Southern District (2009), Juan Carlos Valdivia’s follow-up to American Visa (2005), is a bold, innovative film that explores the intricacies of Bolivian society in the wake of the recent political shake-up. Evo Morales, an Aymara Indian, was elected president of Bolivia in 2005. He was the first of the country’s indigenous majority to hold such high office and the dramatic shift in politics was to transform most Bolivians’ lives.
Through his portrayal of one upper-class family, Valdivia illuminates a country on the brink of social change and the effect this was to have on ordinary citizens’ lives.
Carola (Ninon Del Castillo) and her children live in the affluent suburb of Zone Sur in the foothills of La Paz – the highest capital in the world. Their two servants are Aymara Indians, the butler and chef, Wilson (Pascual Loayza), and house maid Marcelina (Viviana Condori) who also tends their lush garden.
The cameras are constantly revolving,...
Through his portrayal of one upper-class family, Valdivia illuminates a country on the brink of social change and the effect this was to have on ordinary citizens’ lives.
Carola (Ninon Del Castillo) and her children live in the affluent suburb of Zone Sur in the foothills of La Paz – the highest capital in the world. Their two servants are Aymara Indians, the butler and chef, Wilson (Pascual Loayza), and house maid Marcelina (Viviana Condori) who also tends their lush garden.
The cameras are constantly revolving,...
- 3/22/2011
- by Daniel Green
- CineVue
Guadalajara, Mexico -- Carlos Gaviria's Colombian road movie "Portraits in a Sea of Lies" and Nicolas Pereda's minimalist drama "Perpetuum Mobile," a Mexico-Canada co-production, took top honors on Friday at the 25th edition of the Guadalajara International Film Festival.
"Portraits," Gaviria's freshman feature, revolves around a mute teenager who discovers dark secrets of her past while on a road trip with her cousin. Produced by Producciones Erwin Goggel, the film is seeking international distribution. Actress Paola Baldion nabbed best actress.
The austere drama "Perpetuum Mobile," produced by En Chinga Films, marks the second big victory on the Mexican film circuit for Pereda. His previous work, "Donde Estan Sus Historias?" won the jury prize at the Morelia International Film Festival in 2007.
The jury gave best director nods to Mexican helmer Carlos Carrera for his ghost story "Of Childhood," while the Ibero-American prize went to Ecuadorian filmmaker Sebastian Cordero for "Rabia,...
"Portraits," Gaviria's freshman feature, revolves around a mute teenager who discovers dark secrets of her past while on a road trip with her cousin. Produced by Producciones Erwin Goggel, the film is seeking international distribution. Actress Paola Baldion nabbed best actress.
The austere drama "Perpetuum Mobile," produced by En Chinga Films, marks the second big victory on the Mexican film circuit for Pereda. His previous work, "Donde Estan Sus Historias?" won the jury prize at the Morelia International Film Festival in 2007.
The jury gave best director nods to Mexican helmer Carlos Carrera for his ghost story "Of Childhood," while the Ibero-American prize went to Ecuadorian filmmaker Sebastian Cordero for "Rabia,...
- 3/19/2010
- by By John Hecht
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Rating: 5/10
Writer/Director:Juan Carlos Valdivia
Actors:Ninón del Castillo, Pascual Loayza, Nicolás Fernández, Juan Pablo Koria, Mariana Vargas
Southern District tells the tale of an upper class Bolivian family struggling to uphold their way of life, despite the realities of their living. The classist, “ball-busting” mother Carola (Ninón del Castillo) who spends money she doesn’t have and fills the voids of an absent husband with an awkwardly close relationship to her son, Patricio (Juan Pablo Koria). Patricio has his own issues with his mother, as well as a few problems with drinking and gambling. This puts the rebellious sister and black sheep of the family, Bernarda (Mariana Vargas), at odds with her mother, who doesn’t quite agree with her daughter’s lesbian lifestyle. The only family member that everyone seems to get along with is the youngest son and brother Andres (Nicolás Fernández), who talks to his...
Writer/Director:Juan Carlos Valdivia
Actors:Ninón del Castillo, Pascual Loayza, Nicolás Fernández, Juan Pablo Koria, Mariana Vargas
Southern District tells the tale of an upper class Bolivian family struggling to uphold their way of life, despite the realities of their living. The classist, “ball-busting” mother Carola (Ninón del Castillo) who spends money she doesn’t have and fills the voids of an absent husband with an awkwardly close relationship to her son, Patricio (Juan Pablo Koria). Patricio has his own issues with his mother, as well as a few problems with drinking and gambling. This puts the rebellious sister and black sheep of the family, Bernarda (Mariana Vargas), at odds with her mother, who doesn’t quite agree with her daughter’s lesbian lifestyle. The only family member that everyone seems to get along with is the youngest son and brother Andres (Nicolás Fernández), who talks to his...
- 2/4/2010
- by James Wallace
- GordonandtheWhale
Sundance released their slate for 2010. It includes:43 documentaries on the Middle East12 films about friends who 'discover' something33 movies about people you've never heard about1 comedyHopefully the lineup this year is strong but it doesn't look that way compared to last year. Last year we had Push (Precious), that Lil Wayne documentary that never went anywhere, Mystery Team which might make my top ten, Moon, Mike Tyson documentary, Cold Souls. Just so much last January that was excellent. I hope I don't go out therer and freeze my tail off just to see...I don't know, a documentary about a former Pakistani prime minister or something silly like that.Here's the lineup so far: Premieres To showcase the diversity to contemporary independent cinema, the Sundance Film Festival Premieres section offers the latest work from American and international directors as well as world premieres of highly anticipated films. Presented by Entertainment Weekly.
- 12/3/2009
- LRMonline.com
I feel a special bond with the Sundance Film Festival. Not because I’ve been there, but because the guy in charge of it this year, John Cooper, shares my name. Because we share this bond, I feel that I’m able to take license in referring to the man as Coop for the rest of this article.
For the annual event held in Park City, Utah from January 21-31, thousands of films are submitted and screened — this year, 3,724 films were viewed by the festival’s ten programmers. I wonder when they slept.
Coop has high hopes for the festival as a whole:
“We may even be going into a golden age for independent films, in that the technology will make it possible for the films to be made and for audiences to see them. The industry is going through a major evolutionary stage right now, there’s no doubt about that,...
For the annual event held in Park City, Utah from January 21-31, thousands of films are submitted and screened — this year, 3,724 films were viewed by the festival’s ten programmers. I wonder when they slept.
Coop has high hopes for the festival as a whole:
“We may even be going into a golden age for independent films, in that the technology will make it possible for the films to be made and for audiences to see them. The industry is going through a major evolutionary stage right now, there’s no doubt about that,...
- 12/3/2009
- by John Cooper
- ReelLoop.com
Sundance released their slate for 2010. It includes:43 documentaries on the Middle East12 films about friends who 'discover' something33 movies about people you've never heard about1 comedyHopefully the lineup this year is strong but it doesn't look that way compared to last year. Last year we had Push (Precious), that Lil Wayne documentary that never went anywhere, Mystery Team which might make my top ten, Moon, Mike Tyson documentary, Cold Souls. Just so much last January that was excellent. I hope I don't go out therer and freeze my tail off just to see...I don't know, a documentary about a former Pakistani prime minister or something silly like that.Here's the lineup so far: U.S. Documentary Competition This year’s 16 films were selected from 862 submissions. Each film is a world premiere. Bhutto(Directors: Jessica Hernandez and Johnny O'Hara; Screenwriter: Johnny O'Hara)—A riveting journey through the life and work of recently assassinated Benazir Bhutto,...
- 12/3/2009
- LRMonline.com
The Sundance Film Festival has unveiled the lineup of films playing in competition from January 21 through January 31, 2010. The early fest typically debuts some of the best films the year has to offer, like 2009’s Precious, (500) Days of Summer, and Moon.
I’m bummed I won’t be in Park City, Utah next month because the lineup looks great, and these are just the films playing in competition. Here’s a few that stood out to me:
The Allen Ginsberg trial film Howl starring James Franco, a documentary by Alex Gibney (a truly great filmmaker) on Jack Abramoff, Mark Ruffalo’s directorial debut Sympathy for Delicious, a doc about Joan Rivers, the directorial debut of “How I Met Your Mother” star Josh Radnor titled Happythankyoumoreplease (I wrote a glowing script review of it here), Hesher with Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Natalie Portman, and Blue Valentine starring Ryan Gosling and Michelle Williams.
I...
I’m bummed I won’t be in Park City, Utah next month because the lineup looks great, and these are just the films playing in competition. Here’s a few that stood out to me:
The Allen Ginsberg trial film Howl starring James Franco, a documentary by Alex Gibney (a truly great filmmaker) on Jack Abramoff, Mark Ruffalo’s directorial debut Sympathy for Delicious, a doc about Joan Rivers, the directorial debut of “How I Met Your Mother” star Josh Radnor titled Happythankyoumoreplease (I wrote a glowing script review of it here), Hesher with Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Natalie Portman, and Blue Valentine starring Ryan Gosling and Michelle Williams.
I...
- 12/3/2009
- by Jeff Leins
- newsinfilm.com
Sundance Film Festival 2010 is a little over a month away and that means we can now bring you a list of the competition films that will be playing. Here you go boys and girls… enjoy!
Documentary Competition
“Blue Valentine” – Directed by Derek Cianfrance, written by Cianfrance, Cami Delavigne and Joey Curtis, a portrait of an American marriage that charts the evolution of a relationship over time. With Ryan Gosling, Michelle Williams, Mike Vogel, John Doman. “Douchebag” – Directed by Drake Doremus, written by Lindsay Stidham, Doremus, Jonathan Schwartz and Andrew Dickler, in which a man about to be married takes his younger brother on a wild goose chase to find the latter’s fifth-grade girlfriend. Features Dickler, Ben York Jones, Marguerite Moreau, Nicole Vicius, Amy Ferguson, Wendi McClendon-Covey. “The Dry Land” – Directed and written by Ryan Piers Williams, in which a returning U.S. soldier tries to reconcile his experiences overseas with his life in Texas.
Documentary Competition
“Blue Valentine” – Directed by Derek Cianfrance, written by Cianfrance, Cami Delavigne and Joey Curtis, a portrait of an American marriage that charts the evolution of a relationship over time. With Ryan Gosling, Michelle Williams, Mike Vogel, John Doman. “Douchebag” – Directed by Drake Doremus, written by Lindsay Stidham, Doremus, Jonathan Schwartz and Andrew Dickler, in which a man about to be married takes his younger brother on a wild goose chase to find the latter’s fifth-grade girlfriend. Features Dickler, Ben York Jones, Marguerite Moreau, Nicole Vicius, Amy Ferguson, Wendi McClendon-Covey. “The Dry Land” – Directed and written by Ryan Piers Williams, in which a returning U.S. soldier tries to reconcile his experiences overseas with his life in Texas.
- 12/3/2009
- by Scott
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Photo: Sundance Today the Sundance Institute announced the films that will be in competition at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival in both the U.S. and International dramatic and documentary categories. The festival will run from January 21-31 in Park City, Utah. There are a few changes this year as there will be no opening-night picture and the festival will take select festival films to eight cities during as the fest plays out.
Last year notable films such as this year's major Oscar contenders Precious and An Education debuted at Sundance 2009 as did audience and critical favorite (500) Days of Summer.
As for this year's crop I have highlighted a few titles among the list below in red, but I have primarily done so considering the names attached to the pictures not necessarily based on any advanced buzz I've heard around any of the films. Names to look out for include Ryan Gosling,...
Last year notable films such as this year's major Oscar contenders Precious and An Education debuted at Sundance 2009 as did audience and critical favorite (500) Days of Summer.
As for this year's crop I have highlighted a few titles among the list below in red, but I have primarily done so considering the names attached to the pictures not necessarily based on any advanced buzz I've heard around any of the films. Names to look out for include Ryan Gosling,...
- 12/2/2009
- by Brad Brevet
- Rope of Silicon
And the first announcement is upon us and includes quite a few movies we've already reported on.. What does that include?
The incredible looking Estonian drama The Temptation of St. Tony for which we got the exclusive trailer on a while ago. It's by Veiko Õunpuu who did the incredible Sügisball and I'm greatly looking forward to seeing this.
From Spencer Susser, the director of the incredible zombie short I love Sarah Jane comes Hesher, his first feature which stars Jgl!
David Michôd's Australian thriller Animal Kingdom which stars Guy Pearce.
From Taiki Waititi, director of Eagle vs Shark comes Boy which we previously reported on, but then it was known as The Volcano.
Full list after the break!
U.S. Documentary Competition
This year’s 16 films were selected from 862 submissions. Each film is a world premiere.
Bhutto (Directors: Jessica Hernandez and Johnny O'Hara; Screenwriter: Johnny O'Hara)—A riveting...
The incredible looking Estonian drama The Temptation of St. Tony for which we got the exclusive trailer on a while ago. It's by Veiko Õunpuu who did the incredible Sügisball and I'm greatly looking forward to seeing this.
From Spencer Susser, the director of the incredible zombie short I love Sarah Jane comes Hesher, his first feature which stars Jgl!
David Michôd's Australian thriller Animal Kingdom which stars Guy Pearce.
From Taiki Waititi, director of Eagle vs Shark comes Boy which we previously reported on, but then it was known as The Volcano.
Full list after the break!
U.S. Documentary Competition
This year’s 16 films were selected from 862 submissions. Each film is a world premiere.
Bhutto (Directors: Jessica Hernandez and Johnny O'Hara; Screenwriter: Johnny O'Hara)—A riveting...
- 12/2/2009
- QuietEarth.us
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