Latin+American+Film+of+the+1990s

Latin American Films of the 1990s = = =[|del toro interview] = =A. A Brief History of Latin America in the 1990s: =

=1. Brief overview of Latin America in the 1990s: =



=2. Cuba in the 1990s: [|Glimpses of Cuba] = = = =3. NAFTA Results in Mexico: [|NAFTA] = = = = = =4. Brazil: [|Economy] = =[|Economic Boom] = = = =B. A Selection of Latin American Films from the 1990s: =

//Like Water for Chocolate// (Mexico, Alfonso Arau, 1992)

[|A taste of Alfonso Arau] In a forgotten Mexico Tita (Lumi Cavazos) and Pedro (Marco Leonardi) fall in love, but are forbidden to marry. Mama Elena sees Tita's role as her caretaker for life - no youngest daughter has ever married and her daughter will not be the first to break tradition. Tita's heart breaks when her mother instead offers to Pedro her other daughter, and he accepts. Now they live in the same house, but Mama Elena cannot forbid their love as she did their marriage, and food becomes the source of their passion.

//Strawberry and Chocolate// (Cuba, Tomas Gutlerrez and Carlos Tabio, 1993)

Diego (Jorge Perugorria), a cultivated, apolitical, sceptical young artist living in Havana initiates a friendship with fiercely communist homophobe David (Vladimir Cruz) with the intention of seducing him. David, knowing this, allows the relationship to build so he can spy on a person he sees as aberrant and dangerous to the communist cause. Despite their conflicting sexualities and political ideologies the two slowly build a relationship out of their differences, proving that camaraderie and friendship can overcome the most divisive superficialities.

//The Beginning and the End// (Mexico, Arturo Ripstein, 1993) //[|beginning and the end film]//

[|Arturo Ripstein at Rice U]

The film tells the story of the Boteros, a middle-class Mexican family struggling against poverty after their father's death. Ignacia (Julietta Egurrola) is the Boteros mother, a desperate woman who chooses to sacrifice the destiny of her three older children, in order to protect Gabriel (Ernesto Laguardia) the youngest one. She believes Gabriel will climb the social structure and bring back the lost fortune to the family. But destiny has other plans for the Boteros and tragedy will overcome eventually. Based on the novel of Nobel Prize winner Naguib Mahfouz.

//Foreign Land// (Brazil, Walter Salles and Daniella Thomas, 1996)

[|walter salles interview]

After the death of his mother, a young Brazilian decides to leave his country and travel to her native land, as she used to dream with, as an Spanish immigrant. In a foreign land, he finds love and danger as he meets a Brazilian waitress and takes smuggled goods with him in order to pay for his travel.