Vancouver Latin American Film Festival Announces 2024 Lineup--September 5-15, 2024.

Vancouver, BC– The 22nd edition of the Vancouver Latin American Film Festival (VLAFF) will take place in theatres from September 5-15, 2024. Presenting more than 90 films from 17 countries in 11 languages (always with English subtitles), VLAFF is one of the largest and longest-running Latin American film festivals in North America. VLAFF programs the largest section of Latin-Canadian cinema, with 18 films created by Canadian talent.

The festival will take place at various venues in downtown Vancouver: SFU Woodward’s, The Cinematheque, and Cineworks (a cozy venue in the same building as The Cinematheque), as well as a day of co-presentation screenings with the Vancouver Queer Film Festival on Saturday, September 14 at the Cineplex Odeon International Village Cinemas.

OPENING NIGHT FILM

We are pleased to kick off our OPENING NIGHT activities at SFU Woodward’s on September 5th with the screening of LA SUPREMA (Colombia), the first feature by director FELIPE HOLGUÍN CARO, who will be in attendance. A film brimming with irrepressible energy, La Suprema is set in a remote village in the Caribbean region of Colombia and follows the story of a strong-willed teenager who convinces her whole town to find a way of watching her estranged uncle compete in a world championship boxing match.

Premiered at TIFF in 2023, LA SUPREMA won the Audience Award at the Cartagena Film Festival.

CLOSING NIGHT FILM & SPOTLIGHT ON ÁNGELES CRUZ

For CLOSING NIGHT we spotlight the work of director, actor, and activist ÁNGELES CRUZ (Ñuu Savi, Oaxaca, México), screening her latest film VALENTINA OR THE SERENITY, which is her second feature film. As part of the spotlight, we will also present her first feature film NUDO MIXTECO (Youth Jury Award at VLAFF and Ariel Award for Best First Film, Mexican Film Academy, 2022), as well as one of her most celebrated short films THE DOLDRUMS OR HOW TO CURE SADNESS (Ariel Award for Best Short Film, Mexican Film Academy, 2012). The films of ÁNGELES CRUZ have been selected in major film festivals such as TIFF, Rotterdam, and San Sebastián, receiving numerous nominations, and on three occasions have won the Ariel Awards at the Mexican Film Academy Awards.

SPECIAL PRESENTATION

We are thrilled to present the Canadian premiere of the comedy-drama SIGN HERE by Vancouver Film School graduate ENRIQUE VÁZQUEZ, starring the popular Mexican actor REGINA BLANDÓN. Both will be in attendance to present the screening of this wacky, high-spirited feature based on the premise that the ideal love relationship should only last 4 years.

CANADA LOOKS SOUTH

Latin-Canadian Cinema

Throughout more than two decades, VLAFF has become a primary showcase for Latin-Canadian cinema.

This year we welcome Toronto-based artist JORGE LOZANO (Governor General's Awards in Visual and Media Arts, 2020) to present the world premiere of his new film FIELDS OF PRESENCE, a deep and vibrant work, both sonically and visually, which creates a circular dialogue between the director and his daughter, Briana Sarita Lozano, who was murdered in Victoria, BC in 2021, in a case that still remains unsolved. Jorge Lozano will be in attendance to present the film.

We will also present the latest feature by Vancouver-based director, ALFONSO QUIJADA, who will be in attendance to introduce his second feature film, TOMORROW BEFORE AFTER. This technically innovative, futuristic thriller stars NATALIA REYES (known for her work in TERMINATOR: DARK FATE, 2019). The film has the unique option of being presented with either English or Spanish narration, and so we will be offering two distinct viewing experiences.

As part of Canada Looks South, we are pleased to highlight short films by local directors, including works by Vancouver-based director-actor MARLENE CASTAÑOS who will present the premiere of her short

TERESA'S CHOICE; GABRIEL SOUZA NUNES with PASSIFLORA; JAVIER BADILLO with LUPE Q AND THE GALACTIC CORN CAKE.

Curated by Akira Iahtail and Masa’n Galindo, the shorts program OFFERINGS OF LIFE will highlight the work of Indigenous filmmakers from Canada and Latin America, including a screening of the stop-motion film TINY narrated by ‘Nakwaxda’xw Elder Colleen Hemphill and created by Vancouver Island-based filmmakers 

RITCHIE HEMPHILL & RYAN HACHÉ.

COLOMBIAN CINEMA

This year VLAFF celebrates the breadth of Colombian cinema with more than 10 Colombian productions.

In addition to LA SUPREMA, we will present the North American premiere of BRIDGES OVER THE SEA, with director PATRICIA AYALA in attendance, and AL SABOR AFRO with producer NATALIA YASMIN RODRIGUEZ GARAVITO in attendance. Another gem is the screening of the 1977 classic THE VAMPIRES OF POVERTY, a medium-length mockumentary directed by Cali artists LUIS OSPINA and CARLOS MAYOLO, which offers a scathing critique of filmmakers who exploit the suffering in Latin America as a subject to win film prizes in Europe.

COMPETITION SECTIONS

Seven films chosen from over 90 submissions will compete in the NEW DIRECTORS COMPETITION.

The titles include: OUTSIDER GIRLS dir. Alexandra Hyland (Chile); SKIN IN SPRING dir. Yennifer Uribe Alzate (Colombia); OPEN SKY dir. Felipe Esparza (Peru); GUIÁN dir. Nicole Chi Amén (Costa Rica); ALL THE FIRES dir. Mauricio Calderon Rico (Mexico); MILONGA dir. Laura González (Uruguay); and FOUR SEASONS OF YOUTH dir. Essi Rafael (Brazil).

The 2024 VLAFF YOUTH JURY is made up of 21 young filmmakers, students, and artistic creators based in BC and Latin America who will engage in online dialogues with all of the directors and choose the winner of the YOUTH CHOICE AWARD FOR BEST NEW DIRECTOR that comes with a prize of $2,500 CAD.

Selected from over 200 submissions from across Latin America, 15 short films will compete in the SHORT FILM COMPETITION. A jury of film professionals will select the winning short with a prize of $750 CAD.

QUEER PIX

We are excited to partner with the VANCOUVER QUEER FILM FESTIVAL to present three screenings on Saturday, September 14—the closing weekend of VLAFF and the opening of VQFF—featuring a Shorts Program: QUERIDE, VERA AND THE PLEASURE OF OTHERS (Argentina); THIS IS BALLROOM (Brazil), followed by the FUEGO/FOGO PARTY with Latine DJs and live music at THE BIRDHOUSE.

In addition, we will be screening the darkly twisted comedy ROTTING IN THE SUN by the boundary-pushing Chilean director SEBASTIÁN SILVA.

¡ASÍ SUENA! MUSIC NIGHTS

Begun in 2022 to encourage audiences to come back to the cinema, we welcome everyone to enjoy free live music by local artists at our ¡ASÍ SUENA! MUSIC NIGHTS in the Cinematheque courtyard on Friday - Sunday evenings at 7:45pm, as well as enjoy drinks and snacks by donation. Music offerings this year will include salsa, samba, Latin classical guitar compositions, son jarocho, DJ sets, Andean tunes, and feature incredible local talent from Wasakaka All Stars, Sara Magal, Caro Silva, Millie Wissar, Nadim Woolgar, Trevor Stewart, and more!

Festival Passes, Ticket Packs and Individual tickets are on sale now.

Complete Official Selection available at: vlaff.org

About the Vancouver Latin American Film Festival:

VLAFF is a registered charitable organization and the largest annual festival of Latin American film in Canada. The festival promotes dialogue among cultures and explores the art of contemporary Latin American cinema through the eyes of its filmmakers. Since 2003, VLAFF has provided audiences with the unique opportunity to watch inspiring films and interact with guest filmmakers from across Latin America and the diaspora. For more information please visit: http://www.vlaff.org.