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Cinema Diversidad
Festival to highlight work of
Brazilian, Jewish Latino filmmakers
With more than 180 films showing
on four screens, this year’s San
Diego Latino Film Festival should
have diverse audience appeal.
“Every year we showcase a country, and
this year it’s Brazil,” says festival curator and
programming director, Lisa Franek. “We’ve got
some really great films coming out of Brazil right
now that are worth seeing—almost too many.”
The festival will also showcase the contributions
of Jewish Latino filmmakers, as well as animation,
movies about the Latin LGBT experience and a series
of shorts called Cine Mujer, focused on women.
“Because Latinos are kind of underrepresented
in the film industry, we also look at the other
groups that are underrepresented,” Franek says.
Franek was swept away by a Venezuelan romantic
comedy that’s
screening this year
called Havana Eva,
shot entirely in Cuba.
“It’s not the typical
romantic comedy
where all this girl can
think about is getting married and having babies,”
she says. “It’s a strong, independent woman and
she’s trying to figure out her life and everything
in it. It’s just a really nice story—and the Cuban
men are really good looking.”
One of this year’s documentary selections,
the world premiere of Precious Knowledge,
should resonate with San Diego audiences,
she says.
“It is about this school district in Arizona
Luis Tosar (left) and Gael Garcia Bernal
in También la Lluvia (Even the Rain),
Spain’s official Oscar selection for 2011.
that wanted to get rid of their Chicano studies
programs in high school, and the students
basically rose up and protested,” Franek says. “It’s
such a relevant issue for this area of the country
right now. I think it’s something that everybody
should probably check out.” —Pat Sherman
San Diego Latino Film Festival
Dates: March 10-20
Venue: Ultrastar Mission Valley Cinemas
Tickets: $10 Info: 619.574.8684, sdlatinofilm.com
Un-Herd Music
Indie bands AND OTHER LOCAL ARTISTS rise up at Liberty Station
Since launching IndieFest in 2004 to promote emerging musicians and
artists, co-founders Danielle LoPresti and Alicia Champion have seen
the event grow beyond their expectations.
The first IndieFest was held at The Abbey in Banker’s Hill and
featured 25 acts. This year, the event is moving from its former site in North
Park to the spacious, bay-view Promenade at Liberty Station. It will feature
more than 50 bands and solo artists on four stages.
“We’ve outgrown our space for the second time,” says LoPresti, who will
perform on the main stage Saturday, April 12, with her band, The Masses.
“Last year we had to turn away about 1,000 people.”
This year’s lineup, viewable at sandiegoindiefest.com, includes buzz band
We Are Scientists, whose song, After Hours, appears on the soundtrack to the
film, Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist.
“They’ve just got really, poppy, catchy songs (that are) very accessible,” LoPresti
says. “I think they’re really going to appeal to a wide swath of people.”
Other acts this year include AWOLNATION, Vokab Kompany, James
Marsters, Black Party Politics and Love Darling.
Though IndieFest’s popularity has soared, that hasn’t necessarily translated
into fame or a livable wage for the bands playing the festival—which is the
reason LoPresti and Champion created IndieFest and continue to produce it.
“There comes a time when it isn’t just a nice compliment when someone comes
up to you and says, ‘Wow, you guys are so good. Why aren’t you famous yet?’ It
actually hurts a little bit,” LoPresti says. “The answer is that being famous is not
the mark of being a really, really excellent band or remarkable entity. It’s kind of
something between fate and luck and other factors.
“Instead of feeling like we were quietly, silently pouting and bummed out
about it, we felt like the most empowering thing we could do was to shine
this huge spotlight on all these bands and say, ‘Hey, everybody, look over here!
These bands will make your life really enjoyable if you discover them.’”
This year’s event also includes free art classes, poetry, painting and
photography, as well as a full schedule of indie films to be screened March 12
and 13. Admission
to the art, acoustic
San Diego IndieFest
and watercolor stages
Date: March 12 Time: noon to 11 p.m.
is free. Main festival
Venue: Promenade at Liberty Station,
tickets are $25.
Point Loma
—Pat Sherman
Tickets: $25 Info: sandiegoindiefest.com
We Are Scientists
ev sekkides
28 pacificsandiego.com { March 2011}