The Sentence by Rudy Valdez
The Los Angeles International Latino Film (LALIFF) presented by the Latino Film Institute has announced the lineup for its 2018 edition, which comes after a five-year hiatus, and will take place June 20-24 at the TCL Chinese Theatre, presenting films from Argentina, Dominican Republic, Colombia, Costa Rica, Chile, Cuba, Mexico, Peru, Puerto Rico, Paraguay, and the U.S.
LALIFF will open with the LA premiere of Rudy Valdez's Sundance entry The Sentence, the documentary film that tells the story of Cindy Shank, mother of three, who is serving a 15-year sentence in federal prison for her tangential involvement with a Michigan drug ring years earlier. This intimate portrait of mandatory minimum drug sentencings’ devastating consequences, captured by Cindy’s brother, follows her and her family over the course of ten years.
Other titles include the Colombian films Candelaria by Jhonny Hendrix, Bad Lucky Goat by Samir Oliveros, Matar a Jesús / Killing Jesús by Laura Mora; the U.S. Latino films La Quinceañera by Gigi Saul Guerrero, Bad Labor by Chris Carmona, and The Pushouts by Katie Galloway and Dawn Valdez.
The lineup also includes the Brazilian film Benzinho / Loveling by Gustavo Pizzi, Mi Mundial / Home Team by Uruguayan director Carlos Morelli, the Argentine film El futuro que viene / The Future Ahead by Constanza Novick, the Puerto Rican film ¿Quién eres tú? / Who are You? by Ari Maniel Cruz, the Costa Rican film Violeta al fin / Violeta at Last by Hilda Hidalgo, the Dominican film Veneno by Tabaré Blanchard.
LALIFF will also feature 26 short films, as well as a special screening of Santo Contra Cerebro del Mal—the first film ever starred by the famed Mexican wrestler, and shot in Cuba—and the closing night film will be the Paraguayan film Los buscadores / The Gold Seekers by Tana Schémbori and Juan Carlos Maneglia.
Founded in 1997 by Academy Award-nominated actor Edward James Olmos, the new executive team of the festival is composed by Rafael Agustín as Executive Director, TIFF programmer Diana Sánchez ad Director of Programming and Dilcia Barrera, as Senior Programmer.
