Mexican films in NYC

The Mexican Cultural Institute of NY is sponsoring six films that are being shown as part of the Havana Film Festival this year. I hope to catch Viaje Redondo and Heart of Time. The descriptions below are from their website:


"The HFFNY enters its 12th year with a program of award-winning films, panel discussions, and Q&A sessions with distinguished international directors, actors, and producers. The Mexican Cultural Institute is proud to support the six Mexican films presented this year:



BLATTANGELUS
Araceli Santana. Mexico. 2010.
Documentary. 70 min. U.S. Premiere

Since childhood, Jorge’s homosexuality had created a conflict that ended when he moved away from the precepts of his religion. But the counsel of a priest reconciles him with his faith and leads him to head a church that brings gays closer to a God who promotes responsibility and awareness of their freedom.

QUAD CINEMA, Saturday April 9, 5:30 pm - N.Y. Premiere - Q&A with Director
QUAD CINEMA, Tuesday April 12, 1:00 pm



CORAZÓN DEL TIEMPO / HEART OF TIME
Alberto Cortés. 2009.
Mexico/Spain. Fiction. 90 min. N.Y. Premiere.

In the middle of the Zapatista struggle in Chiapas, Sonia has been betrothed. But her passion for the rebel fighter Julio puts the security of her community and the rebels in jeopardy and Sonia will have to take on the struggles of love in the heart of time.

QUAD CINEMA, Friday April 8, 4:45 pm - N.Y. Premiere
QUAD CINEMA, Thursday April 14, 4:45 pm



TE EXTRAÑO / I MISS YOU
Fabián Hofman. 2010.
Mexico/Argentina. Fiction. 96 min. N.Y. Premiere.

Miss You explores adolescence and the birth of individual identity following Javier, a 15-year-old Argentinean boy who leaves his home for Mexico City burdened with the tragedy of his missing brother, a premature separation from his family and the weight of collective guilt.

QUAD CINEMA, Saturday April 9, 8:50 pm - N.Y. Premiere - Q&A with Director
QUAD CINEMA, Monday April 11, 3:00 pm


VIAJE REDONDO / ROUND TRIP
Gerardo Tort. 2009. Mexico.
Fiction. 102 min. N.Y. Premiere.

Two women who casually meet at the same bus stop are forced by circumstance to spend two nights together in an environment completely unknown to them. Despite their differences, they create bonds of sympathy, tenderness and friendship.

QUAD CINEMA, Sunday April 10, 7:10 pm - N.Y. Premiere - Q&A with Director
QUAD CINEMA, Tuesday April 12, 3:00 pm - N.Y. Premiere



VOLADORA / VOLADORA: A FLYING WOMAN
Chloe Campero. 2008.
Mexico. Documentary. 11 min.

An intimate portrait about a flying woman dancer from Veracruz who dreams of continuing “flying,” and a look at the communities of the Veracruz sierra and their mysticism, their festivities, their rituals and illusions.

King Juan Carlos I of Spain Center, Wednesday April 13, 6:00 pm
U.S. Premiere
FREE & Open to the Public



EL LLANTO DE LA TIERRA / THE CRYING OF THE EARTH
Lucio Olmos. 2008.
Mexico. Fiction. 8 min.

The film shows the damage people have done to the environment by its consumptive lifestyle and how the Totonac people respect their environment and the natural resources, which are so sacred to them.

King Juan Carlos I of Spain Center, Wednesday April 13, 6:00 pm
U.S. Premiere
FREE & Open to the Public



For more info and tickets visit www.hffny.com"

The holy trinity of Oaxaca

image of watercolor by Francisco Toledo via www.artealdia.com

No, I'm not talking about The Father, The Son and The Holy Ghost, although Catholicism is a very important part of Oaxacan spiritual life. It's the first Catholic place I've been where the churches are actually full all the time, for early morning mass, afternoon mass, even Saturday evening mass. It's an interesting brand of Catholicism mixed with the many and varied indigenous traditions of that part of Mexico.

The holy trinity I'm referring to are Rufino Tamayo, Francisco Toledo and Rodolfo Morales, three 20th Century Mexican artists who have worked tirelessly to revive Oaxaca's colonial towns, their markets, churches and craft spaces. Of the three, Toledo has had the most noticeable affect in Oaxaca City itself. This is not to downplay the effect that Tamayo and Morales have had on Oaxacan life. One need only visit Ocotlan to see what a huge impact one man can have, and I'll write about Morales's work there later. But Toledo is still alive and heavily involved in projects that bring attention to Oaxaca both at home in Mexico and abroad.

In Ciudad Oaxaca, Toledo started a foundation that renovated the Casa de Cortes, a beautiful colonial building that legend says Cortes lived in. (It's been determined that the house was built too late for this to be true, but legends are nice, aren't they? Perhaps he lived in a previous structure on this spot.) The renovation resulted in the Museo de Arte Contemporaneo de Oaxaca on the pedestrian Calle Alcala smack in the middle of town. Unfortunately, it was closed for restorations during our time there, but there were huge screens set up outside so that passers-by could wish Sr. Toledo a happy birthday.

Another even more impressive project has been the restoration of an old factory that is near a water source and formerly generated electricity for the area around San Agustin Etla. The space is now a beautiful museum with a papermaking workshop close by and a store that sells the paper products, all stunningly set in the hills a taxi ride from Ciudad Oaxaca. We spent a wonderful afternoon there:

The front of the former hydroelectric plant with water elements incorporated on the sides of the steps


A textile on display (embiggen to see how magnificent the embroidery is)


Up on the 2nd floor terrace -- pottery and remnants of the former plant


A fantastic sculpture show by Gustavo Perez (again, embiggen for details)


The tienda where you can buy kites and other paper products from the workshop


These are just a few of the many projects Sr. Toledo has overseen or funded. But you don't have to travel to Oaxaca to see this wonderful artist. If you are in New York this summer, you can see an exhibit at the Cervantes Institute called The Fantastic Zoology of Francisco Toledo which is based on the book by Juan Luis Borges. I plan to visit next week when I will be in town running errands and will let you know what you can see if you visit yourself!