The annual celebration of Latin American cinema returns from August 8 to 28 with 15 diverse and rare films from countries including Argentina, Peru, Mexico and Brazil.
The opening night (Thursday 8 August) of the festival will take place on the ANU campus at the Australian Centre on China in the World auditorium, while all subsequent screenings will be held either at the Haydon-Allen Lecture Theatre (The Tank) on weekdays or at the China in the World auditorium on Saturdays.
UPDATE 13/08/24: Please note that the screening venues for the festival have changed due to circumstances beyond the control of the organisers. Dates and start times have not changed. Please refer to the listing below for the most up-to-date details.
Screenings are FREE to attend and open to the public. All films will be screened in their original language with English subtitles.
Proudly presented by the Latin American Embassies in Australia with the support of the ANU Latin American Students' Association.
1. THURSDAY 8 AUGUST @ 7:45 PM – STRAWBERRY & CHOCOLATE (FRESA Y CHOCOLATE)
Country: Cuba
Directors: Tomás Gutiérrez Alea, Juan Carlos Tabío
Diego, a cultivated, sceptical, homosexual young man, falls in love with a young heterosexual communist full of prejudices and doctrinal ideas. (108 mins, 1993)
2. FRIDAY 9 AUGUST @ 7:30 PM – THE EXTORTION (LA EXTORSION)
Country: Argentina
Director: Martino Zaidelis
A commercial airline pilot is plunged into a plot of intrigue and extortion that will put his life and career at risk after committing a serious fault on the job. (105 mins, 2023)
3. SATURDAY 10 AUGUST @ 6:00 PM – DEATH IN BERRUECOS (MUERTE EN BERRUECOS)
Country: Ecuador
Directors: Edgar Narvaez, Caupolican Ovalles
Bogotá, 1840. Ten years after a Grand Marshall was murdered in the jungle, the inquiry into his death is reopened, uncovering a highly intricate plot. (102 mins, 2018)
4. TUESDAY 13 AUGUST @ 7.30 PM – THE INNER GLOW (UN DESTELLO INTERIOR)
Country: Venezuela
Directors: Andrés Eduardo Rodríguez, Luis Alejandro Rodríguez
New Venue: Haydon-Allen Lecture Theatre (The Tank)
A terminally-ill young woman is increasingly torn between her decreased willingness to live and her desire to care for her young daughter. (90 mins, 2020)
5. WEDNESDAY 14 AUGUST @ 7.30 PM – DOS FRIDAS
Country: Costa Rica
Director: Ishtar Yasin Gutierrez
New Venue: Haydon-Allen Lecture Theatre (The Tank)
Costa Rican nurse Judith Ferreto cares for Mexican painter Frida Kahlo during the final years of her life as reveries, myths, imagination and reality intertwine. (92 mins, 2018)
6. FRIDAY 16 AUGUST @ 7:30 PM – KIMURA
Country: Panama
Director: Aldo Rey Valderrama
New Venue: Haydon-Allen Lecture Theatre (The Tank)
After accidentally killing his brother, an illegal fighter leaves his life behind. Years later, he returns to his family for forgiveness but is tested to his limits. (90 mins, 2017)
7. SATURDAY 17 AUGUST @ 6.00 PM – MOTHER (UNA MADRE)
Country: Colombia
Director: Diogenes Cuevas
New Venue: China in the World Auditorium
A son rescues his schizophrenic mother from an asylum in this taut rural tragedy that serves as a powerful indictment of a society’s values. (83 mins, 2020)
8. MONDAY 19 AUGUST @ 7.30PM – SHINING MOON: DIRECTOR’S CUT (EL DESTELLO DE LA LUNA)
Country: Chile
Director: Gustavo Letelier
New Venue: Haydon-Allen Lecture Theatre (The Tank)
A man is offered the role of an elderly drag artist in a film. He has fears and prejudices that he must solve on the path to a new career. Director’s cut. (105 mins, 2020)
9. TUESDAY 20 AUGUST @ 7.30PM – HOME TEAM (MI MUNDIAL)
Country: Uruguay
Director: Carlos Andres Morelli
New Venue: Haydon-Allen Lecture Theatre (The Tank)
The unexpected story of Tito, a wonderful football player, who comes from a poor family in a little village and is traded to a big team in the city. (102 mins, 2017)
10. WEDNESDAY 21 AUGUST @ 7.30 PM – WHISPER OF SILENCE (EL SUSPIRO DEL SILENCIO
Country: El Salvador
Director: Alfonso Quijada
New Venue: Haydon-Allen Lecture Theatre (The Tank)
In the coffee fields of Latin America, an 18-year-old coffee picker puts her a rare and amazing sense of smell to good use. (93 mins, 2020).
11. FRIDAY 23 AUGUST @ 7.30 PM – BOREAL
Country: Paraguay
Director: Federico Adorno
New Venue: Haydon-Allen Lecture Theatre (The Tank)
Benjamín anxiously awaits the return of the Mennonite leader. When he finally appears, he says that they must stay on but Benjamín objects. (87 mins, 2022)
12. SATURDAY 24 AUGUST @ 6.00 PM – AINBO: SPIRIT OF THE AMAZON
Country: Peru
Directors: Richard Claus, Jose Zelada
New Venue: China in the World Auditorium
The epic animated journey of a young heroine and her animal spirit guides as they embark on a quest to save their home in the Amazon Rainforest. (84 mins, 2021)
13. MONDAY 26 AUGUST @ 7.30 PM – NEBAJ
Country: Guatemala
Director: Kenneth Muller
New Venue: Haydon-Allen Lecture Theatre (The Tank)
At the height of the Guatemalan civil war, a Mayan evangelical pastor leads more than 200 people out of guerrilla-controlled territory and to safety. (80 mins, 2019)
14. TUESDAY 27 AUGUST @ 7.30 PM – TURN IT UP, IT’S ROCK’N’ROLL (AUMENTAQUE E ROCK’N’ROLL)
Country: Brazil
Director: Leandro Reis
New Venue: Haydon-Allen Lecture Theatre (The Tank)
The story of Rádio Fluminense, the first rock’n'roll FM radio in Brazil in the early 1980's, which made history broadcasting the rock’n'roll of its era. (112 mins, 2024)
15. WEDNESDAY 28 AUGUST @ 7.30 PM – VALENTINA OR THE SERENITY (VALENTINA O LA SERENIDAD)
Country: Mexico
Director: Angeles Cruz
New Venue: Haydon-Allen Lecture Theatre (The Tank)
Young Valentina puts all her efforts in believing that her late father is alive in this intimate look into the depths of loss and the curative power of true love. (86 mins, 2023)
How time flies! It's hard to believe that our Autumn 2024 season will be coming to a close in just one month – as will the Kambri Cultural Centre when the ANU comences its planned hail remediation project in June.
We have been so humbled and buoyed by the many messages of support and thanks received from our members since announcing the screening break earlier this year. While there is no doubt that we will return, we understand that many of you also have questions that we'll aim to address below.
Thank you again for your support, and we hope you make the most of these last few weeks of screenings!
Why are you taking a screening break?
The ANU Film Group will regretfully be taking a break from screenings as the ANU will be undertaking major building work on the Kambri Cultural Centre, where our cinema is located. The work is part of a campus wide hail remediation project to repair damage sustained in the January 2020 hailstorm. As the repairs will primarily involve the roof and walls, the entire building and all venues within it will be closed for the duration.
How long will the screening break last?
Repairs to the Kambri Cultural Centre are expected to take place from June 2024 until early February 2025, a period of approximately eight and a half months. As with any major building work, there is always the possibility of delays for a number of reasons, including weather, but we remain optimistic that we will be able to resume screenings in time for O-Week next year.
To receive the latest updates on when screenings will resume, please subscribe to our mailing list at the top of our homepage or follow our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/ANUFG.
What will happen to my membership during the screening break?
All memberships that are valid when the break begins on June 2, 2024 will be automatically extended by a period equivalent to the screening break to ensure that no one is left out of pocket. If screenings can resume as planned from the start of O-Week on February 10, 2025, then this will be for a period of 36 weeks (inclusive). There is nothing that you need to do to have your membership extended, and there is no cost to you. If you wish to find out when your membership currently expires, please ask us at the next screening you attend or email us at info@anufg.org.au with your membership number.
If for any reason you are unable to make use of your membership extension, we are also able to offer pro rata refunds on any membership fees already paid. To obtain a refund, please send us an email to info@anufg.org.au with your details and membership number for further information.
Why can’t you screen films at a different venue during the screening break?
As much as we’d like to continue screening films during the break, there are unfortunately no other venues on campus that have the professional cinema-grade projection and sound equipment required to run our screenings. This includes our former home at the Coombs Theatre, which was remodelled after we moved to Kambri in 2019 and is no longer suitable for film screenings.
We have even explored the possibility of holding screenings at other venues outside of the ANU, but the cost of hiring a commercial cinema with a similar seating capacity or technical capability was simply too expensive.
What can we do to remain involved during the break?
We plan on staying in touch with our members via our Facebook page and through regular mailing list messages, but are open to any suggestions you might have on how we can keep you entertained and engaged during the screening break. If you have any ideas, please don’t hesitate to reach out by emailing us at info@anufg.org.au.
We regret to inform you that we are no longer able to screen THE THIRD MAN as scheduled on Thursday 23 May, as its distributor is now planning a re-release of the film in cinemas for its 75th anniversary.
In its place, we will instead be screening THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION, which celebrates its 30th anniversary this year. Starring Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman, the much beloved drama is consistently ranked by many as one of the greatest of all time and remains a mainstay as the #1 voted film on IMDb.
We apologise for any inconvenience and disappointment caused, and hope that you will be able to join us at THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION instead at the same date and time. For more information about the film, CLICK HERE.
It's finally here: our brand new Autumn 2024 programme. And because this will sadly be our one and only season for the year we're pulling out all the stops!
Case in point: we'll be kicking things off next week with not one, not two, but three free screenings: Oscar-nominated THE BOY AND THE HERON on Monday, raunchy rom-com ANYONE BUT YOU for Valentine's Day on Wednesday, and the MEAN GIRLS musical remake on Thursday. Entry is free and open to all, so bring everyone you know to try out Australia's best film society for free.
You can also now check out our full programme featuring more than 65 films screening between February 12 and June 1 at the links below. Our new programme flyers will also be available at all screening from this week onwards.
• View the programme online by CLICKING HERE
• Download a printable PDF version of the programme by CLICKING HERE
• Import all screenings directly to your phone or computer's calendar by CLICKING HERE
As a friendly reminder, to reflect the extended duration and number of films screening this season, the cost of an Autumn season membership for 2024 has been increased to $40. Annual 365-day memberships and season memberships can both be purchased at any screening or online at www.anufg.org.au/join.
Please note that online memberships take 2-3 working days to process, so if you intend on seeing a film sooner than that, we recommend joining up at the door.
It is with much disappointment that we have to inform you that the ANU Film Group will be going on a temporary screening break from June 2024 until February 2025 due to building works taking place in the Kambri Cultural Centre.
The ANU will be carrying out major hail remediation work in the Cultural Centre that will unfortunately result in the closure of the entire building and all venues within it, including our cinema, for more than eight months. We have explored all avenues to allow us to continue screenings, including moving to another venue for the duration of the works, but regretfully none were viable.
All currently scheduled screenings will not be affected, and we will still be permitted to screen until the start of June. This means that our upcoming Autumn 2024 season will be our only season for the year, and as a result the season has been extended by five extra weeks to run from February 12 until June 1, 2024.
Similar to what we did during the COVID shutdown, we will be automatically extending all memberships for the affected period so that no one is out of pocket, and also offering pro rata refunds where necessary. More information will be provided in the coming weeks once details have been worked out.
We couldn’t be more sorry – and heartbroken – that we have to go on another forced hiatus, but rest assured that this break is only temporary and we will be back as soon as we can. Until then, we still have five months of screenings to go and look forward to sharing what we have planned with you. Stay tuned!
This is a friendly reminder that this week's screenings will be our last until 2024, as we'll be taking a few weeks off before returning with the remainder of our Summer season on Friday 12 January, 2024.
On behalf of all of us here at the ANU Film Group, we wish you a merry and restful holiday season. 2023 has been an eventful year with festivals galore, a bounty of filmmaker screenings and even a few full houses to keep us on our toes – not to mention an abundance of great films. And we couldn't have done it without your ongoing support, so thank you for being members!
And when we return in 2024, you can get a head start on your New Year's resolution to watch even more movies with the likes of The Creator, Napoleon, Ferrari, Saltburn, Wonka and more!
With the launch of our new Summer programme, we are now officially in the home stretch for the year – but that doesn't mean we're taking it easy!
You can now check out our full programme of more than 50 films screening between October 19, 2023, and February 10, 2024 at the links below.
There's a lot to see this Summer, from historical epics and superb sequels to stunningly original cinema, infamous classics, and homegrown Aussie films to be proud of. Plus, the return of the Lebanese and Hungarian film festivals and a one-night-only Canberra Short Film Festival special event.
• View the programme online by CLICKING HERE
• Download a printable PDF version of the programme by CLICKING HERE
• Import all screenings directly to your phone or computer's calendar by CLICKING HERE
Summer memberships can now be purchased at any screening or online at www.anufg.org.au/join. Season memberships also include entry into all remaining screenings from our current season, including The Last Daughter, Elemental and Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny.
For the best value movies anywhere, don't forget that our Annual memberships are now valid for a full 365 days from the purchase date.
The BARBENHEIMER phenomenon strikes again with our second full house in as many weeks!
As a result of its original screening on September 1 filling up, we will be re-screening OPPENHEIMER on Sunday 10 September at 7:30 PM.
All members and invited guests are once again welcome. Doors will open for entry from 7 PM.
Please remember that entry into any given screening is strictly limited to the capacity of the cinema. If all 305 seats are taken before the film starts and a re-screening is called, we will advise accordingly here on our website, our mailing list or our Facebook page (www.facebook/com/ANUFG).
Due to a full house at its original screening on August 26, we will be re-screening BARBIE on Sunday 3 September at 7:30 PM.
All members and invited guests are once again welcome. Doors will open for entry from 7 PM.
So if you missed out last week, or simply couldn't get 'Kenough' of the film, here’s your chance!
Please remember that entry into any given screening is strictly limited to the capacity of the cinema. If all 305 seats are taken before the film starts and a re-screening is called, we will advise accordingly here on our website, our mailing list or our Facebook page (www.facebook/com/ANUFG).
Our Spring 2023 line-up features everything from Christopher Nolan's latest to Barbie, Indiana Jones, Spider-Man, John Farnham, Wes Anderson, alongside a bunch of films with unwieldy titles (we're looking at you, Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One).
Throw in some bonafide classics like The Birds and The Piano, the 18th edition of the Latin American Film Festival and three special director Q&A screenings (including an exclusive preview screening), and we reckon we've got a pretty good programme in store. Check it out for yourself below!
• View the programme online by CLICKING HERE
• Download a printable PDF version of the programme by CLICKING HERE
• Import all screenings directly to your phone or computer's calendar by CLICKING HERE
Running from July 24 to October 14, memberships for Spring are now on sale at screenings or online at www.anufg.org.au/join. Season memberships also include entry into all remaining screenings from our current season, including The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry, The Innocent and Renfield.
Or for the best value movies anywhere, you won't get better deal than our Annual memberships which are valid for a full 365 days from the purchase date.