Latino Lecture—As part of the National Hispanic Cultural Center's ongoing Latino/Hispanic Film Conference, this Thursday, May 19, will feature a free film screening followed by a Q&A lecture. The film screening will be of The Bronze Screen: 100 Years of the Latino Image in Hollywood. This showbiz documentary, narrated by actress Wanda De Jesus (The Insider), interviews such notables as Rubén Blades, John Leguizamo, Ricardo Montalban, Rita Moreno, Raquel Welch and Edward James Olmos. It explores the largely untold story of Latinos in the American motion picture industry–from the “Latin lover” stereotype in silent films to the more complex characters explored by today's Latino filmmakers. The film's screenwriter, Susan Racho, will be on hand for the Q&A. Tickets are a mere $6 and can be purchased at the door of the Bank of America Film Theatre (1701 Fourth Street SW). Screening begins at 7 p.m. For more info, log on to www.hccnm.org.
Reel World
Another Brick in the Wall—On Thursday, May 19, The People Before Profit Film/Lecture Series at the Albuquerque Peace & Justice Center (202 Harvard SE) will present The Israeli Wall in Palestinian Lands. Recently, two American activists/filmmakers set out to explore the impact of the wall on Palestinian lives. They traveled throughout the Middle East and spoke with a variety of Palestinians–from a young refugee mother in Dheisheh to a music student in Ramallah to a farmer in Jayyous to an African-Palestinian tour guide in Jerusalem. Their perspectives shed light on Israel's objectives with the wall and what kind of future may lie ahead for both Palestinians and Israelis. A guest speaker from the Arab-Jewish Peace Alliance will be there with updates on the status of antinuclear whistle blower Mordechai Vanunu. The free screening starts at 7 p.m.
Reel World
Middle Eastern Moviegoing—As part of its fifth anniversary celebration, Old World Imports in Nob Hill will be sponsoring a showing of the classic Persian film Gabbeh by Moshen Makhmalbaf. The showing will be on Sunday, May 22, at the Lobo Theatre (3013 Central NE) beginning at 5 p.m. The film, released in 1996, is a lush, romantic and near-mystical tale of an elderly couple and their prized possession, a beautiful hand-woven rug. One day, the spirit of the carpet–a beautiful young woman–appears and relates the history of the item. The result is a colorful fable filled with love, death and heartbreak. Donations will be accepted to benefit Heifer International, a nonprofit organization dedicated to fighting world hunger.
