Life is a Party!

I saw Celia (the show) last night. It was poignant, electric and absolutely me made me cry, Mami absolutely loved it too!

I decided this song will be my new motto: La Vida es Una Carnaval!

Unfortunately, by the end of the show a terrible migraine had come on and I woke up after having the most horrid nightmare this morning. I dreamt that something had gone awry in the world and at nightfall these monsters that looked like something out of Lord of the Rings or Eragon came out and tried to capture people and tear them limb to limb, eating them alive. Imagine awaking to that…

I do feel burned out somewhat and perhaps being consumed alive is just another metaphor of being sucked dry emotionally and spiritually. I need to start refueling myself.

I’m looking forward to some family time on Thursday and the holiday weekend. I’m not one to go shopping amongst the mobs on Black Friday so I look forward to the sweet respite from work. I also want to go see Beowulf in Imax.

I don’t know why but there is something magical and incredibly comfortable about going out with your loved ones on the holidays, the nippy air, cuddling and coming back home to the warm coziness of your hearth and bed.

If you’re in the city, here are some great things for you to do and see:

HISPANIC NEW YORK FILM FESTIVAL
– 2 nd EDITION –

November 27th – December 1st, 2007
Presented by Columbia University and Instituto Cervantes in collaboration with The Film Society of Lincoln Center.
Curated by Marcela Goglio and Claudio Iván Remeseira

Tuesday, November 27th, 6-8pm
EL CANTANTE
Dir Leon Ichaso, 2007, 116m
Instituto Cervantes, 211 East 49th St. (and 3rd Ave)
*Filmmaker Leon Ichaso will be present

El Cantante is the dramatic-biography of Puerto Rican salsa pioneer
HectorLavoe. The film follows Lavoe’s (Marc Anthony) passionate relationship with Puchi (Jennifer Lopez) and his skyrocket to international fame. But,even when he has it all, Lavoe is unable to escape the allure of drugs and his personal pain.

The rest of the screenings will take place at:
Davis Auditorium
Columbia University, 500 West 120th St. (between Broadway and Amsterdam Ave)
For further direction, please visit Columbia Unversity’s website.

Wednesday, November 28th, 8-10pm
THE KRUTCH
Dir Judith Escalona, 2004, 29m.
*Filmmaker Judith Escalona will be present

The Krutch is a surreal narrative about a Puerto Rican psychoanalyst with a long-suppressed identity problem that erupts with some dire consequences. The film is unique in exploring the mental anguish and shame associated with racism. Stylistically akin to Buñuel with an eye towards Godard, it occupies an absurdist space that keeps it from descending into the maudlin clichés of realism. With Jaime Sánchez as the mysterious Dr. Gúzman and Cathy Haase as his unsuspecting patient Mrs. Kleist.

preceded by:

TWO DOLLAR DANCE
Dir Yolanda Pividal, 2006, 17m
*Filmmaker Yolanda Pividal will be present

Every weekend, hundreds of Latino immigrants pack the dance clubs of
Jackson Heights, Queens. There, they meet women who will be their dance floor partners for two dollars a song. Through the eyes of Victor, a patron, and Liz, one of the ballerinas, this film dives into the solitude and expectations of men and women who leave their families and countries behind to work in the United States.

and

LA BRUJA: A WITCH FROM THE BRONX
Dir Felix Rodriguez, 2005, 50m.
*Filmmaker Felix Rodriguez will be present

Art, labor and family blend in this intimate documentary about performance artist Caridad De La Luz, better know as ‘La Bruja’. Born and raised in the Bronx, this daughter of Puerto Rican immigrants takes the number 6 train to downtown Manhattan where she performs at popular New York City venues. She reads her poetry in Joe’s Pub, stages her one-woman show in the Nuyorican Poets Cafe, and performs at Def Poetry Jam. But opportunities are scarce and she struggles to make ends meet in an industry where ‘to keep it real’ often means to work for free.

Thursday, November 29th, 8-10pm
SOY ANDINA
Dir. Mitch Teplitsky, 2007, 67m
*Filmmaker Mitch Teplitsky will be present

After 15 years in New York, Nélida Silva returns to her birthplace in the Andes to fulfill a lifelong dream of hosting the Fiesta Patronal–a week of dance, music, and ritual honoring the town’s patron saint. But Neli’s changed, and so has the village. At the same time, Cynthia, a dancer raised in Queens by her Peruvian mother, embarks on her own journey, determined to know the real Peru. A cross-cultural road trip, propelled by traditional music and dance rarely seen outside of Peru, but with a universal core story: the yearning for roots and connection in a globalized world.

Friday, November 30th, 8-10pm
FROM MAMBO TO HIP HOP: A SOUTH BRONX TALE
Dir Henry Chalfant, 2006, 55m
*Filmmakers Henry Chalfant and Elena Martinez will be present

The film is a portrait of the South Bronx, the beleaguered New York community that was infamously destroyed by urban renewal, arson, gangs, drugs and violence. Yet at the same time, this borough contributed enormously to the popular culture of the world and has had an impact way beyond its size. In the 1950’s, the streets pulsated with the rhythms of Cuba and the hot new urban sounds of Latin Jazz, Mambo and later Salsa. On these same streets in the 1970’s, a new generation spun records, rapped and danced to the funky beats of Hip Hop. From Mambo to Hip Hop is the story of how an oppressed community can survive and thrive through cultural expression.

Saturday, December 1st, 8-10pm
WASHINGTON HEIGHTS
Dir Alfredo De Villa, 2002, 89m
*Filmmaker Alfredo De Villa will be present

Washington Heights tells the story of Carlos Ramirez, a young illustrator burning to escape the neighborhood and make a splash in downtown’s commercial comic-book scene. When his father, a bodega owner, is shot in a burglary attempt, Carlos is forced to put his dream on hold and run the store. In the process, he comes to the realization that if he is to make it as a comic artist, he must first engage with his own community.

FREE ADMISSION.
Photo ID may be required at door. To make a reservation and further information, email mgoglio@filmlinc.com or call (212) 854-6698.

From: http://www.citylore.org/

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