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Back to Films - 2001
  • Below is a full list of all the films showing at the San Diego Latino Film Festival 2000.
    To read about the movie, and find out when it is showing - click on its name.
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  • Print sources for the 1999 Film Festival - click here


Across the Line

Adios Mama

A Letter to Rachel

Bajo California ...
El Limite Del Tiempo

Beyond the Screams /
Mas Alla de los Gritos

Blink of an Eye

Bomba

Cocktail Molotov

Cococobana

Conejo

Crabgrass Manifesto

Cuarteto de la Habana

Cuarto Oscuro

Divine

Dream On

El Cometa

El Coronel no tiene
quien le escriba

El Dia Que Me Quieras

El Mismo Amor, La Misma Lluvia

El Muro

El Rey de Rock 'n' Roll 

For These Eyes

InAudito

I.N.F.I.T.D.

La Bamba

La historia de I y O

Las Papas del Papa

Lavelo y Uselo

La Vida Es Silbar

Luminarias

Mambo Cafe 

Mi Familia

Mosshunter

Necrofilia

Nuyorican Dream

Orfeu

Oriundi

Pancho's Revenge

Passing Berthoud

Period.

Perriferico

Pictures for the Family Album

Reves

Road Dogz 

Rum & Coke

S&M in the Hood

Segundo Siglo 

Semillas

Sexo, Pudor y Lagrimas

Short Changed

Si Me Comprienderas

Sketch

The Assumption of Lupe Velez

The Manhatitlan Chronicles

They Come at Night

Tres Veranos

Un Dulce Olor a Muerte

Un Embrujo

Un Sueno de Michoacan

Water, Mud, and Factories

Zoot Suit




Tuesday, March 7

Screen 1

5:30 p.m.
Water, Mud, and Factories
dirs. Joe Cardona and Mario de Varona
1998, USA, 105 min, 35mm, English & Spanish w/ English subtitles
Repeat screening

This film highlights the coming of age of an eleven-year-old Cuban-American boy living in Hialeah, Florida. Interesting circumstances and pushy relatives propel the boy into a much-anticipated adolescence, creating a curious and humorous look at the everyday occurrences of this exiled community. Produced and distributed by Kids In Exile film Company, Water, Mud, and Factories is part of one of the more interesting, telling, and topical trends developing at the SDLFF 2000, the emergence of a young, strong and very talented Cuban-American film community. There are two Cuban-American features in this festival, (Water, Mud, and Factories and Rum & Coke) selected from five submitted. SDLFF 2000 is also screening two Cuban films (Si No Me Comprienderas and La Vida Es Silbar) and our first ever Cuba/Spain co-production (Cuarteto De La Habana).
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7:30 p.m.
They Come at Night
dir. Lindy Laub
Feature Debut
1999, USA, 96 min, 35mm, English & Spanish w/ English subtitles

Following a failed suicide attempt, Salvadoran political refugee, Maria, must meet with psychologist Sarah Schaeffer. This film asks the question, who in fact is the real patient here, and who has the real power to cure? An extraordinary friendship begins, breaking professional boundaries and drawing them into a dangerous collaboration. They Come At Night is an intimate drama of friendship, survival, and transcendence. It marks the directing debut of Lindy Laub and features a heartbreakingly smashing performance by accomplished Mexican actress Elipidia Carillo (Mi Familia, Salvador, The Border).

Lindy Laub co-wrote the Bette Midler film, For The Boys, which earned the Divine Miss M. a Best Actress Oscar nomination in 1994.
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9:45 p.m.
Blink of an Eye
dir. Van Fischer
Feature Debut
1999, USA, 92 min, 35mm, English

This is the story of Tommy, who escapes his hellish childhood by murdering his horribly abusive father, and then lands in prison for a much lesser crime. Tommy's work release offers him a chance for a new life as a cook at St. Michael's school in east LA. His future looks promising for the first time because he meets Sophia, a schoolteacher who brings love into his life. Between a botched drug deal and his newfound love, an explosive ending culminates, as Tommy must choose between his happiness and his old dark ways. Sophia is played by Latina actress and audience favorite, Seidy Lopez (Mi Familia, Mi Vida Loca, Selena, Luminarias). Winner Best Feature, Best Director 1999 New York Film & Video Festival

For mature audiences.
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Screen 2

6:00 p.m.
Across the Line
dir. Martin Spottl
Feature Debut
2000, USA, 101 min, 35mm, English

Miranda flees Guatemala to seek freedom and opportunity in the United States, but in her attempt to get across the border, she witnesses a brutal murder involving corrupt U.S. Border Patrol agents. Should she step forward or should she protect her own safety by keeping quiet? Should the audience watch this film as part of the narco-border film genre that is so popular in the Latino video business, or should we watch this as a political movie with strong criticism of border and immigration policies? Across the Line also interweaves a bi-racial love affair between Miranda (Sigal Erez) and Grant Johnson (Brad Johnson), the Anglo Sheriff of Maverick County, Texas.

Sigal Erez co-wrote the screenplay for Across the Line (with director Martin Spottl) as well as thirteen episodes of the Televisa drama, Hotel San Miguel.

For mature audiences.
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8:00 p.m.
Sexo, Pudor y Lagrimas
dir. Antonio Serrano
1999, Mexico, 105 min, 35mm, Spanish w/ English subtitles
Repeat screening

Sexo, Pudor y Lagrimas tells the story of three couples in contemporary Mexico as they struggle with failed relationships, lies, drug addictions and sexual dysfunction. They come to the realization that being young, rich and beautiful can have its downside. The surprise hit of 1999, S.P.Y.L. (as it became known among Mexico's young hip crowd) is a hilarious and sometimes poignant romp through a world most of us only see through a telescopic lens, behind closed curtains or across a crowded city street. Come spy with us. It will be fun! Featuring Mexican sex symbol Demian Bichir (Santitos). S.P.Y.L. became the most successful domestic film ever, in the history of Mexican cinema.
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10:00 p.m.
Un Embrujo  
dir. Carlos Carrera
1999, Mexico, 125 min, 35mm, Spanish w/ English subtitles
Repeat screening , Repeat screening

Set in the Port of Progresso during the late twenties, amidst the contradiction of the Mexican Revolution and the region's governing socialist party, Un Embrujo tells the story of Eliseo, the 13 year old son of an impoverished and domineering longshoreman. Eliseo dreams of leaving his town behind, and also the economic fate of his father. When he is becomes increasingly harassed and abused by his rough and violent father, Eliseo takes refuge at the home of his school teacher, Felipa (played by leading Mexican actress, Blanca Guerra). What begins as a meeting of two lonely people soon becomes a forbidden and dark love affair. As time passes, the two drift apart but they trigger a fateful spell that threatens to unravel the lives they have built.

Un Embrujo features the stunning, original lens work of Director of Photography, Rodrigo Prieto.

For mature audiences.
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Screen 3

5:30 p.m. 
Luis Valdez Tribute & Reception


8:00 p.m. 
Zoot Suit
dir.
Luis Valdez
1981, USA, 90 min, 35mm, English

Written and directed by Luis Valdez, Zoot Suit was loosely based on the Sleepy Lagoon murder case. A stylish and proud street smart Pachuco is falsely arrested and convicted of a murder he did not commit. Zoot Suit was one of the first big Latino hits, arguably opening the gates for the flood we are seeing at this festival. It was also an instant classic, much like the culture-identifying costume of its title. The clothes do not make the man, Valdez is telling us, because it's all in the way you wear it Vato. Real style begins on the inside. In Zoot Suit, Luis Valdez showed us that Chicanos have a rich and important history that only a true visionary can interpret creatively to engage, educate and entertain. Featuring: Edward James Olmos (American Me, Stand & Deliver, Mi Familia), Tyne Daly and Lupe Ontiveros (Selena, Mi Familia, Luminarias). Musical numbers by Daniel Valdez. Songs composed by Lalo Guerrero.

The stage version of Zoot Suit was the first Chicano-produced show ever on Broadway.
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Wednesday, March 8

Screen 1

7:30 p.m.
Tres Veranos  
dir. Raul Tosso
Feature Debut
1999, Argentina, 90 min, 35mm, Spanish w/ English subtitles

After twenty years, two friends come back to a seaside Argentinean village where they shared three key summers of their lives between 1973 and 1975. The typical experiences that mark the transition between adolescence and adulthood are interwoven with the political events that foreshadow the tragedies that will leave indelible marks for an entire generation.
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9:45 p.m.
Too Brown, Too Down: Three films about being young, beautiful, and Latino.

S&M in the Hood
dir. Al Lujan
1998, USA, 5 min, video, English

An unflinching look at two cholo/jotos caught at their game of love. Run for the bedroom vatos, this one is hot!

Beyond the Screams / Mas Alla de los Gritos
dir. Martin Sorrondeguy
1999, USA, 28 min, Video, English w/Spanish subtitles

A documentary looking at the Latino/Chicano hard-core punk scene in the U.S. Interviews are conducted with first/wave Los Angeles punks giving a brief but informative history of the movement continuing into the nineties with the recent Latino/Chicano punk scene and its development. Screams shows us that there is hope after honorary Go-Gos member, Ricky Martin's industrial waste attack on Latino youth.

The Assumption of Lupe Velez
dir. Rita Gonzalez
1999, USA, 22 min, Video, English

Assumption is an experimental look at the quasi-glamorous life of Mexican siren Lupe Velez, who died via a toilet bowl many years ago. This video seductively mixes recreations of scenes from Velez pictures by Warhol and Jose Rodriguez-Soltero, with Gonzalez' idea of what Lupe's last night might have been like. Assumption stars Chicana drag queen La Lupe, who thoroughly captivates with her 15 minutes of fame.
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Screen 2

6:00 p.m.
Si Me Comprienderas
dir, Rolando Diaz
1998, Cuba, 87 min, 35mm, in Spanish w/ English subtitles
Repeat screening

A well-known Cuban filmmaker embarks on a search for a black woman dancer and singer to play the central dramatic role in his next film project, a musical comedy. Rather than opting for an experienced actress, he feels the need for the freshness, spontaneity and fireworks that working with inexperienced actors can bring. What develops is a charming portrayal of the conflicts inherent in filmmaking and in Cuban society. Comprienderas puts us in contact with the pulse of daily life in Cuba, and with the feeling of joy, however fleeting, which living a dream can give you.

Official Selection at 1999 Toronto, Berlin, and Havana film festivals.
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8:00 p.m.
Bajo California ... El Limite Del Tiempo
dir. Carlos Bolado
Feature Debut
1999, Mexico, 96 min, 35mm, Spanish w/ English subtitles
Repeat screening

When Damian, a successful environmental artist, accidentally kills a pregnant woman crossing the Mexico-California border, he flees from his wife and the imminent birth of his child. Inconsolable in his grief, Damian journeys to his ancestral homeland in Baja California, in search of solace and a rooted sense of faith. Disoriented by heat and hunger, he stumbles through the desert and climbs into the Sierra Mountains, in a journey to the largest mural cave paintings in the world (which have never been filmed before). Through a friendship with a native guide, Arce, Damian discovers life's richest lessons.

Winner of six Ariel Awards (Mexico's Oscar), including Best Actor Damien Alcazar.
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10:00 p.m.
Segundo Siglo  
dir. Jorge Bolado
Feature Debut
1994-99, Mexico, 110 min, 35mm, Spanish w/ English subtitles

A comedy about a crew of Mexican filmmakers who make a pilgrimage through the Southern Highlands of Scotland, while carrying all their film equipment on their backs. Segundo Siglo includes an ironic touch with its own "making of" and reflections about the fleetingness of life, the sadness of death and the state of filmmaking as it moves into its second century (segundo siglo).

Segundo Siglo director Jorge Bolado is the brother of Carlos Bolado, director of Bajo California.
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Screen 3

5:00 p.m.
Café / Bomba: Two extraordinary musical documentaries.
Total running time: 85min

Bomba
dir. Ashley James
2000, USA, 60 min, video, Spanish w/ English subtitles

Bomba is a documentary saturated with the music and dance of Puerto Rico, but ultimately it is a portrait of a remarkable family which has chosen to embrace the future with the strength of the past. The legendary Cepeda family, known as the patriarch family of Bomba, Puerto Rico's classic African-rooted music and dance, has for nearly a century struggled to keep the Bomba tradition alive. Don Rafael Cepeda, the 87 year old patriarch of the family learned the Bomba from his grandfather and has passed it on to each of his 13 children, who have then passed it on to each of their children. Bomba, the documentary, is a testament to the power of music, movement, and family to keep indigenous culture alive.

Southern California Premier.

Reves
dir. Adolfo Davila
1999, Mexico, 25 min, 16mm, no dialogue

The present is the past in the future in this dazzling long form video featuring top band Café Tacuba and music from their smash CD, Reves/Yo Soy.
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7:00 p.m.
Orfeu
dir. Carlos Diegues
1999, Brazil, 110 min, 35mm, Portuguese w/ English subtitles

Set against the pageantry and splendor of Carnival, this film is the re-telling of the Greek mythical love affair between Orfeu and Euridice. Orfeu is a legendary musician and lover. He holds mystical power and is considered untouchable by both the police and local gang members. When Euridice arrives to visit her aunt, Orfeu is immediiately enraptured by her simple beauty and innocence. For Euridice, Orfeu is willing to sacrifice everything, even his sacred Samba school. Unfortunately, while Orfeu is untouchable, Euridice is not and she unwittingly becomes the victim of Lucinho's vengeance. With the Rio de Janeiro's Carnival as the background, this love story plays against a shower of rhythms, energy, color and song.

Official Brazilian entry in Best Foreign Film category, Academy Award competition 2000.
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9:30 p.m.
El Cometa 
dirs. Marisa Sistach and Jose Buil
1998, Mexico, 90 min, 35mm, Spanish w/ English subtitles
Repeat screening

After witnessing her father's arrest for printing subversive publications against dictator Porfirio Diaz, Valentina flees, taking with her a bag of gold coins for rebel Francisco J. Madero. So begins her long journey to San Antonio, Texas. When she reaches Texas, Valentina joins a circus and finds love and magic when she meets Victor, played by up and coming Mexican heartthrob Diego Luna. When Victor discovers a passion for cinema, he becomes fascinated with it and begins to film the events unfolding in front of him during this time of political turbulence. Featuring Gabriel Retes (Bajo California, Un Olor Dulce A Muerte) and the great Carmen Maura.

Gabriel Retes appears in three films at SDLFF 2000: El Cometa, Bajo California, and Un Dulce Olor a Muerte
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Thursday, March 9

Screen 1

7:30 p.m.
A Letter to Rachel
dir. Mike Dichirico
Feature Debut
USA, 118 min, 35mm, English

A Letter to Rachel is about Charlie Sandoval and his best friends, Rodney, Javier and Rachel as they grow up in L.A. Almost before it's too late, our leading young man discovers he is in love with both filmmaking and Rachel. He understands his destiny after a terrifying encounter, and realizes that he must go after what he loves most. Letter is a simple story that introduces us to lead characters we don't often see in Latino films. Here are great looking, charming guys who are uncomplicated and easy to like because they are just guys, fellas and buddies, not angst-ridden vatos trying to survive. You realize Latino film is moving along swiftly when the types begin to grow, and the films begin to move in many directions. A Letter to Rachel is about that growth and movement. It's a movie for the Latino middle class.
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9:45 p.m.
El Cometa (repeat screening)
See Wednesday, 9:30 p.m., Screen 3


Screen 2

6:00 p.m.
Nuyorican Dream  
dir. Laurie Collyer
Feature Debut
2000, USA, 97 min, 16mm, English
Repeat screening

Nuyorican Dream is the breakout feature documentary of the year about three generations of Latino educator Robert Torres' family. It is about emotion, spirituality, family, resilience, poetry, music and the ability to laugh in the face of tragedy. There are so many images of Latinos that are absent in American media that has repeated the same stories over and over again. Nuyorican Dream attempts to tell a new story about an extended Nuyorican family, and the impact, positive and negative, each has on the other and on the new generations. They talk stuff, but they do us solid, by teaching us that life is precious and fleeting, and you've got to live your dream now.

Official Selection Documentary Competition at 2000 Sundance Film Festival.
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8:00 p.m.
El Mismo Amor, La Misma Lluvia
dir. Juan Campanella
Argentina, 1999, 100 min, 35mm, Spanish w/ English subtitles

El Mismo Amor is the story of Roberto, a would-be serious writer now turned hack. This could also be an apt description of his life. Once full of promise, Roberto has fallen victim to a slow poisoning of his morals and his heart, brought on by the corruption and political upheavals visited upon Argentina during the twenty years in which this film takes place. Lead actor, Ricardo Darin, gives a tour-de-force performance backed by a strong supporting cast and a smart, touching script by Campanella and Fernando Castets. El Mismo Amor, La Misma Lluvia subtly teaches a lesson that so many U.S. films toil for and are unsuccessful at reaching; the past is done with us only when it is ready, so always keep your umbrella with you.
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10:00 p.m.
La Vida Es Silbar
dir.Fernando Perez
1998, Cuba, 110 min, 35mm, Spanish w/ EngIish subtitles
Repeat screening

La Vida Es Silbar tells the stories of three end-of-the millennium Cubans, whose lives intersect on the Day of Santa Barbara (the African saint Changó, ruler of destinies). Mariana, a ballerina, ponders breaking chastity vows she made to land the coveted role of Giselle; Julia has fainting spells each time she hears the word "sex," and Elpidio, a musician, seduces a ride from a tourist while Bebe, the narrator, takes us for a taxi ride along the streets of Havana. Set to the music of Bola de Nieve and Benny More, the film dazzles us with a uniquely Cuban blend of absurdist humor and mystical realism.

La Vida Es Silbar premiered at the Havana Film Festival in 1998, winning best film, best director, and best cinematography.
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Screen 3

5:00 p.m.
Un Embrujo (repeat screening)
See Tuesday, 10:00 p.m., Screen 2


7:00 p.m.
Un Dulce Olor a Muerte
dir. Gabriel Retes
1998, Mexico, 98 min, 35mm, Spanish w/ English subtitles
Repeat screening

Early one morning in the oat fields of Carranco, Ramon stumbles upon the dead body of his secret teenage love, Adela. His grizzly discovery sparks a haphazard investigation by the local sheriff and a much-feared hard-line officer. Everyone in town wants to pin the murder on a wandering gypsy, but in a town full of secrets and hidden agendas, the resolution is anyone's guess. As Muerte glides along splendidly, we come to realize that unfolding before us is much more than a gripping murder mystery. Retes is exploring the mysteries and secrets of Mexican culture. Only a master filmmaker such as Gabriel Retes could pull this simple/complicated weave off. Featuring Diego Luna (El Cometa) and Gabriel Retes (El Cometa, Bajo California, El Bulto).

For mature audiences.
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9:30 p.m.
Nuyorican Dream


Friday, March 10

Screen 1

5:30 p.m.
Estimados Cortometrajes - Part 1
Total running time: 70 min


Cococobana
dirs. Javier Solar, Andres Leon
1997, Mexico, 12 min, 35mm, Spanish w/ English subtitles
Adventure, treachery, and romance in a hot country await the stars of this charming story.

Cuarto Oscuro
dir. Carlos Salces
1997, Mexico, 5 min, 35mm, Spanish w/ English subtitles
In a dark room, anything can happen.

I.N.F.I.T.D.
dir. Aldo Velasco
1997, USA, 14 min, 16mm, English
A young boy in Los Angeles fights evil and compulsion in Velasco's 10 minute stunner.

Mosshunter
dir. Aldo Velasco
1997, USA, 10 min, 16mm, English
A Latino battles the freeways in L.A.

Short Changed
dir. Patrick Perez
1999, USA, 19 min, video, English
All he wanted was another drink, but instead he found his destiny.

Pictures For The Family Album
dir. Hunter Rodriguez
1998, USA, 6 min, video, English
A haunting, stirring, record of the filmmaker's childhood memories.

Las Papas del Papa
dir. Alex Rivera
2000, USA / Mexico, 8 min, video, Spanish w/ English subtitles
Groundbreaking narratve satirizing the Pope's recent visit to Mexico, from one of the best young filmmakers working today.

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7:30 p.m.

Water, Mud, and Factories (repeat screening)
See Tuesday, 5:30 p.m., Screen 1


9:45 p.m.
Un Embrujo (repeat screening)
See Tuesday, 10:00 p.m., Screen 2



Screen 2

6:00 p.m.
Rum & Coke
dir. Maria Escobedo
Feature Debut
1999, USA, 97 min, 35mm, English
Repeat screening

Linda deLeon is a bright, confident and independent Cuban-American woman whose biggest fear is losing her identity in the name of love. She has a safe, comfortable relationship with her boyfriend, until she is romanced and pursued by aggressive firefighter, Jose Hernandez. Ultimately, Jose's persistence leads to a passionate kiss and threatens Linda's perfect world. Will she trade her black coffee for cafe-con-leche to find true love? Rum & Coke is a refreshing romantic comedy centered around the Latino Community in New York City, with a strong female protagonist who is still struggling with the very modern issues of ethnicity and assimilation.

Official selection at 1999 San Antonio CineFestival, CineAccion's Festival Cine Latino and at the Los Angeles International Latino Film Festival.
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8:00 p.m.
Sexo Pudor y Lagrimas (repeat screening)
See Tuesday, 8:00 p.m., Screen 3


10:00 p.m.
Cuarteto de la Habana
dir. Fernando Colomo
1998, Cuba/Spain, 107 min, 35mm, Spanish w/ English subtitles
Repeat screening

Walther, an aspiring musician, earns his living cleaning the trash cans of a jazz club. The chaotic and unstable life he leads is not what he imagines his life should be. He decides to make a change after he discovers a videotape telling him that his real mother lives in Cuba. He travels there to discover his new family and his claim to success and joy in life. But all is not great in Cuba either, despite the exotic, seductive locale, skillfully photographed by Livio Delgado. What Walther finds is a family that could double as the keystone cops, a mother that might not be, and a sister that stirs up all the wrong feelings. It is a tropical rumba on a beautiful island, with some very interesting characters that ultimately leaves us with a surprising sense that something profound did happen after all. Ah, life in the movies. Cuarteto de la Habana is definitely this festival's date movie.
Repeat screening: Sunday, 8:00 p.m., Screen 2

Cuarteto de la Habana is the first Cuba/Spain co-production to screen at the San Diego Latino Film Festival.
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Screen 3

5:30 p.m.
Patssi Valdez Tribute & Reception
- fundraiser for Southwestern College


8:00 p.m.
Luminarias
dir. Jose Luis Valenzuela
Feature Debut
1999, USA, 101 min, 35mm. English

Luminarias written by Evelina Fernandez, sets out to examine the contemporary struggle of women with identity, independence, sexuality and prejudices through these women's foibles and sometimes humorous life experiences. Their ground zero is Luminarias, the place where they come to drink margaritas, "dish", cry and pinch the cute waiter's butt. Luminarias is full tilt boogie fun. It's a chance to catch up with our sisters and the rest of our universal family, but it is not the Latina Waiting to Exhale, no diss meant to Whitney and her girlfriends. Make no mistake, Luminarias is quintessentially Latina; From the proud vibrant design of Patssi Valdez' sets and costumes, to the knowing glances that only a veterana's brown eyes can send. Tonight it's all about the wonderful, smart, talented and beautiful ladies of Luminarias. Featuring: Evelina Fernandez (American Me), Marta DuBois, Angela Moya, Seidy Lopez, Lupe Ontiveros, Liz Torres, Robert Beltran, Sal Lopez. Cheech Marin, Mike Gomez, and Scott Bakula.

Production Design by Patssi Valdez

Film Sponsor: Latina Magazine
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Saturday, March 11

Screen 1

12:30 p.m.
Nuyorican Dream (repeat screening)
See Thursday, 6:00 p.m., Screen 2


2:30 p.m.
Till Death Do us Part: Two documentaries about death, destruction, and the heartbreak brought on by dirty wars, and the passing of the age of revolution in Latin America.
Repeat screening


El Dia Que Me Quieras
dir. Leandro Katz
1997, Bolivia, 30 min, 16mm, Spanish w/ English subtitles

El Dia Que Me Quieras is a meditation on the last photograph of Ernesto "Che" Guevara, taken by Freddie Alborta in Bolivia in 1967. The photo is of a hero lying dead on a table surrounded by nervous soldiers. The worldwide distribution of this photo on October 10, 1967, was the culmination of the legendary quest that had lasted more than two years. This film is not a political documentary in the usual sense, but rather an investigation of the power of photography and the meaning of death. The film takes its title, El Dia Que Me Quieras, from a song by Argentine singer Carlos Gardel. Popular since the 1930s, the song tells of a love that brings about an almost biblical transformation.

Grand Prize winner at Festival of New Latin American Cinema, Cuba 1998
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For These Eyes
dir. Gonzalo Arijon
1998, Argentina, 53 min, Video, Spanish w/ English subtitles

Daniela thought she was the daughter of Miguel Furci, an agent of the Argentinean Secret Service. But Daniela is in fact, Mariana Zaffaronni. Her real parents were two Uruguayan activists "disappeared" in Argentina during the military dictatorship of General Videla, which lasted from 1976 to 1983. During Argentina's 'dirty war', it was not uncommon for soldiers to illegally adopt the children of prisoners they tortured and killed. Often these children were just infants, and grew up unaware of their true identities. This is the unsettling, heartbreaking and true story of one of those infants.

Official Selection of 1999 Berlin Film Festival.
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5:30 p.m.
Rum & Coke (repeat screening)
See Friday, 6:00 p.m., Screen 2

7:30 p.m.
Oriundi
dir. Ricardo Bravo
Feature Debut
1999, Brazil, 97 min, 35mm, Portuguese and Italian w/ English subtitles
Repeat screening

Guiseppe Padovani (played by two time Oscar winner Anthony Quinn) is attending a party that is being hosted by his family in celebration of his 93rd birthday. But for this Italian immigrant living in Brazil, there seems to be no real reason for celebration. His health is failing, his family is falling apart, and his home and the business that he and his wife started more than 60 years ago are being sold. Amidst this crisis there appears Sofia. Is she the key to the family's happiness and their only hope for survival? Is she in fact from this world? Award-winning screenwriter Marcos Bernstein (Central Station) has fashioned a heartwarming and touching story that is filled with love, courage and sacrifice. It is a film that awakens in us the most basic of our emotions, even as it echoes the importance of preservation of family. Oriundi was filmed entirely on location in the picturesque city of Curitiba, a city of immigrants in south Brazil. Not only does Anthony Quinn star in the film, but his son Lorenzo plays the young adult Guiseppe, and Quinn's three year old son is cast as the child at the end of the film.
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Screen 2

1:00 p.m.
Press Enter: Short films from the 2000 call for entries
Total running time: 79 min

For mature audiences.


The Manhatitlan Chronicles
dir. Felipe Gallindo
1999, 7 min, 16mm animation, English/Spanish titles, no dialogue
A humorous look at the Mexican experience in New York.

Pancho's Revenge
dir. Jorge Aguirre
1999, USA, 24 min, 16mm, English
A disillusioned radical "kills" his old self in order to live a life uncomplicated by passion.

Passing Berthoud
dir. Caryn Sanchez
1998, USA, 13 min, 16mm, English
Eva Diaz contemplates a future far away from the comfort and security of the small town in which she lives.

Semillas
dir. Andres Navia
1999, USA, 19 min, 35mm, Spanish w/English subtitles
Two brothers form a para-military group to avenge a murder. Total chaos erupts, bringing the brothers face to face with war's worst nightmare.

Sketch
dir. Maria Murillo
1998, USA, 7 min, 16mm, English
Sketch is a short example of picture perfect life in America, and shows that it is not always what it appears to be.

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3:00 p.m.

Estimados Cortametrajes-Part 2
Total running time: 74 min


Period.
dir. Maria Murillo
1999, USA, 10 min, 16mm, English
Period. is the story of a young Chicana's coming of age and how her family, religion, culture and the media all come together to influence her reaction.

Adios Mama
dir. Ariel Gordon
1997, Mexico, 8 min, 35mm, Spanish w/ English subtitles
While in line for the cashier at the supermarket, a man's mundane existence is suddenly transformed.

Necrofilia
dir. Rigoberto Castaneda
1997, Mexico, 16 min, 35mm, Spanish w/ English subtitles
A love triangle between a schizophrenic, a misanthropic necrophiliac and a very angry man.

Crabgrass Manifesto
dir. Aldo Velasco
1999, USA, 26 min, 16mm, English
The new film by Latino wunderkind Aldo Velasco.Official selection Sundance film festival 2000.
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5:00 p.m.

La VidaEs Silbar (repeat screening)
See Thursday, 10:00 p.m., Screen 2


7:00 p.m
Road Dogz    
dir. Alfredo Ramos
Feature Debut
2000, USA, 93 min, 35mm, English

Road Dogz takes the tired east Los gangbanger genre and breathes some new life into it. The breath of fresh air here is mostly owed to some fine acting by a troupe of hot Latino talent. Lead by Jacob Vargas (Gas Food Lodging, Mi Familia, Mi Vida Loca, Selena,) and Danny de la Paz (Boulevard Nights, American Me). The cast acts the heck out of the material and it plays overdramatic at times, but it is, that's the point. It's fun to watch young Latino actors chew up the scenery and not hide behind cold, stiff, machismo performances. In the story, three childhood buddies grow up in violent east Los, dream of getting out, but get caught up in the hideousness of it all. We always know where we are going, but the low-ride there is worth it. The supporting cast is excellent, and Ramos' direction has just the right nuances, like the standout performance by the low-rider bike riding junkie (played by Danny De La Paz), and soft touches, like the wonderfully acted female characters, to really make Road Dogz really cruise. The hot thumping soundtrack by Tommy Coster doesn't hurt either.

Featuring Jacob Vargas, Clifton Collins Jr. (The Wonderful Ice Cream Suit, Light It Up, Price of Glory), Greg Serrano, Danny De La Paz, Priscilla Garita, Yelba Osorio, Emilio Rivera, and Lobo Sebastian.

For mature audiences.
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Screen 3

12:00 p.m.  
Orfeu


2:00 p.m.
Bajo California El Limite De Tiempo (repeat screening)
See Wednesday, 8:00 p.m., Screen 2


5:00 p.m.
El Rey de Rock 'n' Roll  
dir. Marjorie Chodorov
Feature Debut
2000, USA, 79 min, Video, English
Repeat screening

On stage, he wears an open shirt, gold chains and tight pants that flare out at the bottom. He is known for hits such as "You Ain't Nothin' but a Chihuahua", but to his fans everywhere he is simply, El Vez, the Mexican Elvis. This rockin' documentary introduces us to the man behind the myth (kinda), Robert Lopez. El Rey features footage from the past ten years of concerts and news with the gaps filled in with interviews of friends, family, fans and El Vez himself. El Rey also features touching archival footage of a San Diego and Chula Vista long gone. Rarely does a festival get the opportunity to screen a film that seems made specifically for this time and place, with El Rey de Rock 'n' Roll the SDLFF 2000 gets that chance.

World Premiere.
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8:00 p .m
El Coronel no tiene quien le escriba
dir. Arturo Ripstein
1999, Mexico, 118 min, 35mm, Spanish w/ English subtitles

In Ripstein's El Coronel no tiene quiene le escriba, an adaptation of the Gabriel Garcia Marquez novel, the old colonel (Fernando Lujan) goes each Friday to the post office to see if his long-awaited pension has come through. He knows it will not; so does his loving, exasperated wife (Marisa Paredes), still grieving over the death of their son the year before. But in this film of rapturous melancholy, life can be given meaning and drama by stubborn pride and nagging devotion. The colonel has a mission: to elevate the grim routine of poverty and failure to a high mass of defiance. He does that by showing, subtly, a heart that has been broken but still beats with vengeance.

Winner Grand Jury Prize Latin American Cinema, 2000 Sundance Film Festival.
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10:00 p.m.
Gala Celebration



Sunday, March 12

Screen 1

12:30 p.m.
El Rey de Rock 'n' Roll (repeat screening)
See Saturday, 5:00 p.m., Screen 2


2:30 p.m. 
Till Death Do Us Part (repeat screening)
See Saturday, 3:00 p.m., Screen 2


5:30 p.m.
El Mismo Amor, La Misma Lluvia (repeat screening)
See Thursday, 8:00 p.m., Screen 2


7:30 p.m. 
Mi Familia
dir. Gregory Nava
Design Consultant:
Patssi Valdez
1995, USA, 124 min, 35mm, English

It's the vibrant house you remember from this now classic Latino Saga. It's the house that gave comfort and security and was as much a character in the film as little Chuco. The house was designed by Patssi Valdez and stands tribute to the magic that can happen with style, intelligence and a desire to support the integrity of the story and the characters. Mi Familia also marked the screen debut of Jennifer Lopez, and featured a real-life familia of the most talented Latino actors working then and now; Jacob Vargas, Lupe Ontiveros, Esai Morales, Jenny Gago, Jimmy Smits, and Edward James Olmos.

The illustrations featured on SDLFF 2000 postcards, brochures, catalogue cover, and poster are all Patssi Valdez' original designs for the Mi Familia house.

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Screen 2

1:00 p.m.
Palomitas: Short films for the family
Total running time: 54 min


Dream On
dir. Sandra Arau Esquivel
1999, Mexico, 13 min, 16mm, Spanish w/ English subtitles
Since girlhood, Alejandra has dreamt of a storybook wedding in a church filled with flowers, doves flying, mom crying, but will the groom ever show up?

Un Sueño de Michoacan
` dir. Maria Murillo
1998, USA, 6 min, 16mm, Spanish
A visual journey of a family's return to its roots.

The Manhatitlan Chronicles
dir. Felipe Gallindo
1999, 7 min, 16mm, animation, English/Spanish titles, no dialogue
A humorous look at the Mexican experience in New York.

Conejo
dir. Francisco Vargas Quevedo
1999, Mexico, 17 min, 35mm, Spanish w/ English subtitles
A boy named rabbit finds some magic marbles in a world where anything is possible.

InAudito
dir. Augustin Calderon
1999, Mexico, 19 min, 35mm, Spanish w/ English subtitles
An adolescent boy invents a machine that enables him to hear beyond human capabilities.

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 3:00 p.m.
La Bamba
dir.
Luis Valdez
1987, USA, 96 min, 35mm, English

La Bamba, was a critical as well as financial success. It reclaimed the legacy of ill-fated rocker Ritchie Valens, portrayed by Lou Diamond Phillips in an electrifying star-making turn. The soundtrack, which was a chart-topping success in its own right, helped propel the career of Los Lobos, and the summer of 1987 belonged to one song, one film and two men, Ritchie Valens and Luis Valdez. La Bamba was a success for a much greater reason than sales figures or box office totals though. It was a success because it made Chicanos proud of their heritage and it encouraged abuelas to go the movies with their mijitos.
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6:00 p.m.
Si Me Comprienderas (repeat screening)
See Wednesday, 5:00 p.m., Screen 3


8:00 p.m.
Cuarteto de la Habana (repeat screening)
See Friday, 10:00 p.m., Screen 2



Screen 3

12:00 p.m.
Un Dulce Olor a Muerte (repeat screening)
See Thursday, 7:00 p.m., Screen 3


2:00 p.m.
Divine
dir. Arturo Ripstein
1998, Mexico, 112 min, 35mm, Spanish w/ English subtitles

At the end of the millennium, Mama Dorita and Papa Basilio give shelter to a group of disciples awaiting the end of the world. In their remote Mexican village, the rites of this bizarre religious community are reminiscent of Hollywood's biblical films of the '50s. Constructed like a Mexican mural, this tale of virgins and prostitutes, drums and gay soldiers, sets the stage for the apocalypse. Only Papa Basilio's Bunuelian meditations on cinema and the human condition emerge as a true religion. A truly magical, powerful film by one of the great Masters of this art.

Screenplay by longtime Ripstein collaborator Paz Alicia Garciadiego and edited by Ximena Cuevas.

For mature audiences.
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5:00 p.m
Oriundi (repeat screening)
See Saturday, 7:00 p.m., Screen 1


7:00 p.m.
Mambo Cafe  
dir. Reuben Gonzalez
1999, USA, 98 min, 35mm, English

A beautiful girl and her family devise a plan to attract business to their restaurant in Spanish Harlem, causing a wildly comic sequence of events ending in near disaster. Nydia, played by Mexican superstar Thalia, is on summer break when she is pulled into her family's crazy plan to save their restaurant. Nydia causes some nutty problems of her own by lying to her new boyfriend about who she really is. It gets crazier after this, so just bring the kids, buy some popcorn and watch the fun as Nydia (Thalia) comes to value her family and her heritage, and to realize that she doesn't have to leave her neighborhood behind when she goes out into the world. Featuring Paul Rodriguez (Price of Glory, Rough Magic, Born in East LA), Rosanna De Soto (La Bamba), and Danny Aiello (Do The Right Thing, Moonstruck).
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