The annual Hola Mexican Film Festival has arrived in Australia for its 7th visit. First stop Melbourne, the festival hits Sydney on October 25 before making its way to Adelaide and Perth.
The event will kick off with a screening of Mariachi Gringo by award winning director Tom Gustafson (Pirates of the Caribbean) followed by an after party fiesta with tacos, tequila and a live Mariachi band.
Festival director Samuel Douek is passionate about Mexican cinema. “Every film I see is a unique story about our country,” he said.
Festival director Samuel Douek
Douek is from Mexico City, but spent his early twenties in Sydney where he conceived the idea for the festival. “They never showed Mexican films in Australia, so I thought it would be great to bring over some of the fantastic films that were coming out at the time,” he said.
The Mexican film industry historically had its Golden Era in the ‘40s and ‘50s but made a comeback in the ‘90s. This new wave of Mexican cinema branded Nuevo Cine Mexicano is known around the world for its raw grittiness and stunning cinematography.
“Film makers are artists and art always reflects what’s happening in society,” said Douek. “And Mexican film directors are increasingly choosing to explore social justice issues and topics that are not spoken about in the media.”
But not all films in this year’s festival bear the burden of social realism. To get a sense of Mexico’s imaginative approach to satire, check out La Cebra, a historical comedy where the heroes ride through the desert on the back of a zebra, or Pastorela a slapstick portrayal of a disgruntled cop who goes to extreme measures to hold on to his role as the Devil in his local Nativity play.
“This year the audience will see a different side of Mexico,” said Douek “We’re bringing over really amazing films that I’m sure everyone will appreciate.”
Comedy La Cebra
Now based in Los Angeles where the festival audience is made up mainly of Mexicans, Douek keenly awaits the Australian response.
“For Australians, Mexico is a very exotic country,” he said. “They want to learn about the culture and the history. Not like in America, where it’s more like Mexicans should just go and clean a pool somewhere.”
Douek hopes that this year’s festival will “provide some room for reflection and understanding about a unique culture that’s very far from Australia”.
The Hola Mexico Film Festival will be in Sydney from October 25 to November 4 at Event Cinemas George St. Tickets are $14.50-$17.50 and available at: www.holamexicoff.com.
