Litigante by Franco Lolli
Critics’ Week, the parallel section at the Cannes Film Festival, has announced the lineup for its 58th edition, which includes three Latin American features and one short film from Costa Rica, Colombia and Guatemala.
Five years after the world premiere of his debut feature Gente de bien, Colombian director Franco Lolli returns to the Critics’ Week with his new film Litigante, selected as opening night. Set in Bogota, the film tells the story of Silvia, a single mother and lawyer, who is implicated in a corruption scandal and faces deep anxiety. Her mother, is seriously ill. Upon having to face her inevitable passing, Silvia embarks on a love story for the first time in years.
Two Latin American films participating at this year’s Critic’s Week are competing for the Camera d’or award for best first film of the Cannes Film Festival: The Costa Rican film Land of Ashes / Ceniza negra by Sofía Quirós Ubeda and Our Mothers / Nuestras madres by Guatemalan director César Díaz.
Land of Ashes film follows Selva, a thirteen years old girl who discovers that when we die we just shed our skin. We can turn into wolves, goats, shadows, or anything as long as your imagination allows it. Our Mothers is set in Guatemala in 2013, as the country is riveted on the trial of the military officers who started the civil war and the victims’ testimonials keep pouring in. Ernesto, a young anthropologist at the Forensic Foundation, identifies people who have gone missing. One day, through an old lady’s story, Ernesto thinks he has found a lead that will allow him to find his father, a guerillero who disappeared during the war.
Additionally, the Costa Rican short film Lucía en el limbo by Valentina Maurel will also have its world premiere in the Critics’ Week competition. The film follows sixteen-year-old Lucía, who wants to get rid of two things more than anything: her lice & her virginity.
As it’s been in the past years, Mexico’s Morelia Film Festival will screen the winners of its short competition. This year’s selection includes El aire delgado by Pablo Giles, La chica con dos cabezas by Betzabé García, San Miguel by Cris Gris, and Satán by Carlos Tapia González.
As previously announced, the Critics’ Week jury will be presided over by Colombian director Ciro Gerra (Birds of Passage). The 58th edition of Cannes’ Critics’ Week will take place May 15-23 in France.
