Desde la izquierda, Jorge Perugorría, Cucu Diamantes, Diana Vargas y Andrés Levin. Foto Javier Castaño
Las sala del Directors Guild Theather abrió para dar la bienvenida a la versión número 14 del Festival de Cine de la Habana en Nueva York (HFFNY). Amor Crónico, dirigida por Jorge Perugorría, producida por Andrés Levin y protagonizada por la cantante Cucu Diamantes, fue la película encargada de dar inicio a esta muestra cinematográfica.
“Agradezco la presencia del cuerpo diplomático de Cuba y a nuestros patrocinadores”, dijo Carol Rosemberg, presidente de este festival. Luego introdujo a Diana Vargas, su directora artística, quien dijo: “Han sido 14 años y nos sentimos muy orgullosos de este festival y de contar siempre con la presencia de algunos de los directores y productores”.
Este año el festival, que concluye el 19 de abril, está rindiendo un homenaje a Fernando Birri, considerado el padre del cine en Latinoamérica. No pudo venir a este festival por problemas de salud, pero envió un mensaje en video en el cual dijo: “Mis películas son el producto del trabajo colectivo y se inspiran en el pueblo”.
Amor Crónico es el reencuentro de una cantante cubana radicada en Nueva York, quien después de varios años regresa a su tierra para realizar una gira por las principales ciudades, acompañada de su banda, un nuevo amigo, todo el sabor de su música y una constante fe en que todo lo que pasa a su alrededor es gracias al poder del amor. “Se filmó en dos días, disfrutamos mucho haciéndola y fue el resultado de un proceso orgánico”, dijo Cucu Diamantes, que en la vida real pertenece al grupo Yerba Buena.
Al final de la película, los asistentes tuvieron la oportunidad conversar con su protagonista, director y productor. “El cine es un arte colectivo y uno nunca está solo”, dijo Jorge Perugorría.”La película la hicimos entre amigo y realizamos un recorrido por varios pueblos de Cuba con el fin de hacerle un homenaje al cine cubano”. En la Película Amor Crónico hay escenas que hacen alusión a varias producciones del cine cubano.
Tras la pregunta: “¿Cómo fue tu reencuentro emocional con Nueva York después de tener la experiencia de esta gira en Cuba?”, Cuco dijo: “Ahora mi problema existencial es más grande, ¿dónde vivo, en la Habana o en Nueva York?”. La idea de la película surgió después del multitudinario concierto por la paz que realizaron en La Habana los músicos Juanes y Miguel Bose.
La película Amor Crónico incluye a un enano, es una mezcla entre documental y ficción y se hizo a la carrera, con escasos recursos. Como anécdota curioso, en la película hay un zapato gigante de mujer que cargan por toda la isla de Cuba y por dos días se les perdió.
Luego de la película Amor Crónico hubo una recepción en el restaurante Iguana Club, en donde disfrutaron de música, mojitos y comida.
En el segundo día de este festival se presentó la película El Paseo 2 con el actor colombiano John Leguízamo. La sala se llenó y hubo risas.
Por: Lina Zuleta linazuleta420@hotmail.com
FRIENDS OF CUBA AND PROGRAMING
The 14th annual Havana Film Festival New York (HFFNY), presented by the American Friends of the Ludwig Foundation of Cuba (AFLFC), announced its full line-up. Over 45 highly anticipated films from and about Latin America, the Caribbean, and Latinos in the U.S. will screen April 12-19, at six venues in three New York boroughs. The festival will showcase 28 New York premieres, five U.S. premieres, and three World premieres from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Mexico, Nicaragua, Spain, Paraguay, Puerto Rico, Venezuela, and the U.S.
“We are very proud to have built a solid presence in New York City’s busy cultural landscape as a convergence point for established and emerging Latino filmmakers. Every year, we offer our audience a passport to Latin American film realms that allow them to step outside of their comfort zones and explore uncharted narratives,” states HFFNY’s Artistic Director Diana Vargas.
“Our 14th edition reinforces our trajectory with a very strong line-up that offers a wide range of options for all lovers of Latin American film and culture,” adds Carole Rosenberg, President of AFLFC. “Our mission, to develop cultural ties between the U.S. and Cuba as well as its Latin American context, is brought to life by each one of the wonderful films included in our festival. As Cuba continues its transition process, new opportunities for interaction are opening up, and this year’s films definitely reflect it.”
A kick-off screening of Havana, Havana!, directed by David Grubin, will take place on April 5th at 6:00pm, as part of First Fridays! at the Bronx Museum of the Arts. This moving documentary depicts a special concert by an outstanding lineup of Cuban music stars including Descemer Bueno, Kelvis Ochoa and David Torrens. The artists, who had left Cuba many years ago, return to add a new spirit to Cuban music. Mirroring Cuba’s growing relationship with the world, the film highlights the new spirit of the country’s music scene.
On April 12, HFFNY’s official Opening Night will feature the New York premiere of Amor Crónico (Chronic Love), the directorial debut of Cuban star Jorge Perugorría. The film documents NY-based, Cuban Grammy-nominated singer CuCu Diamantes musical tour, as she return to her roots while performing in several Cuban cities. Both Perugorría and Diamantes will present the screening, followed by a party at Iguana Restaurant. The singer will perform the film’s soundtrack at a special concert at Joe’s Pub on April 13.
HFFNY will wrap up on April 19 with the Havana Star Prize awards ceremony and the New York premiere of 7 Cajas (7 Boxes), the Paraguayan festival hit by Juan Carlos Maneglia and Tana Schembori. The film depicts the story of Víctor, a poor delivery boy at Municipal Market No. 4 in Asunción, Paraguay, whose life hinges on the seven mysterious boxes in his wheelbarrow. 7 Cajas was nominated for Best Foreign Film at the Premios Goya (Spain’s Oscars) and won awards at Festival de San Sebastián and Cartagena Film Festival. Director Juan Carlos Maneglia will present the screening, and a party at Copacabana Nightclub will follow.
The nineteen features competing for the Havana Star Prize for Best Film, Best Director, Best Screenplay, and Best Documentary are:
Fiction Competition: Amor Crónico / Chronic Love (Jorge Perugorría, Cuba), La Sirga (William Vega, Colombia), Las cosas como son / Things The Way They Are (Fernando Lavanderos, Chile), Tr3s Marias (Francisco Gonzalez, Costa Rica), Irremediablemente juntos (Together, Jorge Luis Sanchez), Sanandresito (Alessandro Angulo, Colombia), Brecha en el silencio / Breach in the Silence (Luis & Andres Rodriguez), Un mundo secreto / A Secret World (Gabriel Mariño, Mexico), A Cadeira o Pai / Father’s Chair (Luciano Moura, Brasil), Todo el mundo tiene a alguien menos yo / Everybody’s Got Somebody…But Me (Raul Fuentes, Mexico), Febre do Rato / Rat Fever (Claudio Assis, Brasil), and Paisajes devorados / Vanishing Landscapes (Eliseo Subiela, Argentina).
Documentary Competition: A mi lado / By My Side (Jean-Cosme Delaloye, Nicaragua), El misterio de las lagunas / The Mistery of the Lagoons (Atahualpa Lichy, Venezuela); Havana, Havana! (David Grubin, Cuba-U.S.); El Etnógrafo / The Etnographer (Ulises Rosell, Argentina); Sibila (Teresa Arredondo, Chile) and Ergonomía para Diana / Ergonomics for Diana (Marcos Machado, Costa Rica).
Other festival highlights include special premiere features such as the controversial Operación E, which recreates the story of Emanuel, a Colombian guerrilla hostage’s son born in captivity whose heart-wrenching story kept the country on edge for weeks; Day of the Flowers, a romantic comedy from renown British director John Roberts starring Cuban dancer Carlos Acosta that follows two British sisters on their first trip to Cuba; and El Paseo 2, the highest-grossing film in Colombian history that marks the Spanish-language debut of John Leguizamo.
This year festival’s honoree, Argentinean filmmaker, writer, painter and recipient of several international awards, Fernando Birri is considered the Father of New Latin American Cinema. A retrospective of his work will include the New York premiere of his latest film Fausto Criollo; Paisajes devorados, directed by Eliseo Subiela and featuring Birri as the main character; and Tire Die and Che The Death of the Utopia, two classics in his filmography. Rafael Rosal, current director of the International Film and TV School of San Antonio de los Baños in Cuba (EICTV), will present the festival award to his maestro and mentor. Rosal belongs to the first class of graduates of EICTV, which Birri co-founded with Gabriel García Márquez and Julio García Espinoza.
A Flashback at the History of Cuban Cinema: Films Before the Revolution, a unique series of Cuban films made between 1906-1958 and mostly unseen in the U.S., offers an exceptional panorama of the pioneers of Cuban filmmaking. The program, curated by Cuban film critic and writer Luciano Castillo, foregrounds the work of Enrique Diaz Quezada, known as the “Father of National Cinematography,” the prolific Ramón Peón; Ernesto Caparrós, creator of the first motion picture with sound in the history of Cuban film; and the enterprising Manuel Alonso.
The festival will bring Latin American cinema to Queens for weekend screenings at Museum of the Moving Image: on Friday, April 12, the NY premiere of Brazil’s Febre do Rato (Rat Fever) by Claudio Assis; on Saturday, April 13, a family program with Cuba’s Y sin embargo (And Yet…) by Rudy Mora; and Chile’s Las cosas como son (Things The Way They Are), introduced by director Fernando Lavanderos; on Sunday, April 14, the 20th anniversary presentation of Cuba’s Fresa y chocolate (Strawberry and Chocolate) by Tomás Gutiérrez Alea and Juan Carlos Tabio, presented by actor Jorge Perugorría.
On April 13, HFFNY will open its doors to Latino directors residing in North America as well as new talent: Joelle González-Laguer’s A Revolt Through Letters, a documentary about the life of Puerto Rican icon Clemente Soto-Vélez; Milk of Hope, Dominican author and screenwriter Freddy Vargas’ fascinating true story; Laura Gómez’s directorial debut To Kill Roach; Sebastián Botero’s experimental quest Todo viaja contigo; Dominican Yanillys Pérez’s tale of strength Del otro lado; and Adriana Cepeda’s award-winning Kyaka La Na, a captivating story about two generations of indigenous Mayan women living in New York and their sense of belonging.
HFFNY continues its partnership with the Instituto Cervantes, presenting a variety of free events at the Institute: On Monday, April 15, Fernando Birri’s Tribute: Tire Die (1960) and El utópico andante by Humberto Rios; and Latin-o-American, Cinema Tropical’s conversations series with the most promising New York-based Latino and Latin American filmmakers, which will be moderated by its director Carlos Gutiérrez. Reception to follow. On Tuesday April 16, Costa Rica in Focus will showcase a program of student shorts from Veritas Film School, the only film school in Central America, presented by its director Luis Naguil. The book launch of Chronology of Cuban Cinema (1897-1930) and (1937-1944) and lecture by its author, Luciano Castillo, will be introduced by City College of New York professor Jerry Carlson.
A complete festival line-up including all film details is available in the adjacent document. All foreign language films are subtitled in English.
The presenting sponsor of the 14th HFFNY is NBC / Telemundo 47. Additional sponsorship is provided by El Diario La Prensa, TD Bank, Instituto Cervantes, Casa Italiana Zerilli-Marimo – NYU, Xael Charters, Marazul Charters, Pro Chile, Enrola TV, Latino Artists Round Table (LART), Rockamedia, Copacabana Night Club, Iguana Night Club, Il Buco, Copacabana Pizza & Grill and Alcalá Restaurant, Official hotel sponsor is the Maritime Hotel. The Havana Film Festival New York is made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew Cuomo and the New York State Legislature and supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council. HFFNY is also supported by Mayor Bloomberg’s Latin Media and Entertainment Commission (LMEC).
About American Friends of the Ludwig Foundation of Cuba
American Friends of the Ludwig Foundation of Cuba (AFLFC), a non-profit 501 (c) (3) organization, is a leader in artistic exchange between the U.S. and Cuba. Its programs, including visual arts, film and dance initiatives, enable American and Cuban art professionals to interact with each other, providing rich and rewarding experiences that are fundamental for the development of their careers while building cultural bridges between both nations. For more information, visit www.aflfc.org.
About Havana Film Festival New York
AFLFC’s flagship project, the Havana Film Festival New York (HFFNY) annually premieres exceptional films from and about Latin America, the Caribbean, and Latinos in the U.S. For more information and a full festival schedule visit www.HFFNY.com. For screeners, interviews with directors and hi-res images, please contact Aline Valdes press@hffny.com / 212.687.2146 / 917.658.7735
14th HFFNY FULL LINE-UP SYNOPSES & SCREENING TIMES
PAISAJES DEVORADOS / VANISHING LANDSCAPES NY Premiere
Eliseo Subiela 2012. Argentina. Fiction. 75min
In this fictional documentary, three film students research the life of a man committed to an asylum who claims to have been a film director during the 1960s.
Quad Cinema 04/14 @ 7:10pm – Director present for Q&A; 04/16 @ 1:00pm
*Competing for The Havana Star Prize
EL ETNOGRAFO / THE ETHNOGRAPHER NY Premiere
Ulises Rosell 2012. Argentina. Documentary. 85min
Dr. John Palmer came from Oxford to the community of the Wichí people in Argentina thirty years ago with a doctorate in anthropology to study their culture. Today, he is married to an indigenous Wichí woman with whom he has had five children.
Quad Cinema 04/17 @ 7:00pm – Director present for Q&A
*Competing for The Havana Star Prize
TIRE DIE / Throw a Dime
Fernando Birri 1960. Argentina. Documentary. 33min
Documentary about the children in the neighborhood known as “Tire Dié” in the city of Santa Fe, who wait daily for the passing train to ask for money from the passengers, shouting “Tire dié!” (toss me a dime!)
Instituto Cervantes 04/15 @ 6:00pm
FERNANDO BIRRI: EL UTOPICO ANDANTE U.S Premiere
Humberto Rios 2012. Argentina. Documentary.90min
This documentary examines the life and career of Fernando Birri and his search for the source and the seeds in the creation of the documentary film.
Instituto Cervantes 04/15 @ 6:00pm
CHE: MUERTE DE LA UTOPÍA? / CHE THE DEATH OF THE UTOPIA?
Fernando Birri 1999. Argentina/Cuba. Documentary. 90 min
On the 30th anniversary of the death of Ernesto ‘Che’ Guevara, Fernando Birri traveled with his camera to follow the footprints of this legendary figure. Through interviews with people around the world, he questions the validity and the significance of utopia.
Quad Cinema 04/17 @ 2:45pm
EL FAUSTO CRIOLLO / THE CREOLE FAUST U.S. Premiere
Fernando Birri 2011. Argentina /Cuba. Fiction. 90min
Based on a poem set in the middle of the XIX century, the film depicts a conversation between Anastasio (El Pollo) and his friend Don Laguna about their impressions of the performance of “Fausto,” an opera by Gounod based on Goethe’s book.
Casa Italiana Zarilli–Marimò NYU 04/17 @ 7:20pm
FEBRE DO RATO / RAT FEVER NY Premiere
Claudio Assis 2011. Brazil. Fiction.110min
In this tale of love and freedom that takes place on the outskirts of tropical Recife, the anarchist poet Zizo falls for the sober Eneida while his friends succumb to sex, drugs and other hedonistic activities.
Museum of the Moving Image 04/12 @ 7:00pm – Director present for Q&A
Quad Cinema 04/15 @ 1:00pm
*Competing for The Havana Star Prize
A CADEIRA DO PAI / FATHER´S CHAIR NY Premiere
Luciano Moura 2012. Brazil. Fiction. 93min
On the weekend of his 15th birthday, Pedro takes a trip and disappears. His father searches for him and in the process of tracking him down, he is himself transformed.
Quad Cinema 04/12 @ 8:45pm; 04/15 @ 4:45pm
*Competing for The Havana Star Prize
AWARIY / BEGGING TO BRAID NY Premiere
Valeria Arinez 2012. Bolivia/Cuba. Documentary. 22min
Julieta stands at a juncture between the past and the future in a town where for centuries the women have always practiced weaving. She inherits the knowledge and values from her mother and grandmother that will clash with other forms of learning in her new public school. Which will triumph?
Quad Cinema 04/12 @ 5:00pm
SIBILA NY Premiere
Teresa Arredondo 2012. Chile/Spain. Documentary.96min
Sibila is a journey that shapes the present by looking at the past. It is also an encounter between two generations seeking communication.
Quad Cinema 04/13 @ 5:30pm
*Competing for The Havana Star Prize
LAS COSAS COMO SON / THINGS THE WAY THEY ARE NY Premiere
Fernando Lavanderos 2012. Chile. Fiction. 93min
Jerónimo, 30, is an antisocial guy who rents rooms to foreigners. A beautiful Nordic girl, Sanna, 23, arrives at his house bringing meaning into his life. While he’s attempting to win her, suspicions arise when he finds out she’s hiding something in his house, awakening his biggest fears.
Museum of the Moving Image 04/13 @ 2:00pm
Quad Cinema 04/15 @ 8:45pm
*Competing for The Havana Star Prize
SANANDRESITO NY Premiere
Alessandro Angulo Brandestini 2012. Colombia. Fiction. 90min
Tenorio is a police officer working at Sanandresito. His life takes a turn when he becomes unwittingly involved in the murder of a young girl, whose corpse is found in the police vehicle that Tenorio drives.
Quad Cinema 04/15 @ 6:45pm – Director present for Q&A; 04/16 @ 2:45pm
*Competing for The Havana Star Prize
EL PASEO 2 / THE TRIP 2 U.S. Premiere
Harold Trompetero 2012. Colombia. Fiction. 90min
Lucho Calvo is a family man who, with a lot of effort, plans the vacation of his life for his family. When he gets to Cartagena, his plans change after he discovers his wife’s ex-boyfriend is staying at the same resort.
Quad Cinema 04/13 @ 7:15pm – Director present for Q&A; 04/14 @ 3:10pm – Director present for Q&A
LA SIRGA NY Premiere
William Vega 2012. Colombia/France. Fiction. 88min
Uprooted by war, Alicia attempts to restart her life in La Sirga, at a rundown inn in the Andean highlands. There, by a muddy lakeside, she will try to start over until her fears of violence resurface.
NY Directors Guild Theater 04/19 @ 4:00pm – Director present for Q&A
Quad Cinema 04/17 @ 9:00pm – Director present for Q&A
*Competing for The Havana Star Prize
LOS RETRATOS / THE PORTRAITS
Ivan Gaona 2012. Colombia. Fiction.14min
After winning a Polaroid camera in a raffle, an elderly couple from the country begins to see the world from a different perspective.
Quad Cinema 04/18 @ 9:15pm
ERGONOMIA PARA DIANA / ERGONOMICS FOR DIANA NY Premiere
Marcos Machado 2012. Costa Rica. Documentary. 52min
Nine year-old Diana inherits a hearing loss known as Monge passed down through generations in her family. It’s not an easy task for her to find and get used to her own most suitable hearing aid.
Quad Cinema 04/12 @ 5:00pm
*Competing for The Havana Star Prize
OPERACIÓN E / OPERATION E U.S. Premiere
Miguel Courtois P. 2012. Colombia/Spain/France. Fiction. 112min
Based on real events, Colombia 2008: the world waits for the release of hostages from the FARC. Meanwhile, a farmer struggles with the guerrilla and the government to save the baby of one of the hostages.
Quad Cinema 04/16 @ 8:30pm – Producer Farruco Castroman present for Q&A; 04/18 @ 5:00pm
TODO VIAJA CONTIGO / IT ALL TRAVELS WITH YOU NY Premiere
Sebastián Botero-Páramo 2012. Colombia. Fiction. 2min
Stiglitz walks down the road, facing a journey full of twists and turns. Weariness is not an obstacle. He takes a break and keeps on going. He makes an effort with the goal of reaching the point of forgetfulness–that place where there is nothing to remember.
Quad Cinema 04/13 @ 1:45pm
TR3S MARIAS NY Premiere
Francisco González 2012. Costa Rica. Fiction.92min
In any random neighborhood in any city in the world, people live together with their decisions, sorrows, problems and joys. These are the tales of three women whose lives mesh to form part of the same network.
Quad Cinema 04/12 @ 6:45pm 04/15 @ 3:00pm
*Competing for The Havana Star Prize
AMOR CRONICO / CHRONIC LOVE NY Premiere
Jorge Perugorría 2012. Cuba. Fiction. 83min
Join the flamboyant Grammy nominated Cuban-born and New York based singer CuCu Diamantes on her tour around Cuba, documented by acclaimed Cuban actor Jorge Perugorría.
Directors Guild Theater 04/12 @ 6:30pm – Director present for Q&A
Quad Cinema 04/14 @ 5:10pm – Director present for Q&A
IRREMEDIABLEMENTE JUNTOS / TOGETHER NY Premiere
Jorge Luis Sánchez G. 2012. Cuba. Fiction.119min
Through music and dance, Liz & Alexander’s story unfolds as their families oppose their love. This forces them to make a radical decision that without knowing it, will test the values they grew up with.
Quad Cinema 04/12 @ 1:00pm; 04/17 @ 4:50pm
Y SIN EMBARGO / AND YET… U.S. Premiere
Rudy Mora 2011. Cuba. Fiction. 86min
A boy, arriving late to his music class, justifies his lateness with a story that triggers turmoil among the students and worries his teachers. To avoid being expelled, the boy is forced to tell the truth, which is even less believable.
Museum of the Moving Image 04/13 @ 12:00pm
*For Children All Ages
EL PARQUE PALATINO / PALATINO´S PARK
Enrique Diaz Quesada 1906. Cuba. Documentary.1min
This documentary, shot on Sunday, March 25, 1906, portrays the story of the inauguration of El Cerro, a neighborhood center in Havana.
Quad Cinema 04/13 @ 12:00pm
MARACAS Y BONGO / MARACAS AND BONGO
Max Tosquella 1932. Cuba. Fiction.15min
In the first short with sound in the history of Cuban film, a young man is jealous about his girlfriend attending a backyard party in Havana. This serves as the setting for a variety of musical acts and popular dances.
Quad Cinema 04/13 @ 12:00pm
LA VIRGEN DE LA CARIDAD / OUR LADY OF CHARITY
Ramón Peón 1930. Cuba. Fiction. 80min
In this Iberoamerican film classic that closes the silent film era on the island, Yeyo is the boyfriend of Trina, the daughter of the town chief. A member of a powerful family of landlords becomes interested in the young woman and, along with Yeyo’s enemies, intends to take over the land that belongs to its legitimate owners.
Quad Cinema 04/13 @ 12:00pm
TAM TAM O EL ORIGEN DE LA RUMBA / NY Premiere
TAM TAM OR THE ORIGIN OF THE RUMBA
Ernesto Caparrós 1938. Cuba. Documentary. 22min
The black slaves who were brought from Africa found consolation immersing themselves in dances combined with the rhythmic sounds of percussion. The melody, introduced later on, is the soul of the modern rumba. This film provides a synthesis of this musical transformation built around the love of two young mestizos.
Quad Cinema 04/14 @ 1:00pm
YAMBAO NY Premiere
Alfredo B. Crevenna 1956. Cuba/Mexico. 90min
The mulatto Yambao, granddaughter of the witch Caridad, falls in love with a young landlord. She is accused of causing an epidemic for which she is to be burned alive. After she is saved by the landowner, Yambao casts a spell on him to separate him from his wife. When he recovers from the spell, he repents and returns home with his family. Yambao, driven by despair, decides to commit suicide.
Quad Cinema 04/14 @ 1:00pm
DE ESPALDAS / BACKS TURNED NY Premiere
Mario Barral 1956. Cuba. Fiction. 90min
A man wakes up and walks into the street to discover a hostile world full of social indifference. He asks himself what is the purpose of life. At the end of the day, he returns home and continues his life of excess and idleness, turning his back on the reality that sourrounds him.
Quad Cinema 04/17 @ 1:00pm
FRESA Y CHOCOLATE / STRAWBERRY AND CHOCOLATE Special Presentation
Tomás Gutiérrez Alea and Juan Carlos Tabio 1993. Cuba. Fiction. 117min
Diego is a young homosexual who falls in love with David, a young heterosexual communist. David falls in love with Nancy, who is recovering from the effects of an attempted suicide. Her relationship with both men brings new meaning into her life. HFFNY celebrates the 20th anniversary of this historic film.
Museum of the Moving Image 04/14 @ 7:00pm – Actor Jorge Perugorría present for Q&A
DAY OF THE FLOWERS / DIA DE LAS FLORES NY Premiere
John Roberts 2012. Cuba/UK. Fiction.102min
Two young, strong-willed Scottish sisters, with completely opposite lives, take their late father’s ashes to Cuba. Arriving in Havana, they promptly lose the ashes and go through a series of misadventures trying to retrieve them. Along the way, they make some surprising discoveries about the family ties, which bind them together.
Quad Cinema 04/18 @ 7:00pm – Director present for Q&A
HAVANA HAVANA! NY Premier
David Grubin 2012. Cuba/USA. Documentary. 53min
Celebrated Cuban musician Raul Paz reunites musical stars Descemer Bueno, Kelvis Ochoa and David Torrens for a concert in Havana. They all have left Cuba years ago, and their decision to return reflects Cuba’s changing relationship with the world.
Quad Cinema 04/13 @ 4:00pm – Director present for Q&A
*Competing for the Havana Star Prize
ALL ARE THE SAME World Premiere
Miguel Rueda Colombia/USA. Animation. 6min
When Maria and Ramon received the mail that day, it changed their lives forever. They are forced to take an extreme decision…
Quad Cinema 04/17 @ 9:00pm
NY Directors Guild Theater 04/19 @ 4:00pm
EL SENO DE LA ESPERANZA / MILK OF HOPE World Premiere
Freddy Vargas 2013. Dominican Republic/USA. Fiction.16min
Sonia Marmolejos, a young Dominican mother of five, helps the most defenseless victims of Haiti’s 2010 earthquake the only way she knows how. Based on a true story.
Quad Cinema 04/13 @ 1:45pm – Director present for Q&A
DEL OTRO LADO / FROM THE OTHER SIDE NY Premiere
Yanillys Pérez 2012. Dominican Republic. Fiction.14min
In Santo Domingo, while many dream of pursuing another life in the United States, Miguel, a young Dominican who earns a living by selling food on the street, dreams only of remaining there with his childhood love, Laura.
Quad Cinema 04/13 @ 1:45pm
UN MUNDO SECRETO / A SECRET WORLD NY Premiere
Gabriel Mariño 2012. Mexico. Fiction. 87min
On the last day of high school, Maria, struggling to make sense of her life, flees from Mexico City leaving her world behind to embark on an epic road trip of self-discovery.
Quad Cinema 04/12 @ 3:15pm; 04/18 @ 9:15pm
*Competing for the Havana Star Prize
TODO MUNDO TIENE A ALGUIEN MENOS YO NY Premiere
EVERYBODY´S GOT SOMEBODY…BUT ME
Raúl Fuentes 2012. Mexico. Fiction.100min
Alejandra is a successful executive tired of her routine life. Maria is a carefree teenager full of energy. When these two women cross paths, it’s the start of a stormy relationship.
Quad Cinema 04/16 @ 6:30pm – Director present for Q&A; 04/18 @ 3:00pm
*Competing for the Havana Star Prize
A MI LADO / BY MY SIDE NY Premiere
Jean-Cosme Delaloye 2012. Nicaragua/USA. Documentary. 95min
Some mothers put their children first; others don’t. To survive in the landfill of the Chureca, three young women will have to determine whether their mothers are their best allies or their unexpected enemies.
Quad Cinema 04/13 @ 9:15pm – Director present for Q&A
*Competing for the Havana Star Prize
7 CAJAS / 7 BOXES NY Premiere
Juan Carlos Maneglia & Tana Schémbori 2012. Paraguay. Fiction.100min
7 Cajas depicts the story of Víctor, a poor delivery boy at Municipal Market No. 4 in Asunción, Paraguay, whose life hinges on the seven mysterious boxes in his wheelbarrow.
NY Directors Guild Theater 04/19 @ 7:00pm – Director present for Q&A
A REVOLT THROUGH LETTERS: CLEMENTE SOTO VELEZ NY Premiere
UNA REVOLUCION USANDO LA PALABRA: CLEMENTE SOTO VELEZ
Joelle Gonzalez-Laguer 2011. Puerto Rico/USA. Documentary. 48min
This documentary focuses on the life and accomplishments of Clemente Soto Velez, an extraordinary Puerto Rican poet, journalist, nationalist and community activist both in his native Puerto Rico and in New York City.
Quad Cinema 04/13 @ 1:45pm
TO KILL ROACH World Premiere
Laura Gómez 2012. USA/Dominican Republic. Fiction. 6min
Alicia just had a bad breakup. When a cockroach invades her kitchen, she is forced to confront her fears and insecurities while finding the strength to face her feelings under unlikely, yet amusing circumstances.
Quad Cinema 04/13 @ 1:45pm
KYAKA LA NA / RED WOOL NY Premiere
Adriana Cepeda 2012. USA/Colombia/Guatemala. Fiction.12min
An adolescent girl is torn between her grandmother’s pressure to rediscover her Guatemalan roots and the life she thinks her recently deceased mother wanted for her in NY. Her decision could tear her family apart.
Quad Cinema 04/13 @ 1:45PM – Director present for Q&A
BRECHA EN EL SILENCIO / BREACH IN THE SILENCE NY Premiere
Luis & Andrés Rodríguez 2012. Venezuela. Fiction. 91min
Ana has spent years working and enduring an abusive stepfather and an indifferent mother. Her hearing impairment has put her at a disadvantage in the world around her. Ana decides to save her brothers from the same fate.
Quad Cinema 04/14 @ 8:50pm – Director present for Q&A 04/18 @ 1:00pm
*Competing for the Havana Star Prize
