The Chicago International Latino Film Festival today announced the 35th edition’s billboard, consisting of 63 feature films and 40 shorts from Latin America, Spain, Portugal and the United States, including two world premieres produced in Brazil and the Dominican Republic.
“We continue to be committed to the presentation of films that not only open windows in our diverse cultures, but are also entertaining and inspiring,” festival executive director and founder Pepe Vargas said in a statement.
The festival will open on March 28 with a Cuban night, where “Yuli”, by the Spanish Iciar Bollaín, will be presented about an autobiography by Cuban dancer Carlos Acosta.
The closing will be on April 11, with the Colombian night and the screening of “El Reality”, by director Rodrigo Triana, who will be the special guest.
Vargas, of Colombian origin, said that “Resistencia”, by Brazilian director Zeca Brito, and “Lo que siento por ti”, by Raúl Camilo, will have their world premiere in Chicago.
“Resistencia” tells the story of two brothers in love with the same woman at a time when the country is on the brink of civil war.
The brothers are part of a resistance movement created in Brazil for Vice President João Goulart to assume the presidency, before the departure of President Janio Quadros, who governed only between January 31 and August 25, 1961 and resigned under pressure from military forces.
“What I feel for you” brings together three stories about disabled children and their parents told by newcomer Camilo.
The festival’s billboard also highlights US releases of films made by Latin American directors, including “Lo peor de los deseos”, by Bolivian Claudio Araya Silva; “Cabros de mierda”, by the Chilean Gonzalo Justiniano, and “Amalia”, by the Colombian Ana Sofía Osorio Ruiz.
Other titles are “Dos Fridas”, a Costa Rican and Mexican co-production directed by Iraqi-born Costa Rican Ishtar Yasín Gutiérrez; “Eight out of ten”, by Sergio Umansky (Mexico); “Whoever falls,” Eduardo Guillot (Peru); “Rosa Mística”, by Augusto Tamayo (Peru), and “En el pozo”, by Uruguayans Bernardo and Rafael Antonaccio.
From Spain will be released “Jaulas”, by Nicolás Pacheco, and “Memories of a man in pajamas” by Carlos Fernández de Vigo.
Other notable titles on the bill are the political suspense “El Reino” by the Spanish Rodrigo Sorogoyen, who won seven Goya awards last year, and “Rojo”, by the Argentine Benjamín Naishtat, who won the jury prize for Best Cinematography, and Concha de Plata for Best Actor and Best Director at the San Sebastian 2018 festival.
It will also be in theaters “La reina del miedo”, debut feature by Argentine actress Valeria Bertuccelli, who wrote the script, co-directed and acted in the film.
In the documentary category, “Filiberto” by Puerto Rican Freddie Marrero, Filiberto Ojeda Ríos, commander of the Popular Boricua Army, known as Los Macheteros, and “Arriba Habana”, by Pedro Ruiz, filmed in a ruined neighborhood of the Cuban capital.
The festival is not competitive, but since 1993 the public votes for its favorite film in several categories and awards a special prize. (EFEUSA) .-
