Latinbeat Goes On in 12th Year

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Parent Category: Film Festivals

Category: Previews

Published on Monday, 08 August 2011 05:00

Written by Film FestivalTraveler Staff

The 12th annual Latinbeat Film Festival is running August 10 - 24, 2011 at Film Society of Lincoln Center‛s Walter Reade Theater in Manhattan, New York City.

"This year's Latinbeat Film Festival captures a stunning variety of films -- both commercial and independent -- currently coming out of Latin America," said Film Society of Lincoln Center’s Marcela Goglio.

"We are especially proud to spotlight the creative search for new forms of production in Central America and the Caribbean. The exploration of documentary/fiction boundaries that took such an exciting turn in Latin American cinema in the last few years has spread to this region and we are beginning to see the results of that now."

Goglio added, "We are also thrilled to be able to share some great new films from traditionally underrepresented countries, like Bolivia, Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Uruguay and Venezuela. We believe it will all add up to make this one of our most vibrant film festivals yet."

The Opening Night Presentation is the romantic comedy Sidewalls / Medianeras, directed by Gustavo Taretto in his feature film debut. The film "pays homage to Buenos Aires as it follows two people who live on the same block but have somehow never met." Taretto, the film’s star, Pilar Lopez De Ayala and composer Gabriel Chwojnik will be in attendance.

Some of the other films are:

Narratives:

The Best Things in the World / As Melhores Coisas Do MundoDirector: Lais Bodanzky (Brazil)
"In this sweet, funny coming-of-age tale set in Sao Paolo, a 15-year-old boy’s carefree life is complicated by a shocking revelation."

Jean Gentil
Directors: Laura Amelia Guzmán, Israel Cárdenas (Mexico/Dominican Republic/Haiti)
"This poignant tale vividly captures the day-to-day life of an educated Haitian immigrant as he travels through the Dominican Republic in search of work and a meaning to his life."

Norberto’s Deadline / Norberto apenas tarde
Director: Daniel Hendler (Uruguay)
When a young man joins a theater group -- following his boss’s orders -- his life starts to change.

Documentaries:

Che, A New Man / Che, un hombre nuevo
Director: Tristan Bauer (Argentina)
Bauer’s intimate look at the larger-than-life Che Guevara demonstrates both his ideals and his passion, with never-before-seen private documents and recordings. This film was 12 years in the making.

The Death of Pinochet / La muerte de Pinochet
Directors: Bettina Perut, Ivan Osnovikoff (Chile)
This documentary takes to the streets on the day of Pinochet’s death, capturing intensely divided reactions. The directors will be present for Q&A at each screening.

El Varal
Director: Marta Ferrer (Mexico)
Ferrer’s documentary contrasts the fanfare of a village’s patron saint day with the post-celebration calm, haunted by the absence of families who have emigrated to the U.S.

The Cuban film Long Distance is directed by Esteban Insausti, considered one of the most prominent directors of the avant-garde movement in Cuba. The film explores the emotional impact of the exodus of Cubans to the U.S. over the last several years through the story of a single woman coming to terms with the loss of her friends.

Insausti, a major exponent of the new generation of so-called "independent" Cuban filmmakers, will be in attendance, joined by the film’s stars Alexis Diaz de Villegas, Anna Biu and Zulema Clares for Q&As following the screenings.

Two special screenings will feature live musical accompaniment:

• The Stoessel Expedition is a restored gem from 1928 about a car journey from Buenos Aires to New York that includes previously unseen footage of Latin American capitals at the time. The screening will feature live piano accompaniment by original score composer Donald Sosin.
• The Brazilian Coffin Joe horror cult classic This Night I Will Possess Your Corpse will feature the original music score and performance by guitarist Gary Lucas.

Special Filmmaker Panel Presentation:

Central American Cinema Today
Co-presented with Casa Clementina and Cinema Tropical and sponsored by New York Women in Film and Television (NYWIFT), the panel features the festival’s filmmakers discussing innovative forms of local film production in Central America, marking the first time the subject has been addressed at a NYC-based film festival.

In conjunction with the panel, there is a screening of Marimbas from Hell / Marimbas del infierno directed by Julio Hernández Cordón. This film is a mockumentary about a collaboration between a homeless marimba player and a pioneer of Guatemalan heavy metal music. The director and producer Pamela Guinea will attend and participate in Q&As following each screening.

For more information, go to www.filmlinc.com .

Latinbeat Film Festival
August 10 - 24, 2011

Walter Reade Theater
The Film Society of Lincoln Center
165 West 65 Street
New York City

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