Ibero-American Competition

Click on film title for film details and long synopsis
 

Acné (Uruguay/Spain,90 min.) Director: Federico Veiroj Cast: Alejandro Tocar, Yoel Bercovici Rafa Bergman's biggest worry is kissing a girl. At 13, he has already made his sexual debut, but not in love. The year passes and not only does love run away but everything goes downhill. Fortunately, there's less acne -- a lot less acne.

Ballroom, The (Chega de Saudade) (Brazil,95 min.) Director: Laís Bodanzky Cast: Tônia Carrero, Leonardo Villar, Cassia Kiss, Betty Faria, Stepan Nercessian, Maria Flor, Paulo Vilhena One long night in an old time dance hall in São Paulo: a meeting place for disparate, yet endearing and spectacular characters, where through the fervor of non-stop dancing these characters ultimately find themselves. The dance hall isn't merely a place, it's a home.

Gasoline (Gasolina) (Guatemala,74 min.) Director: Julio Hernández Cordon Cast: Francisco Jácome, Carlos Dardón, Gabriel Armas First-time director Julio Hernandez gives us a fascinating and rare look at the daily lives of Guatemalan teenagers. Gerardo, Nano and Raymundo siphon gasoline from neighbors' cars so they can spend a night trying to find relief from the boredom of youth and suburban life. A comic tale with a powerful, disturbing twist.

Handless Trick (El Truco del Manco) (Spain,91 min.) Director: Santiago A. Zannou Cast: Juan Manuel Montilla "Langui", Ovono Candela, Javier Iglesias "Gordo", Elio Toffana, Mala Rodríguez, Juan Navarro, Diego Carrasco, Joaquín Mbomio, Fanny Gatibelza, Abdeli El Aziz, Cuajo has to pay up. He is building a recording studio with money he doesn't have and his younger brother has just double-crossed the thugs who fronted him some of the money. Real life rap artist Juan Manuel Montillo stars in this portrait of Barcelona's mean streets.

Historias Extraordinarias (Argentina,245 min.) Director: Mariano Llinás Cast: Klaus Dietze, Eduardo Iaccono, Walter Jakob, Mariano Llinás, Horacio Marassi, Agustín Mendilaharzu Historias Extraordinarias comprise this monumental film where the main character is depicted by an off-screen voice, seducing and enthralling the viewer into the long lost oral tradition of storytelling. Adventures of three men known only as H, X and Z unfold in this series of intertwining tales.

I'm Gonna Explode (Voy a Explotar) (Mexico/USA/UK,100 min.) Director: Gerardo Naranjo Cast: Maria Deschamps, Juan Pablo De Santiago, Daniel Gimenez Cacho, Martha Claudia Moreno, Rebeca Jones Charged with infectious youthful energy, I'm Gonna Explode focuses on the escapades of Roman, the 15-year-old son of a Guanajuato politician, and Maru, an introverted middle-class teenager. Gerardo Naranjo's genuine and tender treatment of the couples' emotions and insecurities serves as the perfect accompaniment to the chaos of their love story.

Lovely Loneliness (Amorosa Soledad) (Argentina,80 min.) Director: Martín Carranza, Victoria Galardi Cast: Inés Efron, Fabian Vena, Nicolás Pauls, Ricardo Darín All has gone wrong for the lovely Soledad. Her boyfriend dumped her, and deciding to be solo for a while, her hypochondriac nature runs wild. In the midst of headaches, high blood pressure, nausea and so many more ailments, love shows up in an unexpected way.

Maid, The (La Nana) (Chile/Mexico,95 min.) Director: Sebastián Silva Cast: Catalina Saavedra, Claudia Celedón, Mariana Loyola, Andrea García-Huidobro, Alejandro Goic, Agustín Silva The intricate and difficult web of dynamics, which comprise the figure and role of "the maid" in Latin American societies, is laid bare in this superbly realistic film. Every time her mistress hires another maid to help with the chores, Raquel, a bitter and introverted maid, loses it.

Nora's Will (5 Dias sin Nora) (Mexico,92 min.) Director: Mariana Chenillo Cast: Cecilia Suárez, Verónica Langer, Marina de Tavira, Fernando Luján, Juan Carlos Colombo, Martin LaSalle, Enrique Arreola, Angelina Peláez, Silvia Mariscal, Juan Pablo Medina, Ari Brickman, Max Kerlow, Fermín Martínez, Daniela Tarazona, Arantza Moreno, Jaime Titkin, Vanya Moreno Before dying, Nora schemes a plan to make José, her ex-husband, take care of her corpse. But she is missing something. For the only flaw in the plan -a mysterious photograph forgotten under the bed- will lead to an unexpected outcome reminding us that the biggest love stories are sometimes hidden in the smallest places.

That's It (Apenas o Fim) (Brazil,80 min.) Director: Matheus Souza Cast: Gregório Duvivier. Erika Mader, Marcelo Adnet, Álamo Faccó, Nathalia Dill, Ana Sophia Floch, Julia Gorman Strolling through the campus of a Rio de Janeiro University, a young couple argues over the impending end of their relationship. They reminisce and their conversation paints a compelling and hyperrealist portrait of a Brazilian generation influenced by icons of pop culture. A mesmerizing debut feature by Brazilian film students.

Tony Manero (Chile/Brazil,98 min.) Director: Pablo Larraín Cast: Alfredo Castro, Amparo Noguera, Paola Lattus, Héctor Morales, Elsa Poblete Pablo Larraín scores a big hit in this dark comedy set in Santiago during the ruthless dictatorship of Pinochet. Raúl (an award winning performance by Alfredo Castro) is willing to do whatever it takes -- theft, betrayal, murder -- to win a televised contest for the best disco dancing John Travolta imitator.

Verônica (Brazil,89 min.) Director: Maurício Farias Cast: Andréa Beltrão, Marco Ricca, Matheus de Sá, Giulio Lopes, Camila Amado, Flavio Migliáccio, Ailton Graça, Andréa Dantas, Patrícia Selonk, Jorge Lucas, Alexandre Zachia, Aline Borges, Julio Adrião, Thogun, Jonathan Azevedo, Renato Faria, Wallace Coutinho Public elementary school teacher Verônica goes on the lam in Rio with one of her students to protect him from the drug dealers who murdered his parents and the police who are on the take. Maurício Farias' fast-paced, gritty directing garnered Best Film - Youth Award at the São Paulo International Film Festival.

Week Alone, A (Una Semana Solos) (Argentina,110 min.) Director: Celina Murga Cast: Magdalena Capobianco, Eleonora Capobianco, Gastón Luparo, Ignacio Giménez Martin Scorsese presents the latest film from Argentine rising star Celina Murga. In A Week Alone, Murga directs an unsettling portrait of well-to-do Argentine children raised in private gated communities with an all too familiar sense of privilege, classicism and complete impunity for their actions.

Wind and the Water, The (Burwa Dii Ebo) (Panama,100 min.) Director: Vero Bollow, The Igar Yala Collective Cast: Ologwagdi, Olodibaidiquiña Avila, Yirelis Adjani Smith, Algis Arosemena The glitter of Panama city collides with the rays of the island sun when beautiful young Rosy meets Machi in this coming of age romance between cultures written by the indigenous peoples of the Igar Yala Collective and director Vero Bollow. A rare gem from Panama.