The Politics of Dancing
Halfway through the San Diego Latino Film Festival and it would seem that technical difficulties would get people down. But film festivals are not your everyday events – they usually happen once a year and bring excitement with them. That being said, this year has had its share of snafus. It doesn’t, however, detract from the possibility of delving into other worlds without the need for travel. Post 9/11, and there has been a climate of "closing down" in America. Like a breath of fresh air, it is nice to know that not everyone thinks like us. There are other ways to see the world.
Bailando Cha Cha Cha (directed by Manuel Herrera) is a quaint Cuban feature from 2005, but it feels like the 50's (because it is). Cuban films don’t access the kind of money Hollywood lavishes on its productions. It was refreshing to see life in a "simpler" time. That illusion gets dispelled once we are reminded of the premise of the film. It is a story about a mixed-race family and prejudice certainly plays a role. Ultimately, it is a story about family. It is very well-acted though probably because the budget wasn’t there for special effects of great magnitude.
from Ladies NightContrast that with Ladies Night (2004) – this movie from Mexico obviously had the budget to buy good production values. In fact, in places, it seems like a commercial shoot. It is flashy, the camera moves fast, and the women are pretty (yes, it does star Ana de la Reguera and Ana Claudia Talancon). A hit in Mexico, it is a romantic comedy about finding love – not where it was expected...
On a more serious note, Nica/Raguense (2005) proves that discrimination and arrogance is not a racial/ethnic issue. Nica is not a kind word. Filmmaker Julian Fleming shot this video in Costa Rica. People on the street are asked their opinions about their neighbors from the poorer Nicaragua. The opinions are not flattering. It seems like stability has bred contempt for those who are not as fortunate. A theme that repeats often in the festival as we deal with border issues right here at home.
Much in the same vein (but this one being a feature and not a documentary), Four Days in September takes us on a journey to the dark days of the Brazilian dictatorship. Though filmed in 1997, this film has great relevance unfortunately as we deal with issues of freedom and terrorism. How far can the state go? What is permitted in order to respond? Is it o.k. to kidnap innocent "civilians" for a greater cause? Another film which is a part of the Bruno Barreto tribute, this American/Brazilian production details the workings of MR-8 (a radical leftist organization) in a very credible way. The fact that one of the original kidnappers wrote the book on which the film is based might have something to do with that. Alan Arkin stars as the U.S. ambassador.
There is something for everyone at the San Diego Latino Film Festival this week from the entertaining to the profound. Mukul Khurana
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