Life in a middle-class neighbourhood in present day Recife, Brazil, takes an unexpected turn after the arrival of an independent private security firm. The presence of these men brings a sense of safety and a good deal of anxiety to a culture which runs on fear. Meanwhile, Bia, married and mother of two, must find a way to deal with the constant barking and howling of her neighbour’s dog. A slice of ‘Braziliana’, a reflection on history, violence and noise.
CPH:PIX, 2012 Best Film
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Thursday Till Sunday (De jueves a domingo) Directed by Dominga Sotomayor Chile/The Netherlands, 2012, 96 minutes In Spanish with English subtitles
Paco Chaves (Francisco Savinovich) leads a careless and charmed life on coast of Ecuador. A life that is all about illicit drugs and the forbidden love affair he carries with Lucia (Leovanna Orlandini), his former high school sweetheart, now married to another man. One night, Paco and his younger brother Luis (Victor Arauz), a punk rock musician with an even bigger drub problem, enter their parent’s home to steal a porcelain horse to pawn in order to score more drugs. Their father catches them in the act and a fight ensues. The consequences of the fight will haunt both brothers, and will change the lives of everyone around them, forever.
In competition, Warsaw Film Festival
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 2011 Blood of My Blood (Sangue de Meu Sangue) Directed by Joao Canijo Portugal, 2011, 133 minutes In Portuguese with English subtitles
Suburban malls, the Internet, pornography, violence and teen boredom in Chile’s most influential social sector. Hockey enthusiast Camilo (Santiago de Aguirre) tries to adapt to his new family, TV host wannabe Belen (Alicia Rodríguez) insists on shooting a video for a casting call, and skateboarder Aníbal (Luis Balmaceda) becomes plagued by feelings of anguish and frustration, leading to violent outbursts.
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Craft (Riscado) A film by Gustavo Pizzi Brazil, 2011, 84 minutes
Bianca (Karine Teles) is an excellent actress, but theater doesn’t pay the bills yet. In order to make a living, she impersonates movie divas and promotes events. Bianca auditions for a big international production and gets the part. The director of the film, inspired by her work, changes the character he wrote into a version of Bianca.
Is this the chance of a lifetime?
Best Actress, Rio International Film Festival
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Machete Language(El lenguaje de los machetes) A film by Kyzza Terrazas Mexico, 2011, 85 minutes In Spanish with English subtitles
Ray (Andrés Almeida) and Ramona (Jessy Bulbo) are a young couple, unhappy with the injustices of the society they live in. Each forms their own niche – Ramona as a musician, Ray as an activist. Together they try to fight for a more just world. Devoted to self-sabotage, Ray fails in his rebellion, dragging Ramona into a downward spiral that culminates in an act of poetic terrorism.
“Bulbo and Ameida couldn’t be more perfect.” – Chicago Film examiner
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The Parents (Los Viejos) A film by Martín Boulocq Bolivia, 2011, 73 minutes In Spanish with English subtitles
Toño (Roberto Guilhon) sets off on a long journey back to his hometown in the south of Bolivia. Many years have passed since he was driven out of his home, however things have now changed with his family. Mario (Julio Iglesias), his adopted father, suffers from a disease and cannot speak. Ana (Andrea Camponovo), with whom he shared his childhood and who was his first love, is now a single mother of a 9 year-old child.
With silent characters, recurring dreams, long walks through the countryside, childhood friends with almost nothing in common, LOS VIEJOS is a film about absence and loneliness, banishment and abrupt separations, and above all, it is a story about the attempt to reconcile with the past.
International premiere, Busan International Film Festival
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2010
Marimbas from Hell (Marimbas del infierno)
Julio Hernández Cordon
Guatemala/Mexico/France, 2010, 73 minutes
In Spanish with English subtitles
When tradition meets heavy metal
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A Useful Life (La vida útil)
Uruguay, 2010, 67 minutes
In Spanish with English subtitles
A love letter to cinema
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Summer of Goliath (Verano de Goliat)
A film by Nicolás Pereda
Mexico/Canada/The Netherlands, 2010, 76 minutes
In Spanish with English subtitles
“A distinctive voice from fertile Mexican soil!” – Jay Kuehner, Senses of Cinema
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World premiere, 2010 Venice Internatinal Film Festival
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Half of Oscar (La mitad de Oscar)
A film by Manuel Martín Cuenca
Spain/Cuba 2010, 89 minutes
In Spanish with English subtitles
Sometimes it takes two to complete a person
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Hiroshima
A film by Pablo Stoll
Uruguay/Argentina/Colombia
Spain, 2010, 80 minutes
A silent musical based on true fact
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The Joy (A Alegria)
Directed by Felipe Bragança and Marina Meliande
Brazil, 2010, 106 minutes
In Portuguese with English subtitles
World premiere, Cannes 2010, Director’s Fortnight
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Paulista (Quanto Dura o Amor?)
Directed by Roberto Moreira
Brazil, 2009, 82 minutes
In Portuguese with English subtitles
Best Actress Award, Paulinea Film Festival
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Smoke Gets in Your Eyes (É Proibido Fumar)
A black comedy by Anna Muylaert
Brazil, 2009, 86 minutes
In Portuguese with English subtitles
Love can cloud your judgement
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I Travel Because I Have to, I Come Back Because I Love You
(Viajo Porque Preciso, Volto Porque Te Amo)
A film by Karim Aïnouz and Marcelo Gomes
Brazil, 2009, 75 min
In Portuguese with English subtitles
“Beautifully constructed and ultimately transendent!” – Variety
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 2008
Our Beloved Month of August (Aquele Querido Mes de Agosto)
A film by Miguel Gomes
Portugal, 2008, 147 min
In Portuguese with English subtitles
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Camila JAM (Nome Proprio)
A film by Murilo Salles
Brazil, 2008, 120 minutes
In Portuguese with English subtitles
No one goes through life unscathed
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 2007
Proper Eyes (Por sus propios ojos)
A film by Liliana Paolinelli
Argentina, 2007, 80 minutes
In Spanish with English subtitles
When you search the truth, look at the world with proper eyes
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Body (Corpo)
A film by Rossana Foglia & Rubens Rewald
Brazil, 2007, 85 minutes
Portuguese with English subtitles
Audience Award, Sao Paulo Internatinal Film Festival
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Alice’s House (A Casa de Alice)
A film by Chico Teixeira
Brazil, 2007, 93 minutes
In Portuguese with English subtitles
Winner of over 30 international awards