Maudite éducation, by Gary Victor
I already had the opportunity to write about Gary Victor on this blog. He is one of the few authors I feel I will never be disappointed by. So that I consider he is one of the best writers of his generation. And unfortunately one of the least recognized. One day literary prizes will have to reconsider his work. The Haitian author published last year “Maudite éducation” (Damned education), a partly autobiographical novel. Continue reading
Posted in Books
Tagged carl vausier, duvalier, gary victor, haiti, maudite education, port-au-prince
Ricardo Darin and Jérémie Rénier
Julián is the priest of a villa, a poor area in Buenos Aires. He works with volunteers and other clergymen to build new housing and diner. He has to struggle against injustice and misery. He is in the middle of a gang war and he has to conciliate his faith, his love for people and his necessity to remain neutral. Nicolas, a French priest, comes to help him. Continue reading
Michael Peña will be Cesar Chavez in a film by Diego Luna
2013 will be a great year for Latin American cinema. The number of films produced in the region could hit a new record and some of them are highly expected. Among the most world famous film directors, the list of 2013 releases includes Birdman, the first comedy made by Mexican Alejandro Gonzalez Iñarritu (Amores perros, Babel, Biutiful, etc); Chavez, a biography of the civil-rights activist and labor organizer Cesar Chavez, by Mexican Diego Luna (Abel); Continue reading
Posted in Movies
Tagged birdman, cesar chavez, diego luna, inarritu, juan josé campanella, metegol, rodrigo vila, tesis sobre un homicidio
Alejandro Awada and Victoria Almeida in Dias de pesca
All we love in Latin American cinema is in “Dias de pesca” (Gone fishing). After “Bombon el perro”, “El camino de San Diego” (The road to San Diego) or “La ventana” (The window), the talented but too rare Argentine film director Carlos Sorin comes back with a new poetic masterpiece. Marco is 52 years old, he goes to Patagonia for vacation. Continue reading
Alicia Rodriguez in Joven y alocada
It has been one of the most controversial films in Latin America for many years. “Joven y alocada” (Wild and young) deals with Daniela, a 17-year old adolescent who has grown up in a Chilean strict evangelical family. She writes a blog called “Joven y alocada” where she describes her sexual experiences with many details. Continue reading
Cidade livre, by Joao Almino
1960. Brazil is growing, its ambitions have a name: Brasilia. The new capital has been the project of President Juscelino Kubitschek. Brasilia must be the symbol of a new Brazil, a symbol of progress and wealth. During a few months, all the nation’s efforts are geared towards the building of the city. Workers come from all over the country to find a job, dreaming of a better life, gigantic projects are led. And the most brilliant intellectuals work on them. Architects Oscar Niemeyer and Lucio Costa drive the operations but the result will be far from their dream because of political interventions. Continue reading
Posted in Books
Tagged brasilia, brazil, cidade livre, free city, joao almino, juscelino kubitschek, lucio costa, moacyr ribeiro, oscar niemeyer, valdivino
Ondatropica
It looks like a “Colombian Buena Vista Social Club”, maybe in a more modern way. The Ondatropica project was born a few months ago when Colombian musician Mario Galeano, (from the band “Frente cumbiero”) and British producer Will Holland (aka Quantic) decided to give a tribute to the patrimony of Colombian music. Continue reading
Posted in Music
Tagged alfredo linares, colombia, cumbia, jorge gaviria, juan carlos pello, mario galeano, markitos micolta, medellin, nidia gongora, ondatropica, quantic, will holland, wilson viveros
Juan Carlos Remolina, in Chalan
Alan works as a driver for a Mexican member of Parliament, Deputy Aldape. Actually he is his lackey. He buys presents for the deputy’s mistress and has to deliver them. He covers up the underhand tricks of his boss, erases the proofs, shuts up when he has to do so… But things go wrong, the Congressman hardly beats his lover. Continue reading
Caballeriza, by Rodrigo Rey Rosa
Guatemalan countryside. An isolated finca in one of the most hermetic communities: horse breeders. The owner, don Guido Carrion, organizes a party for his 88th birthday.. The atmosphere is rude. Men ostensibly wear guns. There is no woman. And the only one is bothered by some macho and drunk men. One of the attendant is the narrator, a writer who came with his father. But the party degenerates into a traumatic and scary situation. The fire breaks out in a stable and kills a high valued stallion. A German woman goes out from the stable, she seems to be nervous. Continue reading
Posted in Books
Tagged caballeriza, finca, guatemala, guido carrion, rodrigo rey rosa, stable
Victor Prado and Adrian Du Bois, in El limpiador
Lima, in the future. A weird and terrible disease strikes the city. Nobody knows exactly what it is and how people are contaminated. Many people die, especially men. Eusebio works as a cleaner, he washes the rooms where people die, the blood that remains on the road when there is an accident… Eusebio lives alone. He does not speak a lot. His life is strictly ruled by his job and routine. Continue reading
Posted in Movies
Tagged Adrian Du Bois, adrian saba, biarritz, biarritz festival, cleaner, el limpiador, lima, peru, Victor Prada
