This event is open to the public. Please join us each week for our featured film or documentary hosted by Latin American Studies and the Stone Center. 

January 21:    Aguirre, Wrath of God (Germany, 1973) This film is based on the 1650-51 expedition of Spanish conquistador Gonzalo Pizarro through the impenetrable jungles of Peru. As a last-ditch effort to locate treasure, Pizarro orders a party to scout ahead for signs of El Dorado. In command are a trio of nobles including Aguirre who, crazed with greed and power, takes over the enterprise, slaughtering any that oppose him. Aguirre, Wrath of God, was based on the real-life journals of Brother Gaspar de Carvajal. Directed by: Werner Herzog; 95 minutes. German w/English subtitles. Presented by: Ludovico Feoli

January 28:   La Ultima Cena (Cuba, 1976)
Based on an incident from 18th-century Cuban history: a pious slave holder decides to improve his soul and instruct his slaves in Christianity by inviting them to participate in a somewhat gluttonous reenactment of last supper. Directed by Tomas Gutierrez Alea; 110 minutes. Spanish w/English subtitles. Presented by: Michelle Nasser

February 4:   Como Agua Para Chocolate (Mexico, 1992) Based on the novel by Laura Esquivel, this magical realist film is set during the Mexican Revolution. It is the story of a girl whose emotions directly influence her cooking. Themes of forbidden love, family duty, the politics of revolution and even madness dominate this visually pleasing movie. Directed by Alfonso Arau; 105 minutes. Spanish w/English subtitles. Presented by: Casey Love

February 11:    La Boca del Lobo (Peru, 1988) This film depicts the violent struggle between the Peruvian military and the Shining Path guerrillas, focusing on the peasants that are caught in the middle of abuse from both sides. The story is based on true incidents that took place in the mountain town of Chuspi between 1980 and 1983, where a small unit of soldiers was garrisoned to defend the town from attack by the Shining Path. Directed by: Francisco Lombardi; 100 minutes. Spanish w/English subtitles. Presented by: Cynthia Garza

February 18:    Brazil: Report on Torture (Brazil, 1971)  Former Brazilian political prisoners who are released to Chile during Salvador Allende's presidency reenact the daily methods of torture inflicted upon them by the military government's political police. . This documentary film contains violence that may not be suitable for all audiences. Directors: Saul Landau and Haskell Wexler; 60 minutes. English. Presented by: Maureen Long

March 11:    Men With Guns (U.S., 1998) This film tells the story of Dr. Fuentes who is in search of seven medical students he trained to work in impoverished nations. But early in his odyssey he begins to suspect that men with guns go there first, and with every step he is confronted by bloody realities he had long ignored. Now, his is an almost desperate quest, for a mythical village deep in the mountains. Writer/Director: John Sayles; 128 minutes. English/Spanish with English subtitles. Presented by: Jimmy Huck

March 18:    Frida (Mexico, 2002) Starting and ending with Frida Kahlo on her deathbed, the film spans the famous painter's life from her teenage years to her death at the young age of 47. From start to finish, Frida is portrayed as a relentlessly energized, self-righteous, headstrong, assertive woman. While Frida's life is the main focus, her work is always present as is her tumultuous relationship with Diego Rivera. However, the film only hints at the recognition and worldwide display that her painting received after her death. Director: Julie Taymor. English. Presented by: Maria Gaztambide

March 25:    Medellín Notebooks (Colombia, 1998) This documentary depicts a Medellín made famous by the cocaine cartels: home to chronic violence and misery, overpopulated with children and adolescents whose families fled from the guerrillas and who, as a result, are particularly vulnerable to street war. They cling to anything remotely protective- the women of families destroyed by domestic violence, the omnipresent church, and the schools. The teacher who helps them put their horrific experiences into words (the notebooks), hopes to help them construct anchors in their lives. Director: Catalina Villar; 55 minutes. Spanish w/ English subtitles. Presented by: Claudia Vallejo.

April 1:    Bananas (U.S., 1971)  The original novel, by Richard Powell, should have supplied a sufficiently strong comedy idea by itself: a dedicated Peace Corps staffer, of incredible innocence is sent to a remote banana republic in the throes of eternal revolution. As the potential supplier of American wealth, he is fawned upon by all sides while being simultaneously exploited by them all. Woody Allen rewrote the story and added his own touch of wildness to produce one of his least intellectual but most popularly demanded films. Director: Woody Allen; 82 minutes. English. Presented by: Elizabeth Van Sant