From Argentina: Daniel Burman

Hello,

I want to answer some questions I got from friends:

1) The movies are in Spanish with English subtitles.

2)Latin Films stand for Latin American Films.

3) Almodovar is from Spain and yes, I care about Spanish movies too, but, I want to write about movies that generally don't get so much attention...By the way I'm a big fan of his movies.

Talking about movies...I want to introduce:

From Argentina:

Daniel Burman

Daniel Burman is an Argentinian filmaker who portraits the lives of regular people. His main characters are middle class Jews who live in Buenos Aires and have to deal with life in their city, assimilation, family, love, etc. He is interested in the relation between father and son. I really enjoy very much his movies. They are very moving and fun to watch. They show the many faces of Buenos Aires...

Waiting for the Messiah/Esperando al Mesias
2000, 93 minutes.
Argentina is in the middle of economic turmoil. Ariel is a young Jewish man (Daniel Hendler) who has just lost his mother. Santamaria, is a man who lost his job in a bank and spends time collecting stolen wallets from the garbage and returning them for a reward...

Lost Embrace/El abrazo partido
2004, 100 minutes.
Ariel, a young Argentine Jew (Daniel Hendler) is dealing with his mother and an absent father who left to fight for Israel when he was a baby. His mother (Adriana Aizenberg) has a lingerie store in a "galeria", a modest shopping mall in Buenos Aires. When his father returns to Argentina, Ariel discovers why his father left the family.

Family Law/Derecho de familia
2006, 102 minutes.
In the last movie of the trilogy, we encounter Perelman, a young Argentine Jew (the same Daniel Hendler) who chose to teach Law instead of joining his father's successful Law Firm. The film explores Perelman' s marriage, the birth of his son and the relationship between him and his charismatic father.


I hope you enjoy these movies.
Happy Thanksgiving!

Graciela

Three movies to begin

Hello,

I'm beginning today to give you some ideas of very different movies you can enjoy.

Let's say the obvious. This is my blog, so I write about movies that I especially like for a variety of reasons.
As you will see, many movies were done as coproductions.

Enjoy!

From Uruguay:
The Pope's Toilet/El Bano del Papa
Cesar Charlone and Enrique Fernandez
Uruguay/Brazil/France, 2007; 90 minutes.

Melo is an Uruguayan town close to the border with Brazil. The inhabitants of this town are quite poor but they have the dignity to keep up with life and its struggles. In this comedy Beto is an optimist who makes a living smuggling goods among the two towns on his bicycle.
Pope John Paul II plans to visit the town in 1988 and the residents begin to plan how to take advantage of the historic event to sell their products. But Beto has by far...the most original idea. Do you want to know more? Watch the movie.


From Puerto Rico:
What happened to Santiago/Lo que le paso a Santiago
Jacobo Morales, Puerto Rico, 1989; 105 minutos

Santiago Rodriguez is a widower who feels depressed after he is forced to retire. He meets a younger woman who helps him get rid of his melancholy...but who doesn't want to talk about her own past.

It is a very important movie in Puerto Rican Cinema history because of its broad success at home and abroad. It was nominated for an Oscar as Best Foreign Language Film.

From Argentina:
Encarnacion
Anahi Berneri, Argentina, 2007; 2003

Many Argentinians will recognize actress Silvia Perez, a former model and Beauty Queen, as the protagonist of Encarnacion. In this movie Perez portrays (mirroring reality) the difficulties that a former star faces when her looks fade and her body changes. Any woman can relate to her vulnerability.

Winner of the Innovation Award at the 2007 Toronto International Film Festival.

Please give me feedback, suggestions, comments.

Saludos,
Graciela

WELCOME!

Dear friends,

I would like to share with you my passion for Latin American Cinema as a reflection of its many different cultures and the rich Spanish language.

For all of you who are interested in Latin American Cinema but don't know where to begin, I'm here to help you.

As a quiz...Can you name five Latin American movies you have seen in the last five years? Can you mention any actors? Any directors?

Don't worry you're not alone...it's not easy for a Latin American movie to get distribution in the United States. But if you read until here, I am sure you are thisty for more.

I would like to introduce you to some very interesting movies that you can get from Netflix, Amazon, the Public Library, etc. In some cases they are presented on Latin American Festivals.

I hope you enjoy the experience!

I would love to hear your comments,


Graciela Berger Wegsman