The GuadaLAjara Film Festival (GLAFF) returned to Los Angeles for its 14th edition earlier this month. I attended this festival virtually two years ago, and this year’s festival featured an array of short and feature films from a variety of filmmakers, both local and international. The festival opened with “Sujo,” Mexico’s official submission for the Oscars’ best international feature category.
Among the feature films offered are La Cocina which premiered at Berlinale, directed by Alonso Ruizpalacios and stars Rooney Mara and Raúl Briones. Although I could not watch this film during the GLAFF, I could watch it at Austin’s Violet Crown Cinema during the recent theatrical run. The review will follow.
Other notable films include Esteban Arango’s Ponyboi, written by and starring River Gallo alongside Dylan O’Brien, and the queer comedy Rent Free, directed by Fernando Andres, which premiered at Tribeca in June. I viewed the film Rent Free as the Opening Night Film at Austin’s aGLIFF/Prism Festival this past summer, having a Southwest Premier—more information to follow. Pedro Páramo was also offered at the festival before the film’s release on Netflix on November 6th.
GLAFF’s short film selection includes highlights like “All the Words but the One,” directed and starring recent Emmy nominee Nava Mau (“Baby Reindeer”), and “Dovecote,” produced by and starring Zoe Saldaña (Emilia Perez, Netflix). The festival will also feature “Ecstasy,” the directorial debut of celebrated cinematographer Carolina Costa (“Fancy Dance”), starring Mabel Cadena and Natalia Solian.
The festival concluded with Prime Video’s anticipated TV series, La Liberación, from visionary director and creator Alejandra Marquez Abella (A Million Miles Away, Prime Video). The series boasts a stellar cast, including Ilse Salas, Cassandra Ciangherotti, Johanna Murillo (all three from The Good Girls), Diego Boneta (“Luis Miguel: La Serie”), and Dolores Heredia (“Midnight Family” TV series, Pedro Paramo, Bless Me Ultima, A Better Life, Rudo y Cursi).
GLAFF put the spotlight on films from the Festival Internacional de Cine en Guadalajara (FICG), including “La Arriera,” which earned Isabel Cristina Fregoso a Best Director award, and the documentary, “Tratado de Invisibilidad,” directed by Luciana Kaplan. Notably, 57% of the films at this year’s GLAFF are directed by women, and 38% feature LGBTQ+ narratives. The review for this award-winning film, La Arriera, is to follow.
Source: GLAFF, aGLIFF, CLA, Netflix