[Lasnetmail] Melbourne Latin American Film Festival 28 Feb to 3 March

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Media Release - Melbourne Latin American Film Festival 28 Feb to 3 MarchMelbourne Filmoteca presents:
2008 MELBOURNE LATIN AMERICAN FILM FESTIVAL


at Cinema Nova 
Thursday 28 February to Monday 3 March
 
OFFICIAL MEDIA LAUNCH, FRIDAY 15 FEBRUARY 


Like the legend of Che Guevara or Maradona's drug habit, the Melbourne Latin American Film Festival just keeps growing! This year, the festival's diverse and exciting program boasts no less than 30 films from 13 countries, screening over five days. 
 
Since its inception in 2004 (when it showed five films over four days) MLAFF has gained a reputation for its consistently creative, entertaining, eclectic and daring programs, running the gamut of documentaries, features and shorts...as well as sell-out opening-night fiestas (the hottest ticket in town, amigos!), special after-parties, and Q & A sessions with directors. 
 
Indeed, your main challenge with the 2008 Melbourne Latin American Film Festival will be clearing your calendar so you don't miss anything! 


The stunning opening night film Postcards from Leningrad (Postales de Leningrado) - winner of best feature at the 2007 Biarritz Latin American Film Festival and Venezuela's entry in the Academy
Awards - and the fiesta that follows it, complete with Latin music, nibblies, beer and piñatas.

. All sorts of fab feature films you're unlikely to see anywhere else in town: Bolivian indie gem The Most Beautiful of My Very Best Years (Lo más bonito y mis mejores años), Chilean classic The Jackal of Nahueltoro (El Chacal de Nahueltoro), Peruvian children's animation Dragons (Dragones), touching Mexican doco The Old Thieves (Los ladrones viejos), quirky Argentinean comedy Jews in Space (Judíos en el espacio).

. El Cantante, the long-awaited biopic of salsa legend Héctor Lavoe, starring modern-day salsa hero Marc Antony (not to mention J-Lo and her endlessly magnificent hairstyles!) - and a special postfilm
fiesta where you can shake, shimmy and sizzle to the sounds of local group San Lázaro.

. An absorbing documentary program spanning such topics as Evo Morales' rise to power (Cocalero), Maori rap through Latin America (Ngahati), surf culture amongst Rio de Janeiro's favela-dwellers (Surfing Favela), and the notorious serial killings of Ciudad Juarez (Bajo Juarez),to name but a few.

. Our very own Latin-flavoured 'Freaky Friday' sessions, for audiences of - ahem - less delicate sensibilities. Controversial Brazilian horror auteur Zé do Caixão (Coffin Joe) gets a rare Australian
outing; while Porno, an Argentinean doco about (you guessed it) the making of a skin-flick, will challenge and fascinate you.

. Director Q & A sessions following documentaries Thee Second Conquest (La segunda conquista),about the struggle to protect Patagonia from multinational greed; and Secrets of the Struggle (Secretos de la lucha), one woman's journey to the dark heart of Uruguay's traumatic past.

. Some wild and wonderful short films about everything from a hitwoman with a heart, to Melbourne's own St Kilda Pier.

All films with English subtitles. Admission 18+ (except Dragones, which is rated G).


To be shown at the media launch...

Postales de Leningrado
Being the daughter of a guerrilla in 1960s Venezuela isn't easy: just ask la Niña, narrator of Postales de Leningrado. Together with her cousin Teo, she copes with her clandestine life by reinventing it as a game of childish make-believe and super-heroes. However, sometimes reality impinges, and la Niña's fantasy world is threatened by uncertainty and fear.
 
Snaffled before MIFF could get their hands on it, the Melbourne Latin American Film Festival is especially proud to present Postales de Leningrado, a prize-winning feature by the exciting young Venezuelan director Mariana Rondón. 

For MEDIA/PUBLICITY ENQUIRIES, please contact:
Nicola Anderson (Filmoteca) on 0408 216 847 or at nicola.anderson at melbournefilmoteca.org
Melody Chew (Cinema Nova) on 9347 2573 or at melody at cinemanova.com.au

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