PRESS RELEASES – PAGE 3

SPOTLIGHT ON ARGENTINA

This year's Festival also includes a spotlight on new feature films and documentaries from Argentina, a country that in recent years has spawned an attention-grabbing New Wave of realist-based cinema. The centrepiece of the Spotlight on Argentina will be the Canadian premiere of Lisandro Alonso's exceptional debut, LA LIBERTAD (Freedom). "In our past 19 years, we have only shown a total of 17 films from Argentina. To spotlight six remarkable works from Argentina this year proves the country's output has reached a higher plane. Indeed, Argentina is poised to take its place as one of the world's richest sources for films," Franey explained.

A stunning example of the type of participatory cinema that has most notably come out of Iran in recent years, LA LIBERTAD is the day in the life of a woodcutter, Misuel, an individual isolated in nature. Captured by Alonso's fluid camera, Misuel performs his daily tasks as he would normally do them, effecting something like a personal liberty out of the simplest life. While it might appear to be a documentary, LA LIBERTAD is pure fiction, and fiction at its purest. Reminiscent of films from artists as wide-ranging as Kiarostami, Akerman and Sokurov, LA LIBERTAD shows how the most basic elements of cinema are often more inspiring than bells, whistles and digital effects. Director Lisandro Alonso will be in attendance.

Feature films in the Spotlight on Argentina include: Lucrecia Martel's LA CIÉNAGA, a tale of two families living out the swampy dog days of their vacation in a remote corner of northwestern Argentina, winner of the Alfred Bauer prize for best first film at this year's Berlin Film Festival; Ariel Rotter's Wong Kar-wai influenced JUST FOR TODAY, a fresh and spontaneous puzzle made up of snapshots of five young Buenos Aires' roommates; and Alonso's LA LIBERTAD.

Documentaries in the Spotlight on Argentina include: German Kral's IMAGES OF THE ABSENCE, a poignant visual diary of the director's pilgrimage to his birthplace of Buenos Aires which captured the top prize at the last Yamagata Documentary Film Festival; Rafael Filippelli's NOTES ON TANGO, an open-ended exploration of Argentina's musical and dance heritage; and Ulises Rosell's delightful BONANZA, which looks at ex-bank robber Bonanza Muchinsci, a huge, white-bearded, rubbish dealer/tyrant living with his burly son and tomboy daughter in a combination zoo/ junkyard outside Buenos Aires. Other titles may be announced at a later date.

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