MOSQUITA Y MARI (Drama from USA) 

With this auspicious feature film debut, Aurora Guerrero explores the complexities of a budding friendship between two Chicana high school girls in Los Angeles’s Huntington Park. This grassroots film first garnered attention when Aurora was able to raise $85,000 through Kickstarter for her film. It was just screened with great success at this year’s Sundance Film Festival.      

     *  Sundance Interview with Director

LA OTRA FAMILIA / THE OTHER FAMILY (Drama from Mexico)

A contemporary drama from Mexico that asks who can provide the best home for a child. After being abandoned for three days by his crack-addict mother, a 7-year-old boy is rescued by a family friend and left in charge of an affluent gay couple (Jorge Salinas and Luis Guzman). Oscar nominated director by Gustavo Loza won our 2006 audience award for his film “Al Otra Lado (The Other Side),” which explored the world through the eyes of fatherless children in three countries and was last seen at our festival presenting his film Paradas Contunas (Paradise Continues). The film also co-stars Ana Serradilla and Carmen Salinas who have also previously attended our festival.

LEGUNA MATERNA/ MOTHER TONGUE (Comedy from Argentina)

Mixing humor and drama, this Argentinean film dives immediately into the story of a mother who learns her 40 year old daughter is a lesbian in a long term relationship. From Liliana Paolinelli, the director of “Pink Motherland.” Liliana continues to explore the lives of women through the lens of the "New Argentina Cinema" movement with this film that reveals the complexity of mother and daughter relationships.

ANGEL (Documentary from France/Ecuador)

Directed by Sebastiano d'Ayala Valva. The amazing story of a remarkable individual and his fight for justice and acceptance continues in this follow up documentary to the award-winning documentary "Les travestis pleurent aussi (Transvestites Also Cry),” which we screened in 2008.  As opens, we find Angel, a transsexual prostitute living in Paris, make his way back to Ecuador to see his family and community, whom he has been supporting through his income abroad.  

MORIR DE PIE/ DIE STANDING UP (Documentary from Mexico)

Recently screened in Guadalajara and Palm Springs Film Festivals. This is the inspiring story of Irina Layewska, a tireless fighter in the war for personal freedoms, who continues to work for progressive causes from her wheelchair despite a severe disability. But it’s also the love story of Irina and her partner Nelida, whom she married as a man. Irina was born into a male body; she grew up idolizing Che Guevara and spent much of her young life fighting in the Cuban solidarity movement. When her condition suddenly threatened her eyesight she became aware of an internal, emotional imbalance, and a need to explore her feminine side, and in the end made the choice to become a woman. Jacaranda Correa, the renowned Mexican journalist and anchorwoman, skillfully intercuts home movies and archival material with sensitive, intimate footage of Irina and Nelida’s present-day lives. They bravely open a window on their most personal moments, as they live to the fullest a life that neither of them could have ever imagined.

* * * * * * * * * *

FESTIVAL PASSES & GROUP TICKETS AVAILABLE Though the festival program and screening tickets won’t be available for a few weeks, film and festival passes are already available. A film pass for $90 will get you into 11 films, no waiting in line and VIP seating. We also have group ticket sales for each film with price breaks starting at 10 people, which makes it ideal for a night on the town with a large group of friends or for your club to share in the excitement of an evening of international film.

MEMBERSHIP Are you a devoted Cinephile? If you love international film, then you may consider becoming a member of our Cine Club. An annual membership starts as low as $50, which included 2 film tickets, monthly news, merchandise discounts and more. To explore the 5 levels of membership benefits, visit www.mediaartscenter.org/cineclub or contact Julia@MediaArtsCenter.org

Tickets are $10.00, for general audience, and $8.00 for Students, Seniors, Military & MEDIA ARTS CENTER SAN DIEGO Members (ID required).  Individual film tickets go on sale March 1st online and at the UltraStar Box Office. 

Festival and Film passes are now available. 

Group sales of 10 or more per any film may also be purchased for a reduced price (see info on Festival and Film Pass website. 

All films are in English or screened with English subtitles. A complete schedule of films, movie tickets, and information will be available in the next few weeks and online.

* * * * * * * * * *

Please show your support for our Community Partners and let them know you appreciate that they continue to support awesome international film:

•    FilmOut San Diego
•  The Center
•   GSDBA
•    San Diego Pride 
•    Blade California
•    Gay San Diego
•    Que Pasa San Diego
•    And our hostess with the most-tess, Franceska