THREE, STUNNING LATINO FILMS OPEN FRI. NOV. 14TH

San Diego -- Two hit films that showcased at the Latino Film Festival this spring open at the UltraStar theatre in the Hazard Center in Mission Valley on Friday, Nov. 14th. A third film is an exclusive screening.
Perhaps the biggest is el Violin, which is the most internationally-awarded Mexican film in history! After the military seizes his village; a old, humble, rural musician devises a plan: to play up his "appearance" as a harmless, old violin player in order to return to his village with hidden guns and ammunition. This is a powerful movie in espanol, but with English subtitles.
The second film opening on Nov. 14th was featured in the Cine Gay showcase at the Latino Film Festival last spring and won the Best Foreign Language Film at the Academy Awards. It is simply: XYZ.
This astonishing feature film explores the painful search for gender identity of a teenager who was born a hermaphrodite. Upon entering adolescence, the kid is pressured by parents to "choose" an identity. Handled with great sensitivity, XYZ won coveted awards at last year's Cannes Film Festival. English subtitles.
The third film that opens on Friday Nov. 14th at the UltraStar theatre in the Hazard Center (near I-163 & Friars Road) is el Bano del Papa (the Pope's Toilet).
It has never been screened in San Diego before, according to Ethan van Thillo, executive Director of the Media Arts Center of Golden Hills which annually produces the Latino Film Festival, and operates the esteemed Teen Producers Project.
The Pope's impending visit to a small Uruguayan town stimulates a flurry of activity among its poorest residents. They hope to strike it rich by catering to the needs of the expected 50,000 Catholic pilgrims who will visit to see the Pope. Convinced that his idea is the BEST, one man uses all of his family's savings to build a toilet that pilgrims can pay to use. English subtitles.
These three films are the final installment for the year of the Cine en tu Idioma monthly film series that showcase celebrated Latino films from worldwide, international film festivals.
The Cine en tu Idioma film series is funded largely by The Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences and AT&T verse. Sponsors include Univision KBNT Telemundo 33, el Latino newspaper, V-Me KPBS, Radio Latina 104.5, la Mejor 99.3, Exa 91.7, Uniradio Group, el Mexicano newspaper, Yolanda S. Walter-Meade and the city's Commission on Arts & Culture.
For more information, call (619) 230-1938 (Ext. 101), or go on-line at http://www.sdlatinofilm.com/.
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Copyright 2008 by San Diego News Service (619) 757-4909 leopowerhere@msn.com