Malta by Natalia Santa
Aiming to present a new era in Latin American cinema marked by unique perspectives on critical issues, this year’s GALA Film Fest program will screen six Latin American films directed by emerging filmmakers from Argentina, Chile, Colombia, and Mexico, including a a restoration of a classic from the Mexican Golden Age. The 13th annual GALA Film Fest has been guest programmed by Carlos A. Gutiérrez, Executive Director of Cinema Tropical.
In Matías Bize's The Punishment / El castigo, Ana and Mateo embark on a desperate search to find their son, after leaving him alone in the woods as punishment for misbehaving during a family drive. This award-winning psychological drama about parenthood and marriage marks Bize's eighth film, a pioneering director of Chilean independent cinema. Shot in an astounding single take, The Punishment features a bravura performance by Antonia Zegers (El Conde).
About Thirty / Arturo a los 30, the second feature by Argentine writer-director Martín Shanly, is a witty comedy of errors that tells the story of Arturo (played by the director himself). He attends the wedding of his former best friend, but on the way between the church and the party, he is involved in a bizarre car accident from which he manages to escape unscathed. From that moment on, a series of memories begin to unfold in the form of flashbacks that involve the most significant events and people of his recent times. As he proceeds to get drunk and high, the past and the present merge uncomfortably and humorously, forcing him to confront delayed grief as well as the darkest aspects of his personality.
Rain / Lluvia, the debut feature by Mexican director Rodrigo García Saiz, weaves together six stories set over less than 24 hours, each one examining the human condition against the backdrop of intermittent rain in the sprawling megalopolis. With an impressive ensemble cast featuring some of Mexico’s most acclaimed actors—including Arcelia Ramírez, Bruno Bichir, and Cecilia Suárez—Rain offers an unexpected, elegantly directed portrait of Mexico City. Through the eyes of its fascinating characters, the film captures fleeting moments of revelation before they return to their routine lives.
Set in Monterrey, Love and Mathematics / Amor y matemáticas is a satirical comedy about the ambitions and aspirations of upper-middle-class Mexican society. The film, directed by Mexican filmmaker Claudia Sainte-Luce, follows former popular boy band member Billy Lozano, played by Roberto Quijano, now a thirty-something, unhappily married man. His suburban routine—taking care of his infant son and loathing his wife’s poorly behaved lap dog—changes when he meets Mónica (Diana Bovio), who’s a fan of the band and moves next door. Mónica inspires Billy to pick up the guitar again and try to make sense of his life.
Cristobal Valenzuela's Alien Island / Isla Alien is set in the 1980s, during the Chilean military dictatorship led by Gen. Augusto Pinochet, when a group of radio enthusiasts began communicating with mysterious beings who claimed to live on 'Friendship Island' and have close ties with an extraterrestrial race. This marks the beginning of a wild science fiction documentary about one of the most intriguing UFO cases in recent history. A Twilight Zone-esque exploration where truth and lies intertwine to create a mythological delusion with thousands of followers—only fully understood by delving into the mind and enigmatic past of its central protagonist.
Julio Bracho's boldly crafted and tumultuous musical melodrama Take Me In Your Arms Llévame en tus brazos follows the incomparable Ninón Sevilla as Rita, a young woman from a small coastal village in Veracruz and the daughter of a poor fisherman. To pay off her father's debts, she leaves her town and is exploited by several men, including a married politician who turns her into a famous dancing star—all while relentlessly seeking to reunite with her true love. Beautifully lensed by renowned cinematographer Gabriel Figueroa, Bracho's expansive melodrama about class struggle and erotic tension features some wonderful song-and-dance sequences from Sevilla, who also produced the film, uncredited, alongside brothers Guillermo and Pedro Calderón. Sevilla's screen magnetism guides the audience through the film, culminating in a deeply satisfying finale.
Malta, directed by Colombian filmmaker Natalia Santa, follows Mariana, a young woman navigating the challenges of adulthood. Tries to earn a living at a call center, takes German lessons, and grapples with a dysfunctional family. Amid her daydream plans of escaping her challenging reality by traveling the world—particularly to the Mediterranean island of Malta—an incipient relationship with a goofy classmate compels her to confront the true motives behind her desire to leave. Featuring stellar performances from a wonderful ensemble cast including Estefanía Piñeres, Emmanuel Restrepo, Patricia Tamayo and Diego Cremonesi, the second feature film by writer-director Natalia Santa is an engrossing character study that follows a woman’s journey to forge her path.
The program will take place December 4-8, 2024 at the Gala Hispanic Theatre in Washington, DC.
