2006 LATIN FILM FESTIVAL

The third Latin Film Festival at Cinema Nouveau screened by Jameson cinemas will take place this month.

Ten films – encapsulating the best cinema from countries with great diversity will be screened in Pretoria from 29 September to 5 October, and in Johannesburg from 6 to 12 October.

Traditionally defined as the Spanish, Portuguese, and sometimes English and French speaking countries in the Americas and the Caribbean, the region is synonymous with natural beauty, a proud common identity, passionate individuals and a blend of European and indigenous experiences. Each film at the Latin American and Caribbean Film Festival presents an enlightening slice of life from this historically and culturally rich region.

International Award winning films like Seawards Journey from Uruguay, Paper Dove from Peru, and “Machuca”, from Chile, give a diverse panorama of the social realities and recent historical events that put these countries in the news, with a warm Latin American perspective.

The Invisible Children (Colombia) recounts the adventures of young Rafael and his two best friends in a small town in the 1950’s, while God Is Brazilian is a fantastical tale of a weary God and his fisherman companion searching Brazil for a temporary replacement.

The family comes under the spotlight in Cuba’s Portrait of Teresa, which reveals the changes that have taken place in the Cuban family as a result of social transformations within the country. The Truce (Mexico) tackles the relationship between a jaded fifty-something widower and a new love which allows him to reconnect with his children.

The effects of conflict in the region are explored in Blessed By Fire from Argentina, which dramatically depicts the impact of the Argentinean/English war on a group of young men, while Venezuela’s Punto Y Raya is the tragic story of a young Colombian recruit who, while patrolling the border, is befriended by a Venezuelan adversary.

Documentary Carnival 2006 (Trinidad & Tobago) explores the Carnival tradition introduced to the twin island states by the French settlers

There will be screenings at 17:30 and 20:15 for the 2006 Latin Film Festival. Tickets are free – subject to availability – and are available from the box-office one hour before each screening. For more details please refer to the attached synopsis and schedule.