100% VENEZUELA, VENEZUELAN FILM FESTIVAL

LART se complace en unirse al Centro Rey Juan Carlos I de España
para apoyar el Segundo Festival de Cine Venezolano.

El festival es completamente gratis y abierto al público.

LART is pleased to join the King Juan Carlos I of Spain Center
and support the Second Venezuelan Film Festival.

The festival is free and open to the public.

NOTE: The films are in Spanish with no English subtitles.

LART will provide simultaneous translation equipment for the
First Symposium: Perspectives and Leadership of Bolivarian Venezuela
Wednesday, April 23rd, at 7:15 PM

LART Board of Director's member Tomás Urayoan Noel,
will conduct the Q&A session with Filmmaker Mauricio Walerstein after the screening of Mr Walerstein's classic film Crónica de un subversivo latinoamericano / Chronicle of a Latin American Subversive (1975), Thursday April 24 at 5:15 PM

The King Juan Carlos I of Spain Center
53 Washington Square South, Suite 201
New York, NY 10012 tel. 212 998 3650 www.nyu.edu/kjc

proudly presents

100% VENEZUELA, VENEZUELAN FILM FESTIVAL
Second Edition
King Juan Carlos I of Spain Center, New York University,
APRIL 23-27, 2008

With the generous support of New York University's Department of Spanish and Portuguese Languages and Literatures, The Albert Schweitzer Chair in the Humanities, The Center for Latin-American and Caribbean Studies, The Humanities Initiative, Graduate School of Arts and Science, GSAS Student Council, Tisserie, Cinema Tropical, and Gran Cine.

This second edition will focus on Politics, exhibiting classic films from the 70's, 80´s and 90´s, and the most recent productions of Venezuelan Cinema. This event, which attracted an unprecedented turnout in its first edition (2006), will this year screen 14 films that reflect the various political movements within this polemical OPEC nation. In addition to the screenings, the festival will also host four symposiums in which interdisciplinary perspectives, regarding Venezuelan Politics and Power, will be discussed.

Click on the links below the go to that day's schedule.

Wednesday, April 23

Thursday, April 24

Friday, April 25

Saturday, April 26

Sunday, April 27

Wednesday, April 23

3:00 El pez que fuma / The Smoking Fish (Román Chalbaud, 1978) 120' Probably the most famous film within Venezuelan cinematography: A sort of coat-of-arms of the Chalbaudian universe, and also the fruit of his theatrical background, the film displays a remarkable expressive maturity, evidenced by a míse-en-scène with Fellinesque trimmings, an excellent control of the narrative tempo and a rounded, passionate script that creates a wonderful parable about power and its fleeting expressions, through the characters and activities at a famous brothel in La Guaira. 5:15 Desnudo con naranjas / Nude with Oranges (Luis Alberto Lamata, 1997) 110' An art historian comes to the home of Doña Matilde in hopes of purchasing a masterpiece painting from her, "The Blue Virgin". Unfortunately, the painting was destroyed long ago. Instead, she offers the historian glimpses of life at the turn of the century. She tells the hidden story of the "Blue Virgin" and how it was stolen by an Indian leader of the Liberal Army. The film takes place during Venezuela's Federal Revolution, a time of war and upheaval in the 1800's. A visually attractive picture from the director of Jericó. 7:15 First Symposium Perspectives and Leadership of Bolivarian Venezuela Introduced by Jo Labanyi, Director KJCC (NYU) Presented by Javier Guerrero (Department of Spanish and Portuguese, NYU) Teodoro Petkoff (Tal Cual): Post-Referendum Perspectives Margarita López-Maya (Universidad Central de Venezuela): The Bolivarian Movement and the Fall of Constitutional Reform: Causes and Tendencies. Fernando Coronil (University of Michigan): Magical History Discussants: Tulio Halperin-Donghi (UCLA, Berkeley) and Luis Duno-Gottberg (Florida Atlantic University). Simultaneous translation will be provided. The equipment has been kindly sponsored by Latino Artists Round Table (LART). Opening reception to follow. Internationally renowned Venezuelan politician, former Minister of Economic Planning, Editor of Tal Cual, formerly of the party Movimiento al Socialismo (MAS) and outspoken Oppositional figure, Teodoro Petkoff; Awarded Historian and Professor at the Universidad Central de Venezuela, Margarita López-Maya; and Author of The Magical State: Nature, Money, and Modernity in Venezuela Fernando Coronil (University of Michigan) will discuss leadership, the "new" Left, the perspectives of Venezuelan power after the Constitutional referendum, and the international agenda of the Venezuelan Government (including the polemic with Colombia). The discussion will be led by Emeritus Professor and renowned Argentinean Historian Tulio Halperin-Donghi (Department of History, UC Berkeley) and Venezuelan Professor Luis Duno-Gottberg (Florida Atlantic University).

Thursday, April 24

3:00 Golpes a mi puerta / Knocks at My Door (Alejandro Saderman, 1993) 101' A very impressive film about the horrors of the militarism that recalls past dictatorships in Latin America. The picture set, in an unnamed South American country, is an emotional examination of two courageous nuns who provide refuge to a rebel soldier. 5:15 Crónica de un subversivo latinoamericano / Chronicle of a Latin American Subversive (Mauricio Walerstein, 1975) 101' * During 1964, accused of assassinating the US Secretary of Defense, a guerilla soldier in Vietnam will be executed. In Venezuela, a leftist group kidnaps an American army Colonel in exchange for the release of the Vietnamese soldier. Q&A by Tomás Urayoan Noel (member of LART's Board of Directors) with Filmmaker Mauricio Walerstein. 7:15 Second Symposium Cinema and Politics in Venezuela Followed by the NYC PREMIERE, Postales de Leningrado / Postcards from Leningrad Presented by Javier Guerrero and Ronald Briggs. Guests: Mauricio Walerstein, Diego Rísquez (new) and Mariana Rondón. In this symposium, Rondón and Walerstein will discuss the problems of representation within political cinema, the relationship and differences in presenting the guerilla and the reception of these films nationally and internationally. In addition, this symposium intends to put into perspective Venezuelan Cinema. Reception to follow. Postales de Leningrado/ Postcards from Leningrad (Mariana Rondón, 2007) 93' During the leftist uprising in the 1960s in Venezuela, a young guerrilla-girl, living in secrecy, gives birth to her first daughter on Mother's Day. Due to that, her photos appear in the newspaper, from that moment they are forced to run away. Hidden places, false disguises and names are part of this young girl's daily life. Alongside with her cousin, they re-live the adventures of their guerrilla parents, building a labyrinth filled with superheroes and strategies, where no one knows where the reality or the madness began. However, this children's game does not hide the deaths, tortures, denunciations and treasons within the guerrillas. The kids want to convert themselves into The Invisible Man in order to escape from the danger. However, they know that their parents might never come back and therefore, they'll only receive Postcards from Leningrad. Mauricio Walerstein, prolific director of more than 13 full length films and producer, winner of the Premio Nacional de Cine award and foundational figure in the establishment of Venezuela's film industry. Two of his films will be screened in the Festival, Crónica de un subversivo latinoamericano and La máxima felicidad. Mariana Rondón, director of various experimental short films, including Cáscaras and Calle 22, and her opera prima A la media noche y media. Her full length film Postales de Leningrado (2007), presents the guerilla movements in Venezuela from the gaze of a young girl. Postales de Leningrado was the official Venezuelan entry for the Oscar's 2008 Foreign Film category.

Friday, April 25

2:00 País Portátil / Portable Country (Iván Feo and Antonio Llerandi, 1979) 102' * Based on the acclaimed novel by Venezuelan writer Adriano González León, the film exposes political chaos and revolution in a powerful drama. The fragmented flashbacks are set in the late 19th century, 1925, 1933, and the late 1970s. A patriarch boards a bus for a symbolic showdown with the police to seek vengeance for the plight of his beleaguered ancestors. The film underscores the fact that every generation must overcome social and political obstacles and stand up for their rights in spite of revolution. 4:15 El escándalo / The Scandal (Carlos Oteyza, 1987) 105' Venezuela is shaken by the news of an incredible case of oil industry corruption. Someone has managed to orchestrate a complex web of operatives within the industry. Together with a secretive group, the conspirators have managed to find a way to leak confidential information to dubious external contacts in order to divert enormous profits out of the industry and at the same time do irreparable damage to the nation's most precious treasure. The Scandal is a tale of corruption and is based on a true story. 6:15 Third Symposium Politics of the pose in Venezuelan entre siècle Presented by Sylvia Molloy (Department of Spanish and Portuguese, NYU) Javier Lasarte (Universidad Simón Bolívar): Política de la fábula: representación enmascarada de la nación en Las memorias de Mamá Blanca de Teresa de la Parra. Paulette Silva-Bauregard (Universidad Simón Bolívar): Poses venezolanas de fin de siglo. Nathalie Bouzaglo (Northwestern University): Visitas médicas y adulterio del fin de siècle venezolano. Discussants: Alicia Ríos (Syracuse University) and Sibylle Fischer (Department of Spanish and Portuguese, NYU) Presented by Albert Schweitzer Professor in the Humanities Sylvia Molloy (Department of Spanish and Portuguese, New York University), awarded Venezuelan scholar and Editor of Revista Estudios Paulette Silva-Bauregard (Universidad Simón Bolívar); Editor of La nave va Javier Lasarte (Universidad Simón Bolívar) and Scholar Nathalie Bouzaglo (Northwestern University). Discussants will be co-author of The Latin-American Cultural Studies Reader, Alicia Ríos (Syracuse University) and Haiti/XIX century Caribbean specialist Sybille Fischer (New York University). The symposium will be focused on the imaginary of hysteria, homo-social exhibition, adulteress's novels, feminine lectors and writers of the Venezuelan entre siècle. The participants will discuss the strategies of exhibiting and disguising politics of the nation. Refreshments will be served. 8:15 Oriana (Fina Torres, 1985) 88' Winner of the Camera d'or for best first feature at the 1985 Cannes Film Festival, this first feature by filmmaker Fina Torres (Celestial Clockwork, Woman on Top, Un té en La Habana) is a spellbinding drama that starts when a married woman living in France, María, returns to the hacienda where she spent her summers as an adolescent. As she prepares to sell the house, she is reminded of her aunt, Oriana, a mysterious figure who never left the hacienda and appeared to harbor deep inner secrets. As Maria continues to reflect upon her adolescent days, she eventually stumbles across a secret that will bring Oriana's behavior to light. The film features the performance of legendary Venezuelan actress Doris Wells, in the roll of Oriana, and reflects upon the silence lived during the dictatorship of Juan Vicente Gómez.

Saturday, April 26

2:00 Señora Bolero (Marilda Vera, 1991) 101* The sudden suicide of Pedro and Amanda's son prompts her to reflect on her life and remember the times when she dreamt of being a bolero singer while she co-plotted to overthrow the dictatorship regime along with Alejandro, a radio disc jockey and Pedro a leader of the resistance, fighting for her love. After 30 years of exile, Alejandro returns and seeks her out. 4:15 La máxima felicidad (Mauricio Walerstein, 1983) 103' * A gay couple and a woman are about to experience living as a threesome, this process brings out their fears, some moral barriers must be dismantled before the complex process of understanding and accepting each other can succeed. This film by Mauricio Walerstein, prior to other feature films such as La ley del deseo and Doña Herlinda y su hijo, has been ignored in the history of Latin-American gay films. 6:15 Fourth Symposium Politics of Representation: Armando Reverón Presented by Edward J Sullivan (Dean for Humanities, NYU) Master Conference by Luis Enrique Pérez-Oramas (MoMA) Discussant: Gerard Aching (Department of Spanish and Portuguese, NYU) This symposium will focus on the MoMA's recently exhibited Venezuelan artist, Armando Reverón. The master conference will be proudly given by The Estrellita Brodsky Curator of Latin American Art, MoMA Luis Enrique Pérez-Oramas with comments by Professor Gerard Aching (Chair, Department of Spanish and Portuguese Languages and Literatures, New York University). Reception to follow. 8:15 Amaneció de golpe / Coup at Daybreak (Carlos Azpúrua, 1998) 90' The film takes place during the military coup that sought to overthrow the Venezuelan government in 1992. A number of Caracas' wealthiest citizens attempt to figure out their status when soldiers march into town and they are unable to trust reports from radio and television. The film follows-up on how a variety of these people, coming from different social classes, dealt with the new reality they face.

Sunday, April 27

2:00 Río negro / Black River (Atahualpa Lichy, 1992) 121' * In 1912, the Rio Negro in the northern part of the Amazon was one of the places where ambitious men went to try and get rich quick in the rubber trade and other jungle-related businesses. In this story, the local population endures the excesses of strong men who vie with one another for power. 4:15 Una casa con vista al mar / A House with a View of the Sea (Alberto Arvelo, 2003) 95' In the foothills of the Andes, the dreams of a widowed father and his son shelter their quiet relationship from the cruelty of neighbors, until a desperate act of violence tears them apart. It takes the brave intervention of a stranger to reunite them once again in the place of their dreams. 6:15 Francisco de Miranda (Diego Rísquez, 2006) 105' The story of a revolutionary Venezuelan who lived in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. Francisco de Miranda was one of the first revolutionaries in the country. The film includes the performance of actresses Beatriz Valdez (Manuela Sáenz), Mimí Lazo, Ruddy Rodríguez, among others: starring Luis Fernández in the roll of Miranda. 8:15 Secuestro Express (Jonathan Jakubowicz, 2005) 86' This last screening will be introduced by Laura Turégano (Executive Director, KJCC). In a night pregnant with a strange mix of tension and dizzy abandon, lovers Carla and Martin prowl clubs before drunkenly wandering back to his car. While he comes across as crass nouveau riche, she appears more liberal. Their conspicuous affluence, however, makes them ideal targets for kidnappers, who demand $20,000 to be delivered within two hours. The conception of Jonathan Jakubowicz's film was seen undoubtedly marked by the political polarization that the country was living at that moment. The film was shot during the strike that Venezuela faced in 2002, which meant great difficulty for its production. It was an independent film that did not seek any state funding and was ultimately acquired by Miramax for global release.