Explore a different Have an idea for a story? Let us know! Contact: Cheryl Minns, Art Editor Marts@theotherpress.ca side of cinema » Vancouver Latin American Film Festival celebrates 13th year Idrian Burgos Senior Columnist he Vancouver Latin American Film Festival (VLAFF) is known for bringing the best and most unique of Latin American cinema to audiences in our part of the world. Now in its 13th year, the festival will be screening films across Vancouver until September 13. This year’s festival looks to be as brilliant as previous years, with a distinctive mix of festival charmers, movie debuts, and reel classics. These include the crime thrillers El Patrén, Anatomy of a Crime; A Wolf at the Door; and To Kill a Man; the youth dramas Los Hongos and Seashore; the ensemble studies La Salada, Natural Philosophy of : Love, and A Moonless Night; and : : the documentaries The Madness : : Among Us, Hotel Nueva Isla, The : : Pawn, Daughter of the Lake, and : Eyes Wide Open. With these films, : you can expect to see : familiar Latin American : film traits, such as natural : locations, unconventional : cinematography, and dual-level : themes—one that touches on : the political, historical, and : economic realities of the region, : : and another that explores : human existence, its virtues : and vices. Two of the films feature : world-recognised stars: Gael : Garcia Bernal and Alice Braga : in the Mesopotamian Western : El Ardor, and Geraldine Chaplin : : in the drama Sand Dollars. Mexico is the featured : country at this year’s VLAFF, which includes a retrospective on Juan Antonio de la Riva, one of the few Mexican directors : who continued working during : a low period in the country’s : cinema. He is also serving as a : festival judge this year. Latin : America-oriented Canadian : movies, indigenous movies from : BC and Mexico, plus the usual : short film competition and : Youth Jury round up this year’s : VLAFF. Festivals on Latin American : cinema help expose audiences : to perspectives and experiences : they might not know any other : way. The varied and multiple : genres, stories, and outlooks in :; these movies enable us to see : a different corner of the world : on its own terms, and through : it a different perception of the : whole world. Explore Colombian culture through the eyes of its citizens » Travelling film festival comes to Douglas College Cheryl Minns Arts Editor Marts @theotherpress.ca D ouglas College has taken part in the Vancouver Latin American Film Festival (VLAFF) since 2011, hosting Latin American film screenings and international guest speakers at the New Westminster campus as part of the festival. But this year the college welcomes films and speakers from a travelling Colombian film festival, Festival Itinerante De Artes Audiovisuales Colombianas (FIDAAC), which is running in conjunction with the 13th annual VLAFF. “Our festival wants to show the growing up of the cinematographic industry : in Colombia,” said Aurélie : : Carmouze, one of the festival : : directors. “To show another : image than what people have : about Colombia.” There are two film screening events at Douglas : College this year. The first : screening on September : g will be held in the New : Westminster concourse : at 7 p.m., featuring a : documentary on peace- : making in Colombia titled : Pacifista! and a series of one- : minute films made by young : Colombians titled Antioquia : and Medellin in 1 Minute. : The second screening on : September 14 will take place : in Room 1614 at the New : Westminster campus at 2:30 : p.m., featuring a collection of : : Colombian short films titled : : Protective Environments and : a1977 pseudo-documentary : about Colombia titled The : Vampires of Poverty. “Pacifista! is a : documentary that says, : ‘Hey look! This man is : working for peace. This : community is working for : peace. This family is working : : for peace. Peace is on the : way,” Carmouze said. “It’s : something really positive : and we are really proud to : have this screening here in : Douglas College.” Another highlight : from the screenings is the : one-minute films that are : made by young Colombians : including students, showing : the world as they see it. : Carmouze explained that it : will show Douglas College : students a new view of Colombia and allow them to : see what kinds of projects : students their age are : creating in another country. The festival’s directors, : festival is to make an : exchange, to make a dialogue : : with students from Douglas : College, and to speak about : Colombia’s situation and : compare it with here,” : Carmouze said. : be screening films : across Vancouver at The : : Cinematheque and Vancouver : : Public Library Central : : Branch. Among these films : are Buenaventura Boys, : about three teenaged friends : pursuing a musical career, : and Good People (Gente de : bien), about a 10-year-old : boy who goes to live with his : estranged father. This issue: ( Explore a different side of cinema (¥Y Sherlock Holmes faces facts (Y Geekenders present spot-on impressions and parodies in ‘Not the Bees!’ And more! eCity Spanish, Dl Strath subtitles, Free event ee UR e lL Gh VANCOUVER LATIN AMERICAN BER Oat wes Ue Cancourse , 2nd floor COMES TO DOUGLAS COLLEGE, viafforg a ITINERANTE 7 ee ees eee DB NEW WESTMINSTER CAMPUS che le ea Meee tht ty : Carmouze and Jorge Parra of : Colombia, will be attending : the Douglas College : screenings to offer insight : on the films and to answer : questions from the audience. “The objective of our FIDAAC will also Along with films, : the festival includes two : photography exhibitions at : the James Black Gallery in : Vancouver: Assita by Daniel : Gonzalez and Todos Somos : Buenos (Everyone is Good) by : José Alejandro Gonzalez. Todos Somos Buenos : features photographs from : José’s web series of the : Same name in which he : documented his journey : from New York to Bogota and : the people he met along the : way. The web series will be : screening on September 12 at 7 p.m. at the James Black ; Gallery. FIDAAC will run until : September 14 with screenings : and events across the Lower : Mainland. For more information, : check out the festival’s : website at FIDAAC-Festival. : com.