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)