Twelve titles to compete in Zinemaldia's Horizontes Latinos section

The “Horizontes Latinos” programme at the 60th edition of the San Sebastian Festival includes the works of twelve filmmakers from Argentina, Mexico, Chile, Brazil, Uruguay and Colombia. It comprises a selection of films to have competed or been presented at important international festivals, but which have not yet been screened at a Spanish festival or commercially released in our country.

All the selected films will compete for the Horizontes Award, carrying 35,000 euros.

INFANCIA CLANDESTINA (CLANDESTINE CHILDHOOD), Benjamín Ávila (Argentina-Spain-Brazil)
Opening film
This feature debut by the Argentinian Benjamín Ávila bagged the Casa de America Award at "Films in Progress" 2011 in San Sebastian, and was later presented at the Cannes "Directors’ Fortnight". A moving tale of false passports, hiding places in the garage, sudden house changes, made-up birthdays, secret visits to your grandmother. The story of a boy who learns how to live and to survive.

AQUÍ Y ALLÁ, Antonio Méndez Esparza (Mexico-Spain-USA)
The feature debut by Antonio Méndez Esparza landed the Cannes "Critics’ Week" award. Here we follow the tale of Pedro, a married man with two daughters who tries to make a living playing music with his group on returning to Mexico after a long absence. The years of distance from his roots have changed both himself and the people he was eager to meet again.

EL BELLA VISTA (THE BELLA VISTA), Alicia Cano (Uruguay-Germany)
A documentary about the story of a house starting as a football club, becoming a successful transvestite brothel only to be changed into a catholic chapel, all in a small conservative village in Uruguay.

LA DEMORA (THE DELAY), Rodrigo Plá (Uruguay-Mexico-France)
This third movie by the Uruguayan Rodrigo Plá (La zona, Desierto adentro) presented in the "Forum" section of the Berlin Festival looks at the conflict of a woman obliged to take care of her 80 year-old father who suffers from memory loss following an illness.

DESPUÉS DE LUCÍA (AFTER LUCIA), Michel Franco (Mexico)
Winner of the "Un certain regard" award at the Festival de Cannes, this new film by Michel Franco focusses on a teenager bullied by her classmates. Unable to tell her father the truth, her silence will have dire consequences.

ERA UMA VEZ VERONICA (ONCE UPON A TIME VERONICA), Marcelo Gomes (Brazil)
New film by Marcelo Gomez, participant with his first movie Cinema, aspirinas e urubus (Cinema, Aspirins and Vultures)in "Films in Progress" 2004 before competing in the "Un certain regard" section of the Festival de Cannes and "Horizontes Latinos" in 2005. This film, participant in last year’s "Films in Progress" at San Sebastian, revolves around Veronica, a 26 year old asked by her father to do him a last favour: to find the love of her life.

JOVEN Y ALOCADA (YOUNG AND WILD), Marialy Rivas (Chile)
Following its screening in San Sebastian’s "Films in Progress" section last year, this directorial debut by Chilean director Marialy Rivas garnered the Best Screenplay award in the "World Cinema" section at Sundance and was selected in the "Generation" section of the Berlin Festival. The portrait of an 17 year old girl with a Evangelic family upbringing which, rebel by nature, will discover a devastating obstacle to follow the "right path".

POST TENEBRAS LUX, Carlos Reygadas (Mexico-France – Germany - Holland)
Latest work by Carlos Reygadas (Batalla en el cielo, Stellet Licht/Luz silenciosa), one of the best known Mexican filmmakers on the international scene. This competing film in the Official Selection at the Festival de Cannes, winner of its Best Director Award, describes the life of Juan and his family in a country house, a world apart of pleasure and suffering. Non-one knows if these two worlds are complementary or if they strive to eliminate one another.

LA PLAYA (LA PLAYA), Juan Andrés Arango (Colombia-Brazil-France)
This directorial debut by the Columbian Juan Andrés Arango competed in the "Un certain regard" section at the latest Festival de Cannes after having participated in "Films in Progress" at San Sebastian last year. Tomas is a black youth trying to make his way in Bogota. Looking for his young brother Jairo, he sets out on a journey that will test his ability to deal with the fear and wounds of the past.

SALSIPUEDES (SALSIPUEDES), Mariano Luque (Argentina)
Having been a project selected for "Films in Progress" at Toulouse and festivals like Cannes and the BAFICI in Buenos Aires, this directorial debut by the Argentinian Mariano Luque was presented in Berlin Festival’s "Forum" section. The film follows Carmen and her husband Rafa on a camping day of their holidays, which they cannot enjoy...

LA SIRGA (LA SIRGA), William Vega (Colombia-Mexico-France)
Directorial debut from the Colombian William Vega screened as part of the "Directors’ Fortnight" in Cannes after having won the Films in Progress award at the Toulouse Festival. This is the story of Alicia, a woman stripped of her belongings who seeks shelter at La Sirga, the boarding house belonging to her Uncle Oscar on La Cocha Lake. La Sirga too is affected by the war: Freddy, Oscar’s son, returns. Believing herself to be safe, Alicia doesn’t realise that what she fears most now lives in her house.

EL ÚLTIMO ELVIS (THE LAST ELVIS), Armando Bo (Argentina-USA)
With his feature debut, the director, producer and screenwriter Armando Bo competed at the Sundance Festival and opened the BAFICI in Buenos Aires. The film stars Carlos, a divorced singer who believes himself to be Elvis reincarnated now obliged to take care of his daughter. On a journey of madness and music, Carlos will have to choose between his dream of being Elvis and his family.