12th Annual BAFICI: Winners

by Lauren Pringle

BAFICI (Buenos Aires International Independent Film Festival) fever has swept the city and left many hands golden, including some local talent sweeping the boards with success. The stats prove that this year’s BAFICI was a smash hit. A total of 350 million people participated in this year’s event, 15% more than last year. 230 tickets were sold and it was remarked as a profound event for cinema in Argentina. 449 films were shown including, feature films, shorts and documentaries. There were 111 Argentine titles shown at this year’s festival and an array of independent talent was demonstrated.

Argentina’s Armando Bo’s “The Last Elvis” was received with honours and the week saw an international array of talent take away the top prizes. Best film overall was taken by the Israeli directors Nadav Lapid, “Policeman” who also swept the board with best director. Best Actress went to Zoe Heran for her role in “Tomboy” and Best Actor went to the Argentine Martin Piroyansky for “The Vampire Spider.” Special prize was awarded to Maximiliano Schonfeld for “Germania” and Best Argentinean film went to Gabriel Medina’s “The Vampire Spider”.

With such overwhelming figures, who can complain that the Buenos Aires Film Festival is an annual event to brag about. With so much cinema to see, film selections proved difficult, but I do have to take my hat off to the efficient organization of the festival. I won’t bore you with the highs and lows of the films I saw but rather insight you with some personal favourite flicks. “Crazy and Thief” by Cory McAbee tells the story of an innocent 7 year old sister taking her two year old brother on a mystical adventure. The cinematography was delicate and wonderfully insightful into the beautiful minds of these young beholders. The free events in parque centenario are always a smash hit, (perhaps because they use the word free). However despite being crammed with people the selections are always a good watch.

“Electric Children” by Rebecca Thomas stood out to me particularly for the bizarre and sentimental storyline. The tale follows a southern belle who has an immaculous conception from listening to music. She escapes from her strict Mormon roots and heads to Las Vegas to find the voice of the music tape that impregnated her. A beautiful tale of mystery and hope, the acting was convincing and filled with realism. The cinematic design was simple and interesting to watch. Overall, I would definitely recommend this film as a way to indulge in a teenage fantasy for a few hours.

BAFICI line up Announced!

by Lauren Pringle, Contributing Blogger

Hold onto your hats, the date is growing ever close to the 14th annual Buenos Aires Festival de Cine Independiente (Buenos Aires International Independent Film Festival) to be held from April 11^th to April 19^th, 2012. Boasting an array of local and global talent, this year BAFICI will be opened with this year’s smash hit “El ultimo Elvis” (The last Elvis) which documents the story of an Elvis impersonator.  Directed by Helmer Armando Bo, the film has received raving reviews internationally. Closing the country’s biggest festival will be Ursula Meier’s Berlin-winning “L’Enfant d’en haut,” a sibling tale set in a Swiss ski resort.

The festival will screen 449 films from all over the globe with 15 competing for top prizes. Entries include Berlin-screened holiday drama “Salsipuedes” by Mariano Luque, Nadir Medina’s coming-of-age tale “El Espacio entre los dos” (The Space Between Us) and Luis Ortega’s street tale “Dromomanos” (Roamers). Competing for new cinema, the competition seems tough and we see the world premier of “Crazy and Thief,” a childhood adventure tale by American Cory McAbee.

Argentina will be making an impact screening three world premiers: Gabriel Medina’s father and son drama “La Arana vampiro” (The Vampire Spider), Maximiliano Schonfeld’s farm drama “Germania,” and Alejandro Fadel’s “Los Salvajes” (The Wild Ones), which follows a group of kids in the outback.

Other films that have had our ears turning red are:

Chilean Elisa Eliash’s seducer tale “Aqui estoy, aqui no” (Here I Am, Here I’m Not);

American Zach Weintraub’s “The International Sign for Choking,” about a scriptwriter trying to find himself in Buenos Aires;

“La Casa Emak Bakia” (The Search for Emak Bakia), a documentary by Spaniard Oskar Alegria.

Australian Justin Kurzel’s serial killer tale “Snowtown,”

Chilean Cristian Jimenez’s love story “Bonsai“

U.S.-Canadian co-production “Francine,” directed by Brian M. Cassidy and Melanie Shatzky, about a woman coming out of prison.

Philippine Marlon N. Rivera’s satirical comedy “The Woman in the Septic Tank,”

Dutch helmer Sacha Polak with father-daughter story “Hemel,“

Israeli Nadav Lapid’s “Policeman,” about a clash between anti-terrorist forces and young rebels,

Serbian Maja Milos’ “Clip,” about a sex-crazed teen.

Valerie Massadian’s childhood story “Nana“

Celine Sciamma’s “Tomboy,” about a girl who changes her identity, both from France.

Watch this space carefully for all the latest news and updates of this year’s BAFICI.

You can pre-order tickets now (most showings sell out) and remember to check out the free concerts, talks and children’s cinema programs.

For more information: http://www.bafici.gov.ar/

Review: El Estudiante (The Student)

by Lucy in Baires, contributing blogger

The Student is Roque Espinosa (played by Esteban Lamothe), a young guy from the countryside that comes to Buenos Aires to pursue university studies for the third time. It is not long until he realises that nothing interests him. He shows no vocation and wanders the crowded university halls to make friends and meet girls. One of them, Paula, an associate professor, introduces him to the hotbed of University politics.

The turning point is when he meets Alberto Acevedo, an old retired politician. Next to him, Roque learns politics codes and works with and behind students’ leaders. He feels he’s finally found his calling but not everything is what it seems.

Santiago Mitre, a young promising director, only 30, wrote and directed El Estudiante. It is not his ‘opera prima’ but his name is known for being one of the four directors of El Amor (2004) and one of the co-screenwriters behind Trapero’s movies such as Leonera and Carancho (2010).

The film gives the viewer a facinating look at University politics, which while very insular, has captivated audiences all over the world, including the Special Jury Prize at BAFICI, ADF Prize for Best Photography, FEISAL (Argentine film critics) prize and it is not over yet, as it appeared in the 2011 Locarno International Film Festival and Toronto.

Mitre asked for INCAA (the Argentine Film Board) for funding and was denied hence he had to modify the strategy of shooting unable to afford the costs of reproducing the overcrowded university’s environments. The irony turns up: while the film is entirely fictional and a convincing cast of young actors follow the script, the movie was filmed in the halls of the Faculty of Social Sciences with real students and the Students Centre’s help.

In Competition at Cannes from Argentina

The 2011 Cannes film festival will have the short film Soy tan feliz, byVladimir Durán, produced by Gale Cine and Servo Films from Argentina in competition for the Golden Palm award, after winning best short film in the 2011 BAFICI (Buenos Aires International Independent Film Festival).

2011 BAFICI Buenos Aires Independent Film Festival approaches!

by Fer Murjica, contributing blogger

From April 6^th until April 17^th, different cinemas in Buenos Aires will be hosting the BAFICI (Buenos Aires International Independent Film Festival) showing a selection with more than 426 different independent films from Argentina and all over the world.

Starting yesterday and until April 6^th, people will be able to buy pre-sale tickets for the movies they want. The numbers are promising with almost 17400 tickets sold in the first day. Last year 280,000 people attended, making it the most important film event in Argentina.

Who Won BAFICI 2010?

by Tracey Chandler, contributing blogger

Last night was the closing night of the twelve year strong BAFICI (Independent Film Festival of Buenos Aires), a popular two week (roughly), independent film festival including a full program of open-air screenings, concerts, book presentations and more, all on top of the regular cinema showings across a variety of participating cinemas in the city.

The major winners are “Alamar” , by Pedro González-Rubio (Mexico) in the international competition, “Lo que más quiero”, by Delfina Castagnino was named best Argentinian film by the international critics and “Invernadero”, by Gonzalo Castro was named best Argentine film.

The Stats

For all you “Fact Fiends” out there, here are the stats…..

200 thousand regular cinema tickets sold

280 thousand people attending cinema showings and extra stuff combined, like the book presentations and open-air screenings

10% increase in ticket sales and attendance in comparison to that of the 2009 BAFICI….. not bad!

for a complete list of winners and more fun stats, keep reading!

BAFICI Buenos Aires International Independent Film Festival Starts Tomorrow

There are festivals that are more competitive, that have more money, and that end up in more distribution deals, but few are as fun, as widely attended and as culturally important as BAFICI, the annual Buenos Aires festival that celebrates the weird, quirky and just plain good of global cinema.

BAFICI started in 1999 and grows each year: in 2008 there were 220 thousand spectators at the 1011 screenings in the 9 venues of the festival.

With its wide range of films including Argentine, Latin American and worldwide premieres as well as well-deserved retros, BAFICI is the greatest, most prestigious event for the independent cinema in Latin America. Many of the films shown go own to world fame but for the majority, this will be the only chance for them to be seen by an Argentine public.

And for the first time, buying tickets is easy! Yesterday I went on to the website, browsed films by date and hour and venue, read the descriptions, and then just clicked to buy on-line. A big improvement over past years, when you had to wait on long lines and they would always run out of schedules.

Be warned: many screenings sell out!

The advance sale of tickets for the 12th BAFICI, which starts on Wednesday the 7th of April, continues through this weekend. Through the internet, on the website www.festivals.gob.ar and personally at the Hoyts Abasto cinema complex (Av. Corrientes 3247).  During the festival, from Thursday the 8th, tickets will be on sale at $10 pesos on the ticket booths in every cinema.

I won’t be able to go to as many films as years past (where I would go to 5 a day) but I will be posting reviews to the films I get to see.

See you at Abasto!

New Features of Buenos Aires Independent Film Festival

This year´s BAFICI (Buenos Aires Independent Film Festival) looks like it finally got its act together. While the festival has always been the premier Argentine event for viewing the best in independent world cinema, it has often been plagued by disorder (programs being distributed after the festival begins, a mad rush for tickets). This year, the festival programs are well organized (with a map of all the cinemas!) and beautifully printed. Finally, going to the festival won´t be the filmlovers´ equivalent of climbing mount Everest.

A newcomer in the programme of the 11th Buenos Aires International Independent Film Festival is BAFICITO (literally “little BAFICI”), a new section aimed at children who will face the task of choosing the winning film by the audience vote.

We´ll be going to various talks, events and films and reporting back on what we think, so stay tuned!