Latino films showcased in Waukegan
Sarah Bigler
Staff Writer
The Genesee Theater and the city of Waukegan are honoring Hispanic contributions to filmmaking with the 26th Annual Chicago Latino Film Festival starting April 23.
The festival will feature three independent films from different countries over three days. The films being shown are 2009 favorites of the Latin world, hailing from Colombia, Mexico and Uruguay.
A CLC panel discussion is planned for 2 to 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, April 24 in room C008 at the Lakeshore campus in Waukegan.
The title of the panel discussion is “What is the Role of Latino Film Culture in Lake County?” and is free to all students and members of the public. The panelists will include CLC Arts professors, a student filmmaking representative from the college and the director of the Lake County Film Festival.
A coffee house workshop will also be held from 1 to 3 p.m. on Sunday, April 25 at the Brick Café and Bookstore. The event is also free and open to the public. Reservations and tickets are not needed for either discussion.
“Espiral,” or “Spiral,” is the story of a family in the midst of the political drama surrounding the U.S.-Mexico border, and is the first film being screened following the opening night gala on Friday night.
CLC Cinema Studies professor Chris Cooling is a member of the committee that set up the festival.
“We've done a good job of highlighting the diversity of the Latino world, as well as its diverse practices of filmmaking,” Cooling said of the festival. “We're hoping that this first event sparks enough interest that we can gradually expand in the years to come.”
Saturday at 7 p.m. the Genesee will screen “Los Viajes del Viento,” or “The Wind Journeys.”
“The second movie caused the most intense debate on our panel,” Cooling said. “I made the point that the intensity of the debate was a good reason to program the film. It’s my personal favorite.”
“The Wind Journeys” takes place on a road trip with a boy and a “reluctant” father-figure and, according to Cooling, “showcases the great variety” of landscapes and music throughout South America. The film was widely praised at the Cannes and Toronto film festivals and entered into consideration for the 2010 Academy Awards.
Closing the Latino Festival at 4 p.m. on Sunday is the Uruguayan film “Mal Dia Para Pescar,” or, “A Bad Day to Go Fishing.” The plot involves a fraudulent agent called “The Prince” and a washed-up wrestler who find themselves in over their heads in an adoring town.
“The film is downright fun and a fast-paced con artist romp,” Cooling said. “The Scottish-Spanish actor Gary Piquer has already won awards for his portrayal, and a good deal of it is in English.”
The Opening Night Gala will be held at 5 p.m. on April 23, followed by the screening of the first movie, “Espiral.” Tickets to the gala are priced at $50, and a three-day package, including the gala and all the movies, is available for $60. A three-day package not including the opening night party is $20 for adults and $15 for students.
Students can see an individual film for $6 with a valid ID, and regular adult tickets are $8 each. Tickets are available through the Genesee box office or ticketmaster.com.
Staff Writer
The Genesee Theater and the city of Waukegan are honoring Hispanic contributions to filmmaking with the 26th Annual Chicago Latino Film Festival starting April 23.
The festival will feature three independent films from different countries over three days. The films being shown are 2009 favorites of the Latin world, hailing from Colombia, Mexico and Uruguay.
A CLC panel discussion is planned for 2 to 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, April 24 in room C008 at the Lakeshore campus in Waukegan.
The title of the panel discussion is “What is the Role of Latino Film Culture in Lake County?” and is free to all students and members of the public. The panelists will include CLC Arts professors, a student filmmaking representative from the college and the director of the Lake County Film Festival.
A coffee house workshop will also be held from 1 to 3 p.m. on Sunday, April 25 at the Brick Café and Bookstore. The event is also free and open to the public. Reservations and tickets are not needed for either discussion.
“Espiral,” or “Spiral,” is the story of a family in the midst of the political drama surrounding the U.S.-Mexico border, and is the first film being screened following the opening night gala on Friday night.
CLC Cinema Studies professor Chris Cooling is a member of the committee that set up the festival.
“We've done a good job of highlighting the diversity of the Latino world, as well as its diverse practices of filmmaking,” Cooling said of the festival. “We're hoping that this first event sparks enough interest that we can gradually expand in the years to come.”
Saturday at 7 p.m. the Genesee will screen “Los Viajes del Viento,” or “The Wind Journeys.”
“The second movie caused the most intense debate on our panel,” Cooling said. “I made the point that the intensity of the debate was a good reason to program the film. It’s my personal favorite.”
“The Wind Journeys” takes place on a road trip with a boy and a “reluctant” father-figure and, according to Cooling, “showcases the great variety” of landscapes and music throughout South America. The film was widely praised at the Cannes and Toronto film festivals and entered into consideration for the 2010 Academy Awards.
Closing the Latino Festival at 4 p.m. on Sunday is the Uruguayan film “Mal Dia Para Pescar,” or, “A Bad Day to Go Fishing.” The plot involves a fraudulent agent called “The Prince” and a washed-up wrestler who find themselves in over their heads in an adoring town.
“The film is downright fun and a fast-paced con artist romp,” Cooling said. “The Scottish-Spanish actor Gary Piquer has already won awards for his portrayal, and a good deal of it is in English.”
The Opening Night Gala will be held at 5 p.m. on April 23, followed by the screening of the first movie, “Espiral.” Tickets to the gala are priced at $50, and a three-day package, including the gala and all the movies, is available for $60. A three-day package not including the opening night party is $20 for adults and $15 for students.
Students can see an individual film for $6 with a valid ID, and regular adult tickets are $8 each. Tickets are available through the Genesee box office or ticketmaster.com.
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