Twitter: @CineSnob
The Chicago Latino Film Festival (CLFF) is celebrating its 30th year and the diverse collection of films couldn’t be any more impressive. This year’s festival, which will take place from April 3-17, will screen 78 feature-length films and 42 shorts during the two-week event.
From the surreal documentary Stoker of Delirium, about Mexican artist Alejandro Colunga, to the story of a trumpet player from Uruguay who must travel to Antarctica in Solo to the “Romeo & Juliet”-inspired Puerto Rican film For Love in the Caserio, there’s a little bit of everything for both the occasional moviegoer to the serious film buff. Below are five films you shouldn’t miss at this year’s festival.
TODAS LAS MUJERES (ALL THE WOMEN)
Director: Mariano Barroso
Country: Spain
Director will be present for Q&A
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Winner of the Goya Award for Best Adapted Screenplay, this drama follows a veterinarian who attempts to steal some horses from his father-in-law and ends up seeking advice from the women in his life after the scheme doesn’t go as planned.
6:00pm at the AMC River East 21 Theatre on April 11
8:30pm at the AMC River East 21 Theatre on April 13
AZUL Y NO TAN ROSA (BLUE AND NOT SO PINK)
Director: Miguel Ferrari
Country: Venezuela
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Winner of the Goya Award for Best Ibero-American film, this LGBT comedy/drama tells the story of Diego, a photographer who is dealt a heavy hand when his boyfriend is hospitalized after being attacked by homophobes and his estranged son comes back into his life with some major resentment.
9:00pm at the AMC River East 21 Theatre on April 4
6:00pm at the AMC River East 21 Theatre on April 12
Directors: Richard Rey Perez & Lorena Parlee
Country: United States
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An insightful and poignant documentary that spotlights late labor union organizer Cesar Chavez’s 36-day hunger strike in the Summer of 1988. Through never-before-seen footage, moving interviews and the words of Chavez himself, this film, which made its debut at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year, offers so much more than the recently released feature film directed by Diego Luna.
3:45pm at the AMC River East 21 Theatre on April 12
3:30pm at the AMC River East 21 Theatre on April 13
Director: Petra Costa
Country: Brazil
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Winner of the Best Documentary at the 35th Annual Havana International Film Festival, Costa tells an extremely personal tale about the suicide of her older sister and retraces her footsteps to New York City to try and understand an event that has haunted her for more than 20 years.
8:30pm at the AMC River East 21 Theatre on April 11
5:00pm at the AMC River East 21 Theatre on April 13
LOS INSOLITOS PECES GATOS (THE AMAZING CATFISH)
Director: Claudia Sainte-Luce
Country: Mexico
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Winner of the International Critics’ Award at the 2013 Toronto International Film Festival, Sainte-Luce’s debut film features an unconventional family made up of Martha and her three children (all from different fathers) and Claudia, a woman Martha recruits to help them during a difficult time in their lives.
6:45pm at the AMC River East 21 Theatre on April 8
8:45pm at the AMC River East 21 Theatre on April 9
For more information on CLFF and for a complete schedule of films, visit chicagolatinofilmfestival.org.