Red Hot Chile Festival: Film Chile 2008

From a doc on Chile's first female prez to a comedy about weed smuggling high school girls, this fest's got something for eveyone.

By Kevin Craft

If you've never taken a moment to consider the thematic elements or aesthetic tendencies of Chilean cinema, you may want to clear some space on your calendar. Starting Wednesday, September 10, Film Chile 2008 will present six of the best Chilean films from the past two years, giving Miamians a chance to experience this burgeoning national cinema first hand.

From a documentary on Chile's first female president to a comedy involving the creative techniques two Catholic school girls employed to smuggle marijuana, the festival's films vary in topic and seek to address conflicting aspects of this vibrant and diverse country.

The festival kicks off with director Shai Agosin introducing his first feature film, El Brindis, a drama that explores ethnic diversity within an estranged family. The documentary Calla Sante Fe, an official selection of the New York Film Festival, follows the widow of an influential revolutionary as she visits the spot where her husband was gunned down and ponders the ramifications of their political movement. The gorgeously shot drama Desierto Sur follows a Spanish swimmer trying to fulfill her deceased mother's last wish by scattering her ashes in a remote desert town. The offbeat comedy Malta Con Huevo documents the hijinxes that ensue after an obsessive compulsive and a notable slacker move in together; it played at the 2008 Miami International Film Festival. The comedy Normal Con Alas is based on the memoirs of several women currently involved in Chilean high society, and it slyly examines how two Catholic teenagers build a marijuana empire within their high school and the consequences they experience once a classmate discovers their secret.

Film buffs and casual filmgoers alike would be remiss to skip this opportunity to view some of the best films from a national cinema that will certainly be heard from in the future.

To view a complete schedule or purchase advanced tickets, visit www.filmchilemiami.com or hear a complete schedule by calling 305-374-0697

Published: 9/08

Desierto Sur.