LA OLA 2018 – Independent Films from Spain in Los Angeles

Now in its 4th edition, the annual film showcase brings the best independent contemporary films from Spain to Los Angeles from May 31 to June 3.

LA OLA celebrates its 4th edition, creating a bridge between Spain and the Americas to bring groundbreaking cinema to New York, Los Angeles, and, now, Mexico City. LA OLA offers a curated selection of critically acclaimed films, selected and awarded at the most remarkable European film festivals, which now have an opportunity to reach new audiences.

In addition to the screenings, the L.A. OLA – Los Angeles Edition programming will include a masterclass about history of queer cinema in Spain and an industry panel.

Júlia Ist

• On Thursday, May 31, at 8 pm. At The Montalbán Rooftop, 1615 Vine St, Los Angeles, CA 90028. Buy tickets.
• Directed by Elena Martín, Spain, 2017, 90 minutes. In German and Catalan with English subtitles. Watch trailer.
• With director Elena Martín in attendance. Q&A to follow the screenings.
• Preceded by Santa Ana, by César Pesquera, 2017, 8 minutes. In English.

Julia decides to leave Barcelona to study in Berlin. She won’t think about leaving home too much, ready for an adventure. The city, cold and gray, gives her an icier welcome than she expected, and confronts her expectations with the harsh reality: Julia’s new life seems to be far from the one she imagined in the classrooms of Barcelona.

Donkeyote

• On Friday, June 1, at 8 pm. At The Montalbán Rooftop, 1615 Vine St, Los Angeles, CA 90028. Buy tickets.
• Directed by Chico Pereira, Spain, 2017, 86 minutes. In Spanish with English subtitles. Watch trailer.
• Preceded by The Disinherited (Los Desheredados), by Laura Ferrés, 2017, 18 minutes. In Catalan and Spanish with English subtitles.

Manolo, who leads a simple life in Southern Spain, loves two things: his animals and wandering through nature. Against the advice of his doctor, he decides to plan one last trek in the U.S., the brutal 2,200-mile Trail of Tears, but not without his donkey. As their adventure continues, Manolo’s wondrous friendship with his animal finds a beautiful equilibrium. Will they find the American West? More importantly, will they be able to see life as it is, and not as it should be?

Niñato

• On Saturday, June 2, at 8 pm. At The Montalbán Rooftop, 1615 Vine St, Los Angeles, CA 90028. Buy tickets.
• Directed by Adrián Orr, Spain, 2017, 72 minutes. In Spanish with English subtitles. Watch trailer.
• Preceded by Aliens, by Luis López Carrasco, 2017, 23 minutes. In Spanish with English subtitles.

David, aka “Niñato,” a young, unemployed single father and occasional rapper, lives with his parents, his child, his sister, and his niece. In the midst of this rather peculiar family life, he tries to preserve a few minutes for himself and his passion for rhyme and music. David’s dedication to keeping his dream alive reinforces his concern with the education of the children, especially the youngest, Oro. Little by little, Oro’s growing confidence and his father’s passion seem to reinforce each other in mutual harmony, and we sense that David has succeeded in passing on what Oro needs to find his own way in life.

The Sea Stares at Us from Afar (El mar nos mira de lejos)

• On Sunday, June 3, at 7:30 pm. At Spielberg Theatre at the Egyptian Theatre, 6712 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90028.
• Directed by Manuel Muñoz, Spain, 2017, 92 minutes. In Spanish with English subtitles. Watch trailer.
• With director Manuel Muñoz in attendance. Q&A to follow the screenings.
• Preceded by Quiasma, by Tono Mejuto, 2018, 12 minutes.

The legend of an ancient and forgotten civilization lies buried beneath a large expanse of dunes. For more than a century, certain travelers have reached this remote and desolate territory looking for the traces of ancient inhabitants, the ruins of a city, or perhaps a sort of lost utopia. Ignorant of these myths and the romantic delusions of archaeologists and adventurers, a few men, barely visible among the sands, today inhabit in solitude that place facing the sea.