International Film Festival of Fresno

CineCulture, together with Fresno Latino Rotary, presents:

Viña de Oro: International Film Festival of Fresno

All Events are Free and Open to the Public
For further information contact: Fresno Latino Rotary at 492-7878
http://www.fresnolatinorotary.org/
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Fresno-Latino-Rotary-Club/153807621306634

Relaxed parking in University Business Center Lot (UBC), & after 4 p.m. Friday-Sunday evening
Map link: http://www.csufresno.edu/ucomm/maps/pdf/CampusMapLTR.pdf

Thursday, September 1st
3:00 – 5:00 Cilantro y Perejil (Cilantro and Parsley): UBC Room 191
Filmmaker will be in attendance to facilitate discussion.
This is a comedy about couples within the same family, striken by crisis, leading to the philosophical and practical question: is it worthwhile to stay together? Susana and Carlos have been married for ten years. He works all day to survive the economic crisis, and she leaves him. Her younger sister, Nora, films the separation for a school project, and tries to save her own relationship with Jorge, a young rock and roll musician. Even the children of Susana and Carlos are not spared the conflicts. And Adela, Susana's grandmother, finds love with Genaro, an antiques aficionado. The answers and conclusions in the film are fun, unpredictable, and very human.
Relaxed Parking in University Business Center Lot

5:30 – 7:30 El Estudiante (The Student:) UBC Room 191
Mexican film written and directed by Roberto Girault, and starring Jorge Lavat, Norma Lazareno, José Carlos Ruiz, Jeannine Derbez, Siouzana Melikian and Cristina Obregón. The film depicts the story of a 70 year old man called Chano, who decides to go to college
The story takes place in Guanajuato. It relates the story of a 70 year old man called Chano, who decides to enter college to study literature. With a Quixotic attitude, he tries to break the generation gap, creating a clash of different traditions, in which they will share dreams and experiences.
The limited release of this film happened gradually in 100 locations in Mexico. It was also screened in various movie festivals, including the Chicago Latino Film Festival and Latin American Film Festival of Grand Rapids, Michigan. The film won the Mexican film critics award "Diosa de Plata", despite not being nominated in any category by the academy. Relaxed Parking in University Business Center Lot


Friday, September 2nd
2:00 – 3:00 Workshop by Director Rafael Montero: UBC Room 191
Relaxed Parking in University Business Center Lot

3:00 – 4:00 Tijuana Jews: Documentary, (2005, 52 min) UBC Room 191

Discussant: Issac Artenstein (Filmmaker)
Mexican-Jewish director Isaac Artenstein repeatedly experienced reactions of surprise, even disbelief, from many people north of the border: they had no idea there were Jews in Mexico, and especially in Tijuana. Tijuana Jews is an authentic and living testimony set against conceptions and misconceptions of this near-mythic border city. Throughout the early 20th century, thousands of European Jews sailed to America to escape persecution and look for new opportunities. Some arrived in Mexico, and a small group made their way north to Tijuana. The Tijuana Jewish community was established by immigrants and their descendants from Eastern Europe-Yiddish-speaking Ashkenazi Jews from countries like Poland, Russia, Lithuania, and Rumania. And also by Sephardic Jews from Turkey, Greece, and the Balkans and by Arabic Jews from Syria and Lebanon. Tijuana Jews illuminates the experiences of local pioneers who established the first Jewish temple in Tijuana and subsequent congregations...Written by National Center for Jewish Film
Relaxed Parking in University Business Center Lot


4:00 – 5:00 La Ilusión Viaja en Tranvía (Illusion travels by Streetcar): UBC Room 192

Confronted with the unfortunate news that their favorite Streetcar, no. 133, is going to be decommissioned, two Municipal Transit workers get drunk and decide to "take 'er for one last spin," as it were. Unfortunately, the "one last spin" ends up being an all-night and all-day scramble to stay out of trouble, as they are confronted with situation after sometimes bizarre situation that prevents them from returning the "borrowed" Streetcar! Written byMark Toscano

5:30 – 7:30 Concurrently presented by Cineculture: Monsieur Ibrahim (Monsieur Ibrahim et les fleurs du coran) (2003).

Peter’s Education Center Auditorium (Student Recreation Center Building - West of Save-Mart Center)

Discussant: Dr. Rose Marie Kuhn
Screen legend Omar Sharif (Lawrence of Arabia and Doctor Zhivago) stars with film newcomer Pierre Boulanger in this touching drama set in the mid-60’s in a bustling neighborhood of Paris. Momo, a lonely jewish teenager, strikes an unlikely friendship with Mr. Ibrahim, an elderly “Arab” widower who own a grocery store. A box office success in its native France, this profoundly moving film was nominated for several awards, including the 2004 Golden Globe for Best Foreign Language Film. For his role as Mr. Ibrahim, Omar Sharif received the Venice International Film Festival Audience Award (2003) and a Cesar Award (2004) for Best Actor. Pierre Bolanger won a Silver Hugo for Best Male Performance at the Chicago International Film Festival (2003). French with English subtitles, rated R (some sexual content), 96 minutes.

6:00 – 8:00 Break of Dawn: UBC Room 191

Discussant: Issac Artenstein (Filmmaker)

which originally appeared on PBS, tells the story of Pedro J. Gonzalez, an activist broadcaster in 1930s Los Angeles who used radio to organize Mexican agricultural and other low-wage workers. Here we see dramatized the transition from radio audiences to political organizers in the context of repatriation and nativist violence..

6:00 – 8:00 El Gran Calavera (English: The great Madcap): UBC Room 192
Buñuel's first "comeback" film since "L'Age d'Or" in 1930 (he made only a few musicals in the interim), "El Gran Calavera" concerns a family's attempts to change the patriarch's somewhat indulgent and hedonistic ways by fooling him into thinking his large fortune is gone. They assume a life of poverty in Mexico in an attempt to teach him a lesson. However, he discovers it's a ruse, but continues to perpetuate the facade of ignorance while sneaking off during the day to conduct his thriving business. Why? To teach his family a lesson - they are all lazy, worthless leeches! Written by Mark Toscano

Saturday, September 3rd
10:00 – 12:00 El Estudiante (The Student): Peter’s Education Center Auditorium (Student Recreation Center Building - West of Save-Mart Center)
Mexican film written and directed by Roberto Girault, and starring Jorge Lavat, Norma Lazareno, José Carlos Ruiz, Jeannine Derbez, Siouzana Melikian and Cristina Obregón. The film depicts the story of a 70 year old man called Chano, who decides to go to college
The story takes place in Guanajuato. It relates the story of a 70 year old man called Chano, who decides to enter college to study literature. With a Quixotic attitude, he tries to break the generation gap, creating a clash of different traditions, in which they will share dreams and experiences.
The limited release of this film happened gradually in 100 locations in Mexico. It was also screened in various movie festivals, including the Chicago Latino Film Festival and Latin American Film Festival of Grand Rapids, Michigan. The film won the Mexican film critics award "Diosa de Plata", despite not being nominated in any category by the academy. Relaxed Parking in University Business Center Lot

2:00 – 3:00 Contemporary Mexican Cinema *Documentary* / UBC Room 191

Discussant: Issac Artenstein (Filmmaker)

4:00 – 5:00 Documentary Case Studies *Workshop* by Isaac Artenstein (Filmmaker): UBC Room 191


4:00 – 6:00 El Color de la Guayaba (English: The color of the Guava): Peter’s Education Center Auditorium (Student Recreation Center Building - West of Save-Mart Center)
Bautista is a taxicab driver that has been rented by a woman named Ada. Ada wants him to drive her to the other side of the island with the condition that he doesn't take any other passengers and that he drives her to get some guavas. During the trip, Bautista, a driver for more than 44 years, becomes a storyteller. He tells Ada different stories that he has heard all related to the exotic guava fruit. These stories -some about butterflies or fairies, others about lonely madwomen, little people, and witchcraft-begin to take life while Bautista tells them, giving us a whimsical touch of magical realism with a Caribbean twist, and showing how fragile the circumstances these characters live are.

6:00 – 8:00 A Day Without a Mexican: UBC Room 191
One day California wakes up and not a single Latino is left in the state. They have all inexplicably disappeared; chaos, tragedy, and comedy quickly ensue.

Sunday, September 4th
1:00 – 4:00 Vehicle Exhibition and “Cast” of Finish Line

2:00 – 4:00 Finish Line: UBC Room 191

Discussants: Producer, Director & Cast
Based on a heart warming drama, driven by the sheer speed of classic muscle cars and the emotions of real people living out the often harsh realities of life; Finish line will take you back in time combining the early 70’s and present day Central California , the Vietnam era, racing and cruising Main Street. Then and now, surrounded by hot cars and rock-n-roll music.
Finish Line depicts the story of a young man’s inherited passion for muscle cars who is constantly harassed by three rich boys in town. His troubles are compounded by his widowed mother’s fear of losing him and the threat of foreclosure on the family farm.
Finish Line provides exciting and meaningful entertainment for the whole family.

3:00 – 5:00 Nazarín: UBC Room 192
is a priest, attempting to living a pure and honest life strictly according to Christian principles - but others only show him distrust and hatred, apart from the local prostitute...