29th San Diego Latino Film Festival Catalogue

WELCOME! | BIENVENIDOS! We made it to our 29th San Diego Latino Film Festival!

Hard to believe what a crazy past few years it has been; and the continued upside down world we live in.

Two years ago, the San Diego Latino Film Festival’s 27th edition was postponed on the day of its launch because of the pandemic.

Since then… a lot has happened, including a contextualization of our festival in virtual spaces. We were beyond happy to connect with all of you during the height of the pandemic and grateful for your continued support. After much uncertainty, I am thrilled to be back with in-person screenings (and plenty of virtual ones as well) for our 29th edition!

Even with all of the ongoing challenges and unrest around the world, I am so proud of our staff, Board of Directors, sponsors, film programmers, and the many volunteers for continuing this important tradition and bringing you 200+ amazing Latinx movies March 10-20, 2022; that otherwise would not be screened in this region.

During the pandemic I’ve been reminded of the importance and power of community, family, and friends. And for that, we dedicate this year’s film festival to all of YOU - community partner organizations, volunteers, movie lovers, artists, musicians, filmmakers, and actors. No matter what is happening around us, we must continue to work together, reach out, support each other and build a more just-world together.

Our non-profit, Media Arts Center San Diego, is committed to this vision and will continue to change lives through media arts and film. Despite the pandemic, our youth filmmaking classes have thrived, we continue to produce stories of communities across the region; and, we’re excited to be opening a new Digital Gym CINEMA in downtown San Diego this upcoming April 2022.

Sit back, INSIDE the movie theater, together; and, enjoy the power of Cinema and incredible stories from around Latin America, Central America, Mexico, USA, and Spain.

There’s nothing like the communal experience of watching a film on the big-screen with your friends, family, and yes, even strangers. Per usual, the films are the ultimate highlight of the festival and this year is no exception thanks to the thoughtful consideration and selections of our new programmers and selection committee members. We considered 100s of films, and we’re beyond excited to share our official selection with you. As always, I encourage you to take risks with your film selections-- a film festival is the best place to expand your appreciation of all types of cinema. I’m not sure many people accessed the program from our last in-person edition in 2020 but I wanted to re-include the following from that program’s welcome text- I’d like to dedicate this edition to Helen Guzman, a key member of the SDLFF team for many years, who will grace the festival with her spirit and serve as a constant reminder that nothing compares to family. You’re in our hearts forever, Helen.

Welcome back to the cinema!

Sincerely,

Enjoy the amazing 11 days of the best in Latino Cinema!

Nos vemos en el cine, Moisés Esparza, Exhibitions Manager

Ethan van Thillo, Founder / Executive Director

29TH SAN DIEGO LATINO FILM FESTIVAL

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HEADER TITLE TABLE OF CONTENTS Welcome! | Bienvenidos!........................ 1

Migrant Voices Film Screening.................. 20

Table of Contents.....................................2

Nuestras RaÍces Showcase ���������������������� 23

Festival Staff............................................3

¡Documania! Showcase........................... 24

Sponsors.................................................4

¡Somos! Cine LGBTQ+ showcase.............. 26

Ticket Information.....................................6

Para La Familia Showcase ���������������������� 29

Special Events ����������������������������������������� 7

Film Schedule........................................ 30

Arte Latino Gallery ���������������������������������� 9

Frontera Filmmakers Showcase................. 32

Sonido Latino Stage 2022 & Sabor latino.. 10

Hay que reírse Showcase ....................... 34

Spotlight film showcase........................... 12

¡Viva Mujeres! Film Showcase.................. 36

Un mundo Extraño Showcase................... 14

TU CINE ��������������������������������������������� 38

Youth Visions ���������������������������������������� 15 Mexico Today Showcase ������������������������ 39 Special Presentation................................ 16

Narrative Films Synopses ������������������������ 41

Pepe Serna Tribute Special Presentation ���� 17 Documentary Films Synopses ������������������� 49 VOZES Showcase................................... 18

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Short Program Synopses.......................... 56

SDLFF

FESTIVAL STAFF HEADER TITLE Staff Ethan Van Thillo Founder/Executive Director Moisés Esparza Exhibitions Manager Juan Lopez Community Production Manager Javier Tirado Director of Marketing & Special Events Nicole Góes Exhibitions Associate Ticketing Mark Madero Will Call Araceli Medina Special Events Associate Andy Gonzalez Arte Latino Gallery Curator Larissa Vega Talent Relations Manager Keli Pallares Talent Relations Coordinator Susana Franco Press Coordinator Marielena Castellanos Press Coordinator Amanda Shotsky Press Coordinator Kristian Perez Franco Print Traffic Pilar Kuri Sabor Latino Coordinator Daniella De La Puente Sabor Latino Team Saul Silva Sonido Latino Stage Manager

Paola Hernández Jiao Festival Ambassador / Host Daniel Palacios Web Design Casiel Jimenez-Sanchez Catalogue Designer Reyna Herrera Graphic Designer Fabiola Galvez Flores Opening & Closing Parties Laura Cruz Opening & Closing Parties Rickey Ketcham VIP Lounge Lead Vanessa Lopez Volunteer Coordinator Erik Miramontes Theater Manager Alexia Mejia Box Office Myriam Ibarra Box Office Melissa Leal Box Office Teresa Denis Box Office Aneyka Orozco Box Office Andy Cordoba Box Office Lori Ann Lorico Box Office Luis Quintero Box Office

Media Arts Center San Diego Ryan Kuratomi Director of Video Production Cameron Quevedo, Director of Education Larry da Silveira, Education Coordinator, Tu Cine Youth Visions Coordinator Amanda Barcena, Bookkeeper Zach Kittell, Bookkeeper Shanna Trenholm, Development

Edwin Cruz, Teaching Artist Devone Jones, Teaching Artist Diego Lynch, Teaching Artist Mizar Martin, Teaching Artist Ana Nita, Teaching Artist Anjalika Sharma, Teaching Artist Imran Arceneaux, Teaching Assistants Noah Kalal, Teaching Assistants

Festival Programmers

Interns / Volunteers:

Miguel Rodriguez | Un Mundo Extraño Showcase Yakira Delgadillo | ¡Somos!

Cine LGBT+ Showcase Luis Martinez | Hay que reírse Showcase Ebony Bailey | ¡Viva Mujeres! Showcase Adriana Trujillo | Frontera Filmmakers Showcase Nicole Góes | Vozes Showcase

Michelle Faitelson

Migrant Voices Film Challenge Jury

Shelby B. Courtney Norma Iglesias-Prieto, PhD Lorena Mostajo Laura Castañeda Paulina Castro Sonia Mehrmand Luis Cruz Davide Pinto Kian Mirnezam Alex Rivera, Jury president

Poster Selection Committee

Fabiola Gálvez-Flores Paola Hernandez-Jiao John Ball Laura Cruz César Martinez Maria Pilar Becerra Andy Gonzalez Rafael Lopez

Jurors Javier Espinoza | Baja California Film Commissioner Cristina Conde | Deputy Director of the Faculty of Arts of the Autonomous University of Baja California Campus Mexicali Cuauhtémoc Ruelas | Film Critic Juan Alberto Apodaca | Coordinator of the FACINE Film Analysis Forum

Cuauhtémoc Ruelas Susana Demaestri Miguel Rodriguez Maria Elena Delgado Danny Soley Angela Peralta Luis Martinez Kristin Moran, PhD Julia Medina, PhD Rubén Ortiz-Torres Ana Valladares-Hinderdael Sophia Schultz Kristal Bivona, PhD Ana Fuentes Janelle Iglesias Samuel Bandeira Luis Alberto Quintana Michael Caro

Media Arts Center San Diego Board of Directors Adolfo Ventura | Board President Director of Operations, MAAC

Alberto Cruz | Director President, JAMR Properties

Paul Espinosa | Vice President President/CEO of Espinosa Productions

Lisa Feldman | Case Investigator CDC Foundation

Francisco Mata | Secretary San Ysidro School District, Coordinator of Public Relations and Community Services

Enrique Meza | Director Communications and Segment Marketing Manager Mission Federal Credit Union

Maria Toscano | Treasurer Licensed Real Estate Agent

Alex Amar Kannan | Esq., Director Attorney Kannan Law Firm, Inc.

Vanessa Barron | Director Grossmont College

Michael Caro | Director Cox Communications

John Kiladis | Director

Luis Monteagudo Jr., | Director Vice President of Community Relations

Michael Caro | Director San Diego Regional Manager Assistance for Veterans Shelby Batchelor Courtney | Director Pastoral Care Counselor & Duolingo Ambassador

29TH SAN DIEGO LATINO FILM FESTIVAL

Film Festival Selection Committee

Lorena Mostajo | Director Visual Arts department, UCSD Ruben Morfin | Director Vice President, Morgan Stanley

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SPONSORS MAJOR SPONSORS

POSTER REVEAL ANNOUNCMENT SPONSORS

OPENING NIGHT CELEBRATION SPONSORS

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SABOR LATINO SPONSORS

SHOWCASE SPONSORS

RADIO SPONSORS

CLOSING NIGHT CELEBRATION SPONSORS

SDLFF

SPONSORS FILM SPONSORS

MEDIA KICKOFF CELEBRATION SPONSOR

HOTEL SPONSOR

SPONSORS

OPENING NIGHT PRESS CONFERENCE SPONSORS

OFFICIAL MAGAZINE

TELEVISION SPONSORS

VENUE SPONSORS

SONIDO LATINO STAGE SPONSOR

B R E A D & S A LT

29TH SAN DIEGO LATINO FILM FESTIVAL

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TICKET INFORMATION Box Office

For In Person Events AMC Fashion Valley 20 1640 Camino Del Rio N, San Diego, CA 92108

Starting March 10th, tickets and passes may be purchased at the film festival’s Box Office Tent located directly in front of AMC Mission Valley 20.

Box Office Hours: 3:30pm to 15 minutes after the last film starts each day.

After you have purchased your pass or tickets online, you will receive an email confirmation. Please bring this email along with your ID to pick-up your order at the 2022 San Diego Latino Film Festival Concierge Desk / Will Call Station at AMC Mission Valley 20.

OR, if you purchase your tickets online you can simply go straight to the cinemas and a theater manager/festival staff will take your printed ticket or view your email confirmation on your phone. During the festival the Will Call Station will be open from 3:30PM – 15 minutes after the last film starts each day.

Virtual Screenings Virtual screening tickets are available for pre-sale now and throughout the festival.

Guests will have to make reservations through their eventive account. https://sdlff2022.eventive.org/welcome Some films will be geoblocked to specific territories. Not all films are available virtually. Guests will have 24 hours to buy the film on the posted playtimedate, and a 24 hour window to finish the film.

Ticket Prices General Admission | $12.00 Senior/Student/Military | $10.00 Member rate | $9.00 Please note: No discounts offered for any festival primetime screenings (7-9pm).

Passes & Ticket Packs $50.00 5-Movie Ticket Pack

See any 5 movies for only $50! Get the Movie Ticket Pack of five vouchers today.

Limit two per customer. A $60.00 value!

$120 FILM PASS | Includes: - Entrance to 11 films of your choosing - Access to the VIP Priority Seating Line which grants early admittance to every show.

- Live Film Talks – get up close and personal to the stars!

- Limit two per customer. – a $132 value! The Film Pass is Non-Transferable. Film Pass holders will receive 11 digital vouchers that must be redeemed for tickets to specific screenings.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: The Film Pass does NOT allow access to auditoriums without a ticket but provides you with the benefit of PREFERRED SEATING up to 20 minutes prior to showtime. Digital vouchers may be redeemed for tickets at the Concierge Desk / Will Call at AMC 20 Mission Valley Cinema, starting on March 10th or online as soon as tickets are available. Make your film selections as early to ensure availability for popular screenings.

$225 FESTIVAL PASS | Includes: - OVER 160 programs - Access to the Priority Seating Line which grants early admittance to every show

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- VIP Lounge & Receptions - Entrance to Opening Night Party - 1 year FREE Media Arts Center San Diego’s BASIC Membership - Plus, special benefits during the festival and throughout the year at our Digital Gym CINEMA North Park with your Membership Card!

- Limit two per customer. The Festival Pass is NON-TRANSFERABLE — a $1,400 value Note: the Festival Pass does NOT grant access to Sabor Latino – Food, Beer & Wine Festival and Opening Night / Closing Night Party.

$300.00 VIP PASS

- Over 160 film programs - VIP Priority Seating Line which grants early admittance to every show - VIP Passes to Sabor Latino Food, Beer & Wine Festival - VIP Lounge & Receptions - FREE Entrance to all after parties, panels, press conferences & events - Live Film Talks – get up close to the stars!

- 1 year FREE Media Arts Center San Diego’s BASIC Membership - Plus, special benefits during the festival and throughout the year at our Digital Gym CINEMA North Park with your Membership Card!

- Limit two per customer. — a $2,000 value This pass is NON-TRANSFERABLE – a $2,000 value!

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: Pass holders will be allowed preferred entrance into theatres up to 20 minutes prior to showtime or until the pass holder allotment has been reached. Early arrival to all screenings is recommended. Passes do NOT guarantee seating and pass holders may not always be able to attend the film program of their first choice. Please be at your seat by the scheduled start time of your film. Empty seats may be resold after posted start time to accommodate rush line patrons.

Order online or call our office today! 619-230-1938, nicole@mediaartscenter.org

SPECIAL! Group sales!

Looking to buy multiple tickets? Buy with a group and get discounts: Qty Price Each Savings 10 – 25 $9.00 $3.00 26 – 50 $8.00 $4.00 Buyer agrees that group sales tickets cannot be used for shows between 7pm – 9:30pm Mon-Sun). Tickets are non-transferable and cannot be redeemed for cash. See festival staff for further information. All group sales tickets must be made in advance and are not sold at the box office. Group sales tickets must be purchased in person at: MEDIA ARTS Center San Diego 1100 Market St. Ste 326 San Diego, CA 92101

For more information, visit sdlatinofilm.com or call (619) 230-1938.

SPECIAL EVENTS Opening Night Celebration at The Patricios Pub & Cantina The Patricios Pub & Cantina 554 Fourth Ave San Diego, CA 92101 Thursday, March 10, 2022 Brought to you by Radio Latina 104.5 FM, Univision San Diego, Azteca Canal 33, COLIBRE Cerveza Mexicana, Tequila Cazadores, Gente Bonita Magazine, LBM Talent & Modeling Academy, Jessica Rosas Events & The Patricios Pub & Cantina.

Join us as we kick-off the 29th San Diego Latino Film Festival in style at downtown San Diego’s one-of-a-kind The Patricios Pub & Cantina!

Dance the night away with live music, featuring 'Fiesta Luna: Rumba Latina', spirits, lite bites, celebrities - including film legend, Pepe Serna & more!

Ticket Includes:

1 Free Movie Ticket to be used throughout the 11-day festival!

1 Free Drink Ticket (Tequila Cazadores or COLIBRE Cerveza Mexicana) Lite Bites provided by The Patricios Pub & Cantina Live music by 'Fiesta Luna: Rumba Latina'!

Red Carpet Photo Booth

Plus, the chance to mingle w/guest filmmakers & actors from the 29th San Diego Latino Film Festival - including film legend, Pepe Serna!

Admission Cost:

$10 Before March 6 $15 In Advance (March 7 - March 10) $20 At the Door All proceeds benefit Media Arts Center San Diego and its education programs throughout San Diego County.

Info: 619-230-1938 | info@mediaartscenter.org

The Patricios Restaurant The Patricios are honored in both Mexico and Ireland. Here in The Patricios, we honor the food and spirits of these two great nations for you to enjoy.

554 4th Avenue, San Diego, CA, 92101 March 10, 8:00 PM - March 11, 12:00 AM, 2022 PST

Closing Awards Ceremony Gala & Concert Closing night celebration, Awards Announcement & Concert w/ Jungle Fire Bread & Salt Art Gallery in Logan Heights 1955 Julian Ave San Diego, CA 92113 Saturday, March 19, 2022 Brought to you by Univision San Diego, Azteca Canal 33, San Diego Union-Tribune en Español, Anheuser Busch, Estrella Jalisco Beer, Gente Bonita Magazine, LBM Talent & Modeling Academy, COLIBRE Cerveza Mexicana, Tequila Cazadores, Switch Eventos, Jessica Rosas Events, Casa Veracruz, Chef Andrea Barrios, Bread & Salt, De Cabeza El Unico, Fresheria and Algo Bueno. Join us as we close the film festival with a bang in honor of Latino films, actors and filmmakers!

Dance the night away with Los Angeles based 10-piece TropiFunk band sensation, JUNGLE FIRE, plus learn who this year’s 'Best of Fest' winners are!

You'll also enjoy an Awards Announcement with tributes to filmmakers & actors, live music, drinks y más!

Ticket Includes: 1 Free Movie Ticket to be used throughout the 11-day festival!

Live music by 10-piece band - Jungle Fire!

Red Carpet Photo Booth Spirits & Lite Bites Awards Announcement Plus, the chance to mingle w/guest filmmakers & actors from the 29th San Diego Latino Film Festival!

Tickets

$20 Before March 1 $25 In Advance (March 12 - March 21) $30 At the Door All proceeds benefit Media Arts Center San Diego and its education programs.

About the band The JUNGLE FIRE sound digs deep into Afro/Latin Funk with an approach that is authentic and highly explosive! The Los Angeles based 10-piece TropiFunk juggernaut pulls its influences from the music of legends such as Irakere, Ray Barretto, James Brown, Fela Kuti and Manu Dibango (just to name a few) while creating a melting pot of Afro-Caribbean and West African rhythms with a heavy break beat funk. For more info on band: http://junglefiremusic.com/ Bread & Salt | Art Gallery in Logan Heights 1955 Julian Ave, San Diego, CA 92113 March 19, 8:00 PM - March 20, 12:00 AM, 2022 PDT

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ARTE LATINO HEADER GALLERY TITLE Westfield Mission Valley Mall 1640 Camino Del Rio North, San Diego, CA 92108 (Suite 141, next to The Children’s Place – between AMC Theatres & Target) March 11 – 20 / 2PM - 10PM The Arte Latino Gallery space, between AMC Theatres and Target, will feature artists, artisans, interactive elements w/LIVE art exhibits and more!

Andy Gonzalez Arte Latino Gallery Curator | La Onda Arte Latino Melody De Los Cobos Arte Latino Gallery Assistant Curator Chicanalilly

Featured Artists:

Contributing Artists:

Pako Pablos Pako Pablos Studios

Love City Heights Live & Interactive Art

Juan Muniz Ninobuni World

SD Art Society Live & Interactive Art

Mariel Mendez MARALOVE Juan Solis Juansolisarte Marlen Castor Marlen Castor Esmeralda Robles Artist Esmeralda

Walk the Block: Barrio Logan Large Wooden Art Panels Sara Abdelmoneim Chalk Art Silvia Robledo and MORE!

Armand Montiel Roberto Pozos

29TH SAN DIEGO LATINO FILM FESTIVAL

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SONIDO LATINO STAGE 2022 & SABOR LATINO Sonido Latino Stage 2022 PRESENTED BY SYCUAN CASINO & RESORT

Westfield Mission Valley Mall

Daily Live Music & Entertainment Westfield Mission Valley Mall (Festival Village @ AMC Courtyard) March 10 – 20 | (5pm-9pm Weekdays / 2pm-9pm Weekend Days) Latino music is the cornerstone of Latino culture. It's the way we express ourselves.

Without music there is no soundtrack, no score, no theme songs and no mood. Latinos need music to salsa and merengue, to cumbiar, perrear, quebrar and rumbiar.

The San Diego Latino Film Festival has brought everything from Afro Cuban drumming to Aztec Dancers, from Brazilian Capoeira to Colombian Cumbia, Pop Rock to Hip Hop, mariachi and so much more to our festival grounds. This year will be no different.

SDLFF 2022 is no different. Here is this years line up: Thur March 10, 2022 Mon March 14, 2022 DJ Saul Timba DisclaimHer Ignacio Val Cumbia Machin Energia Entertainment (Brazilian Samba)

Elena Castaneda

Fri March 11, 2022

Israel Maldonado

Tue March 15, 2022 Saul Cruz

Wed March 16, 2022

DJ Saul Timba Marujah Esperanza Valdez

Thur March 17, 2022

Sat March 12, 2022

Fri March 18, 2022

DJ Niayuku Wa Kushma Itzel DJ Mafondo Foxy Ladys Fehr Rivas Amore Aurora

Sun March 13, 2022

DJ JC Calleros Flamenco with Roots Clara Ledesma Viva Folclorico Cantua

Antonio Fe

David De Alva

Sat March 19, 2022 DJ Saul Timba Puro Feeling Enruedame Mas Memory Lounge Anthony Mendez

Sun March 20, 2022

DJ Niayuku Flamenco with Roots Gaby Aparicio Martin Aguilera Planetarius Victor Enciso

Music will play every day at Westfield Mission Valley near AMC Cinema when the festival is activated.

Sonido Latino is coordinated by Saul Timba Productions and Sponsored by Sycuan Casino.

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6th Annual Sabor Latino: Food, Beer & Wine Festival (East Courtyard next to Papaya Clothing) 1640 Camino Del Rio North San Diego, CA 92108 Saturday, March 19, 2022 | 1pm-5pm Celebrate Latino flavors and culture with us on March 19th! You'll enjoy unlimited food tastings inspired by celebrated Latino chefs, as well as unlimited beer and wine tastings provided by some of the best craft breweries and wineries from San Diego and Baja California! Plus, live music, art showcases as well as a 'BEST DISH' contest!

Admission Cost: Early Bird (before March 10, 2022) VIP: $40 (Early Entrance at 1pm)

Week/Day of Event (March 10-19, 2022) VIP: $50 (Early Entrance at 1pm)

General Admission: $30 (Entrance at 2pm)

General Admission: $40 (Entrance at 2pm)

All proceeds benefit Media Arts Center San Diego and its education programs throughout San Diego County. * Rain or Shine Event. No Refunds.

Bites & Spirits provided by: Caliche Taqueria De Ensenada; Casa Tijuana; Estrella Jalisco; Golden Road Brewery; Elysian Brewery; COLIBRE Cerveza Mexicana; Border X Brewing; Mezcal los Javis; Cerveza XTECA, Coco Maya, Chef Rosie, KnB Del Cerro y más!

29TH SAN DIEGO LATINO FILM FESTIVAL

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SPOTLIGHT FILM SHOWCASE

A

collection of award-winning films, the latest projects from established masters, thought-provoking works from emerging artists, and crowd-pleasing fare. The Spotlight Films Showcase has something for everyone and is a great sampling of what the festival has to offer.

AMPARO Dir. Simon Mesa Soto (Colombia / Sweden / Qatar, 95 min., 2021, Spanish w/ English Subtitles, Drama) 3/12 / 8:20 / S8 3/14 / 5:45 / S5

Amparo, a single mother of two, finds out that her son has been drafted during an army raid and will be sent to the front in a notorious war zone near the border. His fate seems sealed. With only a single day left until his departure, Amparo manages to contact a man who offers to alter Elias' files and get him out. With nothing much on her side, she embarks on a race against time to free her son in a society ruled by corruption. Spotlight Films.

CHARLOTTE Dir. Simón Franco (Paraguay, 80 min., 2021, Spanish w/ English Subtitles, Dramedy) 3/12 / 1:30 / S10 3/16 / 6:30 / S6 Available virtually 3/19

EL MAYOR Dir. Rigoberto López (Cuba, 117 min., 2020, Spanish w/ English Subtitles, Historical Drama / War) 3/20 / 3:35 / S6

A historical epic about the life of Major General Ignacio Agramonte y Loynaz, a pivotal figure in the Cuban War of Independence, directed by the late, great filmmaker Rigoberto López.

Spotlights Films Showcase.

LOS MINUTOS NEGROS Dir. Mario Muñoz (Mexico, 96 min., 2021, Spanish w/ English Subtitles, Crime / Thriller) 3/18 / 7:20 / S8 3/20 / 8:30 / S7 Available virtually 3/11

In the late 1970s, a group of young cops led by ex-musician turned detective Vicente Rangel will face the darkest minutes of their lives while attempting to catch a serial killer of young girls in a corrupt oil town in the Gulf of Mexico. Starring Leonardo Ortizgris, Sofia Espinosa, and Kristyan Ferrer. Spotlight Films Showcase.

LAS MOTITOS Dirs. María Gabriela Vidal, Inés María Barrionuevo (Argentina, 84 min., 2021, Spanish w/ English Subtitles, Drama)

3/12 / 5:20 / S10 3/14 / 9:10 / S7 Available virtually 3/17

A forgotten movie star learns that the director who made her famous will be filming his last film in Paraguay. She and her faithful Taiwanese companion set out on an unusual journey in search of the role of a lifetime-- but in the process they learn so much more about life, friendship, and each other.

Spotlight Films Showcase.

Juliana and Lautaro live in a poor neighborhood surrounded by policemen. They are in love but facing an unwanted pregnancy.

They don’t know what to do. Who will they turn to in order to avoid illegality and abandonment? Juliana’s mother, Flor, finds out what’s happening and decides to take action. Spotlight Films Showcase.

EL GRAN MOVIMIENTO

OCEAN GIRL

Dir. Kiro Russo (Bolivia / France / Qatar /Switzerland, 85 min., 2021, Spanish w/ English Subtitles, Drama) 3/11 / 9:20 / S8 3/17 / 8:10 / S5

Stunningly shot in the Bolivian mountains, jungles, and in contemporary La Paz, the film follows Elder who arrives in the capital after a seven-day journey seeking to get back his work at a mine. Once in the city, Elder gets a job but his health soon deteriorates. An elderly woman known as Mama Pancha sends him to Max, a mysterious man who resides in the rainforest and occasionally heads to La Paz for work as a street performer. To save Elder, Max performs a series of shamanic rituals that slowly brings the young man back to life. Spotlight Films Showcase.

MIS HERMANOS SUEÑAN DESPIERTOS Dir. Claudia Huaiquimilla (Chile, 85 min., 2021, Spanish w/ English Subtitles, Drama) 3/10 / 6:30 / S7 3/20 / 6:25 / S8

Ángel and his younger brother Franco have been incarcerated in a juvenile prison for a year. Despite the difficulties, they have formed a solid group of friends with whom they spend their days sharing dreams of freedom. Everything changes when the arrival of a rebellious young man offers a possible escape: the only door to make those dreams come true. Inspired by many true events, and starring Paulina García (La novia del desierto). Content Warning: Features an assault attempt that may be triggering to viewers.

Spotlight Films Showcase.

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Dir. Djin Sganzerla (Brazil / Japan, 99 min., 2020, English, Japanese, Portuguese w/ English Subtitles, Drama)

3/12 / 5:50 / S8 3/15 / 8:30 / S6 Available virtually 3/18

After relocating to Tokyo, a Brazilian writer begins a new novel, provoked by her experiences in Japan and by one of the last scenes she witnessed in Rio de Janeiro: a female swimmer tearing up the horizon with powerful strokes in the wide, open sea. Those two women apparently share no connection, until their lives start to interfere with one another's, strangely linked through the sea.

Hannah, the writer, plunges into a journey of self-discovery in Japan, while Ana, the swimmer in Rio de Janeiro, oddly has her body transformed into some kind of inner Ocean.

Spotlight Films Showcase.

EL OTRO TOM Dir. Rodrigo Plá, Laura Santullo (Mexico/ USA, 111 min., 2021, Spanish w/ English Subtitles, English, Drama)

3/11 / 7:00 / S8 3/15 / 5:00 / S8 Available virtually 3/20

Elena is a single mother who relies on Social Services. Her son Tom has behavioral issues and is stigmatized at school as a “problem child” in the border city of El Paso, Texas. An absent father further complicates their difficult relationship. Tom is diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and prescribed psychiatric medication, but a strange accident alerts his mother as to its side effects. When Elena refuses to continue administering the drugs to Tom, Social Services threaten to remove him from her custody, leading to life-altering decisions.

Spotlight Films Showcase.

SDLFF

SPOTLIGHT FILM SHOWCASE UNA PELÍCULA SOBRE PAREJAS

LAS VACACIONES DE HILDA

Dirs. Natalia Cabral, Oriol Estrada (Dominican Republic, 89 min., 2021, Catalan, Spanish w/ English Subtitles, Dramedy / Relationships)

Dir. Agustín Banchero (Uruguay, 88 min., 2021, Spanish w/ English Subtitles, Drama) 3/14 / 8:30 / S6 Available virtually 3/10

3/16 / 5:00/ S8 3/20 / 4:15 / S5

Natalia and Oriol are a couple of filmmakers in their thirties who have a young daughter named Lía. They decide to make a film about couples and relationships, and along the way realize there's work to be done in their own partnership.

Spotlights Films Showcase.

Hilda, a lonely woman living in the town of Conception, Uruguay, intentionally shatters any kind of emotional bond with the people around her. As her eldest son announces a visit, she hurries to improve her house and her own appearance, but a last-minute cancellation of the visit pushes her into a tailspin, reliving a bitter summer holiday from long ago. Spotlight Films Showcase.

PLAZA CATEDRAL

YO Y LAS BESTIAS

Dir. Abner Benaim (Panama / Mexico / Colombia, 94 min., 2021, Spanish w/ English Subtitles, Drama) 3/12 / 7:20 /S10 3/20 / 8:15 / S8

3/17 / 8:25 / S6 3/19 / 8:15 / S5 Dir. Nico Manzano (Venezuela, 78 min., 2021, Spanish w/ English subtitles, Dramedy)

An alternative rock band’s singer-guitarist starts a solo career, seeking inspiration as Venezuela’s crisis roils, with the help of “The Beasts”, two mysterious masked beings.

Spotlight Films Showcase.

Ilse Salas stars in this film as Alicia, a grieving mother who has gone through an inexplicable tragedy. When a 13 year old boy named Chief enters her life, she’ll find a new lease on life, and more importantly, force her to question her own circumstances.

Spotlight Films Showcase.

EL OLVIDO QUE SEREMOS Dir. Fernando Trueba (Colombia, 136 min., 2020, Spanish w/ English subtitles, Drama) 3/10 / 8:35 / S6 3/13/ 6:40 / S5

PODEROSO VICTORIA Dir. Raúl Ramón (Mexico, 117 min., 2022, Spanish w/ English Subtitles, Drama / Adventure) 3/15 / 7:15 / S8 3/19 / 7:00 / S6

EL OLVIDO QUE SEREMOS describes the life of Héctor Abad Gómez (Javier Cámara), a doctor and a human rights activist concerned with both his own children and the children of the underprivileged classes in the violent 1970s in Medellin, Colombia. At his home, you can breathe the vitality and creativity that are the result of a progressive education based on tolerance and love. But driven by sadness and rage when a terrible cancer takes the life of one of his daughters, Héctor devotes himself to the social and political causes of the time, without regard to his personal safety. This is an intimate story seen through the eyes of his only son, Héctor Abad Facilionce, one of the most outstanding writers in contemporary Colombia. Spotlight Films Showcase.

La Esperanza, a town in the Northern Mexican desert, receives the devastating news that their mine will be shut-down along with their railroad service. Facing the risk of being cut off from civilization, the townsfolk unite under the leadership of a young mechanic with big dreams to execute a wild idea-- they will build their own steam train. Starring Gerardo Oñate, Damián Alcázar, Joaquín Cosío, Édgar Vivar, Adal Ramones, Lalo España, Roberto Sosa, and Said Sandoval among many others. Spotlight Films Showcase.

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San Diego Latin Film Festival 2022

UN MUNDO EXTRAÑO SHOWCASE AL MORIR LA MATINÉE Dir. Maximiliano Contenti (Uruguay, 88 min., 2020, Spanish w/ English Subtitles, Horror) 3/13 / 9:00 / S8

It rains heavily in Montevideo on a Sunday in 1993. A particularly suspicious man enters the last screening of a horror film at a downtown cinema. The room, which is not very crowded due to the storm outside, slowly starts to get stained with blood.

Un Mundo Extraño Showcase.

LENI Dir. Federico Gianotti (Argentina, 74 min., 2020, Spanish w/ English Subtitles, Horror)

3/10 / 9:00 / S8 3/17 / 9:15 / S7 Available virtually 3/14

Recurring nightmares and the aftermath of a violent break-up have put Leni on edge as she desperately seeks to regain her sanity.

Now she must confront her demons in order to unravel the trauma of a past she doesn’t seem to fully remember.

Un mundo extraño Showcase.

MEDUSA Dir. Anita Rocha da Silveira (Brazil, 129 min., 2022, Portuguese w/ English Subtitles, Fantasy / Horror)

3/15 / 6:35 / S7 3/20 / 8:40 / S6

Today, Brazil. Mariana (Mari Oliveira), 21 years old, belongs to a world where she must do her utmost to keep up the appearance of a perfect woman. In order to resist temptation, she and her girlfriends try their best to control everything and everyone around

them. And that includes the town sinners. At night, the girl squad put on masks, hunt and beat up all women who have deviated from the right path. However, the day will come when the urge to scream will be stronger than it ever has been…

Un mundo extraño Showcase.

LA PASAJERA Dirs. Raúl Cerezo, Fernando González Gómez (Spain, 90 min. 2021, Spanish w/ English Subtitles, Horror)

3/19 / 8:05 / S7 Available virtually 3/12

A group of strangers sharing a van have their trip abruptly interrupted when the driver accidentally hits a woman hiking in the middle of the night. They decide to take her to the hospital, but on the way quickly learn that she is not in need of a hospital and that they shouldn’t have let her in at all. Starring Mexican actress Cecilia Suarez... like you've never seen her before!

Un mundo extraño Showcase.

SICOSEXUAL Dir. Marco Vélez Esquivia (Colombia, 96 min., 2022, Spanish w/ English Subtitles, Thriller)

3/11 / 8:20 / S5 3/18 / 9:45 / S8 Available virtually 3/13

Marcela, a film and TV commercial sound designer, becomes obsessed with a famous YouTuber after she finds her boyfriend with another woman. Her infatuation takes a dangerous turn after a chance to meet the object of her affection presents itself. When things don’t go as planned, Marcela takes matters into her own hands. Un mundo extraño Showcase.

SHORTS PROGRAMS UN MUNDO EXTRAÑO - WARPED REFLECTIONS 3/13 / 1:10 / S6 Available Virtually March 10

HELL OF A PITCHER, dir. Daniel Burity, USA THE FOURTH, dir. Johnny Kirk, USA THE MAID, dir. Kristin Goodman, USA TINDER TANGO, dir. Cecilia Robles, USA INSOLACIÓN, dir. Rogelio Sánchez Toledo, México LAYOUT, dir. Clara Martins Hermeto, Brazil UN MUNDO EXTRAÑO- FOLK TALES AND SPECULATIONS 3/20 / 6:20 / S6 Available Virtually 3/16

HUNGER, dir. Carlos Meléndez, Mexico THE WEREBACK, dir. Estrada Brothers, USA STRONG, dir. Jean Lee, USA MUSE, dir. Camilla Demichelis Richaud, Mexico UNA VEZ EN XJAN XWAN, dir. Alexander Feliciano Mejía, Guatemala THE LEGEND OF SOMBRERÓN, dir. Enrique A. Mendoza, Guatemala L.U.N.A., dir. Blake Vaz, USA

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SDLFF

YOUTH VISIONS

M

edia Arts Center San Diego presents its annual Youth Visions showcase, a collection of short films from teen filmmakers, representing a burgeoning population of youth who are finding creative expression and empowerment in telling stories through visual media.

March 19, 2022, 2PM @ AMC Mission Valley 20

FIGHTING FOR ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE: HEALTH CRISIS AT THE U.S.-MEXICO BORDER Dir. Ilan Jinich (Francis Parker School, San Diego, CA, 3 min.)

This film highlights efforts by the community of San Ysidro to mitigate the environmental injustice following a major federal expansion of the US-Mexico border port of entry crossing in 2019.

FIRST TIME HOME (Berkeley, CA, 29 min.)

When they learn their grandfather is gravely ill, four cousins travel from their Indigenous Triqui immigrant community in California to their ancestral village in Mexico for the first time. In the midst of border politics and violence, the cousins forge a link across thousands of miles, with a newfound pride in their indigenous immigrant identity and understanding of the meaning of family.

POCOS HUEVOS Dir. Juanpa Brenis (Babafilms, Mexico, 16 min.)

What is the risk of normalizing misogyny? A story from the point of view of a group of boys..

SAFE AND UNSOCIAL Dir. Ethan Almonte(Real to Reel Film School, Lynn, MA, 1 min.)

An experimental short film.

STREET VENDORS: THE FORGOTTEN Dir. Aldon Caba, Jailyn Diaz, Jeremy Caba (Educational Video Center, New York NY, 7 min.)

This film focuses on the impacts of COVID-19 on local street vendors in the community of Washington Heights and ways to advocate for and support this struggling community.

TAKING IT BACK Dir. Mia Gonzalez (Reel Voices, San Diego, CA 5 min.)

ALONE Dir. Alejandro Delgadillo (Eastlake High School, Chula Vista, CA, 16 min.)

A teenager faces the horrors of his own mind on his first night home alone.

A look into how affecting misogyny can be through the stories of different girls, a skateboarder and tarot card reader.

Total running time: 86 minutes Curated by: Larry DaSilveira, MACSD Education Coordinator

THE CHASE Dir. Bradley Niccosia, Lena Faeskorn (Real to Reel Film School, Lynn, MA, 1 min.)

Experimental short film.

CHICANO PARK: A CINEMATIC POEM

Made possible by Clare Rose Foundation, California Endowment, California Humanities, SDG&E & California Arts Council, San Diego Foundation, The Conrad Prebys Foundation, Art Pratt Foundation.

Dir. Cesaire Carroll-Domingue (San Diego School of Creative and Performing Arts,, 2 min.)

An unnamed narrator explores the history and beauty of Chicano Park.

DÍA DE LOS MUERTOS Dir. Teen Producers Project (Media Arts Center San Diego, 3 min.)

Documenting the annual celebration in the neighborhood of City Heights.

ERES PERFECTO Dir. Él Avalon Sandoval Reilly (California State Summer School for the Arts, 2 min.)

Santiago always loses to Armando, and it makes them angry. One day, they agree to race, and both of them realize that they need each other.

29TH SAN DIEGO LATINO FILM FESTIVAL

15

SPECIAL PRESENTATION

O

ur festival exclusives and must-attend special screenings, featuring our tribute screenings, special guests, and other highlights.

Join us in celebrating Claudio Rojas, documentary subject, IN PERSON; along with filmmakers, Alex Rivera & Cristina Ibarra.

Special Presentation.

THE KITCHENISTAS Dir. David Romero (USA, Mexico, 56 min., 2021, English, Spanish w/ English Subtitles, Food Documentary)

3/17 / 7:00 / S8 3/19 / 11:45 AM / S8 Available virtually 3/12

THE INFILTRATORS Dir. Cristina Ibarra, Alex Rivera (USA, 95 min., 2019, Spanish w/ English Subtitles, Hybrid)

3/13 / 5:00 / S7

The docu-thriller that tells the true story of young immigrants who are detained by Border Patrol and thrown into a shadowy for-profit detention center—on purpose. Marco and Viri are members of the National Immigrant Youth Alliance, a group of radical DREAMers who are on a mission to stop unjust deportations. And the best place to stop deportations, they believe, is in detention. However, when Marco and Viri attempt a daring reverse ‘prison break,’ things don’t go according to plan. By weaving together documentary footage of the real infiltrators with re-enactments of the events inside the detention center, THE INFILTRATORS tells an incredible and thrilling true story in a genre-defying new cinematic language.

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What started as a 7-week nutrition program 8 years ago in National City (CA) has become a 300+ Latina-led movement to raise the health, well-being, and resilience of a community.

National City has one of the highest rates of obesity and diabetes in San Diego County and in California, and the program graduates, called “Kitchenistas” are mentoring, advocating, and developing a sisterhood to bring high-quality food and cooking into their homes, schools, city, and beyond. Special Presentation.

EL REY DE TODO EL MUNDO Dir. Carlos Saura (Mexico / Spain, 95 min., 2021, Spanish w/ English Subtitles, Drama / Dance)

3/19 / 7:35 / S8 3/20 / 11:45 AM / S8

Manuel (Manuel García Rulfo) is preparing his next musical.

He seeks the help of Sara (Ana de la Reguera), his ex-wife and renowned choreographer, to direct. In the casting, the young Ines emerges as a rising star despite dealing with her father’s ties to the local mob. During the rehearsals, passion and tensions grow among the dancers. Powerful Mexican music sets the tone and a play will emerge in which tragedy, fiction and reality intertwine.

Directed by the great Carlos Saura.

Special Presentation - Closing Night Film.

SDLFF

PEPE SERNA TRIBUTE SPECIAL PRESENTATION HEADER TITLE Reno. Pepe Serna will be in person for these three screenings. Join us in celebrating Pepe Serna. Purchase your tickets today!

PEPE SERNA: LIFE IS ART, DIR. LUIS REYES Thu, Mar 10th, 7:00 PM @ AMC Mission Valley Screen 8

It is a one hour documentary about the life and career, told in his own words, of veteran supporting actor Pepe Serna, best known for his roles in such films as Scarface, Car Wash, and Downsizing.

Pepe Serna Tribute showcase.

RAICES DE SANGRE, DIR. JESÚS SALVADOR TREVIÑO Fri, Mar 11th, 7:15 PM @ AMC Mission Valley Screen 7 No English Subtitles

Jesús Salvador Treviño’s Raíces de sangre is a landmark film about the Chicano experience. This exploration of how capitalism exploits workers on both sides of the border is an incendiary condemnation of a system built to oppress laborers.

MAN FROM RENO, DIR. DAVE BOYLE Sat, Mar 12th, 3:00 PM @ AMC Mission Valley Screen 8

A small town sheriff and a Japanese crime writer are lured into the same strange murder mystery unfolding on the back streets and outskirts of San Francisco. Pepe Serna Tribute showcase.

29

th San Diego Latino Film Festival is honored to celebrate the career of legendary Chicano actor, Pepe Serna. In addition to premiering his new movie, Pepe Serna: Life Is Art; this year’s festival will also screen two other films spotlighting Pepe’s incredible talent - the groundbreaking first Chicano narrative feature film, Raices de Sangre; and the recent noir thriller, Man from

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29TH SAN DIEGO LATINO FILM FESTIVAL

17

VOZES SHOWCASE

T

here are nearly 5 million persons of Central American descent in the United States and that number doubled in the last 10 years. Vozes gives voz to those who speak vos. It puts the oft-forgotten voices of Central American characters at the center stage.

It portrays both the daily hardships and the wonders of ancestral lands by highlighting the works of Central American filmmakers, helping viewers move past the stereotypical media portrayals of a culture that is an increasingly important part of the American social fabric.

ALGO AZUL Dir. Mariel Garcia Spooner (Panama / Colombia, 90 min., 2021, Spanish w/ English Subtitles, Comedy/Drama) 3/12 / 7:00 / S9 3/18/ 9:15 / S7 3/20 / 11:30 AM / S7

Ana’s wedding dress ends up ruined a week before her wedding.

At the hotel where she works, she finds the dress of her dreams in one of the rooms. Tempted, she decides to try it on, only to be caught by Lucia, the owner of the dress. Ana escapes from the hotel dressed as a bride and decides that she must get married that same day. A fun race against the clock begins as she must convince her fiancé to wed her before she is caught. In the midst of this chaos, she becomes a media phenomenon, runs into her exboyfriend Rodrigo and reflects on true love. Vozes Film Showcase.

CADEJO BLANCO Dir. Justin Lerner (Guatemala / Mexico, USA, 125 min., 2021, Spanish w/ English Subtitles, Drama) 3/10 / 8:25 /S7 3/20 / 5:55 / S7 Available virtually 3/12

Sarita goes out partying one night at the insistence of her rebellious sister, Bea. The next morning, after calling friends and neighbors, Sarita begins to panic when she realizes that Bea never made it home. With no help from the authorities and convinced that Bea's disappearance has something to do with Andrés, her sister’s dangerous ex, Sarita finds a way to befriend him and infiltrate his gang, becoming increasingly involved in a ruthless, violent world.

Vozes Film Showcase.

CAFÉ CON SABOR A MI TIERRA Dir. Carlos Membreño (Honduras, 123 min., 2021, Spanish w/ English Subtitles, Drama)

3/12 / 5:50 /S6 3/15 / 9:30/ S5

A coffee producing family from Marcala, Honduras faces seemingly insurmountable challenges that test the bonds of family to their limit. In the process, we learn the sacrifice, passion, and faith that exists behind a cup of coffee. Vozes Film Showcase.

FLY SO FAR Dir. Celina Escher (El Salvador / Sweden, 89 min., 2021, Spanish w/ English Subtitles, Documentary) 3/20 / 6:10 / S5 Available virtually 3/13

Set in El Salvador, a country with some of the most restrictive laws in the world, including the criminalization of those who experience miscarriages, this documentary tells the story of Teodora Vásquez, who was accused of murder when she suffered a stillbirth and was sentenced to thirty years in prison for aggravated homicide.

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At Ilopango Women’s Prison, she becomes the spokesperson for The Seventeen, a group of working-class women who were all incarcerated after having miscarriages., many of whom became pregnant after being sexually assaulted. Vozes Showcase.

OBJETOS REBELDES Dir. Carolina Arias Ortiz (Costa Rica / Colombia, 70 min., 2021, Spanish w/ English subtitles, Documentary) 3/18 / 5:00 / S8 3/20 / 3:50 / S7 Available virtually 3/14

Carolina returns to her home country Costa Rica to try to rebuild the relationship with her father, who is sick. During this time, she meets Ifigenia, an archaeologist expert in the stone spheres found in the south of Costa Rica; the country's great enigma. She decides to follow Ifigenia's journey through an erased indigenous history.

Through objects and their stories, Carolina learns a different way to relate to death. ¡Viva Mujeres! Showcase, Vozes Showcase.

EL SILENCIO DEL TOPO Dir. Anaïs Taracena (Guatemala, 91 min., 2021, Spanish w/ English Subtitles, Documentary) 3/13 / 1:25 / S7 3/16 / 4:30 / S6 Available virtually 3/11

In the decade of the 70s, a journalist self-proclaimed as “The Mole” infiltrated one of the most repressive governments in Guatemala.

Through the quest of a hidden and unusual character, the film explores how the revelations of the truth can force cracks into the walls of silence in a country forced to forget. Vozes Showcase.

EL SUSPIRO DEL SILENCIO Dir. Alfonso Quijada (El Salvador, 93 min., 2020, Spanish w/ English Subtitles, Drama / Thriller)

3/12 / 1:30 / S9 3/18 / 7:30 / S5

Josefina Moreno, an 18-year old coffee picker who has worked in the coffee fields in El Salvador her entire life, discovers she has a rare and refined sense of smell which opens the doors for her in the world of coffee tasting. Her gift allows her to evaluate and appreciate coffee beans with near-perfect precision, but she has to contend with circumstances that threaten her future. Vozes Showcase.

SHORTS PROGRAM 3/18/ 4:15 / S5 Available virtually 3/11

UNIQUE | Dir. Hugo Mata Parducci, El Salvador MEMORIAS DEL CHAGRES | Dir. Omar Calvo, Panama MISS PANAMA | Dir. Lamar Bailey Karamañites, Pascale Boucicaut, David Felix Sutcliffe, USA

PARCIALMENTE NUBLADO CON PELIGRO DE TORMENTA | Dir. Nicole Villalobos, Costa Rica

DE SUEÑOS | Dir.Olga Jaramillo, USA DE REINAS Y OTROS COLORES | Dir.Juan Herrera Zuluaga SUPERVISORES DE NUBES | Dir.William Aguilar ANTES QUE AMANEZCA | Dir. Enrique Medrano

SDLFF

MIGRANT VOICES FILM SCREENING he had to undertake and does so through the sensations, lights, sounds and memories of him. A non-stop roundup that wants to bring the viewer to reflect and identify with him.

YOU MUST HAVE COME FROM HELL (Dir. Hayfaa Chalabi, Sweden, 5:22 min) In her short film, Chalabi tells about her own asylum experience and the roles that refugees are forced into in Sweden. She explores the impact of structural apathy towards refugees in migration offices, socio-political discourse, and private spaces. The work becomes a place for memory and history writing where Chalabi tries to understand how to document a process that is prohibited to be documented by the person undergoing it. Animation in this film is a tool that serves an aim beyond its practical aspect of depicting a narrative. It is a resistance against the restrictions of filming, recording, and photographing whatever happens inside the Migration Board’s offices in Sweden.

LET GO (Dir. TAR BAZANCIR, Sweden, 3 min.)

A story about people of flesh and blood, torn apart by illusions named border, nations and race.

CHAPARRAL (Dirs. Jorge Armando Nieto Sanchez, Alma Yolanda Morales Gonzalez, Mexico, 4:57 min)

29

th San Diego Latino Film Festival & San Diego UnionTribune are honored to present this year’s finalists for our annual Migrant Voices Film Competition. We received entries from around the world; and we’re excited to share the best films with you on the big screen.

The finalists will be screened on: Tuesday, March 15th at 7pm @ AMC Mission Valley Cinemas.

Join us for a post-screening Q&A with filmmakers & Jury President & filmmaker, Alex Rivera (2021 Macarthur Fellow, Sleep Dealer, Infiltrators) and for the announcement of the 2 big winners! Paola Hernandez, San Diego Union Tribune, will facilitate the discussion.

Finalists include: THANK YOU, COME AGAIN (Dir, Nirav Bhakta, USA, 5:45 min.)

Thank You, Come Again was inspired by an overwhelming feeling of being an undocumented South Asian American in a post 9/11 world. Most South Asians at the time were stereotyped in extremes of comedic caricatures thanks to the Simpsons or as dangerous threats. This is my way of humanizing the immigrants that work behind the counters of convenience stores.

ARCHITECT OF LITTLE BAGHDAD (Dir. Diego Lynch, USA, 5 min) Dr. Thabit Kalaf was a member of Iraq's first post-colonial generation. His hope of an architecture career crashed on the rocks of history, and he wound up in California's Little Baghdad.

MESOGEIOS (Dir. Marco Biotto, Italy, 2:30 min) Mesogeios spotlights the modern odyssey that many humans embark on in search of a future for them and their families. The short tells the true journey of Fayad (protagonist of the short)

20

The moments of happiness in the midst of a tragedy are like grains of gold in a sea of darkness: difficult to find but once found they shine light and transform the energy of everyone around. Like gold prospectors, Journalists & Creators Yolanda Morales and Jorge Nieto spent 353 days exploring the limits of a refugee camp that became home to more than 2,500 migrants on the border between Mexico and the United States. It was there they discovered that a hot meal or a drawing made by a child on a piece of recycled cardboard represented everyone's hope.)

PREMONITION (Dir. Sandeep Parupudi, USA, 5 min.)

This short showcases a story of an immigrant stuck in a country during COVID-19 pandemic. This is a voice to many other immigrants that shared the same experience and struggles during the pandemic. What can an immigrant do when the gut feeling about something bad that is about to happen indeed takes place, yet so helpless due to the nature of the pandemic?

THE GREAT VICTORY OF ISABEL (Dir. Sean McCoy, USA, 5 min) Isabel Virasingh came to the United States in the 1970s from Ecuador looking for a better life and a means to support her family.

Growing up in Arlington Virginia's 8th district, she and her husband worked to support her daughter despite the steep obstacle of immigrating to the US. This story isn't about spectacular poverty, but the layers of hardship those seeking aslyum and opportunity within the States face across generations. This is also the story of why Victoria Virasingh, Isabel's daughter is now running for Congress in the House of Representatives.

NOTES FROM A LONG WALK (Dir. Franc Gabriel Contreras, Mexico, 5 min) In the early 1990s, Haitian-born Jean Daniel Cerán lost his parents at an early age. When political turmoil devastated his Caribbean nation, he suffered a severe injury and nearly lost a leg. Once healed, he decided to seek a better life in neighboring and distant nations. On the long road through South and Central American, he learned five languages and at least three trades. Walking has been

SDLFF

MIGRANT VOICES FILM SCREENING his only way to move forward in life. This short non-fiction film features original footage from Central America and several parts of Mexico, including Tapachula, Ciudad Acuña and Mexico City.

IF YOU'RE HAPPY THERE, I'M HAPPY HERE (Dir. David Peinado Romero, Mexico, 5 min)

Eva is a 33-year-old woman who, together with her 15-year-old daughter, undertook a trip from Honduras to the United States, they managed to reach Ciudad Juárez where they crossed the border together to later be expelled under title 42, a week later Eva took her decision to accompany her daughter to the Rio Bravo so that she turns herself in to the border patrol with the hope that she would be able to obtain asylum in the United States on her own.

THE AFGHAN JOURNALIST (Dir. Bettina Hanna, USA, 4:58 min) An Afghan journalist escaped from Afghanistan and the Taliban and is now living in the United States. After spending three months in a military base, he is currently living in San Diego. When he was fleeing, he also helped two other women escape. They have since been reunited in San Diego and are happy to live without fear or danger.

GOODBYE CHAPADREAM (Dir. Luis Gutierrez, Mexico, 5 min.)

Photodocumentary about the improvised camp in the Mexican side of the San Ysidro Port of Entry from February 2021 to February 2022.

CHALLENGING THE STIGMA: COURAGEOUS CONVERSATIONS WITH REFUGEE COMMUNITIES (Dir. Kayla Richele Marie Mulholland, USA, 6 min)

As mental health struggles and suicide rates in San Diego's refugee communities are on the rise, community health workers discuss some of the root causes and propose new solutions.

These community leaders believe that courageous conversations about mental health issues are key to combating the stigma and improving their community health outcomes.

JURY MEMBERS INCLUDE Alex Rivera, Luis Cruz, Davide Pinto, Paulina Casmur, Sonia Mehrmand, Lorena Mostajo, Kian Mirnezam, Shelby B. Courtney, Luis Cruz, Laura Castaneda, Norma Iglesias

HIDDEN TRAVELERS (Dir. Eduardo Ortiz, Mexico, 5 min.)

A young man from Honduras tells us about his last moments in Mexican territory and how society has been transforming him.

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NUESTRAS RAÍCES SHOWCASE

A

collection of films highlighting the places we come from, the languages we speak, the songs that define us, our resilience in pushing past borders and obstacles, and the collective bonds that tether us together through our cultural histories.

bending score composed by Cuban Aldo Lopez-Gavilan performed with his American brother, Ilmar, and with guest appearances by maestro Joshua Bell and the Grammy-winning Harlem Quartet.

Nuestras Raíces Showcase.

MARIPOSAS DEL CAMPO Dir. Bill Yahraus (USA, 86 min., 2021, English, Spanish, Mixteco, Zapoteco w/ English Subtitles, Documentary)

3/13 / 2:00 / S8

3/19 / 3:40 / S7

Virtually 3/11

Mariposas del Campo shares the stories of indigenous Mixtec, Zapotec, and Purépecha teenagers from Mexico striving to change their families’ destinies in the strawberry fields of Oxnard, California. Through a stormy year of sanctioned racism and antiimmigrant policies, the documentary captures their journeys—with help from the characters’ own intimate videos—as they navigate cultural identity, parental expectations, economic challenges, and the justice needs of their migrant farmworker community.

Nuestras Raíces Showcase.

TEJIENDO SOMBRAS Dir. Erica Nguyen (Peru / USA / Spain, 97 min., 2020, Spanish, Quechua w/ English Subtitles)

3/12 / 11:00 AM / S10

APENAS EL SOL Dir. Arami Ullón (Paraguay / Argentina / Switzerland, 2020, 75 min., Ayoreo, Spanish w/ English Subtitles, Documentary)

3/12 / 11:30AM / S8

3/16 / 9:20 / S7

Facing the consequences of a violent uprooting, and in an attempt to preserve fragments of a disappearing culture, Mateo walks across communities in the arid and desolate Paraguayan Chaco region, and registers on cassettes the experiences of other Ayoreo who, like him, were born in the vast forest, free and nomadic, without any contact with civilization, until religious missionaries forced them to abandon their ancestral territory, their means of subsistence, their beliefs and their home. Nuestras Raíces Showcase.

CANTOS QUE INUNDAN EL RÍO Dir. Germán Arango Rendón (Colombia, 72 min., 2021, Spanish w/ English Subtitles, Documentary)

3/13 / 3:20 / S7

3/18 / 4:45 / S7

(Virtually 3/10)

Oneida was still a child when she learned the Afro-Colombian tradition of singing “alabados” to accompany the dead on their journey to purgatory. With one leg devoured by a snake, and a war without truce, she became the composer of new songs and made her wounds a source of inspiration. Today, Oneida’s compositions unite the voice of millions in the reconciliation process of a country with one of the longest wars in history. Nuestras Raíces Showcase.

LOS HERMANOS / THE BROTHERS Dir. Marcia Jarmel, Ken Schneider (Cuba / USA, 84 min., 2021, English, Spanish w/ English Subtitles, Music Documentary)

3/11 / 5:00 / S8

3/13 / 11:30 AM / S7

(Virtually 3/20)

A joyful celebration of family, love, creativity and music, played out against the backdrop of more than half a century of strife amongst the world's superpowers, weaving the many complex layers of the story of two musical brothers, their families, their divergent trajectories, and the tides of geo-politics. Featuring an genre-

29TH SAN DIEGO LATINO FILM FESTIVAL

3/16 / 4:45 / S7

(Virtually 3/10)

Languages are irretrievably lost at a rapid rate. The silence that follows can be filled by the testimonies in this documentary, which decipher the vernacular of Peru's living hat cultures before they too are forgotten. Although Peruvian hats might seem an unlikely place to find vindication, the diversity of dialects and communities they represent is boisterous. Each village flashes their coat of arms through subtle cues found on their hat- flowers, pompoms, sequins, and designs become legible forms of communication that must be put on every day. Witness the rituals, legends, rites of passage, conflicts and connection to land that only a hat has the privilege of seeing. Nuestras Raíces Showcase.

WHAT I'VE NEVER LOST Dir. Marina Thomé (Brazil, 86 min., 2021, Portuguese w/ English Subtitles, Music Documentary)

3/14 / 4:45 / S7

3/17 / 8:45 / S8

(Virtually 3/19)

The film tells the story of Alzira E, a pioneer artist from a small town close to the Brazilian Pantanal and the Paraguayan border, one of the country’s most conservative and patriarchal places.

She has broken barriers all her life and becomes an icon in the urban and underground scene of São Paulo, where she migrated by herself as a young mother of 5 children. She has crafted an impressive career as an instrumentalist and songwriter. Alzira E, a 63 years old rock band leader, is a woman ahead of her time.

Nuestras Raíces Showcase.

LOS GUARDIANES DEL MAÍZ Dir. Gustavo Vazquez (Mexico / USA, 60 min., 2020, Zapotec, Chinantec, Spanish w/ English Subtitles, Documentary)

3/19 / 3:30 / S5

Available virtually 3/15

Los Guardianes del Maíz presents the story of native corn told by the indigenous farmers, artisans and cooks in Mexico whose ancestors shepherded the ever-evolving seeds from the dawn of agriculture into the 21st Century – a story of collective labor spanning more than 350 generations. Their voices are joined by community leaders, scientists, chefs, and others whose knowledge and activism stand not only in defense of food sovereignty and the genetic integrity, diversity, and community ownership of native seeds, but in defense of a durable cultural legacy and a way of life.

Nuestras Raíces Showcase.

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¡DOCUMANIA! SHOWCASE IDENTIDAD Dir. José Carlos García & Carlos Granda (Peru, 83 min., 2019, Spanish w/ English Subtitles, Sports Documentary)

3/12 / 1:50 / S6 3/17 / 4:15 / S5 Available virtually 3/19

After 36 years, Peru returns to the FIFA World Cup in Russia in 2018. Can this huge national achievement start to heal decades of armed conflict, social and economic upheaval, and a traumatized national identity? “Identidad” is a reflective journey through growing up in Peru during the 1980s and disappointment —and ultimate pride— of their National Football Team. ¡Documania! Showcase.

LA MANPLESA: AN UPRISING REMEMBERED Dir. Ellie Walton (USA, 52 min., 2021, English, Spanish w/ English Subtitles, Documentary)

3/12 / 3:20 / S10 3/19 / 5:50 / S7 Available virtually 3/18

A chorus of artists and activists retell the story of the 1991 uprisings in Washington DC’s Mount Pleasant neighborhood, sparked by the police shooting of a Salvadoran man, Daniel Gomez. Through testimony, song, poetry, and street theatre, La Manplesa brings to life a painful yet seminal chapter in the history of Washington DC’s Latinx community and justice movements. ¡Documania! Showcase.

O

ur showcase dedicated to the art of documentary filmmaking is as relevant as ever as the featured filmmakers continue in the great tradition of capturing unforgettable moments and stories in authentic ways while exploring themes of community, belonging, identity, and the endurance of the human spirit.

ALGO SE ENCIENDE Dir. Luciana Gentinetta (Argentina, 62 min., 2021, Spanish w/ English Subtitles, Documentary)

3/12 / 3:50 / S3 3/14 / 4:15 / S5 Available virtually 3/18

Upon the disappearance of Anahí Benítez (16), her classmates start a protest and demand that she turns up alive. This is a story about the resilience of youth, how school sometimes feels like a second home, and the trials a generation must face to become adults. ¡Documania! Showcase.

BOROM TAXI Dir. Andrés Guerberoff (Argentina, 2021, 61 min., Wolof, Spanish, w/ English Subtitles, Documentary)

3/14 / 6:55 / S6 3/16 / 9:30 / S8 Available virtually 3/18

Mountakha is a Senegalese migrant and a newcomer in Buenos Aires. In Dakar he used to work as a truck driver and he tries to get that job in this new city as well. While working as a street vendor in the meantime, he wonders if his destiny might be related to acting. Some of his new friends have a special bond with cinema. ¡Documania! Showcase.

24

MUD FRONTIER: ARCHITECTURE AT THE BORDERLANDS Dir. Chris J. Gauthier (USA, 64 min., 2021, English, Documentary)

3/17 / 4:30 / S6 3/19 / 11:00 AM / S5 Available virtually 3/12

Set in the remote San Luis Valley of Colorado, Mud Frontier: Architecture at the Borderlands follows designers Ronald Rael and Virginia San Fratello's experimentation with robotic manufacturing processes and traditional adobe architecture. Motivated by the neglect and abandonment of customary earthen building techniques that were once widely used throughout the region, in an area where Indigenous and European colonists have historically lived both in harmony and in conflict with one another, Rael and San Fratello reflect on this legacy to forge new methods of creative production. ¡Documania! Showcase.

RICOCHET Dirs. Jeff Adachi, Chihiro Wimbush (USA, 76 min., 2021, English, Spanish w/ English Subtitles, Documentary)

3/11 / 6:00 / S5 3/15 / 4:30 / S6 Available virtually 3/17

When a young woman is shot by an undocumented immigrant on Pier 14 in San Francisco, the incident ignites a political and media furor that culminates in Donald Trump’s election as President of the United States. In the eye of this storm, two public defenders fight to reveal the truth. ¡Documania! Showcase

SDLFF

¡DOCUMANIA! SHOWCASE ROLÊ - STORIES OF BRAZILIAN PROTESTS IN MALLS Dir. Vladimir Seixas (Brazil, 82 min., 2021, Portuguese w/ English Subtitles, Documentary)

3/11 / 4:30 / S6 3/13 / 11:15 AM / S6 Available virtually 3/20

themselves traveling to Washington D.C. to protest in the halls of Congress. Follow them in this coming of age story to find their power and begin creating a sustainable future for themselves and their community. ¡Documania! Showcase.

Protests against the violence occurring in Brazilian malls have mobilized thousands of people in recent years. This documentary follows the lives and memories of three Black individuals that experienced racism and took part in these protests. Discover the dreams, beauty, poetry, art and politics of a generation that has found new ways of dealing with violence by taking part in the Black Lives Matter movement in Brazil. ¡Documania! Showcase.

WE STILL HERE / NOS TENEMOS Dir. Eli Jacobs-Fantauzzi (Puerto Rico, USA, 60 min., 2021, Spanish w/ English Subtitles, Documentary)

3/13 / 3:40 / S6 3/18 / 9:30 / S5 Available virtually 3/15

“We Still Here / Nos Tenemos” introduces the incredible youth of Comerío, Puerto Rico navigating the aftermath of Hurricane Maria, a disaster that brought an unprecedented level of devastation to an island already in economic and political crisis. In the lush mountains in the center of Puerto Rico, 24-year-old Mariangelie Ortiz leads a group of young residents who never thought they would become the leaders of their community, nonetheless find

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TEMPORADA 1 LAS MEJORES EXPERIENCIAS CULINARIAS EN SAN DIEGO Y TIJUANA

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29TH SAN DIEGO LATINO FILM FESTIVAL

25

¡SOMOS! CINE LGBTQ+ SHOWCASE

F

rom first love, to coming of age, to fighting for custody rights, to navigating and discovering identity, these filmmakers embrace and share the diverse spectrum of the LGBTQIA+ community.

These stories created by the LGBTQIA+ community for the LGBTQIA+ community bring consciousness and compassion to worlds familiar to some and unknown by others for all of you to embrace in your hearts.

EFÍMERA Dir. Luis Mariano García (Mexico, 87 min, 2021, Spanish w/ English Subtitles, Coming-Of-Age / LGBTQ+)

3/14 / 6:45 / S7 3/18 / 4:30 / S6 Available virtually 3/11

Emilia is a teenager with the distinct ability to see those close to death “shine.” As she grapples with this gift/curse, her rigid nature begins to transform after meeting Renata. Together, they make plans for the future although unexpected circumstances force the two of them down surprising paths. ¡Somos! Cine LGBTQ+ Showcase.

PRIVATE DESERT Dir. Aly Muritiba (Brazil, 123 min., 2021, Portuguese w/ English Subtitles, Drama / LGBTQ+)

3/12 / 8:50 / S6 3/16 / 8:20 / S6

DOS ESTACIONES Dir. Juan Pablo González (Mexico, 99 min., 2022, Spanish w/ English Subtitles, Drama)

3/10 / 8:40 / S5 3/13/ 4:30 / S5

In the bucolic hills of Mexico's Jalisco highlands, iron-willed businesswoman Maria Garcia fights the impending collapse of her tequila factory. She hires Rafaela, a new factory administrator, who brings her hope in her time of crisis. ¡Somos! Cine LGBTQ+ Showcase.

40-year-old Daniel has been suspended from active police work and is under internal investigation for violence. When Sara, his internet love affair, stops answering his texts he decides to drive north in search of her, starting on what is apparently a fool's errand. He shows Sara's picture around, but nobody seems to recognize her. Until eventually one mysterious man contacts Daniel, saying he can put the two in touch under very specific conditions.The trip leads to unexpected revelations and pulsepounding explorations of gender identity, sexuality, and love. ¡Somos! Cine LGBTQ+ Showcase.

THRESHOLD Dir. Coraci Ruiz (Brazil, 77 min., 2021, Portuguese w/ English Subtitles, Documentary)

3/12 / 1:15 / S8 3/15 / 4:45 / S7 Available virtually 3/17

An autobiographical documentary made by a mother who follows the gender transition of her adolescent son: between 2016 and 2019 she interviews him addressing the conflicts, certainties and uncertainties that pervade him in a deep search for his identity.

At the same time, the mother also goes through a process of transformation required by the situation that life presents her with by breaking old paradigms, facing fears and dismantling prejudices. ¡Somos! Cine LGBTQ+.

TODOS TENEMOS UN MUERTO EN EL PLACARD O UN HIJO EN EL CLÓSET Dir. Nicolás Teté (Argentina, 103 min., 2020, Spanish w/ English Subtitles, Coming-Of-Age / Drama)

3/13 / 7:40 / S7 Available virtually 3/16

After recently coming out to his parents, Manuel returns to his hometown of Villa Mercedes for their anniversary party and to ask for money to move to Denmark with his boyfriend. Only thing is, they refuse to accept his sexuality. His visit unfolds a family crisis, a break-up, and a surprising secret. ¡Somos! Cine LGBTQ+ Showcase.

26

SDLFF

¡SOMOS! CINE LGBTQ+ SHOWCASE

SHORTS PROGRAM A BRONX STORY | Dir. Bell Soto, USA MEMOIRS OF THE (NON)EXISTENT ME | Dir. Thiago Kistenmacker, Brazil SWEET TOOTH | Dir. Brenda Carolina Arregoitia, Mexico KARINA'S SUIT | Dir. Frank Benitez Peña, Colombia MARCEL | Dir. Gastón Calivari, Argentina TO THE FUTURE, WITH LOVE | Dir. Shaleece Haas, USA VICTORY | Dir. Eloisa Diez, Mexico

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29TH SAN DIEGO LATINO FILM FESTIVAL

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SDLFF

PARA LA FAMILIA SHOWCASE

T

wo feature length films and a collection of shorts for film lovers of all ages.

adventure to rescue his father and overcome his fears. Para la familia Showcase.

EL UNIVERSO DE CLARITA Dir. Tomás Lipgot (Argentina, 74 min., 2021, Spanish w/ English Subtitles, Documentary)

3/12 / 11:45 AM / S9 3/17 / 5:00 / S8 Virtually 3/14

Clarita is 13 years old and lives in Rosario with her parents and sisters. She has an unusual curiosity and a passion that defines her: astronomy - a passion she discovered thanks to Proyecto Miradas, an experimental and playful workshop for children. What are meteorites made of? How were stars created? Where did the first bird come from? Clarita’s drive to learn and to explore makes us wonder at the infinite Universe of which we are all part of. Para la familia Showcase.

SHORTS PROGRAM TEMPUS, MIGUEL | Dir. Angel Ferrer, USA

NAHUEL Y EL LIBRO MÁGICO

MARIA CAMILA'S GIFT | Dir. Andrés Molano Moncada, Colombia

Dir. Germán Acuña (Chile / Brazil, 98 min., 2020, Spanish w/ English Subtitles, Animated / Adventure)

THE BOY AND THE MOUNTAIN | Dir. Santiago Aguilera, Gabriel Monreal, USA

3/19 / 1:30 / S7

Nahuel lives with his father in a fishing town, but has a deep fear of the sea. One day, he finds a magical book that seems to be the solution to this problem, but a dark wizard is after it and captures Nahuel’s father. Nahuel must embark on an unforgettable

DEAR MRS. PRESIDENT | Dir. Wyatt Hall, Luke Snedecor, USA FOOTSTEPS ON THE WIND | Dir. Maya Sanbar, Gustavo Leal, Faga Melo, Brazil TALK WITH US| Dir. Fabio Costa Prado, Brazil

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MARCH 10-20 FILM SCHEDULE SCREEN #5 (AMC) THU FRI

SCREEN #6 (AMC)

10

6:00 “Hay que reirse” Shorts Program (92min.)

8:40 Dos Estaciones (MX/FR, 99min., 2022, Drama /LGBTQ+)

6:15 8:35

11

4:15 6:00 8:20

4:30 Rolê - Stories of Brazilian Protests in Malls (Brazil, 82min., 2021, Social Justince DOCU) 6:25 “MX, Raro y Querido” Shorts Program (119min.)

9:30 Superblocked (USA, 93min., 2021, Comedy)

Palabras verdaderas (MX, 73min., 2020, Span., DOCU) Ricochet (USA, 76min., 2021, Eng., DOCU) Sicosexual (Colombia, 96min., 2022, Thriller)

SCREEN #10 (AMC) SAT 12

SUN 13 MON 14 TUE 15

Tejiendo sombras (Peru /USA, 97min., 2020, Span., DOCU) Charlotte (Paraguay /Argentina, 80min., 2021, Road Trip /Drama) La Manplesa: An Uprising Remembered (USA, 52min., 2021, Eng., DOCU) Las motitos (Argentina, 84min., 2021, Drama) Plaza Catedral (Panama, MX, Colombia, 94min., 2021, Drama)

“Docu-Shorts” Program (98min.)

Identidad (Peru, 83min., 2019, Sports DOCU) Algo se enciende (Argentina, 62 min., 2021, Spanish w/ English Subtitles, Documentary) Café con sabor a mi tierra (Honduras, 123min., 2019, Drama) Private Desert (Brazil, 125min., 2021, Drama /LGBTQ+)

4:15 5:45 7:50

Algo se enciende (Argentina, 62min., 2021, DOCU) Amparo (Colombia, Sweden, Qatar, Germany, 95min., 2021, Drama) Superblocked (USA, 93min., Eng., 2021, Comedy)

4:30 6:55 8:30

Clara Sola (Costa Rica /Sweden /Belgium /Germany /FR, 106min., 2021, Drama) Borom Taxi (Argentina, 61min., 2021, Wolof, DOCU) Las vacaciones de Hilda (Uruguay, 88min., 2021, Drama)

4:15 7:00

From Ushuaia to Kumeyaay Shorts Program (95min.)

4th Annual Migrant Voices Today Film Challenge Screening & Awards Announcement (120min.)

Café con sabor a mi tierra (Honduras, 123min., 2019, Drama)

4:30 6:15 8:30

Ricochet (USA, 76min., 2021, DOCU) Del Manantial del Corazón (MX, 78min., 2022, Span., Drama) Ocean Girl (Brazil /Japan, 99min., 2021, Span., Japanese, Drama)

4:30 6:30 8:20

El silencio del topo (Guatemala, 91min., 2021, DOCU) Charlotte (Paraguay /Argentina, 80min., 2021, Road Trip /Drama) Private Desert (Brazil, 125min., 2021, Drama /LBGBTQ+)

9:30

THRU 17

4:15 6:10 8:10

SUN 20

11:15• 1:50 3:50 5:50 8:50

11:15• Rolê - Stories of Brazilian Protests in Malls (Brazil, 82min., 2021, Social Justince DOCU) 1:10 “Un Mundo Extraño: Warped Reflections” Shorts Program (89min.)

3:40 We Still Here /Nos tenemos (Puerto Rico /USA, 60min., 2021, DOCU) 5:40 Los fundadores (MX, 62min., 2021, Drama) 7:40 No Vayas a Clase Mañana (MX, 84min., 2021, Drama)

WED 16

SAT 19

SCREEN #3 (AMC)

11:00• “Para La Familia” - Shorts Program (83min.)

1:30 Invasores (MX, 122min., 2021, DOCU) 4:30 Dos Estaciones (MX /FR, 99min., 2022, Drama /LGBTQ+) 6:40 El olvido que seremos (Colombia, 136 min., 2020, Spanish w/ English subtitles, Drama)

4:15 “Relatos Latinos” Shorts Program (102min.)

7:10 La noche de la bestia (Colombia, MX, 70min., 2021, Comedy) 8:50 La caja (MX /USA, 90min., 2021, Drama)

FRI 18

30

11:00• 1:30 3:20 5:20 7:20

Clara Sola (Costa Rica /Sweden /Belgium /Germany /FR, 106min., 2021, Drama) El olvido que seremos (Colombia, 136 min., 2020, Spanish w/ English subtitles, Drama)

Identidad (Peru, 83min., 2019, Sports DOCU) Ska´yaa (Strength) (MX, 88min., 2021, Span., Sports DOCU) El gran movimiento (Bolivia, FR, Qatar, Switzerland, 85min., Experimental)

4:30 Mud Frontier: Architecture at the Borderlands (USA, 64min., 2021, Art DOCU) 6:00• The Mother of All Struggles (Brazil, 84min., 2021, DOCU) 8:25• Yo y Las Bestias (Venezuela, 78 min., 2021, Spanish w/ English subtitles, Dramedy)

4:15 "Vozes” Shorts Program (138min.)

7:30 El suspiro del silencio (El Salvador, 93min., 2021, Drama) 9:30 We Still Here /Nos tenemos (Puerto Rico /USA, 60min., 2021, DOCU)

4:30 6:35 9:00

11:00• Mud Frontier: Architecture at the Borderlands (USA, 64min., 2021, Art DOCU) 1:00 Perfume de Gardenias (Puerto Rico /Colombia, 97min., 2021, Dramedy) 3:30 Los Guardianes del Maíz (MX, USA, 60min., 2020, Zapotec, Chinantec , DOCU) 5:30 Desde la esquina (MX, 94min., 2022, Sports DOCU) 8:15 Yo y Las Bestias (Venezuela, 78 min., 2021, Spanish w/ English subtitles, Dramedy)

11:15• La Madrina: The Savage Life of Lorine Padilla (USA, 2021, 80min., DOCU) 2:00 “Youth Visions” Shorts Program (90min.)

4:30 “Sin miedo al exito” Shorts Program (86min.)

7:00 Poderoso Victoria (MX, 117min., 2021, Drama)

11:00• La Recua - The Mule Pack Train (MX, 86min., 2021, DOCU) 1:30 Ska´yaa (Strength) (MX, 88min., 2021, Span., Sports DOCU) 3:30 “A carcajadas” Shorts Program (106min.)

6:10 Fly So Far (El Salvador /Sweden, 88min., 2021, DOCU) 8:20 Matar a la bestia (Argentina, Brazil, Chile, 79min., 2021, Drama)

11:15• Desde la esquina (MX, 94min., 2022, DOCU, Sports DOCU) 1:50 Palabras verdaderas (MX, 73min., 2020, Span., Zoque Ayapaneco w/E SUBS, DOCU) 3:40 El mayor (Cuba, 117min., 2021, War /Drama) 6:20 “Un mundo extraño: Folk Tales & Speculations” Shorts Program (92min.)

8:40 Medusa (Brazil, 129min., 2022, Thriller)

Efímera (MX, 87min., 2021, Coming-of-Age /LGBTQ+) La Recua - The Mule Pack Train (MX, 86min., 2021, DOCU) Del manantial del corazón (MX, 78min., 2022, Span., Drama)

• = AM (Before Midday) || *MOVIE TIMES ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE

SDLFF

SCREEN #7 (AMC)

SCREEN #8 (AMC)

VIRTUAL SCREENING Available on their specific day anytime

6:30 8:25

Mis hermanos sueñan despiertos (Chile, 85min., 2021, Drama) Cadejo blanco (Guatemala /USA /MX, 125min., 2021, Drama)

5:00 7:00 9:00

Perfume de Gardenias (Puerto Rico /Colombia, 97min., 2021, Dramedy) Opening Night Film: Pepe Serna: Life is Art (USA, 60min., 2022, DOCU) Leni (Argentina, 74min., 2020, Horror)

Cantos que inundan el río Oliverio y la piscina Tejiendo sombras

Las vacaciones de Hilda

4:45 7:15

¡Binge Esto! Shorts Program (90min.)

Raices de sangre (MX, 94min., 1978, Span., Drama)

5:00 7:00 9:20

Los hermanos/The Brothers (USA /Cuba, 84min., 2021, Music DOCU) El otro Tom (MX, 111min., 2021, Drama) El gran movimiento (Bolivia, FR, Qatar, Switzerland, 85min., Experimental)

Efímera Mariposas del campo Ska´yaa (Strength) El silencio del Topo

Los minutos negros Frontera Filmmakers Short Documentaries Program Vozes Shorts Program

SCREEN #8 (AMC) 11:30• 1:15 3:00 5:50 8:20

Apenas el sol (Paraguay, Switzerland, Argentina, 75min., 2020, Ayoreo, DOCU) Threshold (Brazil, 77min., 2020, LGBTQ+ DOCU) Man From Reno (USA, 111min, 2014, Eng., Japanese w/E SUBS, Crime /Mystery) Ocean Girl (Brazil /Japan, 99min., 2021, Span., Japanese, Portuguese w/E SUBS, Drama) Amparo (Colombia, Sweden, Qatar, Germany, 95min., 2021, Drama)

SCREEN #9 (AMC) 11:45• El universo de clarita (Argentina, 74min., 2021, DOCU) 1:30 El suspiro del silencio (El Salvador, 93min., 2021, Drama) 3:30 “¡Viva Mujeres!” Shorts Program (142min.)

7:00 Algo azul (Panama /Colombia, 90min., 2021, Romance) 9:00 La noche de la bestia (Colombia, MX, 70min., 2021, Comedy)

Un mundo extraño: Warped Reflections Shorts Program

Mud Frontier: Architecture at the Borderlands The Kitchenistas Cadejo Blanco La Pasajera Hay Que Reirse Shorts Program

11:30• Los hermanos/The Brothers (USA /Cuba, 84min., 2021, Music DOCU) 1:25 El silencio del topo (Guatemala, 91min., 2021, DOCU) 3:20 Cantos que inundan el río (Colombia, 72min., 2021, DOCU) 5:00 The Infiltrators (USA, 95min., 2019, Hybrid) 7:50 Todos tenemos un muerto en el placard o un hijo en el clóset

2:00 Mariposas del campo (USA, 86min., 2021, Eng., Span., Immigration DOCU) 4:00 “¡Somos! Cine LGBTQ+” Shorts Program (122min.)

7:00 La caja (MX /USA, 90min., 2021, Drama) 9:00 Al morir la matinée (Uruguay, 88min., 2020, Slasher)

La Recua - The Mule Pack Train Sicosexual Fly So Far Youth Visions Shorts Program Relatos Latinos Shorts Program

4:45 6:45 9:10

What I’ve Never Lost (Brazil, 86min., 2021, Music DOCU) Efímera (MX, 87min., 2021, Coming-of-Age /LGBTQ+) Las motitos (Argentina, 84min., 2021, Drama)

5:00 La Madrina: The Savage Life of Lorine Padilla (USA, 2021, 80min., DOCU) 7:20 “Frontera Filmmakers: DOCU” Shorts Program (148min.)

El universo de clarita Objetos rebeldes Perfume de gardenias

4:45 6:35 9:10

Threshold (Brazil, 77min., 2020, LGBTQ+ DOCU) Medusa (Brazil, 129min., 2022, Thriller) Invasores (MX, 122min., 2021, DOCU)

5:00 7:15

Los guardianes del maíz Palabras verdaderas We Still Here / Nos tenemos

Matar a la bestia A carcajadas Shorts Program Sin miedo al exito Shorts Program

4:45 6:50 9:20

Tejiendo sombras (Peru /USA, 97min., 2020, Span., DOCU) Oliverio y la Piscina (MX, 102min., 2021, Drama /Coming-of-Age) Apenas el sol (Paraguay, Switzerland, Argentina, 75min., 2020, Ayoreo, DOCU)

5:00 Una película sobre parejas (Dominican Republic, 89min., 2021, Dramedy) 7:00 “Frontera Filmmakers: Narrative” Shorts Program (85min.)

9:30 Borom Taxi (Argentina, 61min., 2021, Wolof, DOCU)

LA MADRINA: THE SAVAGE LIFE OF LORINE PADILLA Los fundadores Todos tenemos un muerto en el

placard o un hijo en el clóset Hecho en USA Shorts Program Un mundo extraño: Folk Tales and Speculations Shorts Program

4:45 6:45 9:15

Matar a la bestia (Argentina, Brazil, Chile, 79min., 2021, Span., Drama) No Vayas a Clase Mañana (MX, 84min., 2021, Drama) Leni (Argentina, 74min., 2020, Horror)

5:00 “El universo de clarita (Argentina, 74min., 2021, DOCU) 7:00 The Kitchenistas (USA, 56min., 2021, Eng., Food DOCU) 8:45 What I’ve Never Lost (Brazil, 86min., 2021, Music DOCU)

Invasores Las motitos Ricochet Threshold

Docu-Shorts Program ¡Somos! Cine LGBTQ+ Shorts Program Desde La Esquina

4:45 Cantos que inundan el río (Colombia, 72min., 2021, DOCU) 6:30 “Ritmo Latino” Shorts Program (105min.)

9:15 Algo azul (Panama /Colombia, 90min., 2021, Romance)

5:00 7:20 9:45

Objetos rebeldes (Costa Rica /Colombia, 70min., 2020, DOCU) Losminutos negros (MX, 96min., 2021, Thriller /Crime) Sicosexual (Colombia, 96min., 2022, Thriller)

Borom Taxi La Manplesa: An Uprising Remembered Ocean Girl

Superblocked ¡Binge Esto! Shorts Program

11:30• 1:30 3:40 5:50 8:05

Los fundadores (MX, 62min., 2021, Drama) Nahuel y el libro mágico (Chile /Brazil, 98min., 2020, Animated /Adventure) Mariposas del campo (USA, 86min., 2021, Eng., Span., Mixteco, Immigration DOCU) La Manplesa: An Uprising Remembered (USA, 52min., 2021, DOCU) La pasajera (Spain, 90min., Horror)

11:45 1:45 5:00 7:35

The Kitchenistas (USA, 56min., 2021, Food DOCU) “Hecho en USA” Shorts Progam (113min.)

Divorce Bait (USA, 92min., 2022, Comedy) El rey de todo el mundo (MX /Spain, 95min., 2021, Drama /Dance)

Charlotte Identidad No vayas a clase mañana The Mother Of All Struggles What I've Never Lost

La noche de la bestia Frontera Filmmakers Short Narratives Program

11:30• 1:30 3:50 5:55 8:30

Algo azul (Panama /Colombia, 90min., 2021, Romantic Comedy) Oliverio y la Piscina (MX, 102min., 2021, Drama /Coming-of-Age) Objetos rebeldes (Costa Rica /Colombia, 70min., 2020, DOCU) Cadejo blanco (Guatemala /USA /MX, 125min., 2021, Drama) Los minutos negros (MX, 96min., 2021, Thriller /Crime)

11:45 2:00 4:15 6:25• 8:15

El rey de todo el mundo (MX /Spain, 95min., 2021, Drama /Dance) Divorce Bait (USA, 92min., 2022, Comedy)

Del manantial del corazón Los Hermanos / The Brothers Rolê - Stories of Brazilian Protests in Malls El otro Tom

Para La Familia Shorts Program From Ushuaia to Kumeyaay Shorts Program

(Argentina, 103min., 2020, LGBTQ+)

29TH SAN DIEGO LATINO FILM FESTIVAL

El otro Tom (MX, 111min., 2021, Drama) Poderoso Victoria (MX, 117min., 2021, Drama)

Una película sobre parejas (Dominican Republic, 89min., 2021, Dramedy)

Mis hermanos sueñan despiertos (Chile, 85min., 2021, Drama) Plaza Catedral (Panama, MX, Colombia, 94min., 2021, Drama)

Mexico Raro y Querido Shorts Program Ritmo Latino Shorts Program Leni

¡Viva Mujeres! Shorts Program

Algo se enciende

31

FRONTERA FILMMAKERS SHOWCASE

T

his showcase offers a special spotlight on the binational creative scene by celebrating the dynamic contemporary film landscape of Southern California, USA, and Baja California, Mexico.

This year the program presents works by young and established talents from the region, most of them with first and/or second works. The views of the creators in this edition portrays a panorama of themes, forms and feelings: migration and border, children's fantasies, binational social problems, personal journeys, the feminist movement, youthful reflections, the trajectory of Tijuana boxing, poetics in the first person, as well as pieces that address the pandemic period that we just went through.

food and unemployment. The families demanded decent housing, asking for the expropriation of lands that have been unused for more than 30 years. Frontera Filmmakers Showcase.

LA RECUA - THE MULE PACK TRAIN Dirs. Darío Higuera Meza, Trudi Angell (Mexico, 86 min., 2020, Spanish w/ English Subtitles, Documentary)

3/18 / 6:35 / S6 3/20 / 11:00 AM / S5 Available virtually 3/13

Darío Higuera Meza, a traditional saddle maker in Baja California Sur, turned 70 in 2018. In March that year, he and his family traveled 200 miles in 20 days by mule-back, herding a pack train of donkeys from an oasis in the heart of the Sierra de la Giganta all the way to the capital city of La Paz. Fearing that the old traditions might be lost forever, he overcame hardships of health, rattlesnakes, and hot days on rocky, forgotten trails in order to honor the memory of Lower California’s “long-haul” equine merchants “los arrieros”– the muleteers of Baja’s donkey pack-trains. Two trail-savvy children, Ramoncito, age 8, Dario’s grandson, and Azucena, age 10, add sparkle to the tale as they ride through the desert out-back, sharing their own stories and songs along historic El Camino Real. Frontera Filmmakers Showcase.

DESDE LA ESQUINA Dirs. Mario Genel, Omar Millán (Mexico, 94 min., 2022, Spanish w/ English Subtitles, Sports Documentary)

3/19 / 5:30 / S5 3/20 / 11:15 AM / S6 Available virtually 3/17

DEL MANANTIAL DEL CORAZÓN Dir. René Vargas Madrigal (Mexico / USA, 78 min., 2022, Spanish, Yucatec Maya w/ English Subtitles, Drama)

3/15 / 6:15 / S6 3/18/ 9:00 / S6 Available virtually 3/20

Three stories about the life and experiences of Mayan Mestiza women as they grow up in the unique post-colonial sincretism of the catholic and mayan traditions; unique to Yucatán. Frontera Filmmakers Showcase.

LOS FUNDADORES Dir. Diego Hernandez (Mexico, 62 min., 2021, Spanish w/ English Subtitles, Drama) 3/13 / 5:40 / S6 3/19 / 11:30 AM / S7 Available virtually 3/16

Despite a great effort, the professional development of university students Renee, Andrés, and Diego is affected after authorities divert important resources. Engulfed in a passive and disorganized community, their disagreement with the position taken by their school leads them in a search of ways the school can give in to their demands. Frontera Filmmakers Showcase.

INVASORES Dir. Luis Moreno (Mexico, 122 min., 2021, Spanish w/ English Subtitles, Documentary)

3/13 / 1:30 / S5 3/15 / 9:10 / S7 Available virtually 3/17

In May 2021, more than one hundred families in Tijuana were compelled to invade the “Cerro de las abejas” due to rent prices,

Though his childhood was filled with abandonment and misery, the boxing trainer Romulo Quirarte produced entire generations of world champions and elite fighters towards the end of the twentieth century, making Tijuana the epicenter of Boxing in Mexico. Featuring appearances by Julio Cesar Chavez and Erik Morales. Frontera Filmmakers Showcase.

SHORTS PROGRAM Frontera Narratives IDENTIFICATION | Dir. Martha Elva Rodriguez, USA LA CUARENTENA | Dir. Johaira Michelle Dilauro, USA FORGETTING CAROLINE | Dir. Alexis Duran, USA OUR FALLING FORT | Dir. Kenia Amaya, Mexico SOME OF THESE DAYS | Dir. Oscar Perez, USA LILY <3 | Dir. Jimena Muhlia, Mexico HYPOCRISIS | Dir. Marlon Morales, Mexico GLAFIRA | Dir. Eric Armando Ibarra, USA Frontera Documentaries BRING THEM HOME | Dir. Rike Boomgaarden, Tamara Jatchvadze, USA INNER CITY LEGEND | Dir. Edwin FrankO, USA ON THE BEAT: FEELING BODY | Dir. Karla B. Duarte, USA EL GALLO DE ORO | Dir. Carlos Sanchez, USA #MORRASQUEBAILAN | Dir. Viviana Gonzalez, Mexico OBACHAN | Dir. Nicolasa Ruiz, Mexico LAS COSAS NO TIENEN PAZ | Dir. Samahil Borbón Ojeda, Mexico

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29TH SAN DIEGO LATINO FILM FESTIVAL

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HAY QUE REÍRSE SHOWCASE react to their FAKE divorce. The results reveal where their friends' priorities lie as thirsty and desperate “allies” come out of the woodwork to comfort the new divorcees in an attempt to catch them on the rebound. Hay que reírse Showcase.

LA NOCHE DE LA BESTIA Dir. Mauricio Leiva-Cock (Colombia, Mexico, 70 min., 2020, Spanish w/ English Subtitles, Comedy) 3/12 / 9:00 / S9 3/16 / 7:00 / S5 Available virtually 3/19

T

hese filmmakers found the funny in the mundane as well as the ridiculous, and their films showcase a broad spectrum of LatinX comedic styles. It’s our shared experiences that brings us together despite our differences, and sharing a laugh or telling a joke or funny story is a way of uniting us and gives us a reprieve from the seriousness of life.

DIVORCE BAIT Dir. Patrick Perez Vidauri (USA, 92 min., 2022, English, Comedy) 3/19/ 5:00 / S8 3/20 / 2:00 / S8

A raunchy adult themed comedy about a happily married couple in an affluent neighborhood who embark on a social media experiment to see how their group of friends and community will

The events leading up to an iconic Iron Maiden concert in Bogota Colombia test the friendship of two teenage rock fans. A formative music-based right of passage and shared musical nostalgia take center stage in this part concert-film, part comedy of errors made all the more enjoyable by the filmmakers having the rights to use Iron Maidens music in the film. A must watch for metal fans of all ages. Hay que reírse Showcases.

SUPERBLOCKED Dir. Romel Rodríguez (United States, 93 min., 2021, English, Comedy) 3/11 / 9:30 / S6 3/14 / 7:50 / S5 Available virtually 3/18

From writer director Romel Rodriguez comes a New York Latinx comedy about Alexis who is single and struggling to keep a 9-5 job or a relationship. With the help of his friend Benny, they embark on a project helping desperate singles make time with the objects of their affection through the ancient art of Cock Blocking. They begin to make some money but things go sideways along the way.

Will their plans for financial freedom and search for true love be fruitful, or will they end up worse than when they started? Hay que reírse Showcase.

HAY QUE REÍRSE SHORTS 3/10 / 6:00 / S5 Available Virtually 3/12

NOCHE DEL INFIERNO(HELL NIGHT) | Dir. Andrew Reid, USA HOLD FOR APPLAUSE

A CARCAJADAS SHORTS 3/20 / 3:30 / S5 Available Virtually 3/15

ARE MILLENNIALS KILLING FREDDY? | Dir. Andrew Joseph Jara, USA

| Dir. Gerald B. Fillmore, Spain

DEAD TO ME

BONUS TIME

| Dir. Emilie Rae Ohanian Svensson, USA

| Dir. Alexander Hanno, USA

I’M LISTENING

SIDES EPISODE 9: ZOOM MEETING

| Dir. Ignacio Rodo, Spain

| Dir. Jordan Jacobo, USA

| Dir. Isaac Garza, USA

STORY.TELLING

THE INVENTION OF SOLEDAD

| Dir.Fábio Brandão, Brazil

| Dir. Ana Cristina Franco, Ecuador

ELISE FOR CONGRESS

PULP FRICTION,

| Dir. Ernie Bustamante, USA

LIFE AFTER DEATH

LOLA'S JOURNEY | Dir. Analydia Monaco, USA

CHEMISTRY

| Dir. Marco Gonzalez, USA

MÁS LATINA | Dir. Janeva Adena Zentz, Tim Young, USA

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¡VIVA MUJERES! FILM SHOWCASE dangerous beast believed to be the spirit of an evil man taking the form of different animals seems to be roaming around. On a journey to sexual awakening, Emilia will have to confront her past in order to kill the beast. ¡Viva Mujeres! Showcase.

THE MOTHER OF ALL STRUGGLES Dir. Susanna Lira (Brazil, 84 min., 2021, Portuguese w/ English Subtitles, Documentary)

3/17 / 6:00 / S6 Available virtually 3/19

A documentary that connects attacks on land rights with the ongoing struggles of Indigenous and Black women in Brazil. The film follows the paths of Shirley Krenak and Maria Zelzuita, women who are in the front line of the Brazilian land struggle. Shirley has the mission of honoring the women and the wisdom of the Krenak Warriors, from the region of Minas Gerais. Maria Zelzuita is one of the survivors of the Eldorado dos Carajás Massacre, in Pará. ¡Viva Mujeres!

Showcase.

OBJETOS REBELDES Dir. Carolina Arias Ortiz (Costa Rica / Colombia, 70 min., 2021, Spanish w/ English subtitles, Documentary)

W

e celebrate women filmmakers as they tell stories on our unique and varied experiences within the Latinx community.

From demanding workers rights to wanting roller skates, these films show that empowerment can take many forms.

CLARA SOLA Dir. Nathalie Álvarez Mesén (Sweden / Costa Rica / Belgium, 106 min., 2021, Spanish w/ English Subtitles, Drama)

3/10 / 6:15 / S6 3/14 / 4:30 / S6

In a remote village in Costa Rica, Clara, a 36-year-old woman, takes off on a journey to break free from social and religious conventions to become the master of her sexuality and newfound powers. ¡Viva Mujeres! Showcase LA MADRINA: THE SAVAGE LIFE OF LORINE PADILLA Dir. Raquel Cepeda (USA, 80 min., 2021, English, Spanish w/ English Subtitles, Documentary)

3/14 / 5:00 / S8 3/19 / 11:15 AM / S6 Available virtually 3/16

3/18 / 5:00 / S8 3/20 / 3:50 / S7 Available virtually 3/14

Carolina returns to her home country Costa Rica to try to rebuild the relationship with her father, who is sick. During this time, she meets Ifigenia, an archaeologist expert in the stone spheres found in the south of Costa Rica; the country's great enigma. She decides to follow Ifigenia's journey through an erased indigenous history.

Through objects and their stories, Carolina learns a different way to relate to death. ¡Viva Mujeres! Showcase, Vozes Showcase.

PERFUME DE GARDENIAS Dir. Macha Colón (Puerto Rico / Colombia, 97 min., 2021, Spanish w/ English Subtitles, Dramedy)

3/10 / 5:00 / S8 3/19 / 1:00 / S5 Available virtually 3/14

After an elderly Puerto Rican widow crafts a beautiful custom-made funeral for her husband, she gets enlisted to put her unusual talents to design customized, idiosyncratic funerals for her ailing neighbors. ¡Viva Mujeres! Showcase

SHORTS PROGRAM 3/12 / 3:30 / S9 Available virtually 3/18

A beloved South Bronx matriarch rooted in the outlaw, spiritual and activism world takes us on a complicated journey through five decades of Bronx history. ¡Viva Mujeres! Showcase

LUNCH BREAK | Dir. Nina Kopko, Brazil

MATAR A LA BESTIA

DEATH & DEATHABILITY (A PERIOD PIECE) | dir. Maria Victoria Ponce, USA

FLORES DE LA LLANURA | dir. Mariana Xochiquétzal Rivera, Mexico

Dir. Agustina San Martín

LABIOS DE MIEL | dir. Brenda Carolina Arregoitia, Mexico

(Argentina / Brazil / Chile, 89 min., 2021 Spanish, Portuguese w/ English Subtitles, Drama)

LOS PATINES | dir. Loren Escandon, USA

3/17 / 4:45 / S7 3/20 / 8:20 / S5 Available virtually 3/15

Emilia, 17, arrives at her Aunt Ines’ hostel at the border between Argentina and Brazil, looking for her long lost brother. In this luxuriant jungle, where local myths and legends abound, a

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SAVING SALVADOR | dir. Luisa Maria González, USA VIVIR TODA LA VIDA | dir. Marlén Ríos-Farjat, Mexico REMOVER EL CORAZÓN | dir. Melissa Elizondo, Mexico

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TU CINEHEADER TITLE

M

ade possible by Clare Rose Foundation, California Endowment, California Humanities, SDG&E & California Arts Council.

and utilizing rich archival material, the film takes an activist stance in addressing Brazil’s everyday abysmal social and racial inequalities. Content warning: some strong language and scenes of police brutality.

MIDDLE SCHOOL FILMS CLARITA’S UNIVERSE (Argentina, 73 min., 2021, Spanish w/ English subtitles, Documentary)

Tuesday 3/15 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Clarita is a smart and spunky 12-year-old from Rosario, Argentina. Her greatest interest in the whole world is Astronomy, the scientific study

of space, which is a passion she discovered thanks to Proyecto Miradas, an experimental and playful science workshop for children.

Clarita’s love of learning is voracious; she’s practically memorized all the workshop lessons! Her dedication towards science earns her a special trip, where her endless curiosity fuels a fantastic learning adventure to different astronomical sites across Argentina.

NOS TENEMOS (WE STILL HERE) (Puerto Rico, 54 min., 2021, English and Spanish w/ English subtitles, Documentary)

Dates: March 15-18, 2022, 10 am-12 pm Location: AMC Mission Valley 20

Wednesday 3/16 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Mariangelie and Yeyo are navigating the aftermath of Hurricane Maria,

a disaster that brought unprecedented levels of devastation to Puerto Rico. They lead a group of young residents to Washington D.C.

Curated for middle school and high school students, each film is entertaining, enlightening, and educational, encouraging dialogue and reflection.

to protest in the halls of Congress. In this coming of age story they discover their power while creating a sustainable future for themselves and their community.

HIGH SCHOOL FILMS

SKA’YAA (STRENGTH)

SKA’YAA (STRENGTH)

Thursday 3/17 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Sergio arrived in the Oaxaca highlands and created a project for Indigenous kids to discover their capacity to dream through the sport of

(Mexico, 88 min., 2021, Spanish w/ English subtitles, Documentary) Tuesday 3/15 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Sergio arrived in the Oaxaca highlands and created a project for Indigenous kids to discover their capacity to dream through basketball. Through studying, effort, and willpower, they struggle to break the cycle of poverty around them and defeat their most powerful rival: hunger.

ALGO AZUL (Panama, 90 min., 2021, Spanish w/ English subtitles, Narrative)

Wednesday 3/16 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

A hotel employee steals a pricey wedding dress and sets out on an all-day excursion to get married.

(Mexico, 84 min., 2021, Spanish w/ English subtitles, Documentary)

basketball. Through studying, effort, and willpower, they struggle to break the cycle of poverty around them and defeat their most powerful rival: hunger.

NAHUEL AND THE MAGIC BOOK (Chile-Brazil, 99 min., 2019, Spanish w/ English subtitles, Narrative)

Friday 3/18 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

An animated feature about Nahuel, who lives with his father in a

fishing town, yet he has a deep fear of the sea. One day, he finds a magical book that seems to be the solution to this problem. What he doesn't know is that the book is really magical, and Kalku, an ambitious warlock, is after it.

EFÍMERA (MAYFLY) (Mexico, 87 min., 2021, Spanish w/ English subtitles, Narrative)

Thursday 3/17 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Deeply affected by the death of a schoolmate, Emilia, a high school senior with the ability to see people close to death glowing, begins a relationship with Renata, a laid back girl who makes her question the way she lives.

ROLÊ: HISTÓRIAS DOS ROLEZINHOS (Brazil, 82 min., 2021, Portuguese w/ English subtitles, Documentary)

Friday 3/18 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

During the past decade in Brazil, large numbers of Black youth known as “rolezinhos”, many from the “favelas,” occupied downtown shopping malls and exposed the structural racism crystallized in these symbols of mainstream society. Following the lives of three “rolezinhos,”,

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HEADER TITLE MEXICO TODAY SHOWCASE

A

collection of Mexican films about coming-of-age, youthful exuberance, the importance of preserving our languages, the dangers of embarking on unexpected journeys, and following our dreams.

mother already had a new man in her life. Oliverio, a 13-year-old only child, installs himself on the chaise lounge and decides that he will stay right there. From that very spot he continues his life – mourning, observing, learning to forgive, and falling in love. Mexico Today Showcase.

PALABRAS VERDADERAS Dir. Denisse Quintero (Mexico, 73 min., 2020, Spanish, Zoque Ayapaneco w/ English Subtitles, Documentary) 3/11 / 4:15 / S5 3/20 / 1:50 / S6 Available virtually 3/15

Through the testimonies of various elderly locals, Palabras Verdaderas builds a collective memory of Ayapa, creating an oral history of what has marked them as a community, from its origin, to its processes of abandonment and subsequent efforts to recover their native language, the true word: Numdi oode. Mexico Today Showcase.

SKA´YAA (STRENGTH) Dir. Jorge Díaz Sánchez (Mexico, 88 min., 2021, Spanish, Triqui w/ English Subtitles, Sports Documentary) 3/17 / 6:10 / S5 3/20 / 1:30 / S5 Available virtually 3/11

LA CAJA Dir. Lorenzo Vigas (Mexico / USA, 90 min., 2021, Spanish w/ English Subtitles, Drama) 3/13 / 7:00 / S8 3/16 / 8:50 / S5

Hatzin, a young teenager from Mexico City, travels to collect the remains of his father, which have been found in a communal grave amidst the huge skies and empty landscape of Northern Mexico. But a casual encounter with a man who shares a physical resemblance with his father fills him with doubts and hope about his parent’s true whereabouts. Starring Hernán Mendoza and directed by Golden Lion winning director, Lorenzo Vigas. Mexico Today Showcase.

Sergio Zúñiga is an idealist who has created a project for indigenous children so they can realize their dreams through basketball. For years, the Indigenous Academy of Mexico has allowed children to recognize that studying and sports are tools that can be used to break cycles of poverty. Bernabé, Tobías and Aniceto are a central part of this effort. They continue to fight on the court to show that what they lack in size, they make up for in mental stamina. Mexico Today Showcase.

NO VAYAS A CLASE MAÑANA Dir. Diego Barragan (Mexico, 84 min., 2020, Spanish w/ English Subtitles, Drama / Coming-of-age) 3/13 / 7:40 / S6 3/17 / 6:45 / S7 Available virtually 3/19

One afternoon Jorge and Emilio, two 15-year-olds, decide to take a stand after being pushed to their limit. Over the course of an unforgettable night, they arrange all the details to fulfill their plot for a massacre in their school the next day, all while dealing with the emotional weight of growing up. Mexico Today Showcase.

OLIVERIO Y LA PISCINA Dir. Arcadi Palerm-Artis (Mexico, 102 min., 2021, Spanish w/ English Subtitles, Coming-of-Age) 3/16 / 6:50 / S7 3/20 / 1:30 / S7 Available virtually 3/10

Oliverio sets the urn that contains his father’s ashes on the table next to the poolside chaise lounge. He grabs his phone and types in a word: aneurysm. Oliverio’s father died during a family dinner, just after his parents announced that they were getting divorced. His

29TH SAN DIEGO LATINO FILM FESTIVAL

39

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NARRATIVE FILMS SYNOPSES AL MORIR LA MATINÉE Dir. Maximiliano Contenti (Uruguay, 88 min., 2020, Spanish w/ English Subtitles, Horror)

3/13 / 9:00 / S8 It rains heavily in Montevideo on a Sunday in 1993. A particularly suspicious man enters the last screening of a horror film at a downtown cinema. The room, which is not very crowded due to the storm outside, slowly starts to get stained with blood. Un Mundo Extraño Showcase.

ALGO AZUL Dir. Mariel Garcia Spooner (Panama / Colombia, 90 min., 2021, Spanish w/ English Subtitles, Comedy/Drama)

3/12 / 7:00 / S9 3/18/ 9:15 / S7 3/20 / 11:30 AM / S7 Ana’s wedding dress ends up ruined a week before her wedding.

At the hotel where she works, she finds the dress of her dreams in one of the rooms. Tempted, she decides to try it on, only to be caught by Lucia, the owner of the dress. Ana escapes from the hotel dressed as a bride and decides that she must get married that same day. A fun race against the clock begins as she must convince her fiancé to wed her before she is caught. In the midst of this chaos, she becomes a media phenomenon, runs into her exboyfriend Rodrigo and reflects on true love. Vozes Film Showcase.

AMPARO Dir. Simon Mesa Soto (Colombia / Sweden / Qatar, 95 min., 2021, Spanish w/ English Subtitles, Drama)

3/12 / 8:20 / S8 3/14 / 5:45 / S5 Amparo, a single mother of two, finds out that her son has been drafted during an army raid and will be sent to the front in a notorious war zone near the border. His fate seems sealed. With only a single day left until his departure, Amparo manages to contact a man who offers to alter Elias' files and get him out. With nothing much on her side, she embarks on a race against time to free her son in a society ruled by corruption. Spotlight Films.

CADEJO BLANCO Dir. Justin Lerner (Guatemala / Mexico, USA, 125 min., 2021, Spanish w/ English Subtitles, Drama)

3/10 / 8:25 /S7 3/20 / 5:55 / S7 virtually 3/12 Sarita goes out partying one night at the insistence of her rebellious sister, Bea. The next morning, after calling friends and neighbors, Sarita begins to panic when she realizes that Bea never made it home. With no help from the authorities and convinced that Bea's disappear-

29TH SAN DIEGO LATINO FILM FESTIVAL

ance has something to do with Andrés, her sister’s dangerous ex, Sarita finds a way to befriend him and infiltrate his gang, becoming increasingly involved in a ruthless, violent world.

Vozes Film Showcase.

CAFÉ CON SABOR A MI TIERRA Dir. Carlos Membreño (Honduras, 123 min., 2021, Spanish w/ English Subtitles, Drama)

3/12 / 5:50 /S6 3/15 / 9:30/ S5 A coffee producing family from Marcala, Honduras faces seemingly insurmountable challenges that test the bonds of family to their limit. In the process, we learn the sacrifice, passion, and faith that exists behind a cup of coffee. Vozes Film Showcase.

LA CAJA Dir. Lorenzo Vigas (Mexico / USA, 90 min., 2021, Spanish w/ English Subtitles, Drama)

3/13 / 7:00 / S8 3/16 / 8:50 / S5 Hatzin, a young teenager from Mexico City, travels to collect the remains of his father, which have been found in a communal grave amidst the huge skies and empty landscape of Northern Mexico.

But a casual encounter with a man who shares a physical resemblance with his father fills him with doubts and hope about his parent’s true whereabouts. Starring Hernán Mendoza and directed

by Golden Lion winning director, Lorenzo Vigas.

Mexico Today Showcase.

CHARLOTTE Dir. Simón Franco (Paraguay, 80 min., 2021, Spanish w/ English Subtitles, Dramedy)

3/12 / 1:30 / S10 3/16 / 6:30 / S6 VIRTUALLY 3/19 A forgotten movie star learns that the director who made her famous will be filming his last film in Paraguay. She and her faithful Taiwanese companion set out on an unusual journey in search of the role of a lifetime-- but in the process they learn so much more about life, friendship, and each other. Spotlight Films Showcase.

CLARA SOLA Dir. Nathalie Álvarez Mesén (Sweden / Costa Rica / Belgium, 106 min., 2021, Spanish w/ English Subtitles, Drama)

3/10 / 6:15 / S6 3/14 / 4:30 / S6 In a remote village in Costa Rica, Clara, a 36-year-old woman, takes off on a journey to break free from social and religious conventions to become the master of her sexuality and newfound powers. ¡Viva Mujeres! Showcase

41

NARRATIVE FILMS SYNOPSES DEL MANANTIAL DEL CORAZÓN Dir. René Vargas Madrigal (Mexico / USA, 78 min., 2022, Spanish, Yucatec Maya w/ English Subtitles, Drama)

3/15 / 6:15 / S6 3/18/ 9:00 / S6 VIRTUALLY 3/20 Three stories about the life and experiences of Mayan Mestiza women as they grow up in the unique post-colonial sincretism of the catholic and mayan traditions; unique to Yucatán. Frontera Filmmakers Showcase.

DIVORCE BAIT Dir. Patrick Perez Vidauri (USA, 92 min., 2022, English, Comedy)

3/19/ 5:00 / S8 3/20 / 2:00 / S8 A raunchy adult themed comedy about a happily married couple in an affluent neighborhood who embark on a social media experiment to see how their group of friends and community will react to their FAKE divorce. The results reveal where their friends' priorities lie as thirsty and desperate “allies” come out of the woodwork to comfort the new divorcees in an attempt to catch them on the rebound.

Hay que reírse Showcase.

42

DOS ESTACIONES Dir. Juan Pablo González (Mexico, 99 min., 2022, Spanish w/ English Subtitles, Drama)

3/10 / 8:40 / S5 3/13/ 4:30 / S5 In the bucolic hills of Mexico's Jalisco highlands, iron-willed businesswoman Maria Garcia fights the impending collapse of her tequila factory. She hires Rafaela, a new factory administrator, who brings her hope in her time of crisis. ¡Somos! Cine LGBT+ Showcase.

EFÍMERA Dir. Luis Mariano García (Mexico, 87 min, 2021, Spanish w/ English Subtitles, ComingOf-Age / LGBTQ+)

3/14 / 6:45 / S7 3/18 / 4:30 / S6 VIRTUALLY 3/11 Emilia is a teenager with the distinct ability to see those close to death “shine.” As she grapples with this gift/curse, her rigid nature begins to transform after meeting Renata. Together, they make plans for the future although unexpected circumstances force the two of them down surprising paths. ¡Somos! Cine LGBT+ Showcase.

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NARRATIVE FILMS SYNOPSES LOS FUNDADORES Dir. Diego Hernandez (Mexico, 62 min., 2021, Spanish w/ English Subtitles, Drama)

3/13 / 5:40 / S6 3/19 / 11:30 AM / S7 VIRTUALLY 3/16 Despite a great effort, the professional development of university students Renee, Andrés, and Diego is affected after authorities divert important resources. Engulfed in a passive and disorganized community, their disagreement with the position taken by their school leads them in a search of ways the school can give in to their demands. Frontera Filmmakers Showcase.

EL GRAN MOVIMIENTO Dir. Kiro Russo (Bolivia / France / Qatar /Switzerland, 85 min., 2021, Spanish w/ English Subtitles, Drama)

3/11 / 9:20 / S8 3/17 / 8:10 / S5 Stunningly shot in the Bolivian mountains, jungles, and in contemporary La Paz, the film follows Elder who arrives in the capital after a seven-day journey seeking to get back his work at a mine.

Once in the city, Elder gets a job but his health soon deteriorates.

An elderly woman known as Mama Pancha sends him to Max, a mysterious man who resides in the rainforest and occasionally heads to La Paz for work as a street performer. To save Elder, Max performs a series of shamanic rituals that slowly brings the young man back to life. Spotlight Films Showcase.

LENI Dir. Federico Gianotti (Argentina, 74 min., 2020, Spanish w/ English Subtitles, Horror)

3/10 / 9:00 / S8 3/17 / 9:15 / S7 VIRTUALLY 3/14 Recurring nightmares and the aftermath of a violent break-up have put Leni on edge as she desperately seeks to regain her sanity.

Now she must confront her demons in order to unravel the trauma of a past she doesn’t seem to fully remember.

Un mundo extraño Showcase.

MAN FROM RENO Dir. Dave Boyle (USA, 111 min., 2014, English, Japanese w/ English Subtitles, Mystery)

3/12 / 3:00 / S8 A small town sheriff and a Japanese crime writer are lured into the same strange murder mystery unfolding on the back streets and outskirts of San Francisco. Special Presentation: Pepe Serna Tribute.

29TH SAN DIEGO LATINO FILM FESTIVAL

MATAR A LA BESTIA Dir. Agustina San Martín (Argentina / Brazil / Chile, 89 min., 2021 Spanish, Portuguese w/ English Subtitles, Drama)

3/17 / 4:45 / S7 3/20 / 8:20 / S5 VIRTUALLY 3/15 Emilia, 17, arrives at her Aunt Ines’ hostel at the border between Argentina and Brazil, looking for her long lost brother. In this luxuriant jungle, where local myths and legends abound, a dangerous beast believed to be the spirit of an evil man taking the form of different animals seems to be roaming around. On a journey to sexual awakening, Emilia will have to confront her past in order to kill the beast. ¡Viva Mujeres! Showcase.

MEDUSA Dir. Anita Rocha da Silveira (Brazil, 129 min., 2022, Portuguese w/ English Subtitles, Fantasy / Horror)

3/15 / 6:35 / S7 3/20 / 8:40 / S6 Today, Brazil.

Mariana (Mari Oliveira), 21 years old, belongs to a world where she must do her utmost to keep up the appearance of a perfect woman.

In order to resist temptation, she and her girlfriends try their best to control everything and everyone around them. And that includes the town sinners. At night, the girl squad put on masks, hunt and beat up all women who have deviated from the right path. However, the day will come when the urge to scream will be stronger than it ever has been…

Un mundo extraño Showcase.

MIS HERMANOS SUEÑAN DESPIERTOS Dir. Claudia Huaiquimilla (Chile, 85 min., 2021, Spanish w/ English Subtitles, Drama)

3/10 / 6:30 / S7 3/20 / 6:25 / S8 Ángel and his younger brother Franco have been incarcerated in a juvenile prison for a year. Despite the difficulties, they have formed a solid group of friends with whom they spend their days sharing dreams of freedom. Everything changes when the arrival of a rebellious young man offers a possible escape: the only door to make those dreams come true. Inspired by many true events, and starring Paulina García (La novia del desierto). Content Warning: Features an assault attempt that may be triggering to viewers.

Spotlight Films Showcase.

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NARRATIVE FILMS SYNOPSES EL MAYOR Dir. Rigoberto López (Cuba, 117 min., 2020, Spanish w/ English Subtitles, Historical Drama / War)

3/20 / 3:40 / S6 A historical epic about the life of Major General Ignacio Agramonte y Loynaz, a pivotal figure in the Cuban War of Independence, directed by the late, great filmmaker Rigoberto López. Spotlights Films Showcase.

LOS MINUTOS NEGROS Dir. Mario Muñoz (Mexico, 96 min., 2021, Spanish w/ English Subtitles, Crime / Thriller)

3/18 / 7:20 / S8 3/20 / 8:30 / S7 VIRTUALLY 3/11 In the late 1970s, a group of young cops led by ex-musician turned detective Vicente Rangel will face the darkest minutes of their lives while attempting to catch a serial killer of young girls in a corrupt oil town in the Gulf of Mexico. Starring Leonardo Ortizgris, Sofia Espinosa, and Kristyan Ferrer. Spotlight Films Showcase.

LAS MOTITOS Dirs. María Gabriela Vidal, Inés María Barrionuevo (Argentina, 84 min., 2021, Spanish w/ English Subtitles, Drama)

3/12 / 5:20 / S10 3/14 / 9:10 / S7 VIRTUALLY 3/17 Juliana and Lautaro live in a poor neighborhood surrounded by policemen. They are in love but facing an unwanted pregnancy. They don’t know what to do. Who will they turn to in order to avoid illegality and abandonment? Juliana’s mother, Flor, finds out what’s happening and decides to take action. Spotlight Films Showcase.

NAHUEL Y EL LIBRO MÁGICO Dir. Germán Acuña (Chile / Brazil, 98 min., 2020, Spanish w/ English Subtitles, Animated / Adventure)

3/19 / 1:30 / S7 Nahuel lives with his father in a fishing town, but has a deep fear of the sea. One day, he finds a magical book that seems to be the solution to this problem, but a dark wizard is after it and captures Nahuel’s father. Nahuel must embark on an unforgettable adventure to rescue his father and overcome his fears. Para la familia Showcase.

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NO VAYAS A CLASE MAÑANA Dir. Diego Barragan (Mexico, 84 min., 2020, Spanish w/ English Subtitles, Drama / Coming-of-age)

3/13 / 7:40 / S6 3/17 / 6:45 / S7 VIRTUALLY 3/19 One afternoon Jorge and Emilio, two 15-year-olds, decide to take a stand after being pushed to their limit. Over the course of an unforgettable night, they arrange all the details to fulfill their plot for a massacre in their school the next day, all while dealing with the emotional weight of growing up. Mexico Today Showcase.

LA NOCHE DE LA BESTIA Dir. Mauricio Leiva-Cock (Colombia, Mexico, 70 min., 2020, Spanish w/ English Subtitles, Comedy)

3/12 / 9:00 / S9 3/16 / 7:00 / S5 VIRTUALLY 3/19 The events leading up to an iconic Iron Maiden concert in Bogota Colombia test the friendship of two teenage rock fans. A formative music-based right of passage and shared musical nostalgia take center stage in this part concert-film, part comedy of errors made all the more enjoyable by the filmmakers having the rights to use Iron Maidens music in the film. A must watch for metal fans of all ages. Hay que reírse Showcases.

OCEAN GIRL Dir. Djin Sganzerla (Brazil / Japan, 99 min., 2020, English, Japanese, Portuguese w/ English Subtitles, Drama)

3/12 / 5:50 / S8 3/15 / 8:30 / S6 VIRTUALLY 3/18 After relocating to Tokyo, a Brazilian writer begins a new novel, provoked by her experiences in Japan and by one of the last scenes she witnessed in Rio de Janeiro: a female swimmer tearing up the horizon with powerful strokes in the wide, open sea. Those two women apparently share no connection, until their lives start to interfere with one another's, strangely linked through the sea.

Hannah, the writer, plunges into a journey of self-discovery in Japan, while Ana, the swimmer in Rio de Janeiro, oddly has her body transformed into some kind of inner Ocean.

Spotlight Films Showcase.

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NARRATIVE FILMS SYNOPSES OLIVERIO Y LA PISCINA

UNA PELÍCULA SOBRE PAREJAS

Dir. Arcadi Palerm-Artis (Mexico, 102 min., 2021, Spanish w/ English Subtitles, Coming-of-Age)

Dirs. Natalia Cabral, Oriol Estrada (Dominican Republic, 89 min., 2021, Catalan, Spanish w/ English Subtitles, Dramedy / Relationships)

3/16 / 6:50 / S7 3/20 / 1:30 / S7 VIRTUALLY 3/10 Oliverio sets the urn that contains his father’s ashes on the table next to the poolside chaise lounge. He grabs his phone and types in a word: aneurysm. Oliverio’s father died during a family dinner, just after his parents announced that they were getting divorced.

His mother already had a new man in her life. Oliverio, a 13-yearold only child, installs himself on the chaise lounge and decides that he will stay right there. From that very spot he continues his life – mourning, observing, learning to forgive, and falling in love.

Mexico Today Showcase.

EL OTRO TOM Dir. Rodrigo Plá, Laura Santullo (Mexico/ USA, 111 min., 2021, Spanish w/ English Subtitles, English, Drama)

3/11 / 7:00 / S8 3/15 / 5:00 / S8 VIRTUALLY 3/20 Elena is a single mother who relies on Social Services. Her son Tom has behavioral issues and is stigmatized at school as a “problem child” in the border city of El Paso, Texas. An absent father further complicates their difficult relationship. Tom is diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and prescribed psychiatric medication, but a strange accident alerts his mother as to its side effects. When Elena refuses to continue administering the drugs to Tom, Social Services threaten to remove him from her custody, leading to life-altering decisions.

Spotlight Films Showcase.

LA PASAJERA Dirs. Raúl Cerezo, Fernando González Gómez (Spain, 90 min. 2021, Spanish w/ English Subtitles, Horror)

3/19 / 8:05 / S7 VIRTUALLY 3/12 A group of strangers sharing a van have their trip abruptly interrupted when the driver accidentally hits a woman hiking in the middle of the night. They decide to take her to the hospital, but on the way quickly learn that she is not in need of a hospital and that they shouldn’t have let her in at all. Starring Mexican actress Cecilia Suarez... like you've never seen her before!

Un mundo extraño Showcase.

29TH SAN DIEGO LATINO FILM FESTIVAL

3/16 / 5:00/ S8 3/20 / 4:15 / S5 Natalia and Oriol are a couple of filmmakers in their thirties who have a young daughter named Lía. They decide to make a film about couples and relationships, and along the way realize there's work to be done in their own partnership.

Spotlights Films Showcase.

PERFUME DE GARDENIAS Dir. Macha Colón (Puerto Rico / Colombia, 97 min., 2021, Spanish w/ English Subtitles, Dramedy)

3/10 / 5:00 / S8 3/19 / 1:00 / S5 VIRTUALLY 3/14 After an elderly Puerto Rican widow crafts a beautiful custommade funeral for her husband, she gets enlisted to put her unusual talents to design customized, idiosyncratic funerals for her ailing neighbors. ¡Viva Mujeres! Showcase PLAZA CATEDRAL Dir. Abner Benaim (Panama / Mexico / Colombia, 94 min., 2021, Spanish w/ English Subtitles, Drama)

3/12 / 7:20 /S10 3/20 / 8:15 / S8 Ilse Salas stars in this film as Alicia, a grieving mother who has gone through an inexplicable tragedy. When a 13 year old boy named Chief enters her life, she’ll find a new lease on life, and more importantly, force her to question her own circumstances.

Spotlight Films Showcase.

PODEROSO VICTORIA Dir. Raúl Ramón (Mexico, 117 min., 2022, Spanish w/ English Subtitles, Drama / Adventure)

3/15 / 7:15 / S8 3/19 / 7:00 / S6 La Esperanza, a town in the Northern Mexican desert, receives the devastating news that their mine will be shut-down along with their railroad service. Facing the risk of being cut off from civilization, the townsfolk unite under the leadership of a young mechanic with big dreams to execute a wild idea-- they will build their own steam train. Starring Gerardo Oñate, Damián Alcázar, Joaquín Cosío, Édgar Vivar, Adal Ramones, Lalo España, Roberto Sosa, and Said Sandoval among many others. Spotlight Films Showcase.

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NARRATIVE FILMS SYNOPSES PRIVATE DESERT Dir. Aly Muritiba (Brazil, 123 min., 2021, Portuguese w/ English Subtitles, Drama / LGBTQ+)

3/12 / 8:50 / S6 3/16 / 8:20 / S6 40-year-old Daniel has been suspended from active police work and is under internal investigation for violence. When Sara, his internet love affair, stops answering his texts he decides to drive north in search of her, starting on what is apparently a fool's errand. He shows Sara's picture around, but nobody seems to recognize her. Until eventually one mysterious man contacts Daniel, saying he can put the two in touch under very specific conditions.

The trip leads to unexpected revelations and pulse-pounding explorations of gender identity, sexuality, and love. ¡Somos! Cine LGBT+ Showcase.

RAÍCES DE SANGRE Dir. Jesús Salvador Treviño (Mexico, 94 min.,1978, Spanish, No English Subtitles, Activism)

3/11 / 7:15 / S7

Jesús Salvador Treviño’s Raíces de sangre is a landmark film about the Chicano experience. This exploration of how capitalism exploits workers on both sides of the border is an incendiary condemnation of a system built to oppress laborers. Special Presentation: Pepe Serna Tribute.

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EL REY DE TODO EL MUNDO Dir. Carlos Saura (Mexico / Spain, 95 min., 2021, Spanish w/ English Subtitles, Drama / Dance)

3/19 / 7:35 / S8 3/20 / 11:45 AM / S8 Manuel (Manuel García Rulfo) is preparing his next musical.

He seeks the help of Sara (Ana de la Reguera), his ex-wife and renowned choreographer, to direct. In the casting, the young Ines emerges as a rising star despite dealing with her father’s ties to the local mob. During the rehearsals, passion and tensions grow among the dancers. Powerful Mexican music sets the tone and a play will emerge in which tragedy, fiction and reality intertwine.

Directed by the great Carlos Saura. Special Presentation.

SICOSEXUAL Dir. Marco Vélez Esquivia (Colombia, 96 min., 2022, Spanish w/ English Subtitles, Thriller)

3/11 / 8:20 / S5 3/18 / 9:45 / S8 VIRTUALLY 3/13 Marcela, a film and TV commercial sound designer, becomes obsessed with a famous YouTuber after she finds her boyfriend with another woman. Her infatuation takes a dangerous turn after a chance to meet the object of her affection presents itself. When things don’t go as planned, Marcela takes matters into her own hands. Un mundo extraño Showcase.

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29TH SAN DIEGO LATINO FILM FESTIVAL

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NARRATIVE FILMS SYNOPSES SUPERBLOCKED Dir. Romel Rodríguez (United States, 93 min., 2021, English, Comedy)

3/11 / 9:30 / S6 3/14 / 7:50 / S5 VIRTUALLY 3/18 From writer director Romel Rodriguez comes a New York Latinx comedy about Alexis who is single and struggling to keep a 9-5 job or a relationship. With the help of his friend Benny, they embark on a project helping desperate singles make time with the objects of their affection through the ancient art of Cock Blocking. They begin to make some money but things go sideways along the way.

Will their plans for financial freedom and search for true love be fruitful, or will they end up worse than when they started? Hay que reírse Showcase.

around her. As her eldest son announces a visit, she hurries to improve her house and her own appearance, but a last-minute cancellation of the visit pushes her into a tailspin, reliving a bitter summer holiday from long ago. Spotlight Films Showcase.

YO Y LAS BESTIAS Dir. Nico Manzano (Venezuela, 78 min., 2021, Spanish w/English subtitles, Dramedy)

3/17 / 8:25 / S6 3/19 / 8:15 / S5 An alternative rock band’s singer-guitarist starts a solo career, seeking inspiration as Venezuela’s crisis roils, with the help of “The Beasts”, two mysterious masked beings.

Spotlight Films Showcase.

EL SUSPIRO DEL SILENCIO

EL OLVIDO QUE SEREMOS

Dir. Alfonso Quijada (El Salvador, 93 min., 2020, Spanish w/ English Subtitles, Drama / Thriller)

Dir. Fernando Trueba (Colombia, 136 min., 2020, Spanish w/ English subtitles, Drama) 3/10 / 8:35 / S6 3/13/ 6:40 / S5

3/12 / 1:30 / S9 3/18 / 7:30 / S5 Josefina Moreno, an 18-year old coffee picker who has worked in the coffee fields in El Salvador her entire life, discovers she has a rare and refined sense of smell which opens the doors for her in the world of coffee tasting. Her gift allows her to evaluate and appreciate coffee beans with near-perfect precision, but she has to contend with circumstances that threaten her future.

Vozes Showcase.

TODOS TENEMOS UN MUERTO EN EL PLACARD O UN HIJO EN EL CLÓSET

EL OLVIDO QUE SEREMOS describes the life of Héctor Abad Gómez (Javier Cámara), a doctor and a human rights activist concerned with both his own children and the children of the underprivileged classes in the violent 1970s in Medellin, Colombia. At his home, you can breathe the vitality and creativity that are the result of a progressive education based on tolerance and love. But driven by sadness and rage when a terrible cancer takes the life of one of his daughters, Héctor devotes himself to the social and political causes of the time, without regard to his personal safety. This is an intimate story seen through the eyes of his only son, Héctor Abad Facilionce, one of the most outstanding writers in contemporary Colombia. Spotlight Films Showcase.

Dir. Nicolás Teté (Argentina, 103 min., 2020, Spanish w/ English Subtitles, Coming-Of-Age / Drama)

3/13 / 7:40 / S7 VIRTUALLY 3/16 After recently coming out to his parents, Manuel returns to his hometown of Villa Mercedes for their anniversary party and to ask for money to move to Denmark with his boyfriend. Only thing is, they refuse to accept his sexuality. His visit unfolds a family crisis, a break-up, and a surprising secret. ¡Somos! Cine LGBT+ Showcase.

LAS VACACIONES DE HILDA Dir. Agustín Banchero (Uruguay, 88 min., 2021, Spanish w/ English Subtitles, Drama)

3/14 / 8:30 / S6 VIRTUALLY 3/10 Hilda, a lonely woman living in the town of Conception, Uruguay, intentionally shatters any kind of emotional bond with the people

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DOCUMENTARY FILMS SYNOPSES ALGO SE ENCIENDE Dir. Luciana Gentinetta (Argentina, 62 min., 2021, Spanish w/ English Subtitles, Documentary)

3/12 / 3:50 / S3 3/14 / 4:15 / S5 VIRTUALLY 3/18 Upon the disappearance of Anahí Benítez (16), her classmates start a protest and demand that she turns up alive. This is a story about the resilience of youth, how school sometimes feels like a second home, and the trials a generation must face to become adults. ¡Documania! Showcase.

APENAS EL SOL Dir. Arami Ullón (Paraguay / Argentina / Switzerland, 2020, 75 min., Ayoreo, Spanish w/ English Subtitles, Documentary)

3/12 / 11:30AM / S8 3/16 / 9:20 / S7 Facing the consequences of a violent uprooting, and in an attempt to preserve fragments of a disappearing culture, Mateo walks across communities in the arid and desolate Paraguayan Chaco region, and registers on cassettes the experiences of other Ayoreo who, like him, were born in the vast forest, free and nomadic, without any contact with civilization, until religious missionaries forced them to abandon their ancestral territory, their means of subsistence, their beliefs and their home. Nuestras Raíces Showcase.

BOROM TAXI Dir. Andrés Guerberoff (Argentina, 2021, 61 min., Wolof, Spanish, w/ English Subtitles, Documentary)

3/14 / 6:55 / S6 3/16 / 9:30 / S8 VIRTUALLY 3/18 Mountakha is a Senegalese migrant and a newcomer in Buenos Aires. In Dakar he used to work as a truck driver and he tries to get that job in this new city as well. While working as a street vendor in the meantime, he wonders if his destiny might be related to acting. Some of his new friends have a special bond with cinema. ¡Documania! Showcase.

CANTOS QUE INUNDAN EL RÍO Dir. Germán Arango Rendón (Colombia, 72 min., 2021, Spanish w/ English Subtitles, Documentary)

3/13 / 3:20 / S7 3/18 / 4:45 / S7 VIRTUALLY 3/10 Oneida was still a child when she learned the Afro-Colombian tradition of singing “alabados” to accompany the dead on their journey to purgatory. With one leg devoured by a snake, and a war

29TH SAN DIEGO LATINO FILM FESTIVAL

without truce, she became the composer of new songs and made her wounds a source of inspiration. Today, Oneida’s compositions unite the voice of millions in the reconciliation process of a country with one of the longest wars in history. Nuestras Raíces Showcase.

DESDE LA ESQUINA Dirs. Mario Genel, Omar Millán (Mexico, 94 min., 2022, Spanish w/ English Subtitles, Sports Documentary)

3/19 / 5:30 / S5 3/20 / 11:15 AM/ S6 VIRTUALLY 3/17 Though his childhood was filled with abandonment and misery, the boxing trainer Romulo Quirarte produced entire generations of world champions and elite fighters towards the end of the twentieth century, making Tijuana the epicenter of Boxing in Mexico. Featuring appearances by Julio Cesar Chavez, Erik Morales, Frontera Filmmakers Showcase.

FLY SO FAR Dir. Celina Escher (El Salvador / Sweden, 89 min., 2021, Spanish w/ English Subtitles, Documentary)

3/20 / 6:10 / S5 VIRTUALLY 3/13 Set in El Salvador, a country with some of the most restrictive laws in the world, including the criminalization of those who experience miscarriages, this documentary tells the story of Teodora Vásquez, who was accused of murder when she suffered a stillbirth and was sentenced to thirty years in prison for aggravated homicide.

At Ilopango Women’s Prison, she becomes the spokesperson for The Seventeen, a group of working-class women who were all incarcerated after having miscarriages., many of whom became pregnant after being sexually assaulted. Vozes Showcase.

LOS GUARDIANES DEL MAÍZ Dir. Gustavo Vazquez (Mexico / USA, 60 min., 2020, Zapotec, Chinantec, Spanish w/ English Subtitles, Documentary)

3/19 / 3:30 / S5 VIRTUALLY 3/15 Los Guardianes del Maíz presents the story of native corn told by the indigenous farmers, artisans and cooks in Mexico whose ancestors shepherded the ever-evolving seeds from the dawn of agriculture into the 21st Century – a story of collective labor spanning more than 350 generations. Their voices are joined by community leaders, scientists, chefs, and others whose knowledge and activism stand not only in defense of food sovereignty and the genetic integrity, diversity, and community ownership of native seeds, but in defense of a durable cultural legacy and a way of life.

Nuestras Raíces Showcase.

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DOCUMENTARY FILMS SYNOPSES LOS HERMANOS / THE BROTHERS Dir. Marcia Jarmel,Ken Schneider(Cuba / USA, 84 min., 2021, English, Spanish w/ English Subtitles, Music Documentary)

3/11 / 5:00 / S8 3/13 / 11:30 AM / S7 VIRTUALLY 3/20 A joyful celebration of family, love, creativity and music, played out against the backdrop of more than half a century of strife amongst the world's superpowers, weaving the many complex layers of the story of two musical brothers, their families, their divergent trajectories, and the tides of geo-politics. Featuring an genre-bending score composed by Cuban Aldo Lopez-Gavilan performed with his American brother, Ilmar, and with guest appearances by maestro Joshua Bell and the Grammy-winning Harlem Quartet.

IDENTIDAD Dir. José Carlos García & Carlos Granda (Peru, 83 min., 2019, Spanish w/ English Subtitles, Sports Documentary)

3/12 / 1:50 / S6 3/17 / 4:15 / S5 VIRTUALLY 3/19 After 36 years, Peru returns to the FIFA World Cup in Russia in 2018. Can this huge national achievement start to heal decades of armed conflict, social and economic upheaval, and a traumatized national identity? “Identidad” is a reflective journey through growing up in Peru during the 1980s and disappointment —and ultimate pride— of their National Football Team. ¡Documania! Showcase.

THE INFILTRATORS Dir. Cristina Ibarra, Alex Rivera (USA, 95 min., 2019, Spanish w/ English Subtitles, Hybrid)

3/13 / 5:00 / S7

INVASORES Dir. Luis Moreno (Mexico, 122 min., 2021, Spanish w/ English Subtitles, Documentary)

3/13 / 1:30 / S5 3/15 / 9:10 / S7 VIRTUALLY 3/17 In May 2021, more than one hundred families in Tijuana were compelled to invade the “Cerro de las abejas” due to rent prices, food and unemployment. The families demanded decent housing, asking for the expropriation of lands that have been unused for more than 30 years. ¡Documania! Showcase.

THE KITCHENISTAS Dir. David Romero (USA, Mexico, 56 min., 2021, English, Spanish w/ English Subtitles, Food Documentary)

3/17 / 7:00 / S8 3/19 / 11:45 AM / S8 VIRTUALLY 3/12 What started as a 7-week nutrition program 8 years ago in National City (CA) has become a 300+ Latina-led movement to raise the health, well-being, and resilience of a community. National City has one of the highest rates of obesity and diabetes in San Diego County and in California, and the program graduates, called “Kitchenistas” are mentoring, advocating, and developing a sisterhood to bring high-quality food and cooking into their homes, schools, city, and beyond. Special Presentation.

LA MADRINA: THE SAVAGE LIFE OF LORINE PADILLA Dir. Raquel Cepeda (USA, 80 min., 2021, English, Spanish w/ English Subtitles, Documentary)

3/14 / 5:00 / S8 3/19 / 11:15 AM / S6 VIRTUALLY 3/16 A beloved South Bronx matriarch rooted in the outlaw, spiritual and activism world takes us on a complicated journey through five decades of Bronx history. ¡Viva Mujeres! Showcase

The docu-thriller that tells the true story of young immigrants who are detained by Border Patrol and thrown into a shadowy for-profit detention center—on purpose. Marco and Viri are members of the National Immigrant Youth Alliance, a group of radical DREAMers who are on a mission to stop unjust deportations. And the best place to stop deportations, they believe, is in detention. However, when Marco and Viri attempt a daring reverse ‘prison break,’ things don’t go according to plan. By weaving together documentary footage of the real infiltrators with re-enactments of the events inside the detention center, THE INFILTRATORS tells an incredible and thrilling true story in a genre-defying new cinematic language.

Special Presentation.

LA MANPLESA: AN UPRISING REMEMBERED Dir. Ellie Walton (USA, 52 min., 2021, English, Spanish w/ English Subtitles, Documentary)

3/12 / 3:20 / S10 3/19 / 5:50 / S7 VIRTUALLY 3/18 A chorus of artists and activists retell the story of the 1991 uprisings in Washington DC’s Mount Pleasant neighborhood, sparked by the police shooting of a Salvadoran man, Daniel Gomez. Through testimony, song, poetry, and street theatre, La Manplesa brings to

DOCUMENTARY FILMS SYNOPSES life a painful yet seminal chapter in the history of Washington DC’s Latinx community and justice movements. ¡Documania! Showcase.

MARIPOSAS DEL CAMPO Dir. Bill Yahraus (USA, 86 min., 2021, English, Spanish, Mixteco, Zapoteco w/ English Subtitles, Documentary)

3/13 / 2:00 / S8 3/19 / 3:40 / S7 VIRTUALLY 3/11 Mariposas del Campo shares the stories of indigenous Mixtec, Zapotec, and Purépecha teenagers from Mexico striving to change their families’ destinies in the strawberry fields of Oxnard, California. Through a stormy year of sanctioned racism and antiimmigrant policies, the documentary captures their journeys—with help from the characters’ own intimate videos—as they navigate cultural identity, parental expectations, economic challenges, and the justice needs of their migrant farmworker community.

THE MOTHER OF ALL STRUGGLES Dir. Susanna Lira (Brazil, 84 min., 2021, Portuguese w/ English Subtitles, Documentary)

3/17 / 6:00 / S6 VIRTUALLY 3/19 A documentary that connects attacks on land rights with the ongoing struggles of Indigenous and Black women in Brazil. The film follows the paths of Shirley Krenak and Maria Zelzuita, women who are in the front line of the Brazilian land struggle. Shirley has the mission of honoring the women and the wisdom of the Krenak Warriors, from the region of Minas Gerais. Maria Zelzuita is one of the survivors of the Eldorado dos Carajás Massacre, in Pará. ¡Viva Mujeres! Showcase.

MUD FRONTIER: ARCHITECTURE AT THE BORDERLANDS Dir. Chris J. Gauthier (USA, 64 min., 2021, English, Documentary)

3/17 / 4:30 / S6 3/19 / 11:00 AM / S5 VIRTUALLY 3/12 Set in the remote San Luis Valley of Colorado, Mud Frontier: Architecture at the Borderlands follows designers Ronald Rael and Virginia San Fratello's experimentation with robotic manufacturing processes and traditional adobe architecture. Motivated by the neglect and abandonment of customary earthen building techniques that were once widely used throughout the region, in an area where Indigenous and European colonists have historically lived both in harmony and in conflict with one another, Rael and San Fratello reflect on this legacy to forge new methods of creative production.

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OBJETOS REBELDES Dir. Carolina Arias Ortiz (Costa Rica / Colombia, 70 min., 2021, Spanish w/ English subtitles, Documentary)

3/18 / 5:00 / S8 3/20 / 3:50 / S7 VIRTUALLY 3/14 Carolina returns to her home country Costa Rica to try to rebuild the relationship with her father, who is sick. During this time, she meets Ifigenia, an archaeologist expert in the stone spheres found in the south of Costa Rica; the country's great enigma. She decides to follow Ifigenia's journey through an erased indigenous history.

Through objects and their stories, Carolina learns a different way to relate to death. ¡Viva Mujeres! Showcase, Vozes Showcase.

PALABRAS VERDADERAS Dir. Denisse Quintero (Mexico, 73 min., 2020, Spanish, Zoque Ayapaneco w/ English Subtitles, Documentary)

3/11 / 4:15 / S5 3/20 / 1:50 / S6 VIRTUALLY 3/15 Through the testimonies of various elderly locals, Palabras Verdaderas builds a collective memory of Ayapa, creating an oral history of what has marked them as a community, from its origin, to its processes of abandonment and subsequent efforts to recover their native language, the true word: Numdi oode. Mexico Today Showcase.

PEPE SERNA: LIFE IS ART Dir. Luis Reyes (USA, 60 min., 2022, English, Documentary)

3/10 / 7:00 / S8 Pepe Serna: Life Is Art is a one hour documentary about the life and career, told in his own words, of veteran supporting actor Pepe Serna, best known for his roles in such films as Scarface, Car Wash, and Downsizing.

Special Presentation: Pepe Serna Tribute.

RICOCHET Dirs. Jeff Adachi, Chihiro Wimbush (USA, 76 min., 2021, English, Spanish w/ English Subtitles, Documentary)

3/11 / 6:00 / S5 3/15 / 4:30 / S6 VIRTUALLY 3/17 When a young woman is shot by an undocumented immigrant on Pier 14 in San Francisco, the incident ignites a political and media furor that culminates in Donald Trump’s election as President of the United States. In the eye of this storm, two public defenders fight to reveal the truth. ¡Documania! Showcase

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DOCUMENTARY FILMS SYNOPSES ROLÊ - STORIES OF BRAZILIAN PROTESTS IN MALLS Dir. Vladimir Seixas (Brazil, 82 min., 2021, Portuguese w/ English Subtitles, Documentary)

3/11 / 4:30 / S6 3/13 / 11:15 AM / S6 VIRTUALLY 3/20 Protests against the violence occurring in Brazilian malls have mobilized thousands of people in recent years. This documentary follows the lives and memories of three Black individuals that experienced racism and took part in these protests. Discover the dreams, beauty, poetry, art and politics of a generation that has found new ways of dealing with violence by taking part in the Black Lives Matter movement in Brazil. ¡Documania! Showcase.

Dir. Jorge Díaz Sánchez (Mexico, 88 min., 2021, Spanish, Triqui w/ English Subtitles, Sports Documentary)

3/17 / 6:10 / S5 3/20 / 1:10 / S5 VIRTUALLY 3/11 Sergio Zúñiga is an idealist who has created a project for indigenous children so they can realize their dreams are through basketball. For years, the Indigenous Academy of Mexico has allowed children to recognize that studying and sports are tools that can be used to break cycles of poverty. Bernabé, Tobías and Aniceto are a central part of this effort. They continue to fight on the court to show that what they lack in size, they make up for in mental stamina. Mexico Today Showcase.

LA RECUA - THE MULE PACK TRAIN

TEJIENDO SOMBRAS

Dirs. Darío Higuera Meza, Trudi Angell (Mexico, 86 min., 2020, Spanish w/ English Subtitles, Documentary)

Dir. Erica Nguyen (Peru / USA / Spain, 97 min., 2020, Spanish, Quechua w/ English Subtitles)

3/18 / 6:35 / S6 3/20 / 11:00 AM / S5 VIRTUALLY 3/13 Darío Higuera Meza, a traditional saddle maker in Baja California Sur, turned 70 in 2018. In March that year, he and his family traveled 200 miles in 20 days by mule-back, herding a pack train of donkeys from an oasis in the heart of the Sierra de la Giganta all the way to the capital city of La Paz. Fearing that the old traditions might be lost forever, he overcame hardships of health, rattlesnakes, and hot days on rocky, forgotten trails in order to honor the memory of Lower California’s “long-haul” equine merchants “los arrieros”– the muleteers of Baja’s donkey pack-trains. Two trailsavvy children, Ramoncito, age 8, Dario’s grandson, and Azucena, age 10, add sparkle to the tale as they ride through the desert outback, sharing their own stories and songs along historic El Camino Real. Frontera Filmmakers Showcase.

EL SILENCIO DEL TOPO Dir. Anaïs Taracena (Guatemala, 91 min., 2021, Spanish w/ English Subtitles, Documentary)

3/13 / 1:25 / S7 3/16 / 4:30 / S6 VIRTUALLY 3/11 In the decade of the 70s, a journalist self-proclaimed as “The Mole” infiltrated one of the most repressive governments in Guatemala. Through the quest of a hidden and unusual character, the film explores how the revelations of the truth can force cracks into the walls of silence in a country forced to forget. Vozes Showcase.

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SKA´YAA (STRENGTH)

3/12 / 11:00 AM / S10 3/16 / 4:45 / S7 VIRTUALLY 3/10 Languages are irretrievably lost at a rapid rate. The silence that follows can be filled by the testimonies in this documentary, which decipher the vernacular of Peru's living hat cultures before they too are forgotten. Although Peruvian hats might seem an unlikely place to find vindication, the diversity of dialects and communities they represent is boisterous. Each village flashes their coat of arms through subtle cues found on their hat- flowers, pompoms, sequins, and designs become legible forms of communication that must be put on every day. Witness the rituals, legends, rites of passage, conflicts and connection to land that only a hat has the privilege of seeing.

THRESHOLD Dir. Coraci Ruiz (Brazil, 77 min., 2021, Portuguese w/ English Subtitles, Documentary)

3/12 / 1:15 / S8 3/15 / 4:45 / S7 VIRTUALLY 3/17 An autobiographical documentary made by a mother who follows the gender transition of her adolescent son: between 2016 and 2019 she interviews him addressing the conflicts, certainties and uncertainties that pervade him in a deep search for his identity. At the same time, the mother also goes through a process of transformation required by the situation that life presents her with by breaking old paradigms, facing fears and dismantling prejudices. ¡Somos! Cine LGBT+.

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DOCUMENTARY FILMS SYNOPSES EL UNIVERSO DE CLARITA Dir. Tomás Lipgot (Argentina, 74 min., 2021, Spanish w/ English Subtitles, Documentary)

3/12 / 11:45 AM / S9 3/17 / 5:00 / S8 VIRTUALLY 3/14 Clarita is 13 years old and lives in Rosario with her parents and sisters. She has an unusual curiosity and a passion that defines her: astronomy - a passion she discovered thanks to Proyecto Miradas, an experimental and playful workshop for children. What are meteorites made of? How were stars created? Where did the first bird come from? Clarita’s drive to learn and to explore makes us wonder at the infinite Universe of which we are all part of. Para la familia Showcase.

WHAT I'VE NEVER LOST Dir. Marina Thomé (Brazil, 86 min., 2021, Portuguese w/ English Subtitles, Music Documentary)

3/14 / 4:45 / S7 3/17 / 8:45 / S8 VIRTUALLY 3/19

She has broken barriers all her life and becomes an icon in the urban and underground scene of São Paulo, where she migrated by herself as a young mother of 5 children. She has crafted an impressive career as an instrumentalist and songwriter. Alzira E, a 63 years old rock band leader, is a woman ahead of her time.

Nuestras Raices Showcase.

WE STILL HERE / NOS TENEMOS Dir. Eli Jacobs-Fantauzzi (Puerto Rico, USA, 60 min., 2021, Spanish w/ English Subtitles, Documentary)

3/13 / 3:40 / S6 3/18 / 9:30 / S5 VIRTUALLY 3/15 “We Still Here / Nos Tenemos” introduces the incredible youth of Comerío, Puerto Rico navigating the aftermath of Hurricane Maria, a disaster that brought an unprecedented level of devastation to an island already in economic and political crisis. In the lush mountains in the center of Puerto Rico, 24-year-old Mariangelie Ortiz leads a group of young residents who never thought they would become the leaders of their community, nonetheless find themselves traveling to Washington D.C. to protest in the halls of Congress. Follow them in this coming of age story to find their power and begin creating a sustainable future for themselves and their community. ¡Documania! Showcase.

The film tells the story of Alzira E, a pioneer artist from a small town close to the Brazilian Pantanal and the Paraguayan border, one of the country’s most conservative and patriarchal places.

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Conoce tu comunidad Nuestra misión es difundir información, impulsar el entendimiento y crear oportunidades en las comunidades a las que servimos y en las cuales vivimos.

LEE: UnionTribuneEnEspanol.com SUSCRÍBETE: En línea o llama al (619) 299-4141 ANÚNCIATE: (866) 411-4140

The San Diego Union-Tribune en Español se enorgullece en colaborar con el San Diego Latino Film Festival.

SHORT PROGRAM SYNOPSES HAY QUE REÍRSE - COMEDY BLOCK 1 3/10 / 6:00 / S5 Available Virtually 3/12 These filmmakers found the funny in the mundane as well as the ridiculous, and their films showcase a broad spectrum of LatinX comedic styles. It’s our shared experiences that brings us together despite our differences, and sharing a laugh or telling a joke or funny story is a way of uniting us and gives us a reprieve from the seriousness of life.

NOCHE DEL INFIERNO (HELL NIGHT) dir. Andrew Reid (14 min., USA, English) Three freshman pledges must denounce cultural stereotypes and survive a magical test to gain entry into the most prestigious Latina sorority.

HOLD FOR APPLAUSE dir. Gerald B. Fillmore (5 min., Spain, Spanish w/ English subtitles) As the city is preparing to applaud all the health care workers during the pandemic. Greg is stuck in an intercontinental relationship Zoom nightmare.

DEAD TO ME dir. Emilie Rae Ohanian Svensson (11 min., USA, English) Two best friends take drastic measures to survive the pandemic.

I’M LISTENING dir. Ignacio Rodo (1 min., Spain, Spanish w/ English subtitles) Some therapies take years. Some take a minute.

CHEMISTRY dir. Isaac Garza (11 min., USA, English) A little accident leads to an intimate night going wrong. Based on a true story.

THE INVENTION OF SOLEDAD dir. Ana Cristina Franco (21 min., Ecuador, Spanish w/ English subtitles)

Soledad lives a perfect romance, until one night, the memory of her ex appears to move in…

PULP FRICTION dir. Tony Olmos, Mark Atkinson (14 min., USA, English) The lives of two roommates and a mysterious man intertwine in a tale of conflict and clashing within close quarters.

LIFE AFTER DEATH dir. Marco Gonzalez (16 min., USA, English) In the near future, a grieving wife struggles to accept her husband's demeanor after a dramatic change.

BONUS TIME dir. Alexander Hanno (21 min., USA, English) A cancer survivor returns home with a new lease on life, determined to make amends with the people he’s wronged whether they like it or not.

MÁS LATINA dir. Janeva Adena Zentz, Tim Young (14 min., USA, English) In a male-dominated comedy scene, a Latina finds her voice by imitating the strong women in her family.

SIDES EPISODE 9: ZOOM MEETING, dir. Jordan Jacobo (9 min., USA, English) A small business owner tries in vein to reign-in her inept employees during a disastrous zoom call.

DOCU-SHORTS

STORY.TELLING dir. Fábio Brandão (29 min., Brazil, Portuguese w/ English subtitles) 2 writers flesh out a single take Meta/Slasher film as we simultaneously watch it happen.

ELISE FOR CONGRESS dir. Ernie Bustamante (3 min., USA, English) A young, working-class Latina, Elise Martinez, runs for Congress. But first, she must convince her mom.

LOLA'S JOURNEY dir. Analydia Monaco (15 min., USA, English) Blamed for her ailing health due to her size, a lifethreatening medical emergency pushes a young woman to advocate for her life.

A CARCAJADAS - COMEDY BLOCK 2

3/12 / 11:15 AM / S6 Available Virtually 3/17 Film is a tool for healing in this collection of documentary shorts.

Whether it’s using video letters to connect with a friend you can’t physically be with, helping someone vocalize their feelings in anonymity or speaking on the frustration and complications we humans sometimes impose on ourselves, these films will help us better understand our fellow human beings and maybe even create a connection with the stranger sitting next to us in the cinema.

FREQUENCIES dir. Andrés Vázquez (10 min., USA, English) Through a series of intimate interviews and photographs, FREQUENCIES, invites the viewer to hold space for the collaborators and themselves as we collectively meditate upon grief, mortality, and spiritual perseverance.

3/20 / 3:30 / S5

ÁGUILAS/EAGLES dir. Kristy Guevara-Flanagan, Maite Zubiaurre (14 min., USA, English,

Available Virtually 3/15

Spanish w/ English subtitles)

These filmmakers found the funny in the mundane as well as the ridiculous, and their films showcase a broad spectrum of LatinX comedic styles. It’s our shared experiences that brings us together despite our differences, and sharing a laugh or telling a joke or funny story is a way of uniting us and gives us a reprieve from the seriousness of life.

Along the southern desert border in Arizona, it is estimated that only one out of every five missing migrants are ever found. ÁGUILAS, follows Aguilas del Desierto volunteers as they set out along the southern desert border of Arizona to recover missing loved ones. Once a month these volunteers— construction workers, gardeners, domestic laborers by trade— venture deep into the wilderness of the borderlands to help bring peace to the families of the missing.

ARE MILLENNIALS KILLING FREDDY? dir. Andrew Joseph Jara (3 min., USA, English)

It's 2 AM on Elm Street, do you know where your kids are?

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ALLÁ EN EL CIELO dir. Francisco Torres (18 min., Mexico, Spanish w/ English subtitles) Don Celedón and Ricardo are a father-son duo who live in the

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SHORT PROGRAM SYNOPSES southern highlands of Nuevo León, Mexico. They were stripped without warning of many hectares of land that they used to graze the few animals they had and to plant for their own consumption. While they work some of the lands that they have left, they watch their days go by, they remember their past and they tell of the particular way they have of seeing life.

SAME/DIFFERENT/BOTH/NEITHER dir. Adriana Barbosa, Fernanda Pessoa (19 min., Brazil, English, Portuguese w/ English subtitles)

In a period of isolation, far away from each other, two friends reconnect through video-letters, inspired by the poetic gaze of women experimental filmmakers.

THE INK ELEMENT dir. Luiz Maudonnet, Iuri Salles (8 min., Brazil, Portuguese w/ English subtitles)

The death of a graffiti tagger, from covid-19, is the trigger for a group of graffiti taggers to unite in an act against the mismanagement of the federal government in the pandemic.

CONVERSATIONS BETWEEN SHIFTS dir. Ben Basem (30 min., USA, English) Conversations Between Shifts chronicles the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic through the eyes of a nurse and her son.

BINGE ESTO! 3/11 / 4:45 / S7 Available Virtually Throughout the Festival

FRONTERA FILMMAKERS SHOWCASE NARRATIVES 3/16 / 7:00 / S8 Available Virtually 3/19

This showcase offers a special spotlight on the binational creative scene by celebrating the dynamic contemporary film landscape of Southern California, USA, and Baja California, Mexico. This year the program presents works by young and established talents from the region, most of them with first and/or second works.

IDENTIFICATION dir. Martha Elva Rodriguez (11 min., USA, English, Spanish w/ English subtitles)

Rigoberto is teaching his daughter how to drive, when an unexpected experience changes them forever.

LA CUARENTENA dir. Johaira Michelle Dilauro (7 min., USA, English) A love letter by 2 nurses promoting safety during the pandemic and giving a glimpse of hope for better days ahead.

FORGETTING CAROLINE dir. Alexis Duran (15 min., USA, English) During Michael's final goodbye to his ten-year-old stepdaughter, Caroline, he reflects on his experiences that led to his decision to leave.

EL FUERTE SE CAE dir. Kenia Amaya (15 min., Mexico, Spanish w/ English subtitles) Javier spends his days with a furry 6 ft tall monster, just like he used to with his sister Catalina. As his parents cope with their own duel, failing to communicate, Javier will face the attempt to rebuild the family bond.

SOME OF THESE DAYS dir. Oscar Perez (3 min., USA, English) A young man reflects on an important time in his life.

Find your next binge obsession in Binge Esto! A variety of different genres and styles merge to create this program which will have you once again use the phrase, “..just one more episode.”

LA 143 dir. Sergio Monserrate (USA, English) Izzy, a serial monogamist, was just dumped. Her two roommates, Charlie, an unapologetic players and Arie, a wild free spirit, take it upon themselves to guide her back into the LA dating scene. The three friends navigate dating actors, period sex, brunch and STDs while they try to figure out what love actually means.

27 dir. JL Ruiz, Juan Helu (Mexico, Spanish w/ English subitles) Serena is a rock star who just turned 27 and is forced to decide if she will finally confront her demons or if this is the beginning of the end.

DICHOS dir. Mary Angélica Molina (USA, English) DICHOS is a series of absurdist tales based on Latin American expressions. Because a “saying" in any language never has a literal translation in another, the episodes present tall-tales that describe their spirit and essence. Cheeky and playful, DICHOS attempts to translate the untranslatable.

WHAT’S YOUR HUSTLE? dir. Edwin FrankO (USA, English) A documentary series where filmmakers sit down with hustlers in all types of fields - from professional athletes to artists to business successes - and learn more about what makes them tick.

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SHORT PROGRAM SYNOPSES LILY <3 dir. Jimena Muhlia (20 min., Mexico, English, Spanish w/ English subtitles) Lily, a 5-year-old girl, prepares a day of the dead party for her father who comes to visit her for the first time from Mexico, while in the care of her cousin Teo, with whom she expresses the absence of the father figure as well as her own individuality as a growing woman.

HYPOCRISIS dir. Marlon Morales(16 min., Mexico, Spanish w/ English subtitles) An alcoholic priest who receives confessions online throughout the eternal quarantine.

GLAFIRA dir. Eric Armando Ibarra (12 min., USA, English, Spanish w/ English subtitles) Tony, (Chicano, 25) travels down to Ensenada, Mexico to reconnect with his grandmother through her swap meet endeavors forcing him to revisit his childhood memories of her.

FRONTERA FILMMAKERS SHOWCASE DOCUMENTARIES 3/14 / 7:20 / S8 Available Virtually 3/11 BRING THEM HOME dir. Rike Boomgaarden, Tamara Jatchvadze (30 min., USA, English, Spanish w/ English subtitles)

While filming a music video called "Excuse my Accent" hip hop artists RobYoung and Drei Ros learn that the US is deporting military veterans. The film tells the stories of these veterans and the efforts being made to Bring Them Home.

INNER CITY LEGEND dir. Edwin FrankO (23 min., USA, English) From a fateful training session with legendary boxing trainer Freddie Roach to becoming Los Angeles’ pride, this is the story of the Inner City Legend - professional boxer, Scrappy Ramirez.

ON THE BEAT: FEELING BODY, dir. Karla B. Duarte, USA A poetic documentary short about women in search of empowerment and liberation by using their mind-body connection through the West African rhythms and Afro-Mexican practices in music and dance.

EL GALLO DE ORO dir. Carlos Sanchez, USA Giovani Santillan is presented with the opportunity to showcase his hard work in front of his hometown audience for the chance to pivot to the next level of his career. #MORRASQUEBAILAN, dir. Viviana Gonzalez, Mexico The pandemic and the gender violence that shakes Mexico incites a crowd of women to move as a form of resistance.

OBACHAN, dir. Nicolasa Ruiz, Mexico Fuyuko Kiyota is a japanese woman who migrated to Mexico in 1941. Obāchan tells her story.

LAS COSAS NO TIENEN PAZ dir. Samahil Borbón Ojeda, Mexico "The story is that I'm just here," says Ramón, who was once a seaman. This is the story of a shipwreck, the largest in the history of Isla de Cedros, Baja California Mexico.

PARA LA FAMILIA 3/13 / 11:00 AM / S5 Available Virtually 3/20 TEMPUS, MIGUEL dir. Angel Ferrer, USA After discovering that his estranged biological mother has passed away, an orphan boy uses his genius-level intellect to build a time machine, journey into the past to meet his mother and convince her not to give him away.

EL REGALO DE MARÍA CAMILA, dir. Andrés Molano Moncada, Colombia In a park, Maria Camila, 9 years old, gives any passerby a piece of paper written by her. Immediately after reading it, people begin to impersonate different animals. What power does María Camila have to transform them?

THE BOY AND THE MOUNTAIN, dir. Santiago Aguilera, Gabriel Monreal, USA Hernán had a wild imagination when he was a kid. Now as an adult, he’s successful but he feels incomplete. Hernán decides now is the time to take on his biggest and wildest dream.

DEAR MRS. PRESIDENT, dir. Wyatt Hall, Luke Snedecor, USA Maria Rivera is a little girl with big dreams. With a handwritten letter, she expresses all the hop and inspiration she feels for her hero, the first female President of the United States.

FOOTSTEPS ON THE WIND, dir. Maya Sanbar, Gustavo Leal, Faga Melo, Brazil After a devastating earthquake hits their home, Noor, and her little brother, Josef, go on a journey far away from home.

TALK WITH US, dir. Fabio Costa Prado, Brazil Talk With Us follows twelve people with disabilities all over Brazil. Shot remotely by the participants of the documentary themselves, they show us different ways they connect with the world and with themselves.

HECHO EN USA 3/19 / 1:45 / S8 Available Virtually 3/16 IN BROAD DAYLIGHT, dir. Alex Ferrufino, USA Rookie LA County Sheriff Deputy Rick Diaz is on patrol with his sergeant. His sergeant tries to teach Rick what it takes to make it out on patrol, even if it means getting your hands dirty. Rick tries to steer clear of any corruption in the department and remain a beacon of hope for his community.

DOUBLE CULTURA, dir. Yessenia Sanchez, USA Twelve-year-old Marisol acts as her mother’s translator in any given situation, but when she has to interpret medical terminology regarding her own mother’s diagnosis, the stress and responsibility becomes overwhelming.

TEJANO NIGHT, dir. Alexander Rosales, USA While at a family gathering in South Texas, an awkward Mexican-American, Mijo, is forced to tag along on his cousin’s

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CUBAN AMERICAN GOTHIC, dir. Maria Teresa Rodriguez, USA Maggie is living alone in New York City during the early 2020 pandemic. When her Cuban parents return from the dead to help, they remind her of their immigrant journey and that they have given her everything she needs to rise above the moment.

GONE, dir. Christopher Piñero, USA Refusing to go see her dying Mother, Renee tries to avoid the inevitability of death, as an overwhelming terror takes over her mind.

BFFS, dir. Elia Urquiza, USA After high-school graduation, two teenage best friends from a sleepy desert town face radically different futures: while shy Luz is preparing for her scholarship at UCLA, Paloma must stay behind to take care of her 8-month-old baby boy. In the hopes of spending the last weekend together, happy-go-lucky Paloma insists on driving Luz to UCLA, even when she finds no one else can take care of her baby.

FROM USHUAIA TO KU MEYAAY 3/15 / 4:15 / S5 Available Virtually 3/20 Indigenous groups to Argentina, Brazil, Peru and Mexico give us a glimpse into their customs and history in this enthralling and much needed assemblage of thought-provoking shorts.

BOCA DE SERPIENTE, dir. Adriana Otero Puerto, Mexico Chicán is a small community whose inhabitants have been born with a distinguishing characteristic for generations. In this short documentary you will see their typical family life and a town’s resilience to continue their traditions.

OUR KUA’HL HEART, dir. Gabriela Badillo, Mexico A short story about how the Kua’hl community lived before, and how today they still struggle to maintain their language.

TWAKANA YAGAN, dir. Rodrigo Tenuta, Ignacio Leonidas, Argentina Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego, is inhabited by the Yagán Paiakoala, descendant of an ancestral community that dates back more than 8,000 years.

THE TRADITIONAL BRAZILIAN FAMILY KATU, dir. Rodrigo Sena, Brazil In 2007, a photographer created a photo essay on twelve teenagers who were part of the Katu. Twelve years later, the photographer returns to reconnect with the teenagers he once took pictures of.

FLORES DE LA LLANURA, dir. Mariana Xochiquétzal Rivera, Mexico Yecenia, a young ñomndaa weaver, is mourning because her cousin, Silvia, has been a victim of femicide. She and other weaving women, create a collective ritual to honor Silvia’s life. Through this ritual, threads, dreams and their craft are collectively woven together as an act of healing and resilience.

29TH SAN DIEGO LATINO FILM FESTIVAL

PACHA KUTI: THE GOLDEN PATH, dir. Reed Rickert, Peru When Arnold returns to his native community in the Peruvian Amazon after living in the urban world, he remembers the stories told to him by his grandfather and the great importance of maintaining balance with the jungle.

MEXICO RARO Y QUERIDO 3/11 / 6:25 / S6 Available Virtually 3/14 A group of some of the best short films to have come out of Mexico in the past year. Get a sneak peek into the feature filmmakers of tomorrow!

LA CASA DE LA MEMORIA, dir. Sofía Rosales Arreola, México An elderly man lives in the solitude of his immense film library.

A place that seems infinite and eternal in which each shelf contains an invaluable treasure, his memories.

GUADALUPE, DIR. David Guillermo Barba, México An undocumented housekeeper finds something unexpected and controversial in one of her client’s closet. ¿Y LUEGO?, dir. Mario Trujillo, México David is an executive obsessed with productivity. After collapsing due to overworking, his company forces him to take a vacation to a holistic center where David feels he’s just wasting his time.

MÁS FUERTE QUE EL MIEDO, dir. Barbara Mori, México Two young sisters reflect on their at-home family life.

SU NOMBRE ES FLOR, dir. Viridiana Pérez Ramirez, México Tere is a young single mother that travels with her young daughter, Flor, everywhere. When Flor loses one of her new shoes, a unexpected chain of events that will change their lives forever unfolds.

EN LOS ESPACIOS DE SILENCIO, dir. Bárbara Daniela Moreno Turcott, México It’s a warm Sunday in Mexico City; Cornelio and Fabiola are finishing their workday. As they pass through different parts of downtown and Cornelio narrates their world to Fabiola, a game of love and intimacy is revealed.

TIO, dir. Juan Medina, México On his first day of work as a miner, Martin, a cocky teenager will learn the importance of rituals and respect for ancestors.

EL CAMINO, dir. Fernando Campos, Jaime Jasso, México Rojo, the pilot of the cargo ship, El Camino, has an offer to transport a cargo shipment as a favor for a friend. Rojo’s daughter, Robyn, joins him on the trip but things begin to get strange when the cargo starts to manipulate both of them with a strange energy.

TOCAR EL CIELO, dir. Marco Cano, México Miguel is 26 years old and in a wheelchair living isolated from the world due to his overprotective mother. When Miguel grows

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SHORT PROGRAM SYNOPSES interest in the most beautiful girl in town, Miguel begins to take steps to change his situation.

SI ME MATAN, dir. Hipatia Argüero Mendoza, México After justice isn’t served after a series of protests against the femicide of a 17-year-old girl in Mexico City, Dafne and Tamara, activists and friends, go one step further in their search for justice.

UN MUNDO EXTRAÑO - WARPED REFLECTIONS When the mirror is held up, what do we see? Does it reflect our fears? Anxieties? Literal realities? These short films explore our world through a fractured lens.

3/13 / 1:10 / S6 Available Virtually 3/10 HELL OF A PITCHER, dir. Daniel Burity, USA On Independence Day a group of friends trespass on a little league baseball field and get stalked by a mysterious baseball player, forcing them into a deadly game.

HUNGER, dir. Carlos Meléndez, Mexico A child is being tormented by a voracious well demanding food from him. But as he proves unable to satisfy its hunger, he drags himself to find another way of feeding it.

THE WEREBACK, dir. Estrada Brothers, USA When the full moon rises, the legend of The Wereback comes alive.

SUNCATCHER, dir. Kim Torres, Costa Rica When a mysterious light invades socially awkward Lila, she encounters its source: a cyborg who comes to remind her who she was in a past life.

STRONG, dir. Jean Lee, USA With the help of her AI dog, a sixteen-year-old girl must get her sick mother to another planet where a better life awaits.

MUSE, dir. Camilla Demichelis Richaud, Mexico An aging and decadent artist rekindles a dangerous relationship with his Muse right before his last exhibition. All goes well... until the inner monster comes out to play.

THE FOURTH, dir. Johnny Kirk, USA Fun and games on the Fourth of July take a serious turn for Rey and his friends when they are stopped by police

UNA VEZ EN XJAN XWAN, dir. Alexander Feliciano Mejía, Guatemala A young Maya-Mam man makes the decision to head to the US, but a mysterious figure with a large sombrero haunts him as he seeks the support of his closest and most trusted family and friends.

THE MAID, dir. Kristin Goodman, USA A maid arrives at a palatial home and discovers an evil living inside that has no intention of letting her leave.

THE LEGEND OF SOMBRERÓN, dir. Enrique A. Mendoza, Guatemala Chased by an evil being, Susana struggles to distinguish between reality and fantasy.

TINDER TANGO, dir. Cecilia Robles, USA Two Tango aficionados meet for the first time and it turns out to be a hell of a date!

L.U.N.A., dir. Blake Vaz, USA Field technician, Lillian Romero, is sent out to diagnose an error from her company's home assistant device L.U.N.A. When she arrives she discovers this is no ordinary error...or home.

INSOLACIÓN, dir. Rogelio Sánchez Toledo, Mexico A couple faces the horrors of global warming and political indifference in the hottest day of year.

LAYOUT, dir. Clara Martins Hermeto, Brazil São Paulo, Brazil. The day of a man using an app to find real estate to invest in is transformed when the borders of his reality are shattered.

UN MUNDO EXTRAÑO- FOLK TALES AND SPECULATIONS From fairy tales to folk traditions to modern science fiction, storytellers have always used dark fantasy and unreality to lend some perspective to our everyday experiences. These films come from this time-honored practice--from monsters, to folk horrors, to artificial intelligence, you may see yourself in the abyss.

3/20 / 6:20 / S6 Available Virtually 3/16

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RITMO LATINO 3/18 / 6:30 / S7 Available Virtually 3/14 One thing that film and music have in common is that they bring people together. Don’t miss the way the filmmakers of this program used music in their films to bring awareness to different topics and create community.

FUEGO, dir. Christine Rodriguez, Canada Lonely, isolated and disconnected from his roots, Manolo has a reached a low point in his life, but he finds new hope after a chance meeting in the community center where he works.

NEON PHANTOM, dir. Leonardo Martinelli, Brazil João works in the streets of Rio de Janeiro as a delivery driver in the gig economy. His friend and him dream of buying a motorcycle, traveling the country and transforming their lives into a musical.

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SHORT PROGRAM SYNOPSES BEAUTIFUL CARNIVALS, dir. Thiago B. Mendonça, Brazil Dadinho, an old samba player, is taken by his granddaughter to his brother's burial, who was a samba player from a rival school of samba. In the process, a story about rivalry, samba and betrayal emerges from the past.

KILOMETRO CERO, dir. Caroline Brünen, Germany Yimi Konclaze is a rapper and everyone in Havana knows him. But Yimi wants more: he wants to become famous with his music. Two music producers have taken notice of him and help him to achieve his greatest success to date: a professional music video.

LOS INTOCABLES, dir. Pablo Pintor, Eleonora Comelli, Argentina In Buenos Aires, the dance group La Morenada, rehearses their routine in preparation for their presentation at Ciudanza Festival and the annual party of the Virgin of Copacabana. ¡PINCHE TEPOROCHO!, dir. Luis Gerardo LoGar, Mexico A homeless man gets lost through Mexico City whilst following a mysterious song.

RELATOS LATINOS 3/16 / 4:15 / S5 Available Virtually 3/13 Long distances, new environments and new losses are all part of this collection of shorts which show us that no matter wherever we come from and where we’ve been, what we are looking for is human connection.

SIN MIEDO AL ÉXITO 3/19 / 4:30 / S6 Available virtually 3/15 The phrase made viral by Mexican gym owner, Paul Villafuerte, is the perfect title for a shorts program composed of inspirational stories of ultimate grit and perseverance. ÉCHALE GANAS: THE VILLA’S TACOS STORY, dir. Shirley Yumeng He, USA As Los Angeles reels from the hardships of the COVID-19 pandemic, Victor Villa, a young Latino entrepreneur and L.A. native, must persevere to keep his street taco business afloat.

Against the backdrop of gentrification in his neighborhood, Victor must also maintain his role as a community leader with dreams of transitioning his backyard pop-up to a full-time brick-and-mortar restaurant.

TEAM MERYLAND, dir. Gabriel Gaurano, USA In the projects of Watts, Meryland Gonzalez, a twelve-year-old female boxer, trains to be crowned the 2019 Junior Olympics champion. Meanwhile, her immigrant parents work tirelessly to give their miracle child a shot at achieving her dreams.

DISRUPTED BORDERS, dir. Alejandra Aragon, USA Wendy is an aspiring engineer who tinkers using parts from discarded electronics in hopes of making a 3D printed

HORA AZUL, dir. Zoe Garcia Miranda, Cuba After meeting in a hospital, Mariano and China go out for a drink to forget their troubles.

TUNDRA, dir. José Luis Aparicio, Cuba Walfrido Larduet, a lonely electrical inspector, dreams of the Red Woman, whose image persists and becomes an obsession.

Something tells him she is near. Over the course of a day, Walfrido will follow her trail as he travels through the suburbs of an infested city.

SOÑE QUE VIVÍA, dir. Eymeraude Cordon Le Beurier, Chile When she returns to classes, 17-year-old student activist, Alexandra, does not want to face her activist groups after failing to participate in rallies or her young pregnancy. A teenage mom in the verge of a postpartum depression, she sees her dreams fading away.

BARRIO FRONTERA, dir. Reed Purvis, USA A teenage girl from a small rural village in northern Argentina moves to Buenos Aires to pursue a life with more opportunities in the hopes of helping her family back home. Sharing a small room in a huge informal settlement with her older cousin's family, she must quickly adapt to this radically different urban environment.

ONE CALL AWAY, dir. Camila Marcano, Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela Alone in a foreign country, a young woman meets virtually with friends and family who are in different parts of the world.

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SHORT PROGRAM SYNOPSES prosthesis for her best friend Shelly, an artist with double limb deficiencies. These two young Mexican-American women reinvent cultural, gender, and ability norms against a turbulent backdrop of the border recently scarred by racist policies and attacks.

CON SU PLUMA EN SU MANO: THE BALLAD OF GUSTAVO ARELLANO, dir. Brendan Bubion, USA One of the most prolific Latino journalists in America, Gustavo Arellano, faces the challenges of a changing landscape in journalism while trying to stay true to his principles and unique voice.

¡SOMOS! LGBTQ+ CINE SHORTS From first love, to coming of age, to fighting for custody rights, to navigating and discovering identity, these filmmakers embrace and share the diverse spectrum of the LGBTQIA+ community.

These stories created by the LGBTQIA+ community for the LGBTQIA+ community bring consciousness and compassion to worlds familiar to some and unknown by others for all of you to embrace in your hearts.

3/13 / 4:00 / S8 Available Virtually 3/17 A BRONX STORY, dir. Bell Soto, USA Two queer Dominican men living in Bronx, New York, navigate modern-day relationship's trials and tribulations while trying to keep their love afloat.

MEMOIRS OF THE (NON)EXISTENT ME, dir. Thiago Kistenmacker, Brazil Marina's death transforms her past into heritage. Her memoirs and the portrait of her identity are hostage in a dispute to claim her gender.

LABIOS DE MIEL, dir. Brenda Carolina Arregoitia, Mexico At thirteen years old, Ruth begins paying attention to the boys in her school, but soon realizes that their dental hygiene isn’t that good. On the other hand, Azucena seems to have the sweetest lips she’s ever seen. The only problem is her dentist parents won’t let her eat candy.

KARINA'S SUIT, dir. Frank Benitez Peña, Colombia Muete travels to the city to visit his cousin Karina, a transgender woman that does sex work. Muete tries to convince her to return to their town because her mother is very ill. The only condition: she has to go as Leonardo, her former identity.

MARCEL, dir. Gastón Calivari, Argentina Gaston reconnects with the clown that animated his 3rd birthday party. The clown has a new life as trans woman who runs a flower shop in Nogoyá, Entre Rios. Their encounter unleashes a series of memories, and reflections on what it means to change from child to adult and from man to woman.

TO THE FUTURE, WITH LOVE, dir. Shaleece Haas, USA An animated self-portrait of 19-year-old Hunter “Pixel”

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Jimenez, a nonbinary trans boy caught between the expectations of his Guatemalan immigrant family and his dreams of living happily ever after with his long-distance boyfriend Damienne.

VICTORY, dir. Eloisa Diez, Mexico In a small, conservative Catholic town in the Highlands of Jalisco, Alex loses custody of his daughter. After a long legal fight, he looks for a way to fulfill the promise he made to her at birth - to always be with her - while defending his dreams: fatherhood, music, being a man.

VIVA MUJERES We celebrate women filmmakers as they tell stories on our unique and varied experiences within the Latinx community. From demanding workers rights to wanting roller skates, these films show that empowerment can take many forms.

3/12 / 3:30 / S9 Available Virtually 3/18 LUNCH BREAK, dir. Nina Kopko, Brazil It’s 1979. Four workers have lunch break inside the ladies' room, at a metallurgical factory. Between laughs and scuffles, each one has a secret of their own.

FLORES DE LA LLANURA, dir. Mariana Xochiquétzal Rivera, Mexico Yecenia, a young ñomndaa weaver, is mourning because her cousin, Silvia, has been a victim of femicide. She and other weaving women, create a collective ritual to honor Silvia’s life. Through this ritual, threads, dreams and their craft are collectively woven together as an act of healing and resilience.

DEATH & DEATHABILITY (A PERIOD PIECE), dir. Maria Victoria Ponce, USA Mystified by the unexpected arrival of her first period, Ceci (Blanca Ordaz) concludes she must be dying. She prepares a bucket list to accomplish on her final day, including her first real kiss and her own funeral, because death should be an art.

LABIOS DE MIEL, dir. Brenda Carolina Arregoitia, Mexico At thirteen years old, Ruth begins paying attention to the boys in her school, but soon realizes that their dental hygiene isn’t that good. On the other hand, Azucena seems to have the sweetest lips she’s ever seen. The only problem is her dentist parents won’t let her eat candy.

LOS PATINES, dir. Loren Escandon, USA Forced to be a servant to a white woman, an Afro-Colombian orphaned girl dreams of freedom, a normal childhood, and a pair of roller-skates.

SAVING SALVADOR, dir. Luisa Maria González, USA A dark comedy about three sisters who take matters into their own hands when bureaucratic chaos prevents them from having a proper burial for their late father.

VIVIR TODA LA VIDA, , dir. Marlén Ríos-Farjat, Mexico Susana is abandoned by her husband after a life together, but

SDLFF

SHORT PROGRAM SYNOPSES can’t seem to let go of the past. One day, she receives help from her neighbor Gloria, a free-spirited woman that she usually can’t stand. But the friendship that emerges between them makes Susana realize her desire to live in the present.

REMOVER EL CORAZÓN, dir. Melissa Elizondo, Mexico Community workers use art to help children in the town of San Gregorio Atlapulco cope with the trauma of the 2017 Puebla Earthquake.

VOZES SHORTS There are nearly 5 million persons of Central American descent in the United States and that number doubled in the last 10 years.

Vozes gives voz to those who speak vos. It puts the oft-forgotten voices of Central American characters at the center stage. It portrays both the daily hardships and the wonders of ancestral lands by highlighting the works of Central American filmmakers, helping viewers move past the stereotypical media portrayals of a culture that is an increasingly important part of the American social fabric.

Eighteen years ago, Vicky Noly was forced to leave her children to escape poverty and political conflict in Honduras. Envisioning the U.S. as a land of opportunities, Vicky made the decision to come to this country, regardless of the sacrifices it entailed.

Nevertheless, she remains deeply attached to her native customs and language and longs to reunite with her children whom she has not seen in 18 years.

DE REINAS Y OTROS COLORES dir. Juan Herrera Zuluaga Queens, drags and transgender people tell of their experiences performing and living out their dreams in a hostile and homophobiuc society - colorful, heartbreaking and disturbing in equal measures.

SUPERVISORES DE NUBES, dir. William Aguilar, Honduras Two old friends meet again in a deprived and looted hospital room during the COVID-19 pandemic in Honduras.

ANTES QUE AMANEZCA, dir. Enrique Medrano, Honduras In the 1980s, a Honduran mother fights to rescue her daughter from the hands of her abusive ex-husband, a powerful and violent military general, who has been accused of the disappearance of college students.

3/18/ 4:15 / S5 Available virtually 3/11 UNIQUE, dir. Hugo Mata Parducci, El Salvador In El Salvador, an important theatrical movement is starting to flourish in the country, where many women are leading part of this new wave in the performing arts. In an environment, which historically has always been the exclusive domain of men, Yamileth tells us about her journey, struggles and dreams as a lights technician.

MEMORIAS DEL CHAGRES dir. Omar Calvo, Panama The lost towns on the edge of the Chagres River were once thriving towns, they were the center of the economic and cultural progress of a country in full development. The experiences of the former inhabitants and the current ones share a special connection set by the sound of the water and illustrated by the unique landscapes of the Chagres River.

MISS PANAMA, dir. Lamar Bailey Karamañites, Pascale Boucicaut , David Felix Sutcliffe, USA In 1980, Gloria Karamañites became the first black woman to win the Miss Panama competition, despite pageant officials maneuvering to deny her the crown. Reflecting on this history, her daughter Lamar meets characters who watched the competition live, and talks to friends and family who knew Gloria then and now, ultimately painting a vivid portrait of a country struggling with its own identity.

PARCIALMENTE NUBLADO CON PELIGRO DE TORMENTA, dir. Nicole Villalobos, Costa Rica

Esther, a seventeen year old teenager, goes on a mountain trip with her older brother and her father, with whom she doesn’t have a close relationship. During their vacation her father goes missing; driven by the fear of losing her dad, Esther will undertake a search in which she will learn to value of family.

DE SUEÑOS, dir. Olga Jaramillo, USA

29TH SAN DIEGO LATINO FILM FESTIVAL

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