This Sunday, October 2, in the midst of Hispanic Heritage Month, the Hola México Film Festival begins in its fourteenth edition in Los Angeles, with the presentation of more than 20 films, which represent a sample of the best of classic Mexican cinema and the most recent.
“This is the second Hola México that we have carried out in person after the pandemic, with the difference that last year, people were nervous and not ready to go to the movies, but now tickets are selling more”, said Samuel Douek, founder and director of the Hola México Film Festival in an interview with Real America News.
And he explained that this year Hola Mexico will be a bigger festival with almost 23 movies and 20 short films.
“We will have the most recent that has come out I’ve been to Mexico in art, action, comedy, and horror films, which have been taken to festivals, and also some Mexican films that will be released for the first time in the United States.”
Unlike from other festivals Hello Mexico, Douek observed that there are two new things in the cinema that we will see this year.
“The lens of those who make films in Mexico is changing, since this year we have very good films made by women directors”.
He specified that for this reason, on Wednesday, October 5, they are going to focus on the work of women filmmakers.
“The other thing that we have seen in recent cinema are films with cinematographic quality that reflect what violence in Mexico has left behind, such as the history of a family whose neighbors were murdered”.
Therefore, he said that many of the films that will be screened at the festival reflect the stories that are lived in Mexico.
But also in Hello Mexico 2022 will present some jewels of Mexican cinema such as Sombra Verde by director Roberto Gavaldón, and Murciélago Woman, a film that he said had been lost for several decades. “Recently they found it and mastered it.”
The director of Hola México said that the festival not only offers the best of Mexican cinema from the last year, but immediately after seeing the films, attendees will be able to see, talk and ask questions to the director and the main actors on stage.
“This is an experience that you cannot see on Netflix or on any other service of streaming; since we are flying to Los Angeles, almost 38 people between actors and directors”.
But He also added that it is very difficult for these films to be seen outside the festival. “Many of them are never shown again in the cinema in the United States and do not reach the streaming“.
So he said that the Hola México is a unique opportunity to see the best of Mexican cinema in a room full of people from the community.
“These are very unique films that tell our stories. We do not see an alien story. And it is very important to see what is being done in Mexican cinema”.
The selection of films from Hola México is made by Douek and Carlos Aguilar, film writer for the New York Times, LA Times and other media.
“We close the Hello Festival Mexico 2022 with the movie Sick Love that has the cast (cast) largest we have ever seen in the movies, followed by a concert by singer-songwriter Amandititita at LA Plaza de la Cultura y las Artes on Monday 10 October”, he said.
Douek confessed that two of his favorite films at the festival are El North over the Void, and the horror film, Mal de Ojo, which is in fourth place at the box office in Mexico, and has been recommended on Twitter by renowned Mexican filmmaker Guillermo del Toro.
On the opening night, October 2, the film Lecciones Para Scoundrels will be screened at the Montalban Theater, located at 1536 Vine St, Hollywood, CA 90028.
This emotional, funny and original comedy begins when Jenny (Danae Reynaud) travels to Mexico City in search of her father after the sudden death of her mother. But she soon finds out that her father is far from a conventional guy.
The film is directed by Gustavo Moheno; and the cast includes Joaquín Cosío, Danae Reynaud and Diana Bovio.
Also on the wonderful rooftop of the Montalbán Theater Two Mexican films from the Golden Age of Mexican Cinema will be screened: “Sombra Verde”, starring Ricardo Montalbán himself and “La Mujer Murciélago” (Batwoman) directed by film director René Cardona.
Both have been fully digitally restored and will be presented in high definition format.
The festival will be divided into 4 sections: Mexico Now, Documentary, The Other Mexico, and Nocturne.
Mexico Now will present the best of Mexican cinema in recent years, covering all genres. Documentary includes outstanding non-fiction films made by Mexican filmmakers. The Other Mexico highlights the experiences that happen to Mexicans that are rarely seen on film, showing cunning characters who challenge the status quo.
The Nocturne section offers unconventional stories and horror movies.
Programming:
Hola México Film Festival presented by Toyota will be presenting the following films:
• A Family Portrait – Dir Adrián Zurita
• Goes For Diego – Dir. Miguel Flatow
• Life In Silence– Dir. Rodrigo Arnaez
• 50 (or two whales meet on the beach / 50 – Dir. Jorge Cuchi
• Station Fourteen – Dir. Diana Cardozo
• Nudo Mixteco – Dir. Ángeles Cruz
• Lessons for Scoundrels – Dir. Gustavo Moheno
• The Hole in the Fence Dir. Lorenzo Vigas
• Manto de Gemas– Dir. Natalia López Gallardo
• La Civil – Dir. Teodora Mihai
• My girlfriend is the revolution – Dir. Marcelino Islands
• Finland – Dir. Horacio Alcalá
• The North Above the Void – Dir. Alejandra Márquez Abella
• The Devil Between The Legs – Dir. Arturo Ripstein
• Black Days – Dir. Francisco Laresgoiti
• Huesera – Dir, Michelle Garza Cervera
• Gods Of Mexico – Dir. Helmut Dosantos
• A Mexico Dog… The True Hero – Dir. Rafael Aparicio, Andrés Klimek
• Field Season – Dir. Isabel Vaca
• Satanic Hispanics – Dir. Mike Mendez, Demián Rugna, Eduardo Sánchez, Gigi Saúl Guerrero & Alejandro
Brugués.
The Hola México also has a prestigious mentoring program called Tomorrow’s Filmmakers Today (TFT) that helps young Latino and US-based filmmakers United with the support of directors of the film industry. Its ultimate goal is to increase Latino representation in filmmaking around the world and foster meaningful collaborations among program participants. During the festival, the work of TFT students will be presented in the TFT CENTERPIECE exhibition.
For more information about TFT, visit https://www.holamexicoff.com/tomorrows-filmmakers/
Where to buy tickets?: https://www.holamexicoff.com/2022-film-festival
Where will it be screened?
– October 2: Night at the Montalban Theater located at 1536 Vine St, Hollywood, CA 90028
– October 3-5: at Regal Cinemas LA LIVE 900 W Olympic Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90015
– October 6 and 7: Regular Screenings at the Montalbán Theater
– October 8 and 9: Screenings On the roof of the Montalbán Theater
– 10 October: Closing Night , projection and concert in LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes located at 300 N Main St,
Los Angeles, CA 90012
Parking:
@ Regal Cinemas LA LIVE visit: http://www.lalive.com/visitor-center/parking
@The Montalban Theater Public parking lot next door on 1627 Vine St. Hollywood, CA 90028
@LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes visit: http://www.lapca.org/la-plaza-parking/