It will offer a special preview of ‘In The Heights’ based on Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Broadway musical hit.
With pandemic protocols relaxing, the Los Angeles Latino International Film Festival will be returning with a mix of virtual programming and in-person screenings in Hollywood June 2 through 6.
LALIFF has announced a hybrid lineup featuring more than 40 films in English, Spanish and Portuguese that include 18 features, 6 episodic series and 24 shorts. The selections hail from about a dozen countries from the Americas, from the U.S. down to Tierra del Fuego and also the Caribbean.
Opening the fest is 7th & Union, an American dramatic feature about a Mexican immigrant ex-fighter whose friendship with a disgruntled man could save the boxer and his family. Debuting worldwide at LALIFF, the film stars famed Mexican actor Omar Chaparro who appeared in the comedy No Manches Frida that had wide distribution in American theaters. It is directed by the upcoming filmmaker Anthony Nardolillo (Shine) and written by Oscar Orlando Torres (Instructions not Included). A binational co-production, the film is produced by USA’s 13 Paces and Mango Tree and Mexico’s Broken English. Co-starring the film are Edy Ganem, Julian Obradors, Gregg Daniel and Lee Coc. The opening screening will take place at the historic TCL Chinese Theatre.
The festival’s line up includes Rita Moreno: A Girl Who Decided to Go for It, the documentary about Academy-Award winner Rita Moreno, directed by Mariem Perez Riera and winner of Sundance Film Festival’s Grand Jury Prize in the documentary category; Bridges, the debut feature by director and actress Maria Corina Ramirez (Grown); the documentaries American Exile by John J. Valadez, Landfall by Cecilia Aldarondo and Fruits of Labor by Emily Cohen Ibañez; and Jonathan Cuarta’s My Heart Can’t Beat Unless You Tell It to, a horror drama that was an official selection of the Tribeca Festival last year.
Those attending the fest will also get to see a special preview of the highly anticipated musical film In the Heights. Directed by Jon M. Chu (Crazy Rich Asians), the film is based on the Broadway musical hit with music and lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda (Hamilton, the Broadway musical) and a book by Quiara Alegría Hudes. The story takes place in New York’s largely Dominican neighborhood of Washington Heights. The screening will take place June 4, five days before the film’s showcase at the Tribeca Film Festival’s World Premiere and a week before its release in theaters and on HBO Max.
Featured films include Colombia’s Between Fire and Water, Brazil’s Executive Order, Argentina’s La Botera, Mexico’s Nudo Mixteco, Dominican Republic’s Papi, Panama’s Something Blue, and Peru’s The Best Families.
The majority of the fest’s selections are American, which also include Green Ghost, Landfall and Blursday, the latter a co-production with Taiwan.
Closing the film will be Women is Losers, another American selection. Set in working-class San Francisco of the ’60s, the coming-of-age drama marks the directorial debut of Lissette Feliciano, who also wrote the screenplay. Starring Once Upon a Time in Hollywood’s Lorenza Izzo, it tells the story of a once-promising catholic schoolgirl who rises above the oppression of poverty and invests in a future for herself setting new precedents for the time. Simu Liu, who will make history this fall with his lead role in Marvel’s Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, also stars in the film.
LALIFF is an annual project of the nonprofit Latino Film Institute. Last year’s fest was held online because of the pandemic.
“As we begin to finally see some normalcy in our lives, we are thrilled to be able to commemorate our 20th anniversary by bringing Angelenos together, safely, to celebrate our community of talented storytellers that so need our support,” says Academy-Award nominated actor and LALIFF founder Edward James Olmos. “This past year has been hard for everyone, and we are excited to continue to support and provide a platform to these creators that despite all odds, continued to create art.”
Fest organizers hope the hybrid screenings will allow the event to reach a wide audience. “After such a challenging year LALIFF comes stronger than ever, with a diverse program that is testament to the creativity and resilience of our artists,” says Diana Cadavid, the fest’s artistic director who assumed her position last year at the beginning of the pandemic. “Our combination of in-person and virtual events is designed to enhance our viewership experience and to ensure that everyone can enjoy the rich offering of films, episodics, music and art that we have carefully curated.”
For a complete movie lineup, schedule and tickets, visit www.laliff.org.
Featured Photo: In The Heights (Credit: LALIFF)
