A Chrysanthemum Burst in Cincoesquinas

DIRECTOR Daniel Burman. Turn of the century: Young Jew Erasmo (José Luis Alfonso), abandoned by his parents at birth in the midst of a war, vows revenge when his only family left, his wet nurse from childhood, is murdered - only trouble is, the killer is apparently the " leader of the land." Coming of age story - as Erasmo experiences first love, close friendship and enduring love, and tracks an enemy - as well as a rare look at Jewish life in Latin America in this feature from 25 years old phenom Burman.

Argentina

DIRECTOR Marcelo Piñeiro A judge (the great Héctor Alterio) hurtles from the roof of the Federal Courthouse; a young woman is found dead in his house; each of the judge's three sons claims to be her murderer; and now it's up to investigating judge (Cecilia Roth) to get at the truth. But as the obstacles pile up, the connections and relationships proliferate, and the corruption behind the respectable facades festers - is there more than one version of the truth? Powerful, complicated, socially critical storytelling from the executive producer of THE OFFICIAL STORY.

Argentina

The Impostor        

DIRECTOR Alejandro Maci. In 30s Argentina, Juan Medina (Walter Quiroz) is sent by the family to find out just what scion Sebastián Heredia (Antonio Birabent) is up to, after he runs away from Buenos Aires to hole up in their estancia (country house). But as he snoops, Medina find himself irresistibly drawn into Heredia's secret world, being attracted to the same woman as well, until lives are at stake. Labor of love for Alejandro Maci, María Luisa (CAMILA) Bemberg's former assistant director; his first feature is the realization of the screenplay she was working on at her death

Argentina

DIRECTOR Marcos Loayza.  Given his greatest assignment, to craft a life-size image of the Virgin and transport it from the 14,000-ft. high city to the Amazonian jungle village of San Mateo, "saint maker" Domingo (Jorge Ortíz Sánchez) and his sidekick Pepelucho (Raúl Beltrán) first try to steal one ready-made from the chapel - but then he decides to create his masterpiece. The journey of delivery, via rattletrap truck piloted by freewheeling gambler pal Joaquín (Elías Serrano) through the misty mountain passes, is the highlight of this comedy of "tenderness and melancholy."

Bolivia

DIRECTOR Sergio Rezende. October 5, 1897, and the citizens of the Belo Monte empire - the town knows as Canudos - under the their mystical leader Antonio Conselheiro (José Wilker, memorably roguish in DONA FLOR and BYE BYE BRAZIL)  brace for the assault of the soldiers of the newly created republic. A big-budgeted superproduction commemorating, on its centenary, the basis for the national epic, Euclides da Cunha's Os Sertóes (Revolt in the Backlands) - which is quoted throughout - and focusing on the destiny of a single family, with daughter Luiza (Claudia Abreu, TIETA DO AGRESTE) caught between both camps, highlighted by dazzingly sun-baked photography and hair-raising special effects.

Brazil

DIRECTOR Beto Brant. In a crummy town on the Brazil-Paraguay border, as a car thief Toninho (Murilo Benício) is about to take that big step up - to contract killer! - mentor and veteran hitman Alfredão (wolney de Assis) regales him with the epic tale of legendary killer - and his old partner - Múcio's (Chico Díaz) rise from rags to blood soaked riches too... First feature for the 29 years old Beto Brant is a crisply edited take on the hitman genre, with the usual clichés given surprise twists as he finds human faces behind the gun.

Brazil

DIRECTOR Walter Lima Jr. A lighthouse relief crew arrives on an island off the coast of Brazil to find foot still warm on the stove, but -the light out, doors open, window shutters flapping and keeper José (Lima Duarte) his on the verge of womanhood daughter Marcela (Leandra Leal), and his idiot assistant nowhere to be found. And then the flashbacks begin, as the young girl yearns to re-experience a mainland she barely remembers despite a tormentedly overprotective dad, with the omnipresent wind becoming almost a character in itself - in more ways than one.

Brazil

The Perfumed Ball

DIRECTOR Lírio Ferreira, Paulo Caldas. In the 30s, in the northeastern Brazilian outback, as infamous "cangaçeiro"Lampião (Luiz Carlos Vasconcelos) runs rings around the entire Brazilian army, a gentlemanly Lebanese immigrant photographer, Benjamin Abrahao (Duda Mamberti), impeccably attired in an immaculate white suit, tracks him down with an offer he can't refuse - star in a documentary film! Amazingly based on fact, this first feature by two natives of the Northeast boasts convincing recreations of the actual documentary footage, hilarious dialogue and colorful perfomances - and a story you wouldn't dare make up.

Brazil

DIRECTOR Carlos Diegues.  Tieta's back in Santana do Agreste, 26 years after her father kicked her out for losing her virginity, and in a seemingly endless series of dazzlingly sexy designer outfits and red and white wings, proceeds to set the town on its ear, getting the place electrified with a single phone call, making plans for a resort, ending her nephew's seminary plans, playing Cupid for her "stepdaughter", etc. - but just how has she make her money? Sonia Braga's own triumphant return to Brazilian films -after 12 years- and to an adaptation from Jorge Amado - who plays himself at beginning and end - with direction by Carlos Diegues (BYE BYE BRAZIL).    

Brazil

DIRECTOR Andrés Wood. "1st Half"- In Santiago, a third division player must decide whether to take that bribe, in a situation reminiscent of THE NATURAL. "2nd Half"- On the Atacama Desert in the North, a boy must make a O. Henryish decision between the professional quality soccer ball that's  fallen into his life and Mom's fee from the pawn shop. Övertime"- A city boy goes to considerable lengths to see a broadcast of the World Cup on the island of Chiloé  in the Southern archipelago. A charming and incredibly scenic first feature.

Chile

DIRECTOR Victor Gaviria. As Fireworks fill the air on Christmas Eve in Medellín, 13 years old Mónica (Leidy Tabares) sets out into her night world, along with her street kid pals, to sell enough flowers for that new dress and a nice time with her drug-dealer boyfriend - but consequences are coming. Shot for 18 weeks on nighttime locations with a cast of nonprofessional street kids (set up in special housing, complete with adoptive father, psychologist and cleaning women, to keep things stable), this is a compassionate view of a near universal problem.

Colombia

DIRECTOR Rigoberto López. Infectious documentary that tracks salsa from its origins in the Cuban sound developed by musicians who migrated from Cuba to New York in the 50s to the present form, played from NY to Havana to San Juan to Caracas. Hosted by recent sensation Isaac Delgado, it features fascinating interviews and red hot performances from the greats, among them Celia Cruz, Tito Puente, José "Cheo"Feliciano and Oscar D'León, etc, etc. Unfortunately the fire marshal forbids dancing in our aisles.

Cuba

DIRECTOR Camilo Luzuriaga. As activists from crippled Galo Gálves (Arístides Vargas) party await elections long promised by the junta, the Author (Felipe Teráan) alternates between reality and his ongoing novel-in-process, While Karl Marx offers occasional remarks in subtitled German, bespectacled activist Márgaramaría (Lissette Cabrera) finds that love and politics make for a difficult mix. Luzuriaga's urban intellectual follow-up to the backwoods TIGRESS effortlessly mixes political arguments à la Godard with fantasy, switches to black and white, mass action scene and steamy sensuality, all to his brother's vibrant musical score.

Cuba

DIRECTOR Juan Pablo Villaseñor. An audience of nursing home cronies? -not the sort of crowd an aging musical quintet wants to play for. Obviously, it's time for a breakout, despite the best efforts of the nursing home authorities, city officials, cops, their own families and whoever else gets in the way. Backup band for strippers? Now you're talking! Funny and moving meditation on life, death and ecdysiasts in this first feature from professor, scenarist, essayist and short story writer Villaseñor.

Mexico

DIRECTOR Juan Pablo Villaseñor. "Happiness in love is a precarious affair." Nora's (Alpha Acosta) documentary (called "Cilantro and Parsley"in Spanish) on perfect couples starts out strong: She tapes her sister Susana (Arcelia Ramírez) - after 10 years and 2 children - kicking out workaholic hubby Carlos (Demián Bichir), who himself then finds a colleague congenial. Meanwhile Nora's own affair with a musician may be headed for the rocks, but her granny finds age no obstacle to love. So, are relationships worth it? And which is cilantro, and which is parsley?

Mexico

DIRECTOR Diego Arsuaga.  Retro Noir, as Uruguayan detective Carlos Souto (Gabriel Correa) rides the ferry back and forth from Buenos Aires, assigned by a rich Argentinian lady to bring back her no-good husband, sleazy Montevidean nightclub owner Ignacio Quirós (Ricardo Couto), but then there's that money-laundering scheme as well as Quirós' abused mistress Lucy (Laura Schneider) to deal with. Knives are brandished, tangos are danced, drugs taken and bullets fly in this richly atmospheric, dazzlingly recreated evocation of Montevideo in the 40s.

Uruguay

DIRECTOR Alberto Arvelo.  50 years old Rómer gives a speech of thanks at this birthday celebration; in the mountains in the rain, a boy is led by his father to the car that will take him, for his education's sake, away from the only home hi has ever known. They are, of course, the same man, and a old photograph leads to a journey of rediscovery back in time and to the mountains, in the latest from former prodigy Arvelo [1st feature at age 19].

Venezuela

DIRECTOR Carlos Oteyza. Deep in the rain forest, where a wood company and gold mining provide the jobs, Basque expatriate "Bilbao," always on the lookout for her husband's murdered, and who sometimes broadcasts her popular radio chat show "Voice of the Heart" direct from roadside, hits it off with new guy in town, truck driver Tomás. But he's got his own big secret - and why is he sneaking around with that video camera? Surprisingly mainstream ecological mystery.

Venezuela

Entangling Shadows

DIRECTORS Iván Trujillo, María Novaro, Jacobo Morales, Marcela Fernández Violante, Edmundo Aray, David Rodríguez, Orlando Sena, Juan Carlos Tabio, Julio García Espinosa, Federico García, Fernando Birri, Pablo Rodriguez Gauregui, Andrés Marroquin. A joint celebration - from Mexico, Puerto Rico, Venezuela, Brazil, Peru, and Colombia - of 100 years of Latin America cinema, comprising 11 short films by 13 directors. These range from the earliest actuality footage - including Zapata and Pancho Villa- to  short essays on the acculturation of Andean Indians narrated in Quenchua, on Brazilian Cinema Novo, to a final, cleverly self-referential joke "Every End is a Beginning," highlighted by "Of the Present Body," an electrifying montage of what seems like every man/woman scene in the Mexican cinema.

Brazil, Colombia, Cuba, Mexico, Peru, Puerto Rico,Venezuela