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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.

Back to Stay (2011)

6.1/10
Director: Milagros Mumenthaler
Starring: Maria Canale, Martina Juncadella, Ailin Salas, Julian Tello

A.k.a. "Abrir puertas y ventanas". Three women react in different ways to a family crisis in this drama from Argentina. Marina (Maria Canale), Sofia (... Read more

City of God (2002)

8.6/10
Director: Fernando Meirelles, Katia Lund
Starring: Seu Jorge, Matheus Nachtergaele, Alexandre Rodrigues, Douglas Silva

Celebrated with international acclaim, this powerful true story of crime and redemption has won numerous awards at festivals around the world. The str... Read more

Under The Same Moon (2007)

7.4/10
Director: Patricia Riggen
Starring: Adrian Alonso, Kate del Castillo, Eugenio Derbez, Maya Zapata, Carmen Salinas, A...

Carlitos lives with his grandmother in Mexico while his mother Rosario works illegally in the USA to build a better life for the family. When his gran... Read more

The Aura (2004)

7.2/10
Director: Fabian Bielinsky
Starring: Ricardo Darin, Dolores Fonzi, Alejandro Awada, Pablo Cedron, Jorge D'Elia, Nahue...

A spell-binding and richly textured heist film centred around an epileptic taxidermist who leads an isolated existence, harbouring fantasies of pullin... Read more

Kiss of the Spider Woman (1985)

7.4/10
Director: Hector Babenco
Starring: William Hurt, Raul Julia, Sonia Braga

Two prisoners in a Latin American jail, one a Spartan revolutionary leader (Raul Julia), the other a movie-obsessed homosexual (Best Actor Academy Awa... Read more

The Noble Family (2013)

7.4/10
Director: Gary Alazraki
Starring: Gonzalo Vega, Luis Gerardo Mendez, Karla Souza, Juan Pablo Gil

When a successful construction mogul, Germán Noble, realises that his adult children are spoiled beyond belief, he stages a fake company bankruptcy an... Read more

Puzzle (2009)

6.7/10
Director: Natalia Smirnoff
Starring: Gabriel Goity, Maria Onetto, Arturo Goetz

Aka "Rompecabezas". A woman looking for a new purpose in her life finds it in an unexpected place in this debut drama from writer/director Natalia Smi... Read more

Moro No Brasil (2002)

6.6/10
Director: Mika Kaurismaki
Starring: Walter Alfaiate, Grupo Fethxa, Grupo Gleetwtxya, Children Fulni-o

To many of us Brazilian music and the Bossa Nova are one, but in this wonderful documentary Mika Kaurismaki pretty much ignores this genre in favour o... Read more

The Games Maker (2014)

5.7/10
Director: Juan Pablo Buscanini
Starring: Joseph Fiennes, Tom Cavanagh, Megan Charpentier

Young Ivan Drago's newfound love of board games catapults him into the fantastical world of game invention, and pits him against the inventor Morodian... Read more

The Wind Journeys (2009)

7.4/10
Director: Ciro Guerra
Starring: Marciano Martinez

A Colombian accordion player (Marciano Martinez) believes he must give up the instrument after the death of his wife. Legend has it that the device or... Read more