Popcorn, anyone?

Although the movie theaters are promoting watching the Oscar nominated flicks, they are not the only show in town. As I've mentioned ad nauseum one of the great perks of living near a university town is being able to partake in campus happenings. This week UW-L's Latin American Studies program, a Social Justice grant recipient for the Pragda Film Circuit has given us the opportunity to view the following Latin films free of charge in addition to being moderated by University profs. My Spanish has gotten a workout and these flicks do come with English subtitles so non Spanish speakers can also enjoy them.

Issues of race, class and gender are common threads as well  cultural norms.  If anything the viewers can draw connections between life in the U.S. and our southern neighbors. All films received 3+ star ratings.

Listed below are the 5 films with both Netflix and Pragda brief summations. 

Monday:  Mexican  re: immigration issues       
Who Is Dayani Cristal?2013NR82 mins

In the oppressive desert heat, Arizona authorities find a man's decomposing body with only one clue to his identity: a tattoo reading "Dayani Cristal." Gael García Bernal portrays the unknown man in dramatic segments of this intriguing documentary.

Cast:

Gael García Bernal

Genre:

Social & Cultural Documentaries, Political Documentaries, United Kingdom, Documentary

Tuesday: Venezuelan re: a little boy's sexuality
Bad Hair2014NR

Set in the slums of Caracas, Venezuela, this pensive drama focuses on a 9-year-old boy whose determination to straighten his curly hair creates discord with his mother -- who fears the fixation may be a sign of homosexuality.

Cast:

Samuel Lange, Samatha Castillo, Nelly Ramos, Beto Benites, María Emilia Sulbarán

Genre:

Drama

Wednesday:Ecuadorian  re:water rights
The Facilitator
A political thriller about human rights,  promoting water access rights for the indigenous community and an elite family with many secrets and problems.

Thursday: Argentinian  re: freedom fighters
Clandestine Childhood2011NR112 mins

This tense drama portrays the complex life of 12-year-old Juan, whose parents return to Argentina to covertly battle the ruling Junta. Juan strives to be a "normal" kid despite his parents' undercover activities that put all their lives at risk.

Cast:

Ernesto Alterio, Natalia Oreiro, César Troncoso, Teo Gutiérrez Moreno, Cristina Banegas, Douglas Simon, Mayana Neiva, Violeta Palukas

Genre:

Foreign, Political Dramas, 20th Century Period Pieces, Drama

Friday: Bolivian re social change
Southern District 
Witness how one family in the neighborhood Zona Sur in La Paz, Bolivia’s most exclusive enclave, home to the country’s affluent elite for generations, adapts to change.




If anything this series of films helps one see the pronouns

 should change in the discussion as  it's not 'them' and 'us' but 

rather "WE" as the world's problems are universal and we are

 all connected by this commonality.