The New York International Latino Film Festival is under way until August 2 and I am fortunate to be able to attend. So far I’ve focused on seeing the shorts programs with one exception. I am fascinated by the art of short filmmaking. Being able to tell a coherent and interesting story in a limited amount of time is very difficult.

Overall, most of the films have met the challenged while others struggled a bit. I must say that the level of talent this year is amazing. It is great to see Latino filmmakers come into their own.

The first session I went to was “So, Last Night” the films were:

Coup De Grace, Director: Thymaya Payne – Film about two friends who rob a store, then something goes wrong. One of the friends tries to find redemption in saving a dog’s life. Well filmed and acted, the film is satisfying and worth seeing.

En La Otra Camilla (On The Other Stretcher), Director: Luis Melgar – A comedy of errors from Spain, the film while amateurish at times has many laughs, entertaining.

One Night Stand, Director: Mr. Moe – One of the criteria that I have for a film, is that it has to have the element of surprise, and this film definitely delivers. On the surface, I expected a “Fatal Attraction” type of film but it became much more. Can’t wait to see what Mr. Moe will bring next.

Lost Brother, Director: Roberto Lopez – This film excited me because it showed a different side of life from the Muslim perspective. It was problematic in connecting the plot points but the acting was good and I can’t wait to see what the director will do next.

Baile, Director: Geoffrey Guerrero – I liked the story of the conga player who is so devoted to his music and wants to fill his life with someone who will share his passion. Though for me the story was somewhat predictable, however, the direction and the acting of the lead character (Justin Justin) made the film a pleasure to watch.

This series of short films will be repeated on Sunday, August 2nd. Support Latino films and go see it. To get more information go to http://nylatinofilm.com

Calle 13: Sin Mapa

The one exception to the short films was the documentary “Calle 13: Sin Mapa.” The film amazed me in that it was nothing like I expected. In full disclosure, I was not familiar with Calle 13’s music but the film showed me their sincerity and humanity. The film is more like a Travel Channel show but it goes so much further in exploring South America. Residente, the lead singer and lyricist of the group is such a compelling character, totally honest and not afraid to be himself while showing us a world that most of us never knew existed. It is definitely a film that must be seen. It was released on DVD the same day that it premiered at the festival and it is one that I will add to my collection.

In the next few days, I will review the other films I see.