Film News: Week Two Highlights of 2016 Chicago Latino Film Festival

CHICAGO – It’s Week Two of the 32nd Edition of the Chicago Latino Film Festival, and the films, programs and filmmakers are creating a big buzz over at the AMC River East 21 Theatre, where all the festival films are being shown. The huge variety of movies from Latino countries all over the world has brought in the film buffs and fans, making Chicago again the place to be for film.

The week culminates with the Closing Night film and festivities at the Chicago History Museum. For specific details regarding that night and to purchase tickets click here. [22]

’No Kids’ (Argentina) is the Closing Night Film at the 32ndst Chicago Latino Film Festival
Photo credit: Chicago Latino Film Festival

The highlights of Week Two films are as follows…

”Landfill Harmonic”

Hundreds were inspired and amazed by their performance last year at the Closing Night concert of the 10th Annual Chicago Latino Music Festival. Now learn the true story of the Recycled Orchestra of Cateura, – comprised of boys, girls, teenagers and young adults with limited access to resources who perform using instruments elaborated with garbage reclaimed from a nearby landfill – and how, after a natural disaster ravaged their country, they became a source of hope. Paraguay. Directed by Brad Allgood and Graham Townsley.

Saturday, April 16th, 3:15 pm 
Sunday, April 17th, 3:15 pm

“Karadima’s Forest”

Father Fernando Karadima was the pastor and leader of Chile’s most powerful church for more than 20 years – he was also one of Chile’s worst sexual predators in that country’s history. Told from the point of view of Thomas, one of his victims, “Karadima’s Forest” explores how the priest used his power and influence to prey on dozens of boys and young men. Anchored by a powerful performance by Luis Gnecco as the titular priest, “Karadima’s Forest” is hard and uncompromising, a perfect complement to “Spotlight” and “The Club.” Argentina. Directed by Matius Lira.

Saturday, April 16th, 8pm
Monday, April 18th, 6pm

”The Evil That Men Do”

In an abandoned warehouse somewhere in the border between México and Texas, sicario Santiago and disgraced doctor Benny do the bidding of a powerful drug lord, torturing, executing and disposing of the bodies of his enemies. Then, one day, they receive an unexpected “package”: the 10-­year-­old daughter of the head of their rival clan, who has kidnapped their employer’s son. Térmens has described this very dark and funny film as a mix between “Reservoir Dogs,” “Breaking Bad” and Beckett’s “Waiting for Godot” with a dash of Sam Peckinpah and Sam Fuller thrown in for good measure.. Spain. Directed by Ramon Térmens.

Saturday, April 16th, 9pm
Thursday, April 21th, 9pm

”The Gunguna”

The Gunguna is a tiny .22 caliber pistol that once belonged to General Trujillo and had enormous sentimental value for the dictator. It is sought out by collectors worldwide who are willing to pay a pretty penny for it. Some are even willing to kill for it. The gun will fall in the hands of a construction worker in desperate straits, a corrupt border patrol sergeant, a merciless loan shark, a local Chinese mobster, an arms dealer, and a sleazy bar owner. Director Alemany and screenwriter Miguel Yarull make an auspicious debut with this dark, funny, and tense film. Dominican Republic. Directed by Ernesto Alemany.

Sunday, April 17th, 5:45pm
Tuesday, April 19th, 8:15pm

”The Moving Forest”

The 32nd Chicago Latino Film Festival joins the celebration of the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare’s death with this modern day adaptation of “Macbeth.” Elias is a prominent executive that works at the second largest, privately-owned bank in Brazil. One day, Elias runs into a street embroiderer who tells him that he will become Vice President of the bank that very same day, and later President. After sharing the news with his wife Clara, the couple set their ambitious and bloody plans in motion. Brazil. Directed by Vinícius Coimbra.

Sunday, April 17th, 8:30pm
Tuesday, April 19th, 8:30pm

”In the Game”

The Film Festival also joins the celebration of Chicago-based Kartemquin Studio’s 50th anniversary with this special presentation of the documentary, “In the Game,” which follows the ups and downs of a girls’ soccer team to reveal the very real obstacles that low-income students confront in their quest for higher education. Kelly High School on Chicago’s south side is struggling to provide the basics for their students, many of whom do not make it to college, either because they cannot compete academically or because their families do not have the financial resources to send them to college. The girls face an uneven playing field – or in the case of the girls at Kelly High School, no soccer field at all – problems at home, discrimination, and poverty, but remain undaunted thanks to their teammates and the dedicated mentoring of their coach. USA. Directed by Maria Finitzo.

Tuesday, April 19th, 6pm

”NN”

Peru’s official entry to the Best Foreign Language Category at this year’s Oscars offers an empathetic look at the tragic aftermath of the state-sponsored disappearances of thousands of left-wing sympathizers in the 1980s and ‘90s. Fidel is the leader of a forensic team whose job is to identify the corpses found buried on the countryside. One particular set of remains catches their attention – a body carrying the small photograph of a woman. A widow comes forth and claims the remains as those of her husband even though the evidence seems to indicate otherwise. Peru/Columbia/France/Germany. Directed by Héctor Gálvez.

Tuesday, April 19th, 8:45pm
Thursday, April 21st, 6:45pm

CLOSING NIGHT: ”No Kids”

The third highest grossing Argentinian film of 2015, this delightfully energetic comedy from Ariel Winograd (“My First Wedding,” “To Fool a Thief”) centers on Gabriel (Diego Peretti) a divorced father who dotes on his 9-year-old daughter Sofía (Guadalupe Manent, who steals the movie in her big screen debut). Their relationship is disrupted when he falls in love with the child-hating Vicky (Maribel Verdú, “Y Tu Mamá También”), forcing Gabriel to jump through hoops to conceal his daughter. Argentina. Directed by Ariel Winograd.

Thursday, April 21st, 6pm

[24]	By PATRICK McDONALD [25] Writer, Editorial Coordinator HollywoodChicago.com pat@hollywoodchicago.com [24]