Malta, by Natalia Santa
13th Annual GALA Film Fest 2024
December 4 — 8, 2024
Discover a new era in Latin American cinema as emerging young directors offer their unique perspectives on critical issues. Enjoy Q&As with artists and experts, receptions, and much more. Curated by Cinema Tropical's Carlos A. Gutiérrez.
For tickets and more information visit:
https://www.galatheatre.org/post/gala-film-fest2024
THE PUNISHMENT / EL CASTIGO
A film by Matías Bize
(Argentina/Chile, 2022, 96 min. In Spanish with English subtitles)
Q&A with the director
After leaving their son alone in the woods as punishment for misbehaving during a family drive, Ana and Mateo embark on a desperate search to find him. This award-winning psychological drama about parenthood and marriage marks the eighth film by Matías Bize, 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
A film by Martín Shanly
(Argentina, 2023, 92 min. In Spanish with English subtitles)
Q&A with the director
One of the “best undistributed films of 2023” (Film Comment) and winner of the Best Argentine Director and Audience Awards at the Buenos Aires Independent Film Festival (BAFICI), 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 in an uncomfortable and humorous way, forcing him to confront delayed grief as well as the darkest aspects of his personality.
RAIN / LLUVIA
A film by Rodrigo García
(Mexico, 2023, 96 min. In Spanish with English subtitles)
Q&A with the director
Rain, the debut feature by director Rodrigo García Saiz, weaves together six stories set over the course of 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.
LOVE & MATHEMATICS / AMOR Y MATEMÁTICAS
A film by Claudia Sainte-Luce
(Mexico, 2022, 85 min. In Spanish with English subtitles)
Set in Monterrey, this satirical comedy about the ambitions and aspirations of upper-middle-class Mexican society follows former popular boy-band member Billy Lozano, played by Roberto Quijano, who is 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.
ALIEN ISLAND / ISLA ALIEN
A film by Cristóbal Valenzuela
(Chile/Italy, 2023, 87 min. In Spanish with English subtitles)
In the 1980s, during the Chilean military dictatorship led by Gen. Augusto Pinochet, 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.
TAKE ME IN YOUR ARMS / LLÉVAME EN TUS BRAZOS
A film by Julio Bracho
(Mexico, 1954, 91 min. In Spanish with English subtitles)
The incomparable Cuban-born star Ninón Sevilla (Aventurera, Victims of Sin) shines in the boldly crafted and tumultuous musical melodrama Take Me in Your Arms 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, director and co-writer Julio 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
A film by Natalia Santa
(Colombia/Argentina, 2024, 97 min. In Spanish with English subtitles)
Mariana, a young Colombian 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 own path.
