Latin America on screen

March 6, 2008
Issue 

3rd Sydney Latin American Film Festival

Chauvel Cinema, Paddington and other venues

Until March 16

<http://www.sydneylatinofilmfestival.org/cms/>

For the third year in a row, Sydney filmgoers will have the opportunity to enjoy some of the finest films and documentaries from across Latin America as part of the 3rd Sydney Latin American Film Festival. Having kicked off on March 6, the festival will provide ten days of films, music and discussion that shouldn't be missed.

Of particular interest to Green Left Weekly readers will be the popular "micro-cinema", which once again will bring cutting edge films and documentaries dealing with contemporary issues, struggles and cultures from this continent in rebellion.

Screening in the intimate Eastside Arts in Paddington, this year's micro-cinema will once again offer a chance to engage with the filmmakers and guest speakers in discussion of topics pertaining to the films.

A special feature is the screening of the award winning documentary Fruits of War on March 11. Fruits of War follows the rising tide of gang culture in Central America, a spill over from the streets of Los Angeles. It is the story of four young men's struggle to survive, when they are deported back to El Salvador after spending most of their lives as members of two US street gangs, the Mara Salvatrucha and 18th Street.

The men share their personal journeys of self discovery and examine their transformation from gang members to being deportees and to their current and most important role, as peacemakers. Their evolution is set in motion as they learn of the effects of the US government's policies during the civil war in El Salvador and its policies today that directly impact their lives.

Filmmaker Josiah Hooper will present the film and afterwards lead discussion on the rise of gang culture as a result of displacement from years of civil war in Central America.

The micro-cinema will kick off earlier that day with an afternoon session focussed on the significant importance of conservation and culture within indigenous communities in the Amazon, in Brazil, Peru and Ecuador. The session will conclude with a small panel talk on the state of the Amazon today and predictions of its future in a climatically shifting world with an insight into current and effective conservation campaigns.

This strong focus on indigenous issues and culture will continue on March 12 with Chronicles of the Great Snake, a documentary aimed at dissecting 500 years of decimation and displacement of the indigenous people of Latin America.

Also from Argentina is Dreaming the Future, which delve into Argentine society following the 2001 economic meltdown and the historic events of that fateful December 2001 when a popular uprising kicked out several presidents in the space of four days.

In the aftermath, many communities of Buenos Aires and beyond began to construct new social structures providing for themselves the education, food distribution, health and worker protection they lost through years of corrupted governance. Dreaming the Future introduces audiences to these communities.

As always, the coming together of this years festival has only been possible due to the tireless effort of the dedicated volunteers who make up the Sydney Latin-American Film Festival collective.

SLAFF is a not-for-profit association which is committed to promoting and supporting the efforts of development organisations in Latin America, and building awareness of important social issues in the region through its community support program.

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