The AFI Latin American Film Festival will return to Silver Spring September 16-October 7, bringing 43 films from 21 countries to the AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center.
Now in its 37th year, the festival celebrates Latin American cinema during National Hispanic Heritage Month. According to AFI, this year’s lineup includes 12 U.S. and North American premieres, along with filmmaker Q&As and special receptions.
Opening the festival will be the U.S. premiere of “The Match,” an Argentine documentary revisiting the 1986 World Cup match between Argentina and England in which Diego Maradona scored his controversial “Hand of God” goal. Directed by Juan Cabral and Santiago Franco, the film combines rare archival footage, narration by players Gary Lineker and Jorge Valdano, and new accounts from other players who participated in the match.
This year’s centerpiece selections are Diego Luna’s “Ashes” and Manuela Martelli’s “The Meltdown.” “Ashes” follows a young Mexican woman who travels to Spain with her brother to reunite with their mother. “The Meltdown” is a coming-of-age thriller set in post-Pinochet Chile, where a child staying at her grandparents’ resort begins to witness uncomfortable truths about her family.
The festival will close with Pedro Almodóvar’s “Bitter Christmas,” which follows parallel stories of two filmmakers struggling with creative drought and the boundaries of artistic inspiration.
Other highlights include “Nothing Between Us,” a romantic comedy starring Gael García Bernal and Natalia Oreiro; “La Perra,” about a seaweed harvester’s bond with an abandoned dog in coastal Chile; and “Bajañí,” a music documentary featuring flamenco, jazz and Brazilian music.
Several screenings will feature appearances by filmmakers. Scheduled Q&As include Álvaro Olmos Torrico for “The Condor Daughter” on September 17, Jorge Thielen Armand for “Death Has No Master” on September 24, and Arturo López Rodas for “Vertices” on September 28.
Jonás Cuarón will participate in a Q&A for “Campeón Gabacho” on October 2, followed by a reception sponsored by the Mexican Cultural Institute. Samuel Urbina will also appear for “That Shadow Fading” on October 4, with a reception sponsored by the Embassy of Peru. A reception sponsored by the Embassy of Chile will follow “The Meltdown” on October 6.
The lineup also includes “Papaya,” a dialogue-free Brazilian animated film about a curious seed traveling through a rainforest, and “Milly: Queen of Merengue,” a musical biopic exploring the beginnings of singer Milly Quezada’s career.
The complete schedule, tickets and festival passes are available through the AFI Silver Theatre’s festival website.
