10 Movies That Prove Central American Cinema Is Stepping Into the Spotlight
'Abrazame como antes' Courtesy of the Costa Rica Festival Internacional de Cine
While films from Brazil, Mexico, and Argentina dominate headlines about the great age of Latin American cinema, the film industries in various Central American countries have just begun making waves. Just last year, Guatemala’s Ixcanul wowed critics and audiences alike while Costa Rica’s Viaje became the very first Central American movie to ever screen at the Tribeca Film Festival. Building on those successes, this year’s Costa Rica International Film Festival (known by its initials in Spanish CRFIC ) is primed to showcase an even more impressive selection of features from the region.
Presenting documentaries on El Salvador’s civil war, kids with Down Syndrome in Costa Rica, and the joys of everyday sounds, as well as dramas about trans sex workers, grieving nurses, and bickering couples, the San José-based fest boasts an eclectic selection that speaks to the region’s booming film industry. Since Central American cinema rarely gets shine, we chose to highlight all of region’s feature-length movies screening at CRFIC including the six films playing in the “Competencia Centroamericana de Largometraje.”
The Costa Rica Festival Internacional de Cine runs December 8-17, 2016.