Titles from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Guatemala, and Mexico are included in this festival presented by the Film Society of Lincoln Center. Films from established and new filmmakers are in the lineup. A couple highlights:
La tierra y la sombra (Land and Shade), Colombia
The elderly Alfonso (Haimer Leal) returns to the small house in Valle del Cauca he left 17 years earlier in order to care for his bedridden son Geraldo (Edison Raigosa), who suffers from a mysterious ailment related to the harsh farming techniques of the sugar-cane plantations around them. Tensions quietly simmer between Alfonso and his ex-wife (the wonderful Hilda Ruiz), but familial ties and pride keep them tied to the land in Acevedo’s meditative and painterly allegory.
Film selected in the Critic´s week from the Cannes Film Festival 2015 Produced by Burning Blue (Colombia) Coproduced by Topkapi Films (Holland), Rampante Films (Chile), Ciné-Sud Promotion (France) and Preta Portê (Brazil) Directed by: César Acevedo Produced by: Diana Bustamante, Paola Pérez and Jorge Forero Cinematographer: Mateo Guzmán Production design: Marcela Gómez Sound: Felipe Rayo Editing: Miguel Schverdfinger Sound design: Roberto Espinoza Sound Mix: Jean Guy Veran
Ixcanul, Guatemala
Maria (María Mercedes Coroy) is set to marry a much older foreman at the coffee plantation, but she has a crush on Pepe, who has fanciful dreams of getting rich in the U.S. After consummating their flirtation, Pepe leaves for the States—without Maria, who soon learns she is expecting a baby. A difficult pregnancy assisted only by traditional medicine finally leads her to the hectic big city, but on very grim terms. Shot in collaboration with the Kaqchikel Mayans of Guatemala’s coffee-growing highlands, Jayro Bustamante’s exquisitely shot debut feature (winner of a top prize at the Berlinale and Guatemala’s Oscar submission) explores what tradition and modernity mean for women living in marginalized communities.
María, una joven maya de 17 años, vive sobre las faldas de un volcán activo en Guatemala. Un matrimonio arreglado la espera. Aunque María sueña con ver la "gran ciudad", su condición no le permite cambiar su destino.
New York: Jan. 7 - 10. Full lineup and details at the The Film Society of Lincoln Center website.