The 14th Los Angeles Latino International Film Festival (LALIFF) announces it will return to the Mann Chinese 6 in Hollywood Thursday, August 19 through Wednesday, August 25. The seven-day event will highlight the best films and showcase both the auteurs and new talent in the Latin filmmaking community.
The Closing Night presentation of Carlos Carrera’s BACKYARD on Wednesday, August 25 will serve as the capstone for an impressive lineup that will feature 73 films, including 37 features (25 narrative and 12 documentaries) and 36 shorts. Along with the films offered throughout the festival, additional activities will include LALIFF’s filmmaker panels, parties and gala events. The Closing Night Gala will include an after party presented for the 14th consecutive year by The Coca-Cola Company, as well as Lexus.
Carrera’s BACKYARD is an astonishing fictional account of a series of murders of young women in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico. Most of the victims have been low-paid laborers who were drawn to the town by the possibility of work at American-owned factories. In the film, Mexican police officer Blanca Bravo (Ana de la Reguera) is sent to Cuidad Juarez to investigate and discovers the realities of the women’s lives, as well as the truth about a police force and local power structure embodied by entrepreneur Mickey Santos (Jimmy Smits) that has ceased to care. The film also stars Joaquín Cosio, Alejandro Calva, Amorita Rasgado and Enoc Leaño.
The drama, BEDROOMS will be making its official World Premiere on Friday, August 20. Directed by Youssef Delara, Michael D. Olmos and Victor Teran, the film follows four interwoven stories of heartbreak, the infidelity that’s often the result and the redemption that comes from tearing the walls put up between people down. The impressive cast includes Jordan Belfi, Julie Benz, Xander Berkeley, Moon Bloodgood, Barry Bostwick, Jesse Garcia, Sarah Clarke and Dee Wallace.
William Wedig’s FORGED will be making its West Coast Premiere at LALIFF on Friday, August 20. Co-written and co-produced by Manny Perez, the drama focuses on the struggles of an ex-convict to make a new life and try to salvage a relationship with his son while settling old debts with the criminal element he used to run with. The film stars Manny Perez, David Castro, Margo Martindale, Jaime Tirelli and Kevin Breznahan.
The only Latino international film festival in the world to have its collection of films archived at the Academy Film Archive, this year LALIFF has chosen DIOS LOS CRIA, the Puerto Rican classic film (1979) by Jacobo Morales for presentation continuing its ongoing pledge to preserving the Latino cinematic history for the world. This fully restored print was created by the Academy Film Archive, Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences™; Archivo de Imágenes en Movimiento del Archivo General de Puerto Rico; Los Angeles Latino International Film Festival; and the Film and Electronic Arts Department of California State University, Long Beach.
LALIFF Executive Director Marlene Dermer said, “We are very pleased with the amazing scope of film subjects and talent on display with this collection of films. BACKYARD is a dramatic and thrilling film that will give us a great conclusion to an exciting festival and brings awareness to the crimes happening to the women in Juarez. On a personal note, there is a particular gratification with the tremendous number of female filmmakers participating in this year’s edition of LALIFF. We take our place and responsibility in highlighting the best work of our Latino filmmaking artists very seriously, so to be able to put that part of the artistic community in the spotlight is exhilarating.”smartads
Recent Comments