A selection of contemporary films from Central America – with Q&As, Salvadoran drinks and food, live music, and lashings of Ron Abuelo rum!
The Garden Cinema is thrilled to present the first full-length season of Central American film in the UK. With feature films from Panama, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Guatemala, and El Salvador, and a series of shorts from countries across the region, this innovative collection showcases the very best of contemporary filmmaking from the area.
Contemporary cinema from Central America spans genres and themes, engaging with a range of visual techniques and aesthetic processes. From Viaje and El puma de Quelepa, which are shot in black and white despite their lush naturalistic settings, and Costa Rican queer film Abrázame como antes, which deploys neo-realist techniques such as handheld cameras and the use of non-professional actors, to directors such as Jayro Bustamante who employ an indigenous cosmovision to tell stories against oppression in classical ghost story La Llorona, and the magic realism of Clara Sola, these films provide complex and nuanced portrayals of the world around us. What connects the narratives of the films showcased in the festival is their preoccupation with relationships – with our kin, our lovers, our environment, our families – often forcing us to reconsider societal norms. This collection of films also explores the region’s recent history and changing landscapes, from the place afforded to its indigenous cultures and traditional notions of family and sexuality, to evolving urban and natural environments.
The season is curated in collaboration with Liz Harvey-Kattou from the University of Westminster, with a shorts event curated by film club Cinema Mentiré. It will feature Q&As with the filmmakers (both remote and in-person), as well as post-film discussions that will help us share and unpack the films’ key themes and contexts. A couple of screenings will be preceded by live music from the region, with some extra perks like complementary cocktails and Salvadoran snacks. We will also be adding Central American drinks to our bar menu, including Ron Abuelo rum. Coffee lovers can indulge their senses amongst the coffee fields of El Salvador, with our screening of Whisper of Silence.
