Latin America Cinema
By Alice's definition, Latin America includes all the films we have from Mexico and South America.
Largely represented here are the films of Mexico and Brazil, but there are also treasures from Argentina, Cuba and Colombia.
Many of these films are set against a political or religious backdrop, particularly those from South America. For example the searing social commentary of 'City of God' leaves the viewer not only with the memory of an electrifying and well-crafted film but an insight into the harsh realities of Brazilian street kids. Celebrated film maker Hector Babenco did the same with the brutal but incredible, Pixote (1981), then turned to political prisoners with the fantastic 'Kiss of the Spiderwoman' (1985).
Mexican films defy categorisation and cover subjects from dog fights ('Amores Perros') to young love ('Y Tu Mama Tambien') to sci-fi ('Cronos). Robert Rodriguez began his career here with 'El Mariachi'. New talents emerging include Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu, Alex de la Iglesia, and Guillermo del Toro who like Rodriguez has already made the move to Hollywood.
To find films from a specific country use the By Country link to the left.
The Mystery of Happiness (2014)
6.1/10
Director: Daniel Burman
Starring: Guillermo Francella, Ines Estevez, Alejandro Awada
Santiago and Eugenio are more than friends, they are life long business partners. They understand each other without words, they care for each other,... Read more
XXY (2007)
7.1/10
Director: Lucia Puenzo
Starring: Ricardo Darin, Ines Efron, Valeria Bertuccelli, German Palacios, Carolina Peller...
A senstively-mounted drama about 15-year-old Alex, born 'intersex' - having both male and female characteristics - raised as a girl by her parents, an... Read more
Send a Bullet ( Manda Bala ) (2007)
7.3/10
Director: Jason Kohn
Brazil is rife with crime and corruption at all levels of society; Jason Kohn's award-winning documentary examines several of the more imaginative way... Read more
The Headless Woman (2008)
6.5/10
Director: Lucrecia Martel
Starring: Maria Onetto, Claudia Cantero
Struck by amnesia after a mysterious car accident, middle-aged Veronica (Maria Onetto) grapples to function anew in the world around her. Uncertain as... Read more
Battle in Heaven (2005)
5.7/10
Director: Carlos Reygadas
Starring: Marcos Hernandez, Anapola Mushkadiz, Bertha Ruiz, David Bornstein
Marcos is the chauffeur of a general with a secret that only he and his wife know - they kidnapped a baby for ransom, and the child died in their care... Read more
Tony Manero (2008)
6.8/10
Director: Pablo Larrain
Starring: Alfredo Castro, Paola Lattus, Hector Morales, Amparo Noguera, Elsa Poblete
As Augusto Pinochet holds Chile in the grip of dictatorship, Raul, a 50-year-old man obsessed with John Travolta's character from 'Saturday Night Feve... Read more
Historias Minimas (Intimate Stories) (2002)
7.5/10
Director: Carlos Sorin
Starring: Javier Lombardo, Javiera Bravo, Antonio Benedictis
A deceptively simple, yet delightful road movie concerned with three disparate characters headed for the Argentine city of San Julian amid the beautif... Read more
Japon (2002)
6.9/10
Director: Carlos Reygadas
Starring: Magdelena Flores, Alejandro Ferretis
Mexican director Carlos Reygadas' first film is a poetic, existential drama exploring life, death, truth and redemption by following a suicidal old ma... Read more
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Innocent Voices (2004)
7.9/10
Director: Luis Mandoki
Starring: Carlos Padilla, Leonor Varela, Xuna Primus, Gustavo Munoz, Jose Maria Yazpik, Of...
Based on the autobiography of Oscar Orlando Torres this is the incredible and harrowing story of a young boy caught up in the vicious El Salvadoran ci... Read more
Reaching for the Moon (2013)
7/10
Director: Bruno Barreto
Starring: Miranda Otto, Treat Williams, Tracy Middendorf, Gloria Pires, Marcello Airoldi,...
Luxuriating in its 50s Rio setting, Bruno Barreto's film tells the turbulent true story of American poet Elizabeth Bishop and her love affair with the... Read more