Mexico Director: Carlos Carrera
The most chilling frame of this thriller, from the director of The Crime of Father Amaro, may be the one that reads: “based on actual events.” In the border town of Juárez, Mexico, hundreds of women have gone missing or turned up as sun-burnt corpses in the desert, but new police Captain Blanca Bravo (Ana de la Reguera) is determined to stop the savagery. Jimmy Smits also stars.
Spanish, English, Tzotzil with subtitles, 122 minutes
Brazil / USA Director: Guto Barra
Starting in the '40s with Carmen Miranda and continuing ever since, Brazil's music has created waves across the globe. Featuring infectious samples of different musical styles and interviews with David Byrne, Devendra Banhart, M.I.A., Os Mutantes, Seu Jorge, Thievery Corporation, CSS, Creed Taylor, and many others, this vibrant documentary explores how the inimitable sound and spirit of Brazilian music has been adopted and transformed throughout the world.
English, Portugese with subtitles, 80 minutes
Mexico Director: Michel Franco
Affluent and well-loved with bright futures, Daniel and Ana Torres have it all. But when the siblings are kidnapped on the streets of Mexico City, the two are given a heinous ultimatum that will change the rest of their lives. Deftly directed by Michel Franco, Daniel & Ana created a buzz at Cannes for its unsentimental handling of the story of two young lives utterly shattered.
Spanish with subtitles, 90 minutes
USA Director: Cruz Angeles
Two Brooklyn teens search for solace in a city brimming with hatred and trepidation in this comical and touching coming-of-age drama. A month after 9/11, Lalo and Stefanie meet at a birthday party. Lalo's father cleans up at Ground Zero, where Stefanie lost her sister in the attacks. As their friendship blossoms into a romance, they're forced to keep each other hidden from their families, each struggling with still-fresh wounds.
105 minutes
Brazil / Portugal Director: Eduardo Valente
After a cop mistakenly kills a hostage in a holdup in one of Rio's exclusive neighborhoods, four families must rebuild their lives. But the possibility of a bright future is as uncertain as the details surrounding the accident. As the fragmented but inextricably intertwined pasts of the characters collide with the present, this stirring social drama examines the question of whether destiny is truly inevitable.
Portuguese with subtitles, 118 minutes
Uruguay Director: Adrián Biniez
This gentle and subtly humorous one-sided love story follows Jara, a shy, heavyset supermarket security guard whose humdrum life is turned upside down when he notices his coworker Julia on the security monitors. Jara's fascination soon moves off the video screens and into the streets, but when rumors of layoffs begin to circulate at work, Jara realizes he must make a move or risk never seeing her again.
Spanish with subtitles, 84 minutes
Argentina Director: Mariano de Rosa
Juan can't wait to start his family holiday at the beach, but a deep reserve of paternal paranoia is tapped when his teenage daughter meets leather-jacket-wearing, motorcycle-riding Roberto at a gas station on the way. Roberto resurfaces at the beach, and soon Juan's whole family is smitten by his charms. Subtle suspense—often hidden by sun-bright visuals and comedy—builds to a stunning climax in this offbeat debut.
Spanish with subtitles, 89 minutes
Mexico / Spain Director: Rigoberto Pérezcano
An endless stretch of corrugated metal fencing and armed patrolmen aren't the only barriers keeping Andres from illegally jumping the Mexican border into the U.S. Failing at his first attempt, he is dumped into Tijuana, where two benevolent women care for him and vie for his attention, forcing him to confront issues beyond what it takes to survive a border crossing-questions of duty, family, and fidelity.
Spanish with subtitles, 95 minutes
Brazil / China / Hong Kong Director: Yu Lik Wai
This super-stylized, turbo-charged crime saga enters the dark heart of Liberdade, a gritty multiethnic neighborhood of SÃo Paulo. A fearsome Chinese outlaw called Yuda and his adopted son Kirin lord over this nest of rivaling gangs, corrupt politicians, and erotic dancers. When a conspiracy lands Yuda in jail, it’s up to Kirin to fight his father’s wars singlehandedly, but does Yuda really want his brutal empire saved?
Portuguese, English, Mandarin with subtitles, 118 minutes
Mexico Director: Julián Hernández
This strangely hypnotic tale follows a young man's quest for love through the seediest spots in contemporary Mexico City. Named best gay-themed feature at Berlin, the film creates a deeply sensual atmosphere by blending intense eroticism and arresting monochrome visuals. For art film lovers, the rewards are worth the challenge.
Spanish with subtitles, 191 minutes
Brazil Director: Paulo Pons
A little boy walking by the river in the rural south of Brazil stumbles on a woman-raped, battered, left for dead. Six months later in Rio de Janeiro, a fiery take-charge beauty named Carol finds herself falling for Miguel, a steely-eyed "gaucho" from the country. As their affair intensifies, the secret circumstances of their meeting are slowly revealed, propelling this sexy, sophisticated thriller to a shocking finish.
Portuguese with subtitles, 105 minutes
Chile Director: Sebastian Silva
Raquel has spent half her life as the live-in housekeeper and nanny for a family of six. Her ironfisted, borderline-OCD behavior keeps things running smoothly, but lately her snappishness is creating a strange tension in the household. Hoping to relieve her stress, the family brings in a second maid, but Raquel is prepared to defend her territory at all costs. This unpredictable, naturalistic gem was a top winner at Sundance.
Spanish with subtitles, 94 minutes
Mexico Directors: Juan Carlos Rulfo and Carlos Hagerman
This intimate documentary depicts the impact immigration has had on the families who have watched brothers, sons, and fathers leave Mexico in order to support their families. A film about nostalgia and longing for those who have left, Those Who Remain gently presents the gorgeous landscape of Mexico's ranchland and the quiet life of its inhabitants, those who have remained.
Spanish with subtitles, 96 minutes
USA Director: Sebastian Gutierrez
A pregnant porn star, a couple of call girls, a scorned psychiatrist, a teenage goth, a flight attendant with a crush on a famous passenger… the troubles of this cluster of LA women couldn't be more different, but on one crazy day feminine compassion will alter all of their lives. Devilish humor, razor-sharp scripting, and a knockout ensemble of talented actresses (including Carla Gugino, Connie Britton, and Marley Shelton) turn Trouble into pure pleasure.
94 minutes
