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TechnographCenter for Latin American and Caribbean Studies hosting film festival
By Stephanie Benhart
Posted: 4/8/08 Section: Diversions
Cultural awareness can take many forms, but the Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies is hosting a film festival to make it entertaining as well.
The center is showcasing the second annual Latin American Film Festival, which began April 4 and will continue through Thursday at Boardman's Art Theater in downtown Champaign. The festival features five different films, each highlighting a different country. This year's film selections are from Argentina, Mexico, Brazil, Peru and Bolivia.
The center's associate director, Angelina Cotler, coordinated the event planning, although she said the whole center was involved. She said she screened 28 movies before deciding on the final five.
Cotler said it was difficult to choose which countries to feature. She said she tried to select countries different from last year's selections to cover a larger, more representative Latin American region.
"These films have won a lot of international awards and awards in their (respective) countries," she said.
Cotler said the featured films have not been shown to the public or seen in commercial theaters in the United States, but they have been screened in film festivals.
"If I don't bring (the films) here, they'll never be shown," Cotler said.
The featured films include "The Aura," best film at the 2005 Havana Film Festival; "The Violin," best film and best cinematography at the 2006 Huelva Latin American Film Festival; "Madeinusa," best original script at the 2006 Havana Film Festival; "Alice's House," best film at the 21st Fribourg International Film Festival; and "Cocalero," nominated for Grand Jury Prize at the 2007 Sundance Festival.
Cotler said all films will be shown in their native language - four in Spanish and one in Portuguese - but will include English subtitles.
"The themes are not different (from American movies); things like love, hate, betrayal and thrillers, but from a Latin American perspective," she said.
The center is showcasing the second annual Latin American Film Festival, which began April 4 and will continue through Thursday at Boardman's Art Theater in downtown Champaign. The festival features five different films, each highlighting a different country. This year's film selections are from Argentina, Mexico, Brazil, Peru and Bolivia.
The center's associate director, Angelina Cotler, coordinated the event planning, although she said the whole center was involved. She said she screened 28 movies before deciding on the final five.
Cotler said it was difficult to choose which countries to feature. She said she tried to select countries different from last year's selections to cover a larger, more representative Latin American region.
"These films have won a lot of international awards and awards in their (respective) countries," she said.
Cotler said the featured films have not been shown to the public or seen in commercial theaters in the United States, but they have been screened in film festivals.
"If I don't bring (the films) here, they'll never be shown," Cotler said.
The featured films include "The Aura," best film at the 2005 Havana Film Festival; "The Violin," best film and best cinematography at the 2006 Huelva Latin American Film Festival; "Madeinusa," best original script at the 2006 Havana Film Festival; "Alice's House," best film at the 21st Fribourg International Film Festival; and "Cocalero," nominated for Grand Jury Prize at the 2007 Sundance Festival.
Cotler said all films will be shown in their native language - four in Spanish and one in Portuguese - but will include English subtitles.
"The themes are not different (from American movies); things like love, hate, betrayal and thrillers, but from a Latin American perspective," she said.
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