The Hola Mexico Film Festival returns for its fourth installment at the Ricardo Montalban Theater, its home since 2011. The festival is a showcase of modern Mexican cinema that aims to give audiences a taste of what life in Mexico really is. “Mexico is not what is seen on current television networks or select news reports,” says festival director Samuel Douek. Telenovela fans, take note!
The festival kicks off with a red carpet screening of Días De Gracia (Days of Grace) by Dir. Everardo Gout on Wednesday, May 23rd. The film was a hit at Cannes and will make its USA debut at Hola.
Screenings of feature-length and documentary films continue through the week until closing night on Wednesday, May 30th including a screening of Cristiana (For Greater Glory) starring Andy Garcia, Eva Longoria, Peter O’Toole, Ruben Blades and Eduardo Verástegui.
Other films in the festival include ¡De Panzazo! (Barely Passing), a documentary that takes a critical look at Mexico’s education system, El Trompetista (The Trumpet Player) a short film about a trumpet player who suffers a terrible accident, and La Otra Familia (The Other Family), a story about a child left in the care of a gay couple while his mother is in rehab (I think I just heard a million abuelas let out a collective “ave Maria purisima”).
This year’s festival also marks the first exhibition of short films and a children’s matinee program, Hola Niños.
And what’s a festival without celebrities?! Stars such as Gout, Demian Bichir, Dulce Maria, Kate Del Castillo, Pedro Pablo Ybarra, and others will make an appearance.
Check out the full schedule here. Ticket prices range from $8 – $100 depending on how many films you want to watch.