Hola México 2019

11th Hola México Film Festival
May 31 - June 8, 2019 - Regal L.A. Live - The Montalbán Hollywood

The largest Mexican Film Festival outside of Mexico that showcases the best feature films, documentaries, animations, and shorts produced in Mexico. 

Founded in 2008, Hola México Film Festival strives to highlight the best and brightest talents in Mexican cinema. The festival features high profile films in a festive atmosphere in conjunction with exclusive parties and outdoor concerts. 

Celebrating its 11^th year, Hola México Film Festival returns to Los Angeles from May 31 to June 8, offering film enthusiasts a chance to watch many beloved Mexican films and interact with the filmmakers and talents through special events and Q&A sessions. 

The following is the lineup of the films of the festival by category: 

GALAS & PARTIES & CONCERTS

• LAS NIÑAS BIEN (The Good Girls) - Opening Night Film followed by after-party at The Montalbán 

Surrounded by extravagant luxury, Sofía de Garay (Ilse Salas) lives in a dreamlike cloud of opulence in 1980s Mexico City. Her days are filled with lavish soirees, designer dresses, country-club tennis matches, and all the pleasures reserved for the upper crust. In this world, appearances are everything and friendships are only as strong as your financial status. However, when Mexico’s 1982 economic crisis hits her husband’s business hard, the elegant lifestyle Sofia is accustomed to falls to pieces right before her eyes. Soon, her arrogance turns into desperation, as she is forced to confront her new reality. It’s only in her infatuation with Spanish singer Julio Iglesias that Sofia finds solace from the unbearable turmoil. Director Alejandra Márquez Abella’s film is a sumptuous examination of the privileged few trapped in their artificial microcosm of hypocrisy, superficiality, and immense loneliness.

• RITA: EL DOCUMENTAL - Special Event followed by a concert by La Santa Sabina 30th Anniversary

Celebrating the life of rock star and activist Rita Guerrero, this intimate and music-fueled documentary by Arturo Diaz Santana captures the energy and artistry of a brilliant performer who was taken too soon. As the lead singer of famous band La Santa Sabina, Guerrero became a central figure in Mexico’s 90s rock scene and a fierce advocate for social justice who supported the Zapatista movement. Blending footage from her role as an entertainer that the audience came to love, with personal moments highlighting her off-stage personality, as well as interviews with those who were touched by her magic, the film honors her legacy but also serves a portrait of a woman who was  a fighter till the end. Adoring fans, as well as younger generations who will discover her for the first time, will enjoy this moving cinematic tribute.

• MIRREYES CONTRA GODINEZ - Closing Night Film followed by a performance by Sandra Echeverría

Genaro Rodríguez (Daniel Tovar), a young “godín” (a colloquial term that refers to low-level office workers), is a loyal employee of Kuri & Sons. His boss, Don Francisco Kuri, sees him like a son and trusts him completely with the business. However, circumstances change when Don Francisco dies and his real son, Santiago (Pablo Lyle), a spoiled “mirrey” (a term that refers to a young person from a wealthy family), decides to take over the company even if he has no skills to so. Afraid that Santiago and his fellow “mirreyes” will bankrupt the company he’s worked so hard to build, Genaro bands with the company’s other “godínez” to fight to keep their jobs. While being so intensely focused in their dispute, both groups lose sight of their real enemy, someone who is planning to destroy the company from within. This comedy by Chava Cartas explores class and power dynamics in Mexican society from a humorous and light-hearted point of view.

MX AHORA - MEXICO NOW

• LEONA

Going against her traditional Jewish family, Ariela (Naian González Norvind), a young woman from Mexico City, is secretly dating a non-Jew named Iván (Christian Vazquez). As the relationship deepens emotionally, Ariela realizes that her happiness doesn’t fit within the expectations of her community and their religious parameters. However, renouncing to her cultural identity would also mean leaving behind everyone in her life. Anchored by superb performances, this intimate and moving portrait of a forbidden love affair is as beautiful as it is heartbreaking. 

• OCHO DE CADA DIEZ (Eight Out of Ten)

Sergio Umansky’s fierce and psychologically complex drama explores the aftermath of a tragedy that evidences the rampant impunity and insecurity problem across Mexico. Chameleonic actor Noé Hernández shines as Aurelio, a man whose son was violently murdered in broad daylight. Searching for whoever was responsible, Aurelio meets Citlali (Daniela Schmidt) in a Mexico City hotel. She has also been unjustly separated from her child and wants to fight back. This shared struggle for justice forges a dangerous alliance between them. Soon, their desire for answers transforms into thirst for revenge.

• MUSEO

Gael García Bernal stars in the latest film from visionary director Alonso Ruizpalacios (“Güeros”) as Juan, a directionless man still living with his parents in Mexico City’s Satelite suburb and who has been planning an improbable heist to loot Mexico’s sacred National Museum of Anthropology. His best friend and accomplice, Benjamin (Leonardo Ortizgris), isn’t so sure that the outrageous scheme can work, but still plays along out of loyalty. In the aftermath of their criminal act, the two friends embark on a journey not just to pursue financial gain, but also for personal introspection through their failures and the singular characters they meet on the road. Inspired by true events, Ruizpalacios’ tragicomedy brilliantly dissects the value of irreplaceable art, the nature of patriotism, and the frustration of underachievers with great ambitions.

• CÓMPRAME UN REVÓLVER (Buy Me a Gun)

Set in an unspecified near-future version of Mexico, the new film by talented director Julio Hernández Cordón reinterprets the literary classic “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” as a dystopia where women are disappearing, and brutal cartels have complete control of the country.  In this dark world, a young girl named Huck (Matilde Hernandez), who wears a mask to hide her gender, helps her father, a tormented addict, take care of an abandoned baseball field where local narcos gather to play. To survive and defeat the local capo, Huck bands together with a group of lost boys that have learned to camouflage themselves in the windy desert. In their fight there may be hope for a better future.

• LA BODA DE MI MEJOR AMIGO (My Best Friend's Wedding)

This reimagining of the classic 90s romantic comedy starring Julia Roberts and Cameron Diaz follows the same formula but with a Mexican twist. Actress Ana Serradilla plays Julia, a renowned food critic afraid of settling down. Despite her aversion for commitment, Julia and her best friend Manuel (Carlos Ferro) had promised to marry each other if they were both single by age 35. To her surprise, the time has come and Manuel is marrying another women. With only four days before the ceremony and certain that she is the only woman for him, Julia plans to stop the wedding at any cost.

• SI YO FUERA TÚ (If I Were You)

A new take on the body swap sub-genre, this hilarious comedy tells the story of Claudia (Sophie Alexander) and Antonio (Juan Manuel Bernal), a couple which has been married for 15 years. With time their relationship has turned lackluster and meaningful communication is nonexistent. One night, following a heated argument, the rare planetary alignment of Venus, Earth, and Mars causes a shocking transformation. Antonio’s consciousness if now in Claudia’s body and vice versa, which will give them an opportunity to empathize with the other person’s daily life and reconnect with each other. DIR Alejandro Lubezki. SCR. Alejandro Lubezki, Amaranta Arguelles, Miguel Necoechea, Beto Cohen. CAST Juan Manuel Bernal, Sophie Alexander-Katz, Sebastián Zurita, Rosa María Bianchi, Isela Vega, Anabel Ferreira.

• HUACHICOLERO (The Gasoline Thieves)

Lalo (Eduardo Banda), a teenager from a small town, has a crush on girl at school and decides the only way to win her heart is buying her an expensive smartphone. At the same time, his mother is in need of financial support to cover medical bills. In order to help and achieve his romantic goals, Lalo gets involved with the local huachicoleros (gasoline thieves), who enlist him to illegally siphon the fuel and resell it on the black market. What first appeared like a solution to his troubles proves to be a deadly bargain. His choices could land Lalo in the hands of the authorities or in a much worse situation. This stunning debut feature touching on a relevant issue positions filmmaker Edgar Nito as one of the most exciting new voices in Mexican cinema.

• DULCE FAMILIA 

A bittersweet comedy with a message of body positivity and acceptance, “Dulce Familia” follows five women from different generations all of whom have struggled with dieting, low self-esteem, eating disorders, and an insatiable sweet tooth. Talented baker Tami (a transformed Fernanda Castillo) is in a wonderful relationship with her loving fiancé (played by Vadhir Derbez), but others don’t think that’s enough. Ignoring her happiness, Tami’s family is adamant for her to lose weight before getting married. Feeling insecure and aching to please them, Tami submits herself to torturous regimens in order to fit in her mother’s wedding dress. Renowned actress Florinda Mesa (known for playing La Chilindrina and Doña Florinda) is Tami’s judgmental mother for whom superficial beauty carries more weight than personality. Regina Blandón and Paz Bascuñán appear as her equally critical sisters.

EL OTRO MÉXICO - THE OTHER MEXICO

• LA NEGRADA (Black Mexicans)

Shot entirely in small towns throughout Oaxaca’s gorgeous Costa Chica, this is the first Mexican fiction film to portray the country’s long-neglected black population. Director Jorge Pérez Solano hired local non-professional actors to tell the story of two women, Juana and Magdalena, who are romantically involved with the same man, Neri. Through its central love triangle, the sun-lit movie addresses the alienation and discrimination black Mexicans face within their own homeland.

• LA CAMARISTA (The Chambermaid)

Lila Avilés’ superbly acted directorial debut is an intimate look at the life of a housekeeper in a lavish Mexico City hotel. Despite her labor-intensive job, Eve (Gabriela Cartol), the film’s quiet heroine, is eager to pursue her ambitions for a better life. Even if constantly combating everyday perils, she decides to enroll in an adult education program and forms bonds with other women in her environment, both the working class and those from more affluent circles. “The Chambermaid” is an introspective journey alongside a woman stronger than her circumstances.

• EL OMBLIGO DE GUIE'DANI (Guie'dani's Navel)

Featuring a star-making performance by Sótera Cruz, a young actress who plays the title character, this unique coming-of-age narrative explores the racism encountered by indigenous people in Mexico. Guie’dani (Cruz) is a Zapotec teenager who moves to Mexico City with her mother to work as a housekeeper for an upper-middle-class family. There, their language is mocked, and psychological subjugation is inflicted. Yet, Guie’dani rejects the life of servitude and seeks her own identity through a friendship with another rebellious teen.

• NIEBLA DE CULPA (Mist of Guilt)

Starring Academy Award nominated actress Marina de Tavira (“Roma”), Francisco Laresgoiti’s searing feature comments on the abuse, lack of opportunities, and injustices afflicting people from disadvantaged backgrounds in Mexico, and the entitlement of the ruling class. Yolanda (Alma Moreno), an illiterate woman from a rural town in Michoacán, accepts a job in the capital taking care of a wealthy family’s infant child. Eventually, her lack of basic skills results in an unexpected tragedy. Visually, the poetic drama plays with black-and-white and color cinematography creating a contrast between chaos and tranquility.

DOCUMENTAL - DOCUMENTARY

• MAR DE SOMBRAS (Sea of Shadows)

Executive produced by Oscar-winner Leonardo DiCaprio, this hard-hitting documentary follows environmental activists, the Mexican navy, and undercover investigators who are trying to save the vaquita, the world’s smallest whale, from extinction. The whale’s habitat is being destroyed at an alarming pace by Mexican cartels and the Chinese mafia, who harvest the swim bladder of the totoaba fish, also known as the “cocaine of the sea” for its high value. Featuring famed Mexican journalist Carlos Loret de Mola, the film bravely shines light on this illegal multi-million-dollar business.

• UN VIAJE EN TAXI (One Taxi Ride)

Unable to find emotional stability, Erick, a gay man living in Mexico City, must grapple with a harrowing incident that changed his life forever. A decade ago, on the night of his birthday, the then 17-year-old was sexually assaulted. Erick tried to move on with his life without going to the police, seeing a doctor, or finding any support groups, but it’s clear that the unresolved trauma is preventing him from having meaningful relationships with family and romantic interests. This observational and inspirational documentary captures the journey of this survivor as he faces his innermost fears in order to strive for happiness and a life worth living in spite of the terrible adversity he’s encountered.

• MAMACITA

Filmmaker José Pablo Estrada Torrescano fulfills his promise of making a documentary about his charismatic and demanding grandmother, Mamacita, in this loving and revelatory portrait of a self-made woman, her pride, and her many secrets. A savvy businesswoman who built an empire of beauty products and clinics, Mamacita is as warm as she is sternly direct. At 95, the strong-willed matriarch reminisces about her achievements and cries about her disappointments inside an extravagant home that hides many stories within its walls. Through the film, her grandson captures Mamacita in all her complexity and rediscovers their unbreakable bond.

NOCTURNO - NOCTURNAL

• FERAL

Told through videotape diaries and interviews, this terrifying vision centers on Juan Felipe de Jesús (Héctor Illanes), a priest and psychoanalyst in the Oaxacan mountains who in 1986 documented the process of reintegrating three feral children back into civilized society. However, when a mysteriously tragic fire halts the priest’s good intentions, many unanswered questions are left behind about what really happened in the inhospitable terrain. Only the locals know the dark truth. 

• INQUILINOS (The Tenants)

Running away from a devastating incident that haunts them, Luzma (Danny Perea) and Demián (Erick Elias), a young couple, move to an old apartment in Guadalajara to start over and save their relationship. Their desire for normalcy and tranquility are thwarted when they discover that a supernatural force inhabits their new home. Confronted with a series of paranormal phenomena involving their worst fears, the couple drifts further apart as the malevolent presence threatens to destroy them. 

SPECIAL SCREENINGS

• ROMA - Rooftop Screening at The Montalbán
• BELZEBUTH - Saturday Night Screening at the Regal L.A. Live

For more information and film schedule please visit HOLA MÉXICO