'Family United' and 'Bajari: Gypsy Barcelona' at Filmfest DC

Filmfest DC is back for its 28th year with an exciting new program of features, documentaries, and shorts representing the best in new cinema from around the globe.

The Washington, DC International Film Festival (Filmfest DC) returns to the nation’s capital from April 17-27, 2014, celebrating nearly three decades of bringing award-winning movies to Washington, D.C. theatergoers.

Among its extensive program of over 80 features, documentaries, comedies, shorts, award winners and discoveries, the District’s premiere film festival will highlight audience favorite series, Trust No One: Espionage and Thrillers, The Lighter Side and Justice Matters. Feast Your Eyes will be a special series of full-length features whose fun, inventive and original stories all revolve around the theme of food. Landmark Bethesda Row Cinema has been added as a festival venue this year.

Family United (La gran familia española)

• Directed by Daniel Sanchez Arévalo, Spain, 2013, 101 minutes, color. In Spanish with English subtitles.
• As the 2010 World Cup soccer final unfolds, Efrain (Patrick Criado) is about to marry Carla (Arancha Marti) in their village outside Madrid. Efrain’s father (Hector Colome) has summoned his son’s four brothers to attend, and each of them arrives with their own issues and baggage. As the game unfolds—and the guests remained riveted on the soccer match—disasters such as missing wedding rings and discrete infidelities actually bring the family closer together. Add to the mix several alt-country songs by Josh Rouse and a framing device involving Stanley Donen’s classic Hollywood musical Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, and director Daniel Sanchez Arevalo’s latest hit (Cousinhood, FFDC 2012) becomes a sprightly wedding comedy with a novel twist.
• Screenings: on April 18th at 8:45 pm at Avalon Theatre; and on April 25th at 6:30 pm at AMC Mazza Gallerie.

Bajari: Gypsy Barcelona

• Directed by Eva Vila, Spain, 2013, 94 minutes, color. In Spanish with English subtitles
• A variety of colorful characters populate this foot-tapping documentary about the vibrant flamenco community in Barcelona. We encounter young Juanito, who dances joyously at every opportunity, and his uncle Juan “El Coco” Manzano, a noted gypsy singer. There’s also Mercedes Amaya “La Winy” and her daughter Karime, who are niece and grand-niece, respectively, of legendary flamenco dancer Carmen Amaya. The latter’s legend looms large for the musicians. She is, after all, honored with a fountain in her name in the middle of town. The film follows preparations for a concert that will bring La Winy and Karime onstage together for the first time in years. It is amusing to watch the experienced flamenco guitarists struggle to follow Karime’s lightning-fast footwork. In between, we see the artists’ daily lives, from raising pigeons to buying custom-made flamenco shoes to working as a blacksmith. Whatever the task, making music is involved.
• Screenings: on April 20th at 5:15 pm at Landmark’s E Street; and on April 24th at 6:30 pm at AMC Mazza Gallerie.