The Mexican film Perdida will kick off the Hola Mexico Film Festival, which will feature over 20 films during its 13 annual edition Sept. 17 through 25 in Los Angeles.
Directed by Jorge Michel Grau, the suspense drama centered on a new conductor of the Mexico City Philharmonic whose wife’s mysterious disappearance when the couple moved to the Mexican capital. Perdida was nominated to the Ariel Awards this year for Best Screenplay Adapted from Another Source–the award is reportedly considered Mexico’s equivalent of the Oscars. Perdida is a remake of the Colombian movie La Cara Oculta.
The fest’s 2021 edition will mark a return to in-person screenings allowed under pandemic protocols. Apparently, anti-Covid measures could be working as the latest news reported a drop in the number of Delta infections in California.
“Although Hola México Film Festival continued in 2020 in a virtual format, we deeply missed the irreplaceable communal experience of being with each other to showcase the strength and diversity of Mexican cinema,” says Samuel Douek, founder and director. “Through the enduring power of the cinematic arts community, we are absolutely thrilled to welcome back film lovers and finally be able to gather and embrace in-person during the 2021 Hola México Film Festival,” He adds, “We look forward to helping ensure that Mexican filmmaking continues to grow and prosper for years to come.”
The festival will take place at Regal Cinemas LA Live while the opening and closing ceremonies are scheduled to take place in the outdoors of the LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes–both venues are located in downtown Los Angeles.
Founded in 2008 and dubbed by organizers as the “largest Mexican film festival outside of the Mexican territory,” the event features recent, acclaimed films from the nation south of the border. The films are presented under four sections titled “México Ahora,” “Documental,” “El Otro México” and “Nocturno.” “México Ahora” features movies released in recent years and from various genres while “El Otro Mexico” highlights experiences of Mexicans rarely portrayed on screen, skillfully presenting perceptive narratives that challenge the status quo, according to fest organizers. “Nocturno” is a horror films section.
This year’s program features the films Estanislao, Ricochet, Sin Señas Particulares, Hijo de Monarcas, La Vocera, Los Lobos, Blast Beat, Todo lo Invisible, Ok Está Bien, Colozio, Madres, Sin Origen, Volverte a Ver, Juego de las Llaves Episode 1, Cosas que no Hacemos, Rendez Vous and Volverte a Ver, Los Dias que no Estuve, Cosas Imposibles and El Exorcismo de Carmen Farias.
All the feature screenings will be preceded shorts from Latino filmmakers from the Americas, including the United States.
Closing the festival will be Chilangolandia by director Carlos Santos. The movie title is a playful moniker used for Mexico’s capital city. The film weaves various stories, some funny and others stereotype-defying. Ramiro is a taxi driver who hopes his problems will end when his nephew “El Chulo” becomes a national soccer star. On the other hand, Carmen and Miguel feel blessed to have unexpectedly received a suitcase with a large sum of money that could resolve their financial situation until the true owners appear to reclaim their cash.
For more tickets and more information, www.holamexicoff.com.
Featured Photo: Perdida (Credit: Hola Mexico)
