Preview: Providence Latin American Film Festival

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Thursday, September 23, 2010

ARTS by Tracey Minkin, GoLocalProv Features Editor

In a yearly calendar full of excellent film festivals, the Providence Latin American Film Festival returns this fall at the grand age of 18, and promises an exciting long-weekend of cutting edge films from Latin America, Portugal, and Spain.

Showing in Providence at the RISD Auditorium and RISD Museum's Metcalf Theater as well as at Bryant University's Janikies Theater in Smithfield, a juried selection of 10 films display directorial talents and themes that span the rich, diverse cultures that comprise Hispanic life.

Award-winning Forged opens festival

Opening night, Thursday September 30, features a red-carpet opening to the showing of Forged, American director (pictured above) William Wedig's 2010 film named Best Picture at the New York International Latino Film Festival, as well as Best Feature Film at HBO's International Latino Film Festival last month. In Forged, protagonist Chuco seeks to redeem himself, amid the cold, rusted landscape of Scranton

Pennsylvania, after committing a horrific sin - the murder of his wife. (View a trailer of Forged, here.)

Other highlights include Alamar, the 2009 documentary directed by Pedro Gonzalez-Rubio that follows a Mexican fisherman who spends a few months with his small son on the coral reef off the Caribbean coast of southeast Mexico. Arrancame la vida, the 2008 Mexican feature film from Robert Sneider, reveals a rare feminist view of a girl's life and eventual marriage to a general of the Mexican revolution.

And don't miss Fados, the Portuguese documentary trilogy that explores this emblematic, enigmantic musical genre.

Since its founding PLAFF has screened more than 650 feature films, shorts documentaries and animations, many of which have gone on to receive national awards. For more information, schedules, and ticket information, visit the Web site, here.