News: GALA Film Festival: Latin American Innovation | Maryland Theatre Guide
MOVING SO SLOWLY | AVANZARÉ TAN DESPACIO. A film by Natalia Solórzano Vásquez. (Costa Rica, 2019, 76 min.) — Documentary.
Washington, D.C. – GALA continues its 47th season with its 11th annual Film Festival celebrating innovation by Latin American filmmakers. The festival gives voice to emerging filmmakers whose work reflects on the human condition and socio-political issues. Join us for exclusive screenings, dynamic discussions with directors and actors, and receptions November 30 through December 4, 2022 at GALA Theatre. The festival is curated by Carlos A. Gutiérrez, Co-founder and Executive Director of Cinema Tropical in New York.
“In the past few years, Central America has become a hotspot for Latin American film, despite limited support and numerous obstacles”, comments curator Carlos Gutiérrez. “This year, GALA’s Film Fest will celebrate the vibrancy of Central American cinema screening films from Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Panama—two of them are U.S. premieres and four filmmakers will be in attendance. Also included in this year’s selection is an acclaimed Mexican documentary and the Mexican classic Santo vs. The Evil Brain, which marked the cinematic debut of the famed masked hero El Santo.”
All films will be screened in Spanish with English subtitles. The schedule is as follows (subject to change):
WEDNESDAY, November 30, 2022 – 7 PM
MOVING SO SLOWLY | AVANZARÉ TAN DESPACIO
A film by Natalia Solórzano Vásquez
(Costa Rica, 2019, 76 min.) — Documentary
Hundreds of stories from nationals and foreigners come together in a public office where confusion reigns. It is a Kafkaesque place with doors that do not open, long lines, and cars adapted as offices. A limbo separates the film’s characters from their goals but unites them against a greater evil. Humor, drama, and the absurd mix in this poignant Costa Rican documentary feature, which had its world premiere at the Amsterdam Documentary Film Festival (IDFA). The debut feature by director Natalia Solórzano offers an engrossing take on bureaucracy and its exasperating ways, something that we can all relate to.
Post-screening talk with Director Natalia Solórzano
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2022 – 7 PM
BEFORE THE RAIN | ANTES LA LLUVIA U.S. PREMIERE!
A film by Brenda Vanegas
(El Salvador/Mexico, 2019, 90 min.) — Drama
Set in Spain and starring the late celebrated Salvadoran actress Isabel Dada in her last cinematic performance, Before The Rain is the story of two women, María and Esther, who have suffered great loss. María is a Salvadoran immigrant who is unjustly fired because of her illness and has gone through a hurtful breakup. Esther is an elderly lady with Alzheimer who is becoming forgetful and losing cherished memories. As their special friendship grows and questions oblivion, María reconsiders her life and decision whether to return home and live with her son. The debut feature film by director Brenda Vanegas is a powerful story about memory and migration, anchored by some wonderful performances.
Post-screening talk with Director Branda Vanegas and curator Carlos Gutiérrez
Reception courtesy of Casa de la Cultura El Salvador
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2022 – 7 PM
COMALA
A film by Gian Cassini
(Mexico, 2021, 98 min.) — Documentary
In his acclaimed documentary feature debut, director Gian Cassini sets out to uncover the truths about his broken family. Comala becomes a detective story with Cassini picking up the pieces of his absent father’s life as failed hitman “El Jimmy,” murdered in a Mexican border town. Traversing the country in search of clues, the filmmaker exposes a network of men stuck within deeply rooted patterns of machismo and offers unprecedented access into the personal ramifications of Mexico’s war on drugs.
Post-screening talk with Director Gian Cassini and curator Carlos Gutiérrez
Reception courtesy of the Mexican Cultural Institute
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2022 – 4 PM
FOR YOUR PEACE OF MIND, MAKE YOUR OWN MUSEUM | PARA SU TRANQUILIDAD, HAGA SU PROPIO MUSEO A film by Pilar Moreno and Ana Endara Mislov
(Panama, 2021, 71 min.) — Documentary
In a tiny village in the middle of nowhere, inhabits the ghost of an old woman named Senobia Cerrud. Many years ago, she decided to transform her house into The Museum of Antiquities of All Species. She found a way to avoid death and now she lives on in her museum forever surrounded by the fantastic world she created with her writings, her creations, and imaginations. Winner of the Award for Best Central American Film at the Costa Rica International Film Festival, Pilar Moreno and Ana Endara’s impressive documentary vividly captures the indomitable artistic spirit of an endearing woman.
Post-screening talk with curator Carlos Gutiérrez
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2022 – 7 PM
90 MINUTES | 90 MINUTOS
A film by Aeden O’Connor Agurcia
(Honduras, 2019, 91 min.) — Drama
Winner of the Audience Award at the Miami Film Festival, Aeden O’Connor Agurcia’s ingenious debut feature weaves four stories of drama, romance and suspense all tied by the world’s greatest passion: soccer. Starring Edgar Flores (Sin Nombre) and Brandon Lopez (The Golden Dream), 90 Minutes is a poignant portrait of Honduran society through the stories of an immigrant who must fight for his life, a soccer hooligan with a dilemma, a TV news cameraman who must do everything possible to get a story and a legend of the Honduran National Team from the 1980’s who asserts his place in society.
Post-screening talk with curator Carlos Gutiérrez
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2022 – 4 PM
SANTO VS. THE EVIL BRAIN | SANTO CONTRA CEREBRO DEL MAL
A film by Joselito Rodríguez
(Mexico, 1961, 70 min.) — Mexican Vintage
Shot in Cuba in 1958—shortly before Fidel Castro entered Havana and the filmmakers were forced to flee prematurely (with the unprocessed 35mm negative smuggled inside a coffin)—Santo vs. The Evil Brain marks the cinematic debut of El Santo (Rodolfo Guzmán Huerta), the most famous and iconic of all Mexican luchadores. The silver-masked hero foils the plot of a mad scientist, who aims to create a zombie army by zapping his innocent victims with electric shocks. Santo vs. The Evil Brain sparked a series of 52 films in which El Santo fights supernatural creatures, evil scientists, and various criminals.
Post-screening talk with curator Carlos Gutiérrez
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2022 – 7 PM
ROZA U.S. PREMIERE!
A film by Andrés Rodríguez
(Guatemala, 2022, 76 min. In K’iche’ and Spanish with English subtitles) — Drama
Hector returns to his village in the Guatemalan highlands after a long and difficult migration to the Unites States. He returns home to a possessive mother, a distant wife, a son that doesn’t recognize him, and a community that pushes him out. Hector decides to take back his life by way of force, driving the whole town into near chaos. Winner of the Best Film Award in the Mexican competition at the Guanajuato Film Festival, Roza is a potent story that marks the auspicious feature film by director Andrés Rodríguez.
Post-screening talk with Director Andrés Rodríguez and curator Carlos Gutiérrez
GALA Film Festival is made possible through the generous support of an Anonymous Donor, the Embassy of Mexico in the U.S., the Embassy of El Salvador in the U.S., the Embassy of Costa Rica in the U.S., the Embassy of Panama in the U.S., the Embassy of Guatemala in the U.S., the Embassy of Honduras in the U.S., and the Mexican Cultural Institute.
TICKET & GENERAL INFORMATION
Tickets for individual films are $10. Watch all seven movies and save 50% with the Film Fest Pass for only $35. For more information and to purchase tickets, call 202-234-7174 or visit www.galatheatre.org.
GALA has 4 wheelchair accessible spaces and an elevator to transport people from the entrance to the lobby, and to the house. GALA is located at 3333 14th Street, NW, one block north from the Columbia Heights Metro station (Green/Yellow lines). Parking is available behind the theater for a rate of $4 at the Giant Food garage on Park Road, NW (must validate parking ticket at theatre lobby for discount). Additional parking is available at the Target garage also on Park Road NW, between 14th and 16th Street NW.
COVID-19 SAFETY PROCEDURES
Masks are mandatory. Proof of vaccination or recent negative COVID-19 test (taken within 72 hours prior to show time) required for all patrons ages 5+.