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Peruvian film “Contracorriente” (Undertow), a real highlight at Long Beach Q Film Festival, will screen again Sunday morning

http://www.nextmagazine.com/files/imagecache/blog_image/field_image/theundertowmovie.jpgAttended the opening night party of the Long Beach Q Film Festival last night and had an outstanding time!

The party was just great because I met some new people and chatted with some old friends (I lived in Long Beach for seven years in the 90s before going Hollywood).

Then came the real highlight of the evening: A screening of the sexy, haunting love story Contracorriente (Undertow in English). The film, which won the 2010 Audience Award at the Sundance Film Festival,  is set in a tiny Peruvian seaside village where traditions run deep.

http://www.ercboxoffice.com/uploads/movies/10830undertow_contracorriente1jpg.jpgHere’s a synopsis: Miguel (Cristian Mercado), a young fisherman, and his beautiful bride, Mariela (Tatiana Astengo), are about to welcome their first child. But Miguel harbors a scandalous secret. He’s in love with Santiago (Manolo Cardona), a painter, who is ostracized by the town because he’s gay. After a tragic accident occurs, Miguel must choose between sentencing Santiago to eternal torment or doing right by him and, in turn, revealing their relationship to Mariela—and the entire village.

This moving film is written and directed by Javier Fuentes-León and there is a serious campaign underway to snag an Academy Award nomination for outstanding foreign film.

I hope the effort is successful! I loved the movie which was beautifully acted and gorgeous to look at. After the screening, I started chatting with another audience member as we waited for a shuttle. He informed me that he had been a film student and, well, the movie did nothing for him because “I’m so tired of that same old paradigm.”

http://www.vlaff.org/myfiles/imagecache/news_big/myfiles/contracorriente1-foto.jpegEveryone is entitled to their opinion but I gotta wonder if blood is still flowing through this guy’s heart. I was so deeply moved by the courage of Miguel who may have been a coward through much of the film, but in the end he finds his truth and once he does, he risks all to live it. Isn’t that the story with so many people?

Anyway, if you missed the movie last night, it will screen again on Sunday at The Art Theatre in Long Beach on the final day of the four-day festival. Here is a LINK to the festival’s home page for more information.

Here is a trailer for the movie:

Related post: Long Beach Q Film Festival opens four-day run

FILE UNDER: Film Festivals

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