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Viva · 2011

Viva 2011

Main slate

Programme

19 films · 6 reviews

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Brother And Sister (Dos Hermanos)

Two siblings try to come to terms with the death of their mother.

(Country: Argentina; Year: 2010; Director: Daniel Burman; Writer: Daniel Burman, Diego Dubcovsky; Stars: Antonio Gasalla, Graciela Borges, Elena Lucena, Rita Cortese, Omar Núñez)

Circo

A documentary following a travelling circus.

(Country: Mexico, USA; Year: 2010; Director: Aaron Schock)

The Cloud Painting Machine (La Máquina De Pintar Nubes, Lainoak Margotzeko Makina)

A teenager living in a rough working class area discovers a love of painting.

(Country: Spain; Year: 2008; Director: Aitor Mazo, Patxo Tellería; Writer: Aitor Mazo; Stars: Aitor Mazo, Gracia Olayo, Bingen Elortza, Lander Otaola, Santi Ugalde)

The Colours Of The Mountain (Los Colores De La Montana)

Review preview for The Colours Of The Mountain

Shot almost entirely from the children's perspective, Arbeláez tackles universal themes of conflict and its impact on ordinary people without getting mired in specific politics.

Amber Wilkinson · 4 out of 5
A boy and his pals in a mountainside village find their lives under the threat of conflict.

(Country: Colombia, Panama; Year: 2010; Director: Carlos César Arbeláez; Writer: Carlos César Arbeláez; Stars: Hernán Mauricio Ocampo, Nolberto Sánchez, Genaro Aristizábal, Hernán Méndez, Natalia Cuellar)

Full review

The Desert Within (Desierto adentro)

Paternal affection takes a twisted turn in this epic take on devotion and indoctrination set during the religious purges that followed the 1928 Mexican Revolution.

(Country: Mexico; Year: 2008; Director: Rodrigo Plá; Writer: Rodrigo Plá, Laura Santullo; Stars: Mario Zaragoza, Diego Cataño, Memo Dorantes)

Elisa K

Review preview for Elisa K

The film is adapted from the book Elisa Kiseljak by Lolita Bosch and its origins hang like a millstone round its neck courtesy of ponderous and never-ending narration.

Amber Wilkinson · 2.5 out of 5
The effect of childhood abuse on a young girl, both at the time and in later life.

(Country: Spain; Year: 2010; Director: Jordi Cadena, Judith Colell; Writer: Lolita Bosch, Jordi Cadena; Stars: Aina Clotet, Nausicaa Bonnín, Ramon Madaula, Pep Sais, Lydia Zimmermann, Hans Richter, Jordi Gràcia, Maria de la Pau Janer, Clàudia Pons, Ricard Farré, Pol Montañés) , Official site

Full review

Fat People (Gordos)

Review preview for Fat People

That set-up sounds a bit overweight and it's true Arévalo might have been well-advised to trim it a little, but it's surprising how well he manouevres between the storylines drawing parallels and finding a wealth of tension and humour in each.

Amber Wilkinson · 4 out of 5
Ensemble comedy drama, in which a slimming class self-help group find that weight is the least of their problems.

(Country: Spain; Year: 2009; Director: Daniel Sánchez Arévalo; Writer: Daniel Sánchez Arévalo; Stars: Antonio de la Torre, Roberto Enríquez, Verónica Sánchez, Raúl Arévalo, Leticia Herrero, Fernando Albizu, Pilar Castro, María Morales, Adam Jeziersky, Marta Martín, Teté Delgado, Roberto Álamo, Seidina Mboup, Miguel Ortiz, José David Pérez) , Official site

Full review

For 80 Days (80 egunean)

A woman bumps into an old school friend at a hospital bedside and finds they share a mutual attraction even after 50 years apart.

(Country: Spain; Year: 2010; Director: Jon Garaño, José María Goenaga; Writer: Jon Garaño, José María Goenaga; Stars: Itziar Aizpuru, José Ramón Argoitia, Zorion Eguileor, Ane Gabarain, Patricia López, Mariasun Pagoaga)

The Island Inside (La isla interior)

Siblings are forced to confront their feelings for one another by their father's imminent death.

(Country: Spain; Year: 2009; Director: Dunia Ayaso, Félix Sabroso; Writer: Dunia Ayaso, Félix Sabroso; Stars: Candela Peña, Alberto San Juan, Cristina Marcos, Geraldine Chaplin, Celso Bugallo, Antonio de la Torre, Emy Cazorla, Vicente Ayala, Paola Bontempi, Marta Rubio, Herminia Orihuela, Alcides Cairós, Pettit Lorena, Gara Mora, Tomás Monsalve)

The Last Summer of La Boyita (El último verano de la Boyita)

Coming of age film involving, apparently, a magical floating motorhome.

(Country: Argentina, Spain, France; Year: 2009; Director: Julia Solomonoff; Writer: Julia Solomonoff; Stars: Guadalupe Alonso, Gabo Correa, María Clara Merendino, Mirella Pascual, Guillermo Pfening, Silvia Tavcar, Nicolás Treise)

The Life Of Fish (La Vida De Los Peces)

After 10 years living abroad, travel journalist Andrés briefly returns to his native Chile to attend to some unfinished business. The action takes place in real time and follows the course of events of one evening, as Andrés is reunited with his childhood friends and the love of his life.

(Country: Chile; Year: 2010; Director: Matías Bize; Writer: Matías Bize, Julio Rojas; Stars: Santiago Cabrera, Blanca Lewin, Antonia Zegers, Victor Montero, Sebastián Layseca, Juan Pablo Miranda, Luz Jiménez, María Gracia Omegna, Alicia Rodríguez, Francisca Cárdenas, Diego Fontecilla, Pedro del Carril, Matías Jara)

Norberto's Deadline (Norberto Apenas Tarde)

A beginner real estate agent discovers that while he's bad at lying to other people, he's very good at lying to himself.

(Country: Uruguay, Argentina; Year: 2010; Director: Daniel Hendler; Writer: Daniel Hendler; Stars: Fernando Amaral, Eugenia Guerty, César Troncoso and Roberto Suárez)

October (Octubre)

When a moneylender finds himself sole carer of his newborn baby, his neighbour offers to help, hoping to win his heart.

(Country: Peru; Year: 2010; Director: Daniel Vega, Diego Vega; Stars: Bruno Odar, Gabriela Velásquez, Carlos Gassols)

Optical Illusions (Ilusiones Ópticas)

Review preview for Optical Illusions

Jimenez has a playful attitude to these characters, although there are serious underlying issues concerning self-esteem and, more politically, the state of the Chilean healthcare system and notions of surveillance.

Amber Wilkinson · 3.5 out of 5
The lives of a group of Chileans interconnect with absurdly comic consequences.

(Country: Chile; Year: 2009; Director: Cristián Jiménez; Writer: Cristián Jiménez, Alicia Scherson; Stars: Ivan Alvarez de Araya, Gregory Cohen, Eduardo Paxeco, Paola Lattus, Álvaro Rudolphy, Valentina Vargas, Hugo Medina, Carla Bolito, Samuel González, Carla Chambel, Paulina Eguiluz, Dusan Gasic, Cristóbal Briceño, Andrés Waas, Cristián Jiménez) , Official site

Full review

Revolución

Ten Mexican directors explore the legacy of their country's revolution.

(Country: Mexico; Year: 2010; Director: Fernando Eimbcke, Patricia Riggen, Gael García Bernal, Amat Escalante, Carlos Reygadas, Gerardo Naranjo, Mariana Chenillo, Rodrigo Plá, Diego Luna, Rodrigo García)

Sins Of My Father (Pecados de mi padre)

Review preview for Sins Of My Father

Neither Entel nor Sebastian promote drugs as a lucrative trade - it may have made Escober millions but it ultimately cost him his life and ruined the lives of his loved ones.

Leanne McGrath · 4 out of 5
The story of Pablo Escobar - as recounted by his son and widow.

(Country: Argentina, Colombia; Year: 2009; Director: Nicolas Entel; Writer: Nicolas Entel, Pablo Farina)

Full review

Tear This Heart Out (Arráncame la vida)

Review preview for Tear This Heart Out

While everything looks fabulous and the narrative - based on the novel by Angeles Mastretta - is engaging to a point, there's a sense that we're only getting part of the story.

Amber Wilkinson · 3.5 out of 5
Passionate melodrama set against the backdrop of post-Revolution Mexco.

(Country: Mexico; Year: 2008; Director: Roberto Sneider; Writer: Ángeles Mastretta, Roberto Sneider; Stars: Ana Claudia Talancón, Daniel Giménez Cacho, José María de Tavira, Mariana Peñalva, Irene Azuela, Jake Koenig, María Aura, Danna Paola, Metztli Adamina, Alain, Rodolfo Almada, Andrea Arámburo, Marta Aura, Carmen Beato, Fernando Becerril)

Full review

Under The Bridge

Telling the story of San Diego’s Chicano Park, which is situated in the heart of one of America’s oldest Mexican communities, this unique film reveals a cultural revolution that has refused to go away.

(Country: US, GB; Director: Mike Todd)

The Wind Journeys (Los viajes del viento)

The adventures of a wandering minstrel who is travelling Colombia to return his instrument to the man who taught him.

(Country: Colombia, Netherlands, Argentina, Germany; Year: 2009; Director: Ciro Guerra; Writer: Ciro Guerra; Stars: Marciano Martínez, Yull Núñez)