La Nueva Ola: Films from Mexico, Cuba & Spain
The festival showcases a selection of the best contemporary films from Mexico, Cuba, and Spain, including Tryouts, Map and The Wild Children.
GALA Hispanic Theatre, the Mexican Cultural Institute, SPAIN arts & culture, and the Cuban Interests Section are pleased to present La Nueva Ola: Films from Mexico, Cuba, and Spain, a film festival running December 3-7, 2014. The festival will present seven feature films: six contemporary films (five of which are making their Washington, D.C. premieres) and a special screening of the 1950 classic Aventurera, one of the most popular Mexican films ever made. The festival will also include an award-winning short film, a Cuban visual artists’ reception and feature post-film discussions and receptions.
Spanish films at La Nueva Ola: Films from Mexico, Cuba & Spain:
On Thursday, December 4 at 7:30 pm
Tryouts
- Written and directed by Susana Casares. Produced by Susana Casares, Elisa Lleras, Julia Fontana, Pablo Gomez. Cinematography by Monika Lenczewska. Production Design by Montse Sanz. Edited by Susana Casares. Additional editing by Fernando Franco, Olena Kuhtaryeva, Julio Ramos. Music by Robert Lydecker. 14 minutes, 2013. Official Selection of the 2014 SPAINred Filmmakers Competition (Winner).
- Nayla, a Muslim teenager in small-town America, tries out for her new high school’s cheerleading squad. She is good at it but the judging panel won’t let her join unless she takes off her headscarf. Nayla doesn’t want to compromise her beliefs but she doesn’t want to give up her dream either, so she’ll have to find her own special way of complying with both worlds… and challenging them.
- With director Susana Casares in attendance. Films with post discussion and reception courtesy of the Embassy of Spain in Washington.
Map (Mapa)
- Documentary by León Siminiani. Starring León Siminiani. Spain, 2012, 85 minutes. In Spanish with English subtitles.
- A young director fired from his job in TV goes to India in search of his first feature film, only to discover that the real search is not for him in India but back home. Halfway between documentary and fiction, MAPA is a road movie in first person that has been defined as the reverse of Annie Hall.
- Winner Best Documentary at the 2012 Sevilla Festival – Nomination to the Goya Prize 2012).
On Saturday, December 6 at 2 pm
The Wild Children (Los Niños Salvajes)
- Directed by Patricia Ferreira. Screenplay, Ferreira, Virginia Yague. An Alta Classics release of a Distinto Films, Aralan Films, TV3 production in association with Canal Sur. Produced by Miriam Porte. Executive producer, Gonzalo Bendala.
- Álex, Gabi and Oki, three teenagers who live in a big city, are completely unknown for their parents, for their teachers and for themselves. Their emotional isolation, taken to the limit have unexpected and dire consequences that will shake the society.
Spanish director Susana Casares will present her short film Tryouts on December 4th. View full program.