Ten-year-old Eric finds himself almost overnight living in a grungy quarter of downtown Bogotá with his father, Gabriel, whom he barely knows. Gabriel is a carpenter by trade, but struggles to make ends meet. He works doing odd jobs for Maria Isabel, an upper middle class woman with children of her own, who takes an interest in their situation. Over the Christmas holidays she invites them to come to stay at her family's luxurious country villa.
Inspiring and haunting, The Pawn is a testament to strength and commitment in the face of adversity. On Kelly Díaz Reyes's 15th birthday, she shone at her quinceañera; but only two years later she was kidnapped, raped and killed. Her cousin Karin Gramajo became a lawyer in reaction to the terrible crime, and along with victim’s families, continues to fight valiantly for justice in Guatemala, a country with a rate of impunity of 98%. Astrid Elías Macario—kidnapped at 14—survived.
This incredibly disturbing story follows the exploitation of an apprentice butcher, Hermógenes, and his trial after he murders his boss in broad daylight. Hermógenes, a farmhand from northern Argentina, relocates to Buenos Aires in search of a better life for himself and his young wife, but soon finds himself at the mercy of a corrupt boss. The film is based on a thorough investigation of a real event that happened in Buenos Aires 10 years ago. Almost every scene in the film is inspired by real facts or based on well documented daily practices of the “meat business” and its environment.
What defines us as normal? The Madness Among Us delves into the life inside a psychiatric hospital and its adjacent outpatient resource centre in Brazil, depicting the stories and lives of its characters, some of whom vacillate between living on their own and being institutionalized, between “sanity” and “insanity,” revealing the boundaries of what is considered sane.
Best friends Martin and Tomaz set out for a weekend together to southern Brazil that will change their relationship forever. For both of them, the brief excursion back to this coastal town where Martin’s family is from becomes a journey into themselves. Seashore is a wander through the borderlands between love and friendship, exploring sexual orientation and personal identity. The outstanding camerawork picks up on the protagonists’ complex emotional states in the same way as the soundtrack captures the roaring of the sea: gentle and powerful in equal measure.
Giggling young women who secretly feed a macho cowboy Viagra might sound pretty funny. But is it really?... I Stay with You starts out as an innocent comedy with rich girls having carefree fun. Gradually, however, the film undergoes a transformation, ending in dark sadism. Artist Artemio Narro has made a number of installations and videos on the subject of violence. His first fiction feature is not only a commentary on the ever-present violence in Mexico, but also on how we see violence.
The third edition of FIDAAC, the Travelling Colombian Media Arts Festival (Festival Itinerante de Artes Audiovisuales Colombianas) will be taking place at the 13th Vancouver Latin American Film Festival.
FIDAAC develops activities in Colombia and travels to other countries to promote Colombian cinema. In its prior editions, it was hosted at the Bordeaux International Independent Film Festival in France (2013) and in Vilnius, Lithuania (2014).
Rodolfo and Beatriz are the parents of teenagers Jessica and Juan. Together they form a perfect dysfunctional family. Rodolfo leaves for work every morning, but actually he’s unemployed. Beatriz, worrying that she is looking older, has a flirtation with her buff gym trainer. Jessica finds herself in a love triangle with her boyfriend and her best friend. And, Juan’s girlfriend has a little surprise for him. This is the life of an ordinary middle-class family in Tijuana. While living under the same roof, they scurry about their days, trying to hide their secrets from one another.
Based on real events, and set in Rio de Janeiro, A Wolf at the Door is the nerve-rattling tale of a kidnapped child and the terror of the parents left behind. When Sylvia discovers her six-year-old daughter has been picked up at school by an unknown woman, police summon her husband, Bernardo, to the station for questioning. From that point on, the film takes increasingly sinister turns as it delves into the events that led to the girl’s kidnapping.
