From Punk Ballads to Metalhead Romance: 6 Must-See Movies at the Ecuadorian Film Festival in New York

Who ever said that size mattered? Well, in some cases it might, but when you’ve got an entire continent’s worth of geographic and ethnic diversity in little more than 100,000 square miles, you’ve still got plenty to brag about. Add cultural figures like Guayasamín and Julio Jaramillo into the mix, and bite-sized Ecuador starts looking more like a global giant. Now, after years on the sidelines of Latin America’s cinematic boom, we can even start talking about Ecuadorian cinema. Or better yet, we can go watch it at Manhattan’s Tribeca Cinemas from June 17-21.

The occasion is a little community showcase turned full blown competitive festival called the Ecuadorian Film Festival in New York (EFFNY), which started out with a few modest screenings at a few small cultural centers back in 2008. But, sure enough, as Ecuadorian film production has begun to boom — thanks in large part to the support of the country’s National Film Institute (CNCine) — the EFFNY has grown along with it, and this year the festival will feature a whopping thirteen features — which doesn’t even include all of the record-breaking sixteen features produced in the Ecuador last year. And don’t think these are just any old films; these are ambitious, cutting edge works that have screened at some of the world’s most prestigious festivals, including the Berlinale and Visions du Réel.

For the first time ever, this year’s festival will feature two Best Film prizes awarded by a jury of world renowned film professionals, in addition to an Audience Award, all of which will bring a new level of prestige to the festival along with new incentives for Ecuadorian filmmakers to keep creating. Hats off to New York-based cultural organization Maravilla, which has done the hard work of organizing the festival and most importantly, securing the sponsorship necessary to make it possible.

We know thirteen films is a lot to get through in five days, but don’t panic: we’ve gone ahead and put together a few Remezcla Top Picks to help guide you through the week. Whether you’re into films about punk rock, black metal, vegetarians, or disaffected millennials, there’s a little something for everyone. Thank us later.

The Ecuadorian Film Festival in New York runs June 17 – 20, 2015. Visit the fest’s website for details.