The 2003 Latino Film Festival has announced several films in the 2003 Festival aimed at the Gay and Lesbian Market. These films include:
U. S. Premiere – “Lesbians of Buenos Aires/Lesbianas de Buenos Aires Argentina,” 2002 Director: Santiago Garcia The first ever Argentine feature-length movie about the subject, this film relates with humor and passion the life stories of a number of lesbian women of different ages and social classes, including Mónica Santino, a well-known soccer player. As they describe their joys and sorrows, it becomes clear that they suffer two stigmas: in an Argentinean macho society women are marginalized and as lesbians they are doubly so. The women discuss the difficulty of forming families, having children and fighting for equal rights. But the film is no sob story, and the women come across as strong and sympathetic, the kind of women one would like to know–or be.
World Premiere – “Sex, Politics & Cocktails” USA, 2003 Director: Julien Lazo Hernandez A sexy fiendishly hilarious gender-bender look at a small town thirty-something single filmmaker learning about love and life in the gay scene in the wild Los Angeles. This hopeless romantic comedy is the first feature film for Cuban-American filmmaker Lazo Hernandez and proves that one can make a successful film without attending film school. An inspirational film loved by festival viewers from Australia-South Africa-Miami to LA, Lazo Hernandez has included additional never-before-seen footage for this screening. A breezy look at love and intimacy with the flair of a French love story.
SF Bay Area Premiere “Wedding Days” (DÃas de Boda) Spain 2002 Juan Pinzas Sonia is going to see her life’s dream come true when she marries Rosendo, a handsome writer who turns out to be gay. Galician language and music and the Dogma film style, with natural light and sound, create a feeling of intimacy with the dramatic scenery and troubled wedding party.
“Bola de Nieve: The Sad Man that Always Sang Happy” Spain 2003 Director: Jose Sanchez-Montes Black, santero, gay, pro-revolution, fidelista, and Yoruba, Bola de Nieve, (Ignacio Villa) is one of the Latin American music legends of the 1950’s. This amazing documentary follows the sinuous path of this unique Cuban musician, singer and precursor of the romantic song with mambo rhythms expressing the spirit of popular Cuban music.
For more info, visit the Latino Film Festival website.
