UCI Latin American Film Festival

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Screening 4: Thursday, April 17, 2025

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PÁJAROS DE VERANO / BIRDS OF PASSAGE (2018)

Director: Ciro Guerra & Cristina Gallego
Country: Colombia
Release Year: 2018
Genre: Crime Drama
Language: Spanish
Runtime: 125 min
 
Synopsis: The origins of the Colombian drug trade, as seen through eyes of an indigenous Wayuu family that becomes involved in the booming business of selling marijuana to American youth in the 1970s. When greed, passion and honor collide, a fratricidal war breaks out and puts their lives, culture and ancestral traditions at stake.

Awards:
Official Selection of the Director’s Fortnight – Cannes Film Festival, 2018
Best Screenplay – Cairo International Film Festival, 2018
Best Art Direction, Cinematography – Chicago International Film Festival, 2018
Best Film – Habana Film Festival 2018 
Best Film with Honorable Mention – London Film Festival, 2018
Jury Prize – Lima Latin American Film Festival, 2018
Best Film, Best Actress, Best Music – Fenix Film Festival, 2018
Audience Award; Best Film –  Los Cabos International Film Festival 2018
Audience Award; Best Film – Luxembourg City Film Festival, 2018
Don Quixote Award – Tromso International Film Festival, 2019
Best Latin American Film – Ariel Awards, 2019

WATCH THIS FILM ON 4/17 @ 5PM
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Screening 3: Thursday, April 10, 2025

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EL JOCKEY / KILL THE JOCKEY (2024)

Director: Luis Ortega
Country: Argentina
Release Year: 2024
Genre: Crime Drama
Language: Spanish
Runtime: 96 min
 
Synopsis: Remo Manfredini is a legendary jockey whose self-destructive behavior is beginning to outshine his talent and threaten his relationship with his girlfriend, Abril. On the day of the most important race of his career, which will clear his debt to his boss, the mobster Sirena, he has a severe accident, disappears from the hospital, and wanders the streets of Buenos Aires. Freed from his identity, he starts to discover who he is truly meant to be. But Sirena wants Remo found, dead or alive.
 
Awards:
Edipo Re Award – Venice International Film Festival, 2024
Horizontes Latinos Award – San Sebastián Film Festival 2024

WATCH THIS FILM ON 4/10 @ 5PM
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Screening 2: Thursday, April 3, 2025

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YULI: THE CARLOS ACOSTA STORY (2018)

Director: Icíar Bollaín
Country: Cuba/Spain
Release Year: 2018
Genre: Biography
Language: Spanish
Runtime: 104 min
 
Synopsis: Yuli tells the fascinating life story of ballet superstar Carlos Acosta, who forged a legendary career over 17 years as principal dancer with London’s Royal Ballet until his retirement in 2015. From an early age, Yuli (his childhood nickname), found himself drawn to the streets of his run-down Havana neighborhood. But his father wanted a way out for his youngest child and coerces him into attending Cuba’s famous National Dance School. How does Yuli turn from a wild child into a world-famous dancer who “lacerates the air with shapes so clear and sharp they seem to throw off sparks” (Independent, UK)? Find out in this biopic-documentary hybrid, which artfully weaves together reimagined scenes from Acosta’s youth and dance career, performed by a stellar Cuban cast and members of the Acosta Danza company, and highlights from some of his choreography and spectacular ballet performances.

Awards:
Best Screenplay  – San Sebastian International Film Festival, 2018
Best Film – Nantes Spanish Film Festival 2019 

WATCH THIS FILM ON 4/3 @ 5PM
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Screening 4: Tuesday, February 13, 2024

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No voy a pedirle a nadie que me crea / I Don’t Expect Anyone to Believe Me (2023)

Director: Fernando Frías
Country: Mexico
Release Year: 2023
Genre: Comedy | Thriller
Language: Spanish
Runtime: 118 min
 
Synopsis: Juan Pablo travels with his girlfriend Valentina to study a PhD in Literature in Barcelona. But before he leaves Mexico, he gets involved in a criminal network, which inspires him to write the novel of his dreams, while his life takes absurd and sinister turns.

Awards
Festival Mar de la Plata 2023 – Nominee
Festival de Morelia 2023 – Nominee

Screening 3: Thursday, February 8, 2024

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El caso Padilla / The Padilla Affair (2022)

Director: Pavel Giroud
Country: Cuba | Spain
Release Year: 2022
Genre: Documentary | History
Language: Spanish
Runtime: 78 min
 
Synopsis: Following the publication of his collection of critical poems in 1971, Cuban poet Heberto Padilla is imprisoned by the communist regime. Before his release, the authorities stage a show of self-criticism where Padilla admits to being a counterrevolutionary and incriminates other artists — including his own wife. This incident, dubbed “the Padilla affair,” saw several intellectuals worldwide — including Jean Paul Sartre, Julio Cortázar and Susan Sontag — criticize a government they had previously supported. Now, for the first time, documentarian Pavel Giroud unearths stunning, 50-year-old archival footage of the incident to give audiences a peek into a watershed moment in the Cuban Revolution.

Awards
Miami Film Festival – Best Documentary, 2023