Latin Beat 2001! Recent Films from Latin America august 10 - september 8, 2001 photo: o auto da compadecida / the dog's will

See information about our box office sales here. film descriptions and times Sponsored by Nazca Saatchi & Saatchi Latin Beat 2001! is presented by the Film Society of Lincoln Center in collaboration with the Mexican Cultural Institute and the Instituto Cervantes. Special thanks go to Angel Collado-Schwarz and the Secretaría de Relaciones Exteriores (Mexico). Sponsored by Nazca Saatchi & Saatchi. Now in its third edition, Latin Beat! is the Film Society's bi- annual survey of recent films from around Latin America. Recent years have witnessed the beginning of what some observers are calling a renaissance of filmmaking throughout the region, as evidenced by the international success of Brazil's Central Station, Mexico's Amores Perros, as well as a number of recent Argentine films. These works and others have established a fruitful dialog with films from all over the world; no longer are Europe and the U.S. the reference points for the new generation of filmmakers, as they are just as likely to be influenced and inspired by works from East Asia or Iran. Today's Latin American cinema shows both the legacy of its historical development as well as a bold vision of a new future. Great emphasis has been placed on the creation of national, regional and international infrastructures that will ensure a sound economic base for film production, distribution and exhibition. Greater cooperation can also be seen in the increasing number of co-productions between Latin American nations or with Spain, Germany and even the U.S. Although film production can be found throughout Latin America, the last few years have witnessed the return of the older, more established national cinemas of the traditional centers of Latin American film production: Mexico, Brazil and Argentina. The Argentine cinema, especially, has had extremely impressive resurgence; not only is contemporary Argentine film - celebrated earlier this year already at the Walter Reade - becoming an increasing presence at international film festivals, but in 2000 Argentine films commanded 20% of their own domestic market - a figure few European nations could match. Brazilian cinema, down in the single digits in the early '90s, will reach at least 60 films this year, as many of the young filmmakers whose impressive short films provided one of the few bright spots in the past few years now move into feature film production. Many, although by no means all, of the best Latin American films address societal problems and realities, yet in recent years there has been a wholesale re-definition of the "political" to include such subjects as women's rights, ethnic or gender identity, and the confluence of issues and cultures that comprise Latin America. - Richard Peña Latin Beat 2001! has been curated by Marcela Goglio, Cord Dueppe and Inés Aslan. Swaying to the Latin Beat! As a sidebar to this year's Latin Beat! program we've scheduled a number of films that explore, document and celebrate the music of Latin America, most especially the music of the Caribbean. In the wake of the international popularity of Latin music - and of Wim Wenders's Buena Vista Social Club - filmmakers from many nations and cultures have headed to the region, often discovering through their work new forms or styles of music, as well as some extraordinary musicians little known outside of their communities or countries. A very special feature of this musical sidebar will be two presentations on August 15 of extremely rare film clips of Cuban, Mexican, Puerto Rican and U.S. musical legends, hosted by archivist and historian Henry Medina. Sorry, but no dancing (just kidding). Films in this sidebar are indicated in the program with the phrase: Music Sidebar. Many of the descriptions were taken from catalogues of the Chicago International Film Festival, the San Diego Latino Film Festival, the Toronto International Film Festival, the International Film Festival Rotterdam, the Berlin International Film Festival, the Buenos Aires International Independent Film Festival and the Havana Film Festival.

hacerse el sueco / it happened in havana sin dejar huella / without a trace pantaleón y las visitadoras / captain pantoja and the special services viva cepeda! cómo se forma una rumba /how to create a rumba 25 watts herencia / inheritance special event: that latin beat memórias póstumas / posthumous memories cuba feliz urbania crónica de un desayuno / a breakfast chronicle van, van, let's party amores possíveis / possible loves florentino y el diablo / florentino and the devil lágrimas negras / black tears ratas, ratones, rateros a la medianoche y media / at half past midnight el vinedo / the vineyard coronacion / coronation tocá para mí / play for me sexo, pudor y lágrimas / sex, shame and tears

HACERSE EL SUECO / IT HAPPENED IN HAVANA Daniel Díaz Torres, Cuba / Germany / Spain, 2000; 105m Masquerading as a Swedish literature professor in Cuba, a thief plots a spectacular jewel heist. He ends up with more than he bargained for when he falls for the daughter of a retired police officer and is practically adopted by her family. Immersed in Havana's daily life, the seemingly innocent tourist must "play the Swede" and even give an impromptu lecture on Pippi Longstocking before he can commit the near perfect crime. But will his double life cost him the woman he loves? It's time to make a decision: which jewel should he choose: the one he's stolen, or the one who's stolen his heart? Fri Aug 10: 4 Sun Aug 12: 9:15 Mon Aug 13: 3:15 TINTA ROJA / RED INK Francisco Lombardi, Peru, 2000; 121m One of Latin America's best directors, Lombardi powerfully shows how corruption can become institutionalized, bringing down even those who claim to oppose it. Alfonso, a young idealistic aspiring writer from provincial Peru, starts working in the crime section of "El Clamor," a sensationalist newspaper in Lima. His boss, Faúndez, who is cynical and disappointed with life, is exactly the opposite of what he wants to become as a journalist. Yet as his professional life unfolds in that dark and sordid world, Alfonso changes in ways that he least expects. Fri Aug 10: *6:15 Sun Aug 12: *3:30 Tue Aug 14: 1 *Filmmaker present SIN DEJAR HUELLA / WITHOUT A TRACE María Novaro, Mexico / Spain, 2000; 120m Ana (Aitana Sánchez-Gijón), a smuggler of counterfeit pre-Columbian artifacts, hitches a ride with Aurelia (Tiaré Scanda), a single mother fleeing a dead-end maquiladora job in Ciudad Juárez - and her drug-dealing boyfriend. The two women head for the Yucatán province, Aurelia's infant son stowed in the back of her truck, and are pursued all the way by...whom? Both women have plenty of reasons to worry. A humorous and revealing portrait of the two women and their reluctant friendship, WITHOUT A TRACE subtly weaves in commentary about U.S-Mexico border politics and the status of indigenous Mexicans. Another witty, energetic film from the director of Danzón. Fri Aug 10: 9:15* Sun Aug 12: 6:30* Tue Aug 14: 3:30 *Filmmaker present PANTALEÓN Y LAS VISITADORAS / CAPTAIN PANTOJA AND THE SPECIAL SERVICES Francisco Lombardi, Perú, 1999; 110m (based on the novel by Mario Vargas Llosa) The Peruvian army captain Pantaleón Pantoja, a very serious and efficient officer, is chosen by his superiors to set up a special service of "visitors" to satisfy the sexual needs of the soldiers posted on remote jungle outposts. At first unhappy about this assignment, he nonetheless puts his remarkable organizational skills into action and in a short time has his "unit" running smoothly. The recruitment of this "love guerrilla" and the later consequences of its arrival at the military camps help Lombardi to establish a humorous, ironic reflection on the hierarchies of authority that shape not only the military forces but all of Peruvian society. Sat Aug 11: *3:30 Mon Aug 13: 1 & 8:30 *Filmmaker present VIVA CEPEDA! Mario Díaz, Puerto Rico, 1999, video; 50m VIVA CEPEDA! chronicles the remarkable life of San Francisco Giants' slugger Orlando Cepeda. His life story is an inspiring one, as he was able to overcome poverty, various physical limitations, and personal hardships. Cepeda's career was a long and fruitful one. Yet off the field his life was fraught with controversy. Cepeda, however, was able to pick up the pieces and turn his life around for the better. In 1999, the Hall of Fame Veterans' Committee voted him in, a true vindication for a man who had tried so hard to rebuild his life. Orlando Cepeda will appear in person on Saturday, August 11, and Monday, August 13. Preceded by UMA HISTORIA DE FUTEBOL / A SOCCER STORY Paulo Machline, Brazil, 2000; 20m This original short documentary film depicts a real story that took place in 1950. A SOCCER STORY is told by its protagonist, Antonio Fagundes, who at that time was Pelé's best friend. It depicts the story of a championship's final match between two juvenile teams, one of which had Fagundes and Pelé as its players. Sat Aug 11: *6:15 Mon Aug 13: *6:15 Wed Aug 15: 1 *Filmmaker present CÓMO SE FORMA UNA RUMBA / HOW TO CREATE A RUMBA Iván Acosta, Cuba / USA, 1999, video; 73m Music Sidebar A lively and loving celebration of a musical odyssey that moves from the west coast of Africa via Havana to the streets of New York City and Miami. Combining conversations with musicians with footage of their performances, Iván Acosta sheds light on the origins of some of the most popular Cuban rhythms - the mambo, cha-cha-cha, bolero and, most notably, rumba - taking us on a musical journey,from the Abakua to what is known as "salsa" today. Sat Aug 11: *8:30 Thurs Aug 16: 1:30 & *9:30 *Filmmaker present 25 WATTS Juan Pablo Rebella and Pablo Stoll, Uruguay, 2001; 92m A surprise hit at this year's Rotterdam Film Festival, 25 WATTS is a wry, Montevideo "slacker comedy" that captures the ups and downs of just hanging out. Leche, Javi and Seba wander around the neighborhood with nothing much to do. They drink beer, smoke, talk about girls. They spend the day trying to escape from boredom, facing the twists and turns of love, interacting with friends and other picturesque characters from the "barrio" - a paranoid delivery man, a fake hippie talking trash, a weird video club owner. Fresh and funny, 25 WATTS is an auspicious debut for co-directors Rebella and Stoll. Wed Aug 15: 2:30 Sat Aug 18: 4:45 Tue Aug 21: 9 HERENCIA / INHERITANCE Paula Hernández, Argentina, 2001; 92m Olinda, an Italian who emigrated to Argentina in the early '50s, owns a small restaurant in the suburbs of Buenos Aires. One day Peter, a young German tourist searching for the woman who stole his heart, turns up at her doorstep. Moving beyond their initial mistrust, these two "foreigners" will form a unique bond, each learning from the other a lot about themselves. Paula Hernández, making her feature debut, tells an intimate, tender story, graced by wonderful performances, which explores the effects of geographical and emotional displacement. Thurs Aug 16: 3:15 Fri Aug 17: *5 Sat Aug 18: *8:45 *Filmmaker present SPECIAL EVENT: THAT LATIN BEAT: A SHORT HISTORY OF LATIN MUSIC PRESENCE IN THE U.S., MEXICO, CUBA AND PUERTO RICO, 1930S - 1960S Music Sidebar Collector extraordinaire Henry Medina will lead us on a sentimental journey through the history of Latin music. This rare screening features the cream of Cuban and Puerto Rican musical artists and bands; much of this material was shot in Mexico, the U.S., Cuba, Puerto Rico and elsewhere between the 1930's and 1960's, and has not been seen by the public for many years. The fruit of over 30 years' work, Mr. Medina's collection has been featured in motion pictures and documentaries around the world. Wed Aug 15: *6:30 & *9 *Henry Medina present EL CHACOTERO SENTIMENTAL / THE SENTIMENTAL TEASER Cristian Galaz, Chile, 1999; 90m Rumpy is an eccentric young radio host whose call-in program, El Chacotero Sentimental, is the rage throughout all of Chile. His candid but humorous advice to the lovelorn strikes a chord with his listeners. It is business as usual as El Chacotero Sentimental takes on three callers who spill their hearts and inner thoughts for Rumpy and the whole of Chile to hear. But are these torrid tales of love affairs, family secrets and unusual circumstances really that unusual? An enormous success in Chile, EL CHACOTERO SENTIMENTAL is based on an actual radio program, and its stories are derived from calls received on it. Fri Aug 17: 1 Sat Aug 18: 6:45 Sun Aug 19: 5:40 Mon Aug 20: 9 MEMÓRIAS PÓSTUMAS / POSTHUMOUS MEMORIES André Klotzel, Brazil / Portugal, 1999; 101m An acclaimed adaptation of Machado de Assis's classic novel, Posthumous Memories begins with the death of its protagonist. Yet no sooner has he passed away than Bras Cubas, the deceased, decides to delay his passage to the other side long enough to dictate his memoirs. After a short introduction during which he describes, for science's sake, his death throes, Bras transports us back to those heady days of amorous adventures and erotic disappointments. With a wink, he lets us in on secrets his contemporaries never would have guessed. Klotzel effectively translates to the screen the sense of intimate dialog with the readers/viewers around which Machado structured his novel. Beautifully produced, the film features stellar performances from Sonia Braga and Reginaldo Faria. Fri Aug 17: 3 & 7:30; Sun Aug 19: 9:15 CUBA FELIZ Karim Dridi, France, 2000; 90m Music Sidebar Karim Dridi, a French-Tunisian director (Bye-Bye, ND/NF 1998) traveled to Cuba to film this touching portrait of the "grassroots" of Cuban music. The film revolves around "El Gallo" (the Rooster), a wizened old troubadour who hitches his way across Cuba, guitar case in hand. As he keeps meeting many old friends and acquaintances, the music and the camera follow. Director Dridi captures a variety of musical styles in informal settings - at the sports ground, in the street, in the courtyard, in the modest living rooms of his friends and acquaintances, even at the kitchen sink. What makes this film special is the refreshingly uninhibited enthusiasm that the people, in spite of clearly evident poverty and hardship, bring to their music. Fri Aug 17: 9:45 Mon Aug 20: 12:30 Wed Aug 22: 9 Tue Aug 28: 8 pm URBANIA Flavio Federico, Brazil, 2001; 70m Several recent films - the Argentine Moebius, the Mexican Amores Perros - have taken on the contemporary Latin American city as their subject; URBANIA is an interesting addition to this trend. This partly fiction, partly documentary film follows the 24-hour trajectory of two outsiders who rediscover the city of São Paulo in an old convertible. One is a smart driver, the other, an old blind man who lived there during the best years of his life, in the late '50s. The megalopolis reveals itself by casual meetings with its inhabitants. The glamour days are gone. Now is time to struggle for survival. Wed Aug 15: 4:30 Sat Aug 18: 3 Sun Aug 19: 7:30 LISTA DE ESPERA / THE WAITING LIST Juan Carlos Tabío, Cuba, 2000; 102m Juan Carlos Tabío, co-director of Strawberry and Chocolate, re-unites the stars of that film (Jorge Perogurriá and Vladimiro Cruz) for this pointed satire on socialist ideals and realities. Dozens of passengers wait in a roadside station for the arrival of the bus, hoping to score one of the available seats. Finally it arrives - and then promptly breaks down. Forced to spend the next few days together while repairs go on, all the passengers come together and try to make a go at it, revealing an unexpected ability to work together. But then it's time to leave.... Sat Aug 18: 1 Tue Aug 21:12:30 Sun Aug 26: 7:45 CRÓNICA DE UN DESAYUNO / A BREAKFAST CHRONICLE Benjamín Cann, Mexico, 2000; 120m In this deliciously kinky film that takes place in the wee hours of a Mexico City morning, long-absent Pedro returns to preside over his seriously bent family. But while Pedro is busy making love to his wife, their children Blanca, Teo and Marcos have different ideas about their father's return. Meanwhile, the neighbors are up to their own devices in a wickedly funny and highly charged erotic drama that involves a set of electric trains. This stylish film explores love at its extremes and sex at its most poetically inventive. Wed Aug 22: 12:30 Sat Aug 25: *8 Mon Aug 27: *8:30 *Filmmaker present VAN, VAN, EMPEZÓ LA FIESTA! / VAN, VAN, LET'S PARTY! Liliana Mazure and Aarón Vega, Argentina / Cuba, 2000; 84m Music Sidebar The concert begins. Havana, December 4th, night of Santa Bárbara Changó. One hundred thousand people vibrate at the Malecón by the sea. Surrendered to the overwhelming rhythms, swaying their hips, the audience celebrates the 30 years of this immensely popular Cuban dance band. This documentary magically links 15 stories that trace the history of Los Van Van and its leader and composer, Juan Formell, and show how they produced this 30-year old cultural phenomenon. Thurs Aug 23: 12:30 Fri Aug 24: *9:15 Sun Aug 26: *3 *Filmmaker present SOLÓ POR HOY / JUST FOR TODAY Ariel Rotter, Argentina, 2000; 100m Just for Today is a dramatic comedy about five young people who try to survive their disappointments and fulfill their desires in today’s Argentina. Like a series of frescoes, the film follows its protagonists as they try to reach the end of each day by working, hanging out and falling in love. Just For Today emerged from piles of Polaroids and recorded conversations of people unknown to its director. Its freshness, spontaneity and simplicity result in an exciting picture of which Buenos Aires is not only beautiful context but also clearly one more of its protagonists. Fri Aug 24: 7 Sun Aug 26: 9:45 CUBA, ISLAND OF MUSIC Gary Keys US, 2000; 80m Music Sidebar This film profiles world-renowned Cuban artists such as Orquesta Aragón, Los Safiros, and Manolín, yet it is also a documentary about the ordinary people of Cuba. From their homes, their streets, their schools, their clubs and their theaters, these lively people have delivered to the world one of the greatest musical creations of modern times. Filmed in Cuba and New York, the film takes us into the barrios, onto the streets and out to country villages, presenting a musical portrait of the Cuban people, the way they live their lives, work their trades, love, play and dance in constant celebration of their irrepressible spirit. Thurs Aug 23: *9:15 Fri Aug 24: 1 Wed Aug 29: *9:15 *Filmmaker present AMORES POSSÍVEIS / POSSIBLE LOVES Sandra Werneck, Brazil, 2000; 100m Tropical rain beats down outside a cinema lobby in Rio de Janeiro as Carlos waits for his first date with Julia. She never shows up. A tiny disturbance in the fabric of fate, a commonplace event, barely registered - but one from which alternate realities can spring. Fifteen years later we find Carlos living three lives. In the first, he is a wealthy lawyer with a comfortable but passionless marriage, childless. In the second, he is divorced from Julia, living with Pedro, a sympathetic fellow he met playing soccer. In the third, he lives with his mother and carries on an extended adolescence, sneaking women into his bedroom after a night in the bars. Each of Carlos's destinies is challenged by an encounter - with a Julia. The first is a reserved and sophisticated beauty whom he meets in an art gallery; the second is the ex-wife with whom the old flame rekindles; the third is a wild, aggressive, and eccentric artist. Fri Aug 24: 3 Sat Aug 25: 5:45 Mon Aug 27: 6:15 FLORENTINO Y EL DIABLO / FLORENTINO AND THE DEVIL Michael New, Venezuela, 1995; 65m Folktales from Venezuela's llano region provided the inspiration for Michael New's debut feature. Florentino, a young horseman and singer, is a free spirit living in the Venezuelan plains without restrictions. As time passes and life begins to get more and more complicated for Florentino, the unspoiled plains start to change around him. He then confronts the devil in a duel of improvised verses. Even with the help of his powerful skills, Florentino has a hard time conquering the plains. His defiance of the devil represents the eternal fight, within his culture, between good and evil, between life and death. Fri Aug 24: 5:15 Fri Aug 31: 1 LÁGRIMAS NEGRAS / BLACK TEARS Sonia Herman Dolz, Cuba / Netherlands, 1997; 75m Music Sidebar Five "Godfathers of Salsa" known as the Vieja Trova Santiaguera are captured in this intimate and inspiring look at their lives and their art. Preserving their culture, traditions and patriotism through the acoustic rhythms of the Cuban son, these men, ranging in age from 60 to 90, share their memories, loves, wisdom and music with the world. Whether playing in their living rooms or in sold-out concert halls, these artists, reunited as the legendary Guarachera Cubana, show us how to live life to the fullest as they embark on a five-month tour of Europe. LÁGRIMAS NEGRAS's beautiful cinematography brings closer the warm amber tones and enchanting visuals found in the mecca of the son Cubano. A wonderful film about wonderful music! preceded by VIRTUOSOS Luis Armando Roche, Venezuela, 2000; 52m An informative, heartfelt tribute to some of the masters of Venezuelan music - cuatro players Fredy Reyna and Jacinto Perez, Fulgencio Aquino (arpa mirandina), and Ignacio "Indio" Figueredo (arpa llanera) - that powerfully illustrates, through vintage footage, interviews and contemporary performances, the mingling of traditions and influences from the coast and the interior that have combined for a unique sound. Sat Aug 25: 3 Mon Aug 27: 3:15 Mon Sept 3: 1 GOLPE DE ESTADIO / TIME OUT Sergio Cabrera, Colombia / Italy / Spain, 1998; 105m As bullets fly between Flavio Caballero's revolutionaries and short-fused rural policemen at the remote "New Texas" oil exploration site, guerilla love blooms between Nicolás Montero and Julio Medem muse Emma Suárez - but all combat stops at 3:00. Why? Colombia's in the '94 World Cup, that's why! And even tracking down a traitor comes in second before protecting those TV antennas. Final score: Colombia 5 - Argentina 0. This award-winning Colombian film was shot in the middle of 1998, during one of the most violent periods in Colombia's ongoing civil war. In order to shoot the film, Cabrera had to meet not only with the Colombian military, but also with the heads of the Paramilitary and both major guerrilla movements. They collectively agreed to make a truce in the area where filming was going to take place. As President Pastrana and the guerillas continue to play flirtatiously with making peace, the film still resonates with meaning in 2001; it serves as an important introduction not only to the need for peace, but as a spark of hope that Colombia might some day solve its problems. - Ben Odell, one of the screenwriters of the film. Sun Aug 26: *5 Mon Aug 27: 1 Wed Aug 29: 5 Fri Aug 31: *2:30 *Screenwriter present RATAS, RATONES, RATEROS Sebastián Cordero, Ecuador, 1999; 107m In this sober and accurate depiction of juvenile delinquency in Latin America's urban centers, a young petty thief named Salvador begins a journey towards a more serious criminal life. Salvador's cousin, Angel, a jaded ex-convict who is desperate for quick cash, enlists Salvador in a series of questionable get-rich-quick schemes. The more Salvador participates in Angel's scams, the more he understands how easy it is for a person to be seduced and corrupted by the mean streets of the city. A gritty and powerful view of desperate living in Ecuador. Tue Aug 28: 1 Thurs Aug 30: 6:15 Fri Aug 31: 5:15 Sat Sept 1: 3 O AUTO DA COMPADECIDA / THE DOG'S WILL Guel Arraes, Brazil, 1999; 104m Based on a much-loved Brazilian play by Ariano Suassuna, THE DOG'S WILL follows the natural and supernatural adventures of a couple of outback ne'er do-wells, João Grilo and Chico. A born schemer, João Grilo (wonderfully played by Mateus Nachtergaele), delights in using the pretensions, obsessions and jealousies of the local clerics and bigwigs (or bourgeoisie - your choice) always to his own profit and advantage. But even the most clever schemes can backfire, and Joao and Chico finally request divine intervention in the form of the Virgin and her son to save the day. Featuring Fernanda Montenegro. (Note: Ariano Suassuna's original play is known in English as The Rogue's Trial). Tue Aug 28: 3:15 Thurs Aug 30: 8:30 Sat Sept 1: 5:15 Wed Sept 5: 8:15 A LA MEDIANOCHE Y MEDIA / AT HALF PAST MIDNIGHT Mariana Rondón and Marité Ugás, Venezuela / Perú, 1999; 90m A science-fiction flavored tale that was a great hit in Venezuela, AT HALF PAST MIDNIGHT begins as news reports announce that an enormous tidal wave is heading towards the coast. Almost the entire population of a seaside town abandons it for higher ground. Among those who remain are Sebastián, Ana and a girl who was left behind by her parents. These three enigmatic characters wander through the streets as they follow their own rules of the game, using the abandoned town as their game board, in an attempt to fend off their loneliness and inability to communicate with others as they face the impending doom. Wed Aug 29: 1 Fri Aug 31: 9:30 Sun Sept 2: 3 EL VIÑEDO / THE VINEYARD Esteban Schroeder, Uruguay / Chile, 2000; 87m The reporter of a regional newspaper gets a spectacular exclusive on a case of drug dealing in the streets of Montevideo. When the dealer is unexpectedly and mysteriously set free the following day, Joaquin, the reporter, sets out to investigate. His discoveries, as well as the sudden disappearance of the dealer's brother, initially point to the police as culprits. But in order to advance his investigation, Joaquin must obtain information in illegitimate ways and is soon confronted with a moral dilemma - how far should he go in pursuit of the truth? Wed Aug 29: 3 & 7:15 Sat Sept 1: 9:45 CORONACIÓN / CORONATION Silvio Caiozzi, Chile, 2000; 140m José Donoso's great novel is brought to the screen in a moving, intelligent adaptation by veteran director Silvio Caiozzi. Don Andrés, the last heir of the wealthy Ávalos family, feels that his 58 years of life have been wasted on reading and searching for the reason of existence. When he hires a 17-year-old girl from the countryside to care for his senile grandmother, Don Andrés feels ashamed but can't control the powerful desire he feels for her. His psychological collapse becomes inevitable and with it, the deterioration of the great Ávalos dynasty. Thurs Aug 30: 1 Sun Sept 2: *5 Mon Sept 3: *5:45 *Filmmaker present TOCÁ PARA MÍ / PLAY FOR ME Rodrigo Fürth, Argentina, 2001; 101m Carlos is a drummer in a punk rock band in Buenos Aires. Genaro, an old Italian immigrant and accordion player, adopted Carlos as a child, though he never told him about the precise circumstances behind the adoption. When Genaro dies, Carlos's world collapses. He decides to leave for Los Angeles, the village of his birthplace, to solve his life's mystery. PLAY FOR ME describes this journey - as much a geographical trip as a process of self-discovery - in which Carlos discovers not only his roots but also his music and his love. Thurs Aug 30: 4 Fri Aug 31: 7:30 Mon Sept 3: 3:45 UN PARAISO BAJO LAS ESTRELLAS / A PARADISE UNDER THE STARS Gerardo Chijona, Spain/Cuba, 1999; 90m Cuban nightlife heats up when mistaken identities and entangled relationships take the floor in writer/director Gerardo Chijona's screwball comedy. Eager to follow in her mother's footsteps, beautiful Sissy longs to dance at Havana's hottest club, the Tropicana. Her macho, truck-driving father, Candido, forbids it. When a mysterious biker, Sergito, comes to stay at the house, it is only a matter of time before love strikes. It's soap opera mayhem at its finest! Seduction, revenge, death, and miracles all rolled into one fast-paced and deliciously campy tale about young love, birthmarks, and Havana's hottest club, the Tropicana. Tue Sept 4: 1 Wed Sept 5: 1:30 & 6:15 Sat Sep 8: 2:30 SEXO, PUDOR Y LÁGRIMAS / SEX, SHAME AND TEARS Antonio Serrano, Mexico, 1999; 109m One of the hottest box office hits ever in all of Mexican film history, Sex, Shame and Tears is a sophisticated, hip and modern tale of love, loss, betrayal, infidelity and friendship told through the lives of three men and three women each immersed in their own desperate search for love in a modern Latin American metropolis. The presence of unannounced guests in the house of Ana and Carlos triggers a series of infidelities, break ups and reconciliations. What started as a lover’s quarrel quickly escalates into a full-blown Battle of the Sexes. Sat Sept 1: 7:30 Sun Sept 2: 8:15 Mon Sept 3: 9 Wed Sept 5: 3:30 Email this web page to a friend! Enter the recipient's e-mail address: