2021 Film Program
The Panamanian International Film Festival in Los Angeles (PIFFLA) and East Los Angeles Film Festival (“ELAFF”) come together as “Take 2,” the 2021 in-person edition, showcasing features, documentaries and short films from Latino filmmakers throughout the United States, Latin America, and the Caribbean.
For more info on East LA Film Festival’s Thursday, 10/7 schedule go to telasofa.org.
The Panamanian International Film Festival LA (in collaboration with East Los Angeles Film Festival).
RALEIGH STUDIOS – 664 N. Van Ness Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90038.
Parking $10 at structure across from entry at Van Ness Gate.
All Raleigh Screenings at Charlie Chaplin Theatre.
Friday, October 8, 2021
7:30 PM
OPENING NIGHT: MÁS DE MI. Dir. Tony Succar. (PERU/USA. 90 min. Spanish w. English subtitles).
“MAS DE MI” (More of me). WORLD PREMIERE. ). Tony Succar will attend the WORLD PREMIERE of the music documentary that chronicles his inspirational journey from his humble beginnings as an unknown indie artist, recording in his parents’ garage, to the youngest Latin Grammy winner. Q&A with Tony Succar immediately following. Watch Trailer. Q&A with Tony Succar to follow.
The evening kicks off with an outdoor drumming performance by Nakeiltha “Nikki” Campbell, Panamanian-born percussionist, teaching artist, performer and producer whose work promotes empowerment through the celebration of African cultural heritage. Watch Nikki Campbell Conga Solo.
6:00 PM
Red Carpet Arrivals
7:00 PM
Nikki Campbell Drumming Session
7:30 PM
Más de Mi Screening
9:00 PM
Filmmaker Q&A
9:30 PM
Opening Night After Party
11:30 PM
End
Saturday, October 9, 2021
BLOCK 1 – EAST L.A. FILM FESTIVAL SELECTIONS
12:00 PM - BLOCK 1: EAST L.A. FILM FESTIVAL SELECTIONS
SKATER DUDES. Dir. Juan Escobedo (USA 5 min. English). Meeting up at the skate park, two guys are ready to get down.
DÍA DE LOS MUERTOS. Dir. George and Ricardo Ortega. (USA. 4 min. English). A father takes his son on a spiritual journey to honor his ancestors and keep their traditions alive.
FROM THE WINDOW. Dir. Adam P. Cray (USA. 5 min. English). His view from the window turned into his nightmare.
FARM FRESH. Dir. Anthony Puente (USA 5:30 min. English). Short doc profiling the journey, perspective and work of Oaxaca born and Los Angeles based artist, Narsiso Martinez.
PIZZA MAN. Dir. Mercedes Sala (USA 4:40 min. English). The (mis)adventures of pizza deliverers as they deal with tough costumers, mean bosses, and each other.
TOMORROW WE LAUGH. Dir. Alfredo Ramos (USA 11:00 min. English). A wayward son returns home to discover that his mother is suffering from mental illness.
DANNY DE LA PAZ. Dir. George and Ricardo Ortega (USA 3:19 min). We collaborated with Danny De La Paz to capture the Chicano/ Lowrider Culture in contemporary times dealing with the past and looking to the future.
1:15 PM - BLOCK 2: PANAMA SHORTS
THE ILLUSION. Dir. Amael Farouk. (PANAMA. 8 min. Spanish w. English subtitles). A man. Locked down. Alone. What happens?
PREFACE. Dir. Jean Paul Vizuette. (PANAMA/ARGENTINA. 16 min. Spanish w. English subtitles). A blocked writer confronts the connection between his writings and his past.
THE SMILE OF GERTA. Dir. Raquel Toledo. (PANAMA. 18 min. English). An homage to Gerta Stern, an Austrian Jewish woman, who fled the Nazis and lived in Panama for the rest of her 102 year life.
THE DEAL (El Acuerdo) Dir. Oscar Faarup. (PANAMA. 9 min. Spanish w. English subtitles). Signing a will reveals a dark conspiracy.
SHADOWS. Dir. Haslam Ortega. (PANAMA. 22 min. Spanish w. English subtitles). Rising politician threatened by sex scandal.
Q&A immediately following.
2:45 PM - BLOCK 3: DRAMA/COMEDY
COVID 19 SINS & VIRTUES. Dirs. Yeniffer M. Behrens, Mauricio Mendoza, Oscar Torre, Hugo Garcia, Caroline Brethenoux, Hernan de Becky, Cesar Gamino, Juan Gil, Marabina James, Miguel Paredes, Shanay Patalano, Jesus Schettino, Alex Toedtli Mera, Fidel Arizmendi (USA. 90 min. English).
The first tumbleweeds had barely started to collect on the streets of Hollywood under COVID-19 lockdown before these filmmakers figured out a way to get cameras rolling again. Coordinating themselves using nothing but cell phones and Zoom, the filmmakers leaned into the restrictions of this new isolation in a business that thrives on social contact and in-person collaboration. Q&A immediately following.
5:30 PM - BLOCK 4: LIVE PRESENTATION TRIBUTE TO HEROES OF THE PANDEMIC
The Los Angeles Times en Español pays tribute to Heroes of the Pandemic, a live presentation honoring everyday individuals and groups who have made a heroic impact on the lives of our communities over the course of the pandemic. The initiative is part of Los Angeles Times en Español effort to be part of the everyday lives of Latino communities throughout Southern California. Event Creator and Presenter: Alejandro Maciel, Editor-in-Chief, Los Angeles Times en Español.
4:45 PM Media Arrival/Check-In
5:00 PM Red Carpet
5:30 PM Ceremony Start
7:00 PM Ceremony Ends
7:15 PM - BLOCK 5: DRAMA
BLURSDAY. Dir. Sergio Guerrero Garzafox. (USA/MEXICO. 81 min. English).
Blursday is a profound story about loss, love, and pregnancy during confinement. A mirror on human behavior told by three real couples, shot in their own apartments around the world. Filmmaker Q&A immediately following. Watch trailer.
6:00 PM Red Carpet
7:15 PM Screening
8:45 PM Q&A
9:30 PM After party
Sunday, October 10, 2021
12:00 PM - BLOCK 1: YOUNG AUDIENCES
I STAY HOME. Dirs. Marcela Ruidiaz, Esteban Gaggino. (ARGENTINA. 1 min. Spanish w. English subtitles). Children’s voices on Covid.
MY WEAVING HANDS. (Mis manos tejedoras). Dir. Rio Castañeda. (MEXICO. 5 min.). For indigenous Mayan weavers, making money from their craft can be challenging.
DAWN. Dir. Nastenka Alava Calle. (ECUADOR. 7 min.). Deep in the Andes mountains lives a forest being who one day encounters a human girl and stalks her quietly.
THE BOY AND THE MOUNTAIN. Dirs. Santiago Aguilera, Gabriel Monreal. (CHILE. 11 min. Spanish w. English subtitles.) A young daydreamer is inspired by his father to overcome obstacles and always reach for the heights.
MARA EL VIAJE DE ELEFANTA (Mara’s Journey). Dir. Luciano Nazzi (ARGENTINA. 7 min. Spanish w. English subtitles). Documentary about Mara, the retired circus elephant’s journey to a leafy retirement destination.
ALICE IN THE LAND OF THE WHALES. Dir. Sylvia Perel. (MEXICO. 20 min. Spanish w. English subtitles). Schoolchildren and Mariachis at the bottom of the ocean redo Alice in Wonderland with lessons on saving the ocean.
Q&A immediately following.
1:15 PM - BLOCK 2: DRAMA/COMEDY SHORTS
CINCO DE MAYO. Dir. Salvador Paniagua (USA – 3 min. Webisode) First generation immigrant parents with American teens adapt to the ways of the U.S
DEAR FATHERS. Dir. Rick Herrera (USA/DM – 9 min. Webisode) Two Afro-Latino fathers confront the joys and difficulties of fatherhood.
IXCH’UMIL. Dir. Miguel Ajcot (GUATEMALA. 13 min. Spanish, Mayan w. English subtitles).
Ixch’umil, a 10 year old girl, discovers the connections of her cultural roots through the teachings of her indigenous grandmother.
MANITAS. Dir. Elvia Susana Rubalcava. (USA. 12 min. English.) Two fangirl sisters travel to Oakland to attend a weekend writing retreat with Isa’s shero. Although excited to spend a weekend writing, she panics steps from her dream. Is she brave enough to share her words out loud?
FRAMED (Em Quadro). Dir. Luiza Campos. (BRAZIL. 11 min. Portuguese w. English subtitles).
The agony of shooting a television commercial.
MI PRIMER 15. Dir. Federico Hartenstein. (ARGENTINA. 13 min. Spanish w. English subtitles). Overcoming a world of obstacles to have a quinceañera.
Q&A immediately following.
2:45 PM - BLOCK 3: EAST LA FILM FESTIVAL SELECTIONS
LITTLE BROTHER. Dir. Dikega Hadnot (USA 4 min. English). Keith, a white elementary school teacher, journeys to South Los Angeles to investigate the home life of his gifted student Lamont. When he meets the boy’s elderly Grandmother, they begin a polite dialogue about Lamont’s frequent absences from school, but the conversation grows increasingly hostile. Unbeknownst to Keith, there’s a special ingredient in Grandma’s sweet tea… and the teacher may be in store for learning a powerful lesson of his own.
GHETTOBUSTERS. Dir. Juan D Herrera, Freddy Falcon (USA 20:00 min.). 4 unconventional super heroes try to save the world one neighborhood at a time.
HOUSE OF FORTUNE. Dir. Adel Mashoori (Islamic Republic of Iran 16 min. English subtitles).
Rahil Mohajer was buried alive by her husband and her father on her wedding night because they thought she wasn’t a virgin.
Q&A immediately following.
4:00 PM - BLOCK 4: DRAMA
11/6. Dir. Gastón Cané. (ARGENTINA. 11 min. Spanish.) An artist unknowingly creates a prophetic image of doom.
NINE. Dir. José Carrillo (USA. 10 min. English). A man’s struggles with OCD revealed through dark humor.
LOLA’S JOURNEY. Dir. Ana Lydia Monaco (USA. 15 min. English). A life-threatening medical emergency pushes a young woman to advocate for her life.
STALIN AND HITLER. Dir. Tony Ruiz. (USA. 10 min. English). Released from prison, Brenda heads to the abandoned warehouse where her stashed money and her destiny awaits.
EL MONTAJE (THE MONTAGE). Dir. Ed Trucco. (USA/ARGENTINA. 12 min. Spanish w. English subtitles).
In the midst of loss and grief, a tango dancer rediscovers the healing power of music and dance.
Q&A immediately following.
5:30 PM - BLOCK 5: DRAMA/COMEDY
AT THE WALL. Dir. Sandra Varona. (USA. 5 min. English).
A riveting visual poem about the experience of two Mexican American college students and daughters of immigrants.
SUPERESTAR. Dir. Daniel Larios. (USA/EL SALVADOR. 11 min. English/Spanish w. subtitles). Two Salvadoran women, one a first-generation indie-pop singer, and the other an immigrant bathroom attendant at an LA nightclub, bond over their different troubles and their mutual love of music.
BEWARE OF THE DARK. Dir. Miguel Pinedo. (USA/PANAMA. 9 min. English). A man is stalked in his darkened home by an unseen entity.
THE WELL-RESPECTED MEN’S RAIN (La Lluvia de hombres respetables) Dir. Manuel Alacid.
Dir. Kenji Michell Meguro Hernández. (MEXICO. 24 min. Spanish w. English subtitles).
A dead man in a suit falls from the sky into a hotel pool where René and his family are on vacation.
Q&A immediately following.
6:45 PM - BLOCK 6: DRAMA
FATHER MARY. Dir. Sarey Martin. (USA. 7 min. English).
A female priest is threatened with a sex scandal.
WAITING FOR MARIA. Dir. Ariana Cooper Bermúdez. (VENEZUELA. 17 min. Spanish w. English subtitles).
Evelyn and Valeria wait for Maria as they contemplate their fate in a dispirited state of absurdity. Waiting for Godot in Venezuela.
LOS PATINES (The roller-skates). Dir. Loren Escandon. (USA/COLOMBIA. 7 min. Spanish w. English subtitles). An orphaned Afro-Colombian orphan girl dreams of freedom and a pair of roller-skates.
MAMÁ. Dir. John Edwards. (CANADA. 10 min. Spanish w. English subtitles).
A mother and son struggle to survive in a vast wilderness, exploring the divine connection between motherhood and mother-earth.
ACUITZERAMO. Dir. Miguel Angel Caballero (USA. 16 min. Spanish w. English subtitles) A gay Mexican elder whose longtime partner has died is visited by the deceased’s estranged son, featuring Sal Lopez.
Q&A immediately following.
8:00 PM - BLOCK 7: DRAMA/COMEDY
HOMIE LOVE. Dir. Juan Escobedo (USA. 5 mins.). Veterano vato walks in on his gay son.
¡GAYTINO! MADE IN AMERICA. Linda Morel (EP); Linda Mendoza (EP). (USA. 75 mins. English).
Mariachi to Merman. Sondheim to Cesar Chavez. Decades of Mexican American/Chicano and LGBTQ history intersect from a personal perspective in story and song. Touching, provocative and hilarious, Dan Guerrero will introduce his solo play, which he brought to the screen after nationwide critically acclaimed performances. Watch Trailer.
6:30 PM Red Carpet
8:00 PM Screening
9:20 PM Q&A with Dan Guerrero and Homie Love cast.
9:40 PM After Party
9:40 PM - AWARDS PRESENTATION
AWARD CATEGORIES
The Panamanian International Film Festival continues its tradition of assembling a prestigious judging panel to award work in the following categories: Best Feature, Best Documentary Best Short, Best Screenplay (Feature/Short), Best Director (Feature/Short), Best Ensemble (Feature/Short), Best Cinematography and Best Editing. There will also be an “Audience Award” recipient. The panel of judges includes: filmmakers Gabriela Revilla Lugo (“Palm Springs”), Ana Lydia Monaco (“Meeting Brown”); film critic Carlos Aguilar, and Angela María Ortíz, an accomplished photographer, graphic artist and designer.
Take 2 is made possible by the generous sponsorship of The California Arts Council, including media sponsors: Los Angeles Times en Español, Autoproyecto, Los Angeles Times, Univision Channel 34.
The Panamanian International Film Festival in Los Angeles is part of a collective alliance of film festivals in Panama, including The Hayah International Short Film Festival, Panama’s Low Budget Film Festival (Festival de Cine Pobre Panalandia), ACAMPADOC International Documentary Film Festival, Cine Animal, and Bannabáfest.