) that follows the remarkable story of three Latina immigrants working in Los Angeles garment sweatshops as they embark on a three-year odyssey to win basic labor protections from trendy clothing retailer Forever 21. In intimate observational style, Made in L.A. reveals the impact of the struggle on each woman’s life as they are gradually transformed by the experience. Compelling, humorous, deeply human, Made in L.A. is a story about immigration, the power of unity, and the courage it takes to find your voice.
============================ARTMusical
Celia the queen. Friday, September 25 – 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM @ NWFF 11990/2008-USA NW COAST PREMIERED IN SEATTLE in APRIL WITH LHAAFF and CineSeattle.Spanish & English w/ English subtitlesEspañol e inglés con subtítulos en inglésDirected by/Dirigido por: Joe Cardona & Mario de Varona.Interviews with Celia Cruz, Wyclef Jean, Quincy Jones, Gloria Estefan, and Andy Garcia offer insight into the rich legacy of legendary, Cuban vocalist, Celia Cruz. This documentary explores how one woman's voice shattered the barriers of racism and sexism, across the globe.
Painting Alfredo Arreguín. Friday, September 25 - 3:10 PM – 5:30 PM @ Langston Hughes Performing Arts Center30/2008-USA DIRECTOR AND ARTIST IN ATTENDANCE. EnglishInglésDirected by/Dirigido por: John Forsen. Born in Moreila, Michoacan, Mexico (1935), Alfredo Arreguín developed as an artist in Seattle. He has resided, since 1958, in this city. Arreguin's work is in many public and private collections, including The Smithsonian Institution, The National Academy ofSciences, the Mexican Museum in San Francisco, California, and the Denver Art Museum.Dance
Dance of my heart/Danza de mi corazón West Coast PremiereFriday, September 25 - 3:10 PM – 5:30 PM @ Langston Hughes Performing Arts Center80/2007- Cuba (*Coproduction: USA, Canada)English & Spanish w/ English subtitlesInglés y español con subtítulos en inglésDirected by/Dirigido por: Ricardo Acosta.The co-creator of Cuban classical ballet and the choreographer of “Carmen Suite” is ninety years old, healthy, and vibrant. Working every day at a community college in north Florida, he teaches kids how to dance with the same passion he had all his life, working with some of the most important ballet dancers of the twentieth century. Ricardo Acosta’s “Dance of my heart” is a sensitive, well documented portrait of the Cuban dancer/choreographer Alberto Alonso.The film is not only an ode to the nester of classical Cuban dance, but also an ode to the power of art, love, and beauty that will not succumb to the power of time.
That Samba thing!Sunday, September 27, 2009 12:45 PM – 2:30 PM @ NWFF 45Directed by Teddy HayesFive interlocking fictional stories depicting the lives of Brazilians and Londoners who co-exist under difficult emotional and psychological circumstances. The turmoil takes place against a backdrop of haunting memories, broken dreams, future hopes, exciting samba music and the festival spirit of London's spectacular Notting Hill carnival. With Joseph Marcel, a famous Caribbean thespian, who once was Will Smith's Butler on the Fresh Prince of Bel Air.Teddy Hayes is the writer of Langston Hughes PAC upcoming play, "Obama on my mind" that will open in October in Seattle.
============================GAY
Luchando. Saturday, September 26 - 10:00 PM – 12:00 Midnight @NWFF 55/2009-USA (*Coproduction/Coproducción: Cuba) North West Coast PremiereSpanish w/ English subtitlesEspañol con subtítulos en inglés Directed by/Dirigido por: Noelle Stout.Luchando chronicles the everyday struggles of four Cuban jineteros (hustlers), who set out to resolve their touching, and at-times humorous, dilemmas in Havana’s gay underground. The film combines verité footage and informal interviews, to offer a first-ever look at same-sex prostitution, in Cuba. Historically, "luchando" has meant the fight for the Cuban revolution, but in Cuba's gay enclaves, the word describes the struggle of having sex for money. After the fall of the Socialist Bloc, in the early nineties, Cuba suffered a total economic collapse and witnessed the rise of same-sex prostitution. Luchando provides a window into this growing community of sex workers, through the lives of four of its most compelling characters: Diosa, an articulate travesti who was kicked out of her father’s home for cross-dressing; Manuel, a macho technician who grapples with his sexual identity as he engages in intimate relationships with men; La Gorda (The Fat Girl), an aspiring rapper; and Yuris, a cocky 19-year-old whose womanizing has resulted in four children, he must hustle to support. Together, the characters’ stories embody the dilemmas of post-soviet Cuba--a nation torn between the ideals of socialist equality and a rapidly widening gap between the rich and poor.
============================SHORT MOVIES
Dossiê Rê bordosaFriday, September 25 – 3:00 PM – 5:30 PM @ Langston Hughes Performing Arts Center15/2008-Brazil (Animation) U.S PremierePortuguese w/ English subtitlesPortugués con subtítulos en españolDirected by/Dirigido por: Cesar Cabral.Cast/Elenco: Grace Gianoukas, Laert Sarrumor, Paulo Cesar Peréio.Envy? Ego issues? Malice? In 1987, Angeli, one of the most important cartoonists in Brazil, coldly murdered one of his most famous creations: the underground diva Rê Bordosa.
Forever Lupe. Friday, September 25 – 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM @ NWFF 11930/2007- México North-American Premiere DIRECTOR IN ATTENDANCEEnglishDirected by/Dirigido por: Martín Caballero.Cast/Elenco: Marieli Romo, Pablo Azar , Delia Casanova.Here is the story of one of the most famous, Mexican divas of all time. Her story is tragic and glamorous. Her relationships with Gary Cooper, Johnny Weissmuller, Arturo de Cordova, and Harold Ramond pushed her to commit suicide.
The gift/El regalo. Friday, September 25 – 8:15 PM – 10:00 PM @ NWFF 1195/2009-México NW PremiereSpanish w/ English subtitlesEspañol con subtítulos en inglésDirected by/Dirigido por: Stuart Escobedo Altman.Cast/Elenco: Pedro López, Emilio Rosal, Luis Deveze, Chris Ingersoll, Chris Barron.Three Mexican immigrants, on their “Homeric Adventure”, use a mythical beast in order to cross the border into the United States. It is a political comedy which shows the vicissitudes of three Mexicans, in search of “The American Dream”.
Morpheus’ Arms/Los brazos de Morfeo. Sunday, September 26 - 12:45 PM – 2:30 PM @NWFF 11919/2007-Colombia/USA NW PremiereEnglish-Inglés Directed by/Dirigido por: Juan Gabriel Pérez Arjona.Cast/Elenco: Rhiann Woodyard, Dustin Varpness, Omar Avila.A young, narcoleptic writer searches for the story behind a strange message left on a record. Within the realm of dreams, memories, hallucinations, and reality, she will find traces of a story that ties the record to the rivalry, between her young, punk-rocker brother and her Latin boyfriend.
GraceFriday, September 25 - 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM @ Langston Hughes Performing Arts Center8/2009-USA West Coast PremiereSpanish & English w/ English subtitlesEspañol e inglés con subtítulos en inglésDirected by/Dirigido por: Alrick Brown.A short film about a woman, a mother, and an immigrant with everything to lose, but her faith.Jale (*)Saturday, September 26 - 11:00 AM – 12:45 PM @NWFF 11910/2009-USAJale is Spanish for “pull”, but is, also, Chicano/Mexican slang for “work”. The title refers to the push and pull of immigration, which draws Mexicans to the U.S. This film attempts to create a metaphor for the experience of day laborers, in the Chicano community, through the eyes of a Mexican day laborer, Fulano. When Fulano is hired to dig a grave, he learns about the duplicity of North American policies and attitudes towards undocumented labor.The directors conducted six months of research, in San Francisco’s Mission District, and spoke with undocumented laborers to create an original story that explores this unique, social perspective. In an attempt to create a new form of Chicano Third Cinema, the director decided to employ real day laborers, as untrained actors, and shoot the entire film in true, guerrilla fashion.
Niña quebrada. Friday, September 25 - 4:00 PM – 5:45 PM @NWFF23/2008-USASpanish & English w/ English subtitlesEspañol e inglés con subtítulos en inglésDirected by/Dirigido por: Jen Kleiner.Cast/Elenco: Yvette Yates, Geoffrey Rivas, Lucki Wheating, Lily Tinoco, Jessenia Quiroz.At her boyfriend’s pleas, Lucena, a teenage girl runs away from her family, in Mexico, for the chance at a better life, in Los Angles. She stepped into her boyfriend’s car and, unbeknownst to her, into a nightmarish world of child prostitution and sex trafficking.
What Goes Up /Todo lo que sube. Saturday, September 26 – 10:00 – Midnight @ Langston Hughes Performing Arts Center18/2008-Venezuela West Coast PremiereSpanish w/ English subtitlesEspañol con subtítulos en inglésDirected by/Dirigido por: Miguel Ferrari.Cast/Elenco: Dora Mazzone, Sonia Villamizar, Rosario Prieto, Gabriel Rojas, Albi de Abreu, Daniela Bascopé, Héctor Manrique, Julio Pereira, Jesús Cervó, Rebeca Alemán, José Manuel Suárez, Jimmi Quijano. “What Goes Up” takes place in the reduced space of a commercial building’s elevator.There are a series of characters that get on, men and women, who pretend to be something they are not. They are forced to share an uncomfortable space, in which even each other’s breathing is noticeable. It is an atmosphere filled with silences, accidentally met glances, uncovered intimacies, emotionally revealing perfumes, and not so pleasant smells no one takes credit for. “What Goes Up” is a reflection of a world where what you are worth is determined by your appearance, causing the weakest people to have a distorted self image.
============================INTERNATIONAL FEATURE
Ordinary Boys/ Chicos normales. Saturday, September 26 - 8:00 PM – 9:45 PM @NWFF 4585/2008-Spain West Coast PremiereEnglish subtitlesDirected by/Dirigida por: Daniel Hernández.Cast/Elenco: Rabia Bouchfira, El-Khader Aoulasse, Youseff Belefki, Mohammed Saadoun.Chicos normales/Ordinary Boys, a film based on true events, enters the homes and lives of three youngsters from Jamaa Mezwak. This is a Tetuan slum, and birthplace of the five terrorists responsible for the Madrid killing, on March 11, 2004.
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