By Mabel Pais

The Austin-based Cine Las Americas International Film Festival (CLAIFF) has the film and events lineup for its 26th Anniversary edition. This takes place at several locations, May 15-19. Cine Las Americas will once again present screenings at AFS Cinema (6259 Middle Fiskville Rd.), and Austin PBS (Clayton Lane/Wilhelmina Delco Dr.), with additional special events at We Luv Video (100 North Loop Blvd E), and Nepantla Art Gallery (1209 East Cesar Chavez Street).

As it has for over a quarter century, Cine Las Americas will serve as one of the primary showcases in the United States for films and videos from Latin America (North, Central, South America, and the Caribbean) and the Iberian Peninsula. The film festival celebrates films and videos made by or about Latinx in the U.S. or the rest of the world, with films and videos by or about indigenous groups of the Americas also featured. CLAIFF also features inclusiveness in the programming among the films representing over 15 countries throughout Ibero-America.

2024 Cine Las Americas Film and Events Lineup

OPENING NIGHT

Going Varsity in Mariachi   

Dirs: Sam Osborn, Alejandra Vasquez; USA; 1h 44m

In a South Texas high school auditorium, trumpets ring out, thick guitarrón strings thrum, and violin bow hairs snap and swing wildly through the air. This is the world of competitive scholastic mariachi. This energetic documentary captures the highs and lows of Edinburg North High School’s Mariachi Oro as a green team strives for state championship.

CLOSING NIGHT

La Contadora de Películas (The Movie Teller)

Dir: Lone Scherfig; Spain/Chile/France; 1h 56m

The 1960s. María Margarita is the youngest of four siblings from a family living in a mining town in the Atacama Desert in Chile. Their most special time of the week is Sunday, when they all go to the cinema to enjoy stories that transport them to other worlds. With standout performances from Academy Award® nominee Bérénice Bejo, BAFTA nominee Daniel Brühl, and multiple-time Goya Award winner Antonio de la Torre, ‘The Movie Teller’ is a celebration of our capacity to defy even the harshest circumstances, to find love, community, inspiration, and hope where there seems to be none.

NARRATIVE FEATURES – COMPETITION

A Little Family Drama     

Dir: Nadia Zoe; USA; 1h 27m

Itu Ninu (Where the Corn Fields Are)   

Dir: Itandehui Jansen; Mexico/UK; 1h 72m 

Milonga – North American Premiere

Dir: Laura González; Uruguay/Argentina; 1h 46m

DOCUMENTARY FEATURES – COMPETITION

Catapum: No tengo dónde caer (Catapum: Nowhere to Fall)    

Dir: Palu Abadia; Colombia/United States; 1h 12m

Igualada        

Dir: Juan Mejía Botero; Colombia/Mexico, USA; 1h 21m

The Strike     

Dirs: JoeBill Muñoz, Lucas Guilkey; USA; 1h 26m

SHOWCASE: NARRATIVE FEATURES

Até que a Música Pare (Until the Music is Over) 

Dir: Cristiane Oliveira; Brazil/Italy; 1h 37m

Bajo Terapia (Under Therapy)        

Dir: Gerardo Herrero; Spain; 1h 33m

Boca Chica   

Dir: Gabriella A. Moses; Dominican Republic; 1h 37m

El Otro Hijo (The Other Son)          

Dir: Juan Sebastián Quebrada; Colombia/Argentina/France; 1h 26m

La Extorsión (The Extortion)         

Dir: Martino Zaidelis; Argentina/United States; 1h 46m

Pedágio (Toll)           

Dir: Carolina Markowicz; Brazil/Portugal; 1h 42m

Penal Cordillera (Prison in the Andes)     

Dir: Felipe Carmona; Chile/Brazil; 1h 45m

Ponyboi

Dir: Esteban Arango; USA; 1h 43m

Sujo

Dirs: Astrid Rondero, Fernanda Valadez; Mexico/United States/France; 2h 5m

Voy a Desaparecer (I’m Gonna Disappear) – North American Premiere

Dir: Coré Ruiz; Spain; 1h 43m

SHOWCASE – DOCUMENTARY FEATURES

Hail to the Breadsticks! – World Premiere

Dir: Donick Cary; USA; 1h 26m

Sugarcane    

Dirs: Julian Brave NoiseCat, Emily Kassie; Canada/United States; 1h 47m

HECHO EN TEJAS SHOWCASE FEATURE

God Save Texas: La Frontera        

Dir: Iliana Sosa; USA, Mexico; 56m

Preceded by:

What Washes Ashore 

Dir: Harold Nieves Fisch; USA; 14m

HECHO EN TEJAS SHORTS – NON-COMPETITION

Taco Mafia: Legado

Dirs: Alex Wolff, Joe Rocha; USA; 27m

HECHO EN TEJAS SHORTS COMPETITION

Floodplain    

Dir: Samuel Diaz Fernandez; USA; 16m

NARRATIVE SHORTS – COMPETITION 

La Bendición (The Blessing) – World Premiere

Dir: Brandy Frausto; USA; 15m

Maria

Dir: Sebastian Valdivieso; USA, Ecuador; 15m

Masu y Masa – World Premiere

Dir: Macey Moser; USA; 7m

Soft Breath – World Premiere

Dir: Fumiya Hayakawa; United States/Japan; 15m

NARRATIVE SHORTS – COMPETITION

There are six narrative shorts in competition.

DOCUMENTARY SHORTS – COMPETITION

There are six documentary shorts in the competition.

8TH ANNUAL FEMME FRONTERA SHOWCASE LINE-UP

**Comunidad (Community) – screens prior to Femme Frontera Filmmaker Showcase   

Dir: Noelia Lacayo; Nicaragua; 8m

As Leaves In The Wind       

Dir: Sofia Luz; Spain

Aurora And The House Of Lights 

Dirs: Ángela Matiz, María Matiz; Colombia

Bailarina        

Dir: Verónica Palofox; Mexico

Con Vista Al Rio       

Dir: Persia Campbell; Mexico

The Little Death        

Dir: Autumn Palen; USA

The Words In-Between

Dir: Katia Kalei Barricklow; USA

Us In Octaves           

Dir: Alex Mastoon; USA

EMERGENCIA – ALL AGES

This category features ten.

EMERGENCIA – 14+

There are five in this category.

EMERGENCIA – 18+

There are two in this category.

MUSIC VIDEOS – COMPETITION

There are 9 Music Videos in the competition.

CINE LAS AMERICAS

Learn more at cinelasamericas.org

FEMME FRONTERA

Learn more at femmefrontera.org

(Mabel Pais writes on The Arts and Entertainment, Social Issues, Cuisine, Spirituality, Health & Wellness, Business, and Education)