Film Movement
The University of Arizona's Hanson Film Institute teams up with the Consulate of Mexico in Tucson to bring forth Tucson Cine Mexico 2010, a showcase of last year's best Mexican films.
It is the premiere festival in the United States that exclusively presents Mexican filmmakers, according to program director Vicky Westover of the Hanson Film Institute.
Starting on Thursday, March 4 and running through Sunday, March 7, the festival is screening seven acclaimed films. Its opening party, with many of the more talked about filmmakers in attendance, is at Tucson Museum of Art, 140 N. Main Ave., on March 4 from 8:30 p.m. to midnight.
Westover says she and Hanson Film Institute have three goals for this year's festival. "First, we have been successful in creating great programming for the festival," she said. "Second, we wish to establish mutually beneficial partnerships, and third is of course to get peoples' butts in the seats."
The festival is seeing substantial sponsorship from Cinema Tropical (the premiere distributor of Mexican film in the United States) who's co-director Carlos Gutierrez will act as guest programmer for the event. Cox Communications and AeroMexico are also providing much help bringing the festival to fruition.
The films showing at the festival sound phenomenal. Westover is most excited for "Alamar" directed by Pedro Gonzalez-Rubio; a reportedly beautiful tale about a father reconnecting with his five-year-old son. The film just won the Tiger award at the Rotterdam film festival.
"We fought tooth and nail for this film," said Westover, "There's beautiful cinematography, lots of underwater shots and a beautiful story about a father and son."
"Arrancame La vida" might prove to be the festival's most commercial and crowd pleasing film. From the producers of "Frida," it's a visually stunning period piece about post Mexican Revolution politicians fighting ruthlessly to assume control of the country.
"It was Mexico's entry into the Academy awards, the most expensive Mexican film to date and the biggest Mexican box office hit," said Westover. "It's very much a crowd pleasing melodrama with love, betrayal, murder and all the good stuff."
Sure to scratch young males' violent itch is "Los Bastardos," directed by Jaime Romandia. Described by Variety as a "Nihilistic high art film," the film was an official selection to the Cannes Film festival and brutally displays the plight of migrant workers struggling to make ends meet along the border. The film comes with a warning for one scene of intense graphic violence.
Exciting potential festival goers is the festival's affiliation with the traveling Ambulante Documentary Film Festival. Ambulante is a production company specializing in Mexican documentaries helmed by big time Mexican actors Gael Garcia Bernal and Diego Luna who rose to stardom in the fantastic Mexican film "Y tu Mama Tambien."The festival wishes to continue strengthening the partnership with Ambulante in the hopes that one day Bernal and Luna will attend the festival.
Ambulante will be presenting the much lauded documentary "El General" directed by Natalia Almada, a much discussed new filmmaker and graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design.
"This is not a dry documentary, but it is a documentary of rich Mexican history," said Westover. The film will kick off the festival at 6 p.m. on March 4 with Almada in attendance to present her film.
Westover, who became fascinated with Mexican cinema upon the release of the 2000 film "Amores Perros" directed by Alejandro Gonzlez Irritu, ultimately wants the festival to bring forth much needed attention to the oft-overlooked wonders of Mexican cinema.
"America does a good job promoting its own cinema," she said, "All across the United States art house cinemas are closing, there isn't much room for foreign film anymore, and I hope this festival will rectify that."
The festival is totally free of charge. All films are in Spanish with English subtitles and will screen at Harkins Theatres Tucson Spectrum 18, located at 5455 S. Calle Santa Cruz. For more information, visit clas.arizona.edu/cinemexico or contact Vicky Westover at vwestove@email.arizona.edu, 626-9825.
Festival Schedule:
March 4
El General 6 p.m.
Tropico de Cancer 9 p.m. (Tucson Museum of Art lobby)
March 5
Voy a Explotar 6 p.m.
Alamar 8:30 p.m.
Los Bastardos 10 p.m.
March 6
Cinco Dias Sin Nora 6 p.m.
Arrancame La Vida 8:30 p.m.
March 7
Tijuaneados Anonimos: Una Lagrima, Una Sonrisa 2 p.m.
