GR Latin American Film Festival offers ‘Cinema Without Borders’

By Emily Hunsberger, Tertulia

Maybe you’re looking for a break from scrolling through tiny images and social media posts on your smartphone screen. Maybe you watched Roma on Netflix and have some lingering questions.

We’re more connected to the world than ever, but we consume foreign media in isolation; what’s missing is context. Enter the Grand Rapids Latin American Film Festival (GRLAFF) — ‘Cinema Without Borders’

Winner of the 2018 Grandy for Outstanding Art Event (Judge’s Choice), GRLAFF is returning for its ninth season to provide opportunities for dialogue across cultures and to enrich the social fabric of our community. GRAFF offers the West Michigan community a platform in which to engage with some of the most recent, award-winning films from Latin America — through striking imagery and long-form storytelling on the big screen, and also face-to-face interactions with film directors, local speakers, and fellow Festival attendees.

“I’m excited to see how audiences will respond to what we have planned for 2019,” said Mayra Fortes, a Grand Valley State University professor and co-chair of the GRLAFF Organizing Committee.

“Every year, more and more people from the community attend the Festival, and the organizers love to hear how much they enjoy the event — from the films themselves to the discussions and the food,” Fortes added.

This year, GRLAFF will showcase eight feature-length films from Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico, Paraguay and the Dominican Republic, plus Una mujer fantástica (A Fantastic Woman), a 2018 Oscar-winning film from Chile.

Friday evening, festival-goers can interact with Nelson Carlo de los Santos Arias, a director from the Dominican Republic, after the showing of his film Cocote. Cocote is the story of Alberto, a kind-hearted gardener who returns home to attend his father’s funeral, but quickly faces a dilemma when he realizes that he’s been summoned by his family to avenge his father’s murder.

On Saturday evening, audience members will meet Daresha Kyi, the co-director of Chavela. The award-winning documentary, a co-production between the United States and Mexico, is a portrait of the beloved Costa Rican singer Chavela Vargas, whose interpretations of Mexican ranchera songs endeared her to audiences, even as her unconventional life challenged societal norms.

Panel discussions will follow several of the features, and local experts will weigh in on some of the themes brought to light in the films. GRLAFF 2019 will also revive a tradition — screening a selection of award-winning short films from Argentina, Mexico, Chile, Colombia, and Venezuela on Saturday at noon in the main auditorium.

Latin American-style refreshments prepared by local restaurants will be available both days, and festival-goes can mingle with directors, speakers, and fellow audience members in the lobby.

The Festival is free and includes kids’ programming — an animated film from Colombia, El libro de Lila (Lila’s Book), on Saturday morning in the main auditorium and a series of live puppet shows both afternoons in the Koning Micro-Cinema.

What: Grand Rapids Latin American Film Festival
When: April 5-7, 2019
Where: Wealthy Theatre, 1130 Wealthy St SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49506
Admission: Free to the public; donations are appreciated (grlaff.org/donate)
See the schedule here

Visit the Festival website and follow the Festival on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram for updates, using the handle @GRLAFF and the hashtag #GRLAFF2019.