1st May, 6:30PM: SPECIAL PREVIEW!-LA COCINA, Mexico/ USA (2024)​
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​The lunchtime rush at The Grill, a bustling New York tourist trap, unfolds with frenetic energy as the staff scramble to serve thousands of hungry customers. However, chaos ensues when a significant amount of money goes missing from the till, prompting management to interrogate all employees. Amid the tension, personal stories collide and secrets are revealed, as the workers grapple with their roles within the high-stakes environment. Critics hail the film as an "explosive" and "singular masterwork," placing Ruizpalacios alongside renowned directors like Del Toro, Cuaron, and Inarritu, and likening it to "The Bear but on steroids!".
5th June, 6:30PM: TOTEM, Mexico/France/Denmark/Netherlands 2023
Tótem is a 2023 drama film written and directed by Lila Avilés. The film depicts the story of seven-year-old Sol, who is spending the day at her grandfather's home, for a surprise party for Sol's father, Tonatiuh. As daylight fades, Sol comes to understand that her world is about to change dramatically. It was selected to compete for the Golden Bear at the 73rd Berlin International Film Festival, where it had its world premiere on 20 February 2023. It is a co-production between Mexico, Denmark and France.
3rd July, 6:30PM: THE MOST FEARED SKIN (LA PIEL MAS TEMIDA), Peru/ Colombia (2023)
After 20 years abroad, Alejandra returns to her hometown in Peru to take care of some family affairs. Once there, she discovers that her father is in prison, serving time for having been a member of a terrorist group. She then decides she wants to know who is the man who abandoned her at the age of three. Soon, she will be embarking on a journey of self-discovery that will bring her closer to her country, her roots, and her own identity. The controversial film touches on the subject of the internal war in Peru, a topic never before addressed in such a way. This is the second instalment of a trilogy from director Joel Calero.
4th September, 6:30PM: AMORES PERROS, Mexico (2000)
Alejandro G. Iñárritu’s (The Revenant, Birdman, Biutiful) shocking debut film has been considered one of the best Mexican films of the 21st century. It launched Gael García Bernal’s (Y Tu Mamá También, The Motorcycle Diaries) career and it is a pivotal film often cited as a key catalyst for the "Nuevo Cine Mexicano" (New Mexican Cinema) movement, which brought international attention to Mexican cinema in the early 2000s.
In the bustling Mexico City, one horrible car accident intertwines the lives of three perfect strangers. Octavio (Gael García Bernal), a rebellious adolescent who is secretly in love with his sister-in-law, dreams of escaping his miserable life, and reluctantly enters the obscure world of dog fighting.
Valeria, a stunning supermodel will cross paths with Octavio while her small lap dog manages to vanish into thin air in the confined space of her apartment. Lastly, Chivo, an ex-guerrilla vagabond unable to make up for lost time channels his love to the city's strays and a mortally wounded Rottweiler. In this life-changing journey in the pursuit of love, sometimes infidelity, sin and death can get in the way.
Revisit this critically acclaimed, Oscar nominated film in its 25th Anniversary.
2nd October, 6:30PM: LANGUAGE LESSONS, USA (2021)
When Adam's (Mark Duplass) husband surprises him with weekly Spanish lessons, he's unsure about where or how this new element will fit into his already structured life. But when tragedy strikes, his Spanish teacher, Cariño (Natalie Morales), becomes a lifeline he didn’t know he needed. Adam develops an unexpected and complicated emotional bond with Cariño—but do you really know someone just because you’ve experienced a traumatic moment with them? Bittersweet, honest, and at times darkly funny, LANGUAGE LESSONS is a disarmingly moving exploration of platonic love.
6th November, 6:30PM: NINE QUEENS (NUEVE REINAS), Argentina (2000)
Early one morning, Marcos observes Juan successfully pulling off a bill-changing scam on a cashier, and then getting caught as he attempts to pull the same trick on the next shift. Marcos steps in, claiming to be a policeman, and drags Juan out of the store. Once they are back on the street, Marcos reveals himself to be a fellow swindler with a game of much higher stakes in mind, and he invites Juan to be his partner in crime. A once-in-a-lifetime scheme seemingly falls into their laps - an old-time con man enlists them to sell a forged set of extremely valuable rare stamps, The Nine Queens. The tricky negotiations that ensue bring into the picture a cast of suspicious characters, including Marcos' sister Valeria, their younger brother Federico and a slew of thieves, conmen and pickpockets. As the deceptions mount, it becomes more and more difficult to figure out who is conning whom. One of the most successful Argentinean films of the past 30 years, it helped launch the career of Ricardo Darin to one of the most respected actors in Latin American contemporary cinema.
4th December, 6:30PM: EVERYBODY KNOWS (TODOS LO SABEN), Spain/France/Italy/Germany 2018
The story follows Laura, a Spanish woman living in Buenos Aires, who returns with her teenage daughter Irene and young son Diego to her small hometown just outside Madrid for her younger sister's wedding. Laura runs into her old friend Paco in the town square while Irene flirts with a local teenage boy named Felipe. After dancing with Felipe at the wedding reception, Irene complains that she does not feel well and goes upstairs to sleep. Later that night, Laura goes to check on Irene only to find she is missing. She receives a text message from kidnappers urging the family to pay a large sum or they will kill Irene.