The 40th edition of the Chicago Latino Film Festival, held April 11-22, featured three feature films and three shorts from Colombia.
Among the Colombian entries was Corozo, a feature film directed, written, and starring Simón Elías and produced by Lorena Villanueva. The film had its world premiere at the festival. Corozo follows the journey of Samir, a disillusioned young writer who sets out on a road trip to fulfill his grandfather's last wish: to deliver a mysterious box from one city to another. Along the way, he meets Eva, a mysterious traveler who challenges his views on life, love, death, and existence. They both know that these will probably be their only days together.
Also screened was Itzia, tango & cacao, directed by and starring Flora Martinez. The film made its U.S. debut following its domestic release in October 2023. It garnered recognition abroad, winning five awards, including Best Sound and Best Music at the Power Screen Film Festival London (2023), Best Film at the India Nawada International Film Festival (2023), and Best Actress at the European Cinematography Awards.
La suprema (The Supreme) by Felipe Holguín is a production of Cumbia Films, co-produced with Ferviente Films, Telepacífico, and HD Cinema Colombia, in collaboration with Labo Digital Colombia, La Tina Sonido, Mapalé Films, Olehada Films, and Artesanos de Luz. It is the first film supported by the Film Development Fund (Fondo para el Desarrollo Cinematográfico - FDC) in the Regional Stories category. The film made its international debut in the Discovery section of the Toronto International Film Festival.
The story unfolds in a forgotten town, off the map, where electricity is a luxury. Here, a teenage girl aspires to be a boxer. When she discovers that her uncle will compete for a world title and the fight will be televised live, she and the community rally to witness the event, fighting for dignity and recognition. Recently, the film won the Ecumenical Jury Award at the 38th Fribourg Festival. It was screened at the 49th Huelva Festival and the International Festival of New Latin American Cinema in Havana, where it won the Coral Award for post-production.
Also screened was the short film Entre las sombras arden mundos (Worlds Burning Amid the Shadows) by Ismael García Ramírez. The film tells the story of Ramona, a woman who embarks on a journey away from home to a distant neighborhood of social apartment buildings and lush foliage. There, she is reunited with her son and, seeking refuge, finds solace with him and the friends accompanying her. Throughout the night, she shares moments with the spirited youths who exist as a collective in the darkness, evoking flames of joy and protection. Ismael García Ramírez's debut production, co-produced by Crisálida Cine and Rara Colectivo Audiovisual, recently won the Prix du Queer métrage (Best Queer Short Film Award) at the 46th Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival.
La perra (The Bitch) by Carla Melo is set in Bogotá, where a young woman with bird-like features leaves behind her family home, her overbearing mother, and her faithful dog to explore her sexuality. This production, supported by FDC's Short Film Production Initiative, won Best Short Film at the European Film Forum Scanorama (Lithuania) and the Future Film Festival in Italy. It received special mentions at the Magma Mostra Di Cinema Breve in Italy and the 5th International Colombian Film Festival in Buenos Aires. Furthermore, this short film, produced by Evidencia Films and June Films in collaboration with Arte France and distributed by Short Cuts, competed for the Palme d'Or at the 76th Cannes Film Festival.
Finally, El bastón (The Baton), a co-production with the United States, directed, produced, and written by Colombian-American Nemo Allen, is a short documentary that chronicles the journey of two filmmakers, mother and son, who, decades apart, find solace and determination in documenting the challenges faced by the Nasa indigenous people of Colombia. The film premiered at DOC NYC 2022, America's largest documentary festival, and was selected in the Short Documentary Competition at South by Southwest (SXSW) 2023 and the Seattle International Film Festival (SIFF).
In addition, Petro, a U.S. documentary directed by Sean Mattison and filmed in Colombia, was screened. The film begins in September 2021 with the launch of Gustavo Petro's presidential campaign. Petro, a former guerrilla leader of the M-19 (19 of April Movement), unexpectedly emerges as the front-runner. With unprecedented access to Petro, Mattison's documentary follows the highs and lows of Colombia's progressive movement and his historic presidential campaign all the way to election day. The film also delves into Colombia's violent history of guerrilla warfare, from M-19 and FARC attacks to President Álvaro Uribe's harsh response that resulted in the unjust execution of hundreds of civilians accused of guerrilla sympathies. The film is produced by Changua Productions and Long Count Films.
