Catch the latest in Venezuelan films in Houston this August. Highlights include:

Pelo Malo (Bad Hair)
A 10-year-old boy's desire to straighten his kinky hair causes outsized conflict with his unemployed, harassed single mother in Mariana Rondon's Caracas-set drama. Unexpected issues related to Venezuela's volatile economic situation and the young boy's seemingly incipient gay form the core of this finely acted, deceptively small-scaled story. 

Read an interview with director Mariana Rondon here.

Libertador (The Liberator)
Edgar Ramirez plays Simon Bolivar in Libertador (The Liberator), opening nationwide on Friday, Oct. 3. In case you didn't know, Simon Bolivar is one of the greatest figures in Latin American history, and played a pivotal role in winning the region's independence from Spain in the 19th century.  Much like the men who led the revolution in the United States, Bolivar's legacy is claimed by many different factions in contemporary South American countries. 

Houston: August 11 - 15. Full details on their website.