This is a list of movies available in the Foreign Language Center, to be used in the FLC by students enrolled in Spanish classes at Mission College. Keep in mind that these are foreign films. Content of a violent or sexual nature may be different from American films with which you are familiar. For your information, the film's rating has been listed whenever possible. Al otro lado (To the Other Side) Three countries, three cultures, three distinct realities introduce us to the lives of three children (one Mexican, one Cuban, and one Moroccan) that all share the same sentiment, having to deal with the absence of a loved one and the need to bring him back home. This is a very tender-hearted way of looking at migration from the perspective of the little ones left behind. (DVD in Spanish with English subtitles. 85 minutes. Rated PG-13.) All About My Mother tells of the devastation and eventual recovery of a woman who loses her only son in a tragic car crash. Described as a "touching screwball melodrama." (DVD In Spanish with English or French subtitles; 102 minutes, Rated R). Amar te Duele Teenagers Renata and Ulises search for love and freedom amidst class divides, prejudice, peer pressure, and urban violence in this moving Romeo-and-Juliet story set in the shopping malls, working class barrios, and wealthy neighborhoods of Mexico City. Winner of numerous MTV Movie Awards and awards from the Mexican Cinema Journalists. (DVD in Spanish with English subtitles; 104 minutes; Not Rated) Amores Perros Three lives become inextricably linked in the wake of a terrible crash: a young punk stumbles into the sinister underground world of dog-fighting; an injured super-model's pooch disappears into the apartment's floorboards; and an ex-radical turned hit man rescues a gun-shot Rottweiler. (DVD, In Spanish or French with English, Spanish or French subtitles; 153 minutes, Rated R for violence, language and sensuality) El Analfabeto Mario Moreno "Cantinflas" portrays an illiterate poor fellow that has recieved a letter from a dead relative containing a fortune for him, but because he is ashamed that he does not know how to read, he decides to go to school and learn to read before knowing the contents of the letter. The movie doesn't focus on his schooling as much as it does on his new job and his love for a girl. As in other movies, youll encounter the greedy villans, good hearted people, and the charm of Cantinflas. (DVD in Spanish with English subtitles; 110 minutes; Rated PG) Ansiedad (Disk 4 of the Pedro Infante Edicin Especial collection) Pedro Infante plays 3 very different characters. #1, Rafael Lara (father), a down and out singer who can't find work and struggles to take care of his wife and twin sons; #2, Rafael Lara (son), a happy go lucky fellow following in his father's footsteps as singer, and full of life and love, whose only anxiety is knowing that his mother has kept a lifelong secret from him. #3, Carlos Iturbe (Gabriel Lara), who has grown up a millionaire, doesn't suspect Rafael is his brother, and has disdain for those "below him" socially. Fate ties them together again, as the brothers fall in love with the same woman, and the tightly woven web unravels. The saga begins as Rafael finds a baby abandoned in a churchyard on a bitterly cold night, and brings the baby home, not realizing that he could be implicated as accomplice in a kidnapping plot. The complex story unfolds from there, with the theme of class injustice and wealth vs. poverty. (DVD in Spanish with no subtitles. Not Rated.)

Ay, Carmela Traveling entertainers during Spain's Civil War find themselves having to choose between their principles and their wish to live. (Video in Spanish with English subtitles; 105 minutes; Rated PG-13) Azucar Amarga (Bitter Sugar) Gustavo is a young Havana Communist who believes in the revolution; he hopes for a scholarship to study aeronautical engineering in Prague. But his faith in the new Cuba is tested: his father, a psychiatrist, can make four times as much playing piano at a hotel for foreigners; his sweetheart, Yolanda, wants a career as a dancer and longs for the riches of Miami; his younger brother Bobby simply wants to play rock music, and as a result is in constant trouble with the authorities. When Bobby takes a shocking step of revolt and Gustavo is refused service at a foreigners-only bar, the contradictions in his resolve to become a "new man" push him to the breaking point. (DVD in Spanish with English subtitles; 75 minutes; Not Rated) Bad Education is an outrageous tale of desire, revenge and murder. Filmmaker Enrique gets a visit from an aspiring actor claiming to be his old school friend Ignacio (Gael Garca Bernal), who has written a story about their traumatic childhood spent at Catholic school. In the story, a drag performer (also played by Bernal) attempts to blackmail a predatory priest by exposing their scandalous past. The tale provides the inspiration for Enrique's next film. But when the villainous priest from their school days arrives to tell his own version of the events, the truth is wilder than anything anyone could have imagined! (DVD in Spanish with English subtitles; 105 minutes; Rated NC-17 for a scene of explicit sexual content) La Barca de Oro (Disk 2 of the Pedro Infante Edicin Especial collection) Sofia Alvarez stars as Chabela Vargas, a tough gal who lives on a ranch with her sister Graciella and uncle. Chabela wears the pants in the family and runs the ranch, and is very much "one of the guys." An engineer from the big city comes to the ranch to complicate matters of the heart, and both Chabela and Graciella are smitten. He plays on both their affections, leaving Lorenzo (Pedro Infante), who is secretly in love with Chabela, out of the running. Lorenzo is an honest man, and the only one that is macho enough for Chabela, but it takes time (and a big fight!) for Chabela to discover this. (DVD in Spanish with no subtitles. Not Rated.) Before Night Falls details an incredible journey through the life and work of the late Cuban poet Reinaldo Arenas. Victimized by a government that banned his books and jailed him f or a crime he didn't commit, Reinaldo endured unspeakable persecution in a courageous stand against censorship and oppression. Without a country, but not without integrity, he fled to America where he continued to fight for personal expression and produced a stirring body of work. (DVD In Spanish or English with English, Spanish or French subtitles; 133 minutes, Rated R for strong sexual content, some language, and brief violence) Belle Epoque (The Age of Beauty) is the irresistible story of a young Spanish Civil War deserter who befriends a liberal-minded artists whose four daughters each find themselves very attracted to him. A blend of humor and passion that explores the era of new-found sexual freedom for women in Hispanic society. (DVD in Spanish with English subtitles; 109 minutes; Rated R)

El Bolero de Raquel A destitute young man is left in charge of his deceased friend's son by his widow. When he meets the boy's teacher, she convinces him to go to school also. (DVD, In Spanish with English subtitles, 101 minutes, Rated G) Bolivia A starkly realistic story of an illegal immigrant from Bolivia who lands a job in a greasy diner on the outskirts of Buenos Aires, Argentina, Bolivia poignently depicts the world of poverty, racism and violence that characterize his newfound reality. Tempers flare as discontented working-class people barrel toward tragedy. This taut film is an urgent and timely drama of life in Argentina, a nation in crisis that, in the last few years, has reached unprecedented poverty levels with vast unemployment, bankruptcy, and a shrinking economy. Winner of awards at numerous film festivals, Bolivia is filmed in stark black-and-white neorealistic style.(DVD in Spanish with English subtitles; 75 minutes; Not Rated.) Butterfly (Qu me quieres, amor?) is a heart-warming tale about a young boy growing up in a small Spanish town. Moncho is timid about starting school, but he is guided and nurtured by his kind and devoted teacher, Don Gregorio. As the school year comes to a close, civil war begins sweeping across the country, forcing the boy's family and community to choose between the fight for freedom and the threat of persecution. (DVD, In Spanish or French with English subtitles; 94 minutes, Rated R for a strong sex scene) Cabeza de Vaca The story of the Spanish conquistador, Cabeza de Vaca, who, along with a small group of explorers, was abandoned by their Spanish captain and given up for dead. The film explores the conquistadors' crusade in Mexico, and Cabeza de Vaca's observations about the native peoples he encounters. (Video in Spanish with English subtitles; 108 minutes; Not rated) El Callejn de los Milagros (Midaq Alley) is adapted from the novel by Nobel Prize winner Naguib Mahfouz. The film is set in the old downtown section of Mexico City. The events that take place have been divided into the stories of three neighbors whose lives are intertwined: Rutilio, the family man who experiences homosexual feelings that shatter his domestic life; Susanita, the spinster who dreams of getting married and falls prey to a thief; and Alma, the virgin who becomes a cocaine-addicted prostitute. With humor, with pain, and with love for mankind, the film narrates the collective life of the people that live in the heart of the city, in a place called Midaq Alley, or El Callejn de los Milagros. (DVD, In Spanish with English subtitles, 140 minutes, Not Rated.) Camila is a headstrong, confident upper-class woman living during the 19th-century Argentine dictatorship of Juan Manuel de Rosas. Somehow her social indiscretions are allowed, but when she meets the handsome young priest, Ladislao Gutirrez, her passion gets the best of her. A lavish period piece based on a scandalous real-life romance. (DVD, In Spanish with English subtitles, 105 minutes, Not Rated). Carol's Journey Carol, a twelve-year-old Spanish-American girl from New York, travels with her mother to Spain in the spring of 1938, at the height of the Spanish Civil War. Separated from her beloved father, Carol arrives in her mother's home village and transforms the secretive family environment. Her innocence and rebellious nature drive her at first to reject a world that is at once new and foreign. But she soon journeys into adulthood through a friendship with Maruja,

the village teacher, and a young local boy, Tomiche. (DVD, In Spanish with English subtitles, 100 minutes, Not Rated.) Cartas Marcadad (Disk 1 of the Pedro Infante Edicin Especial collection) In this reworking of Taming of the Shrew, Pedro Infante and Marga Lopez shine as two people who love to hate each other, then hate to love each other, while pride and stubbornness keep their heads from admitting what their hearts both know. The plot is about Victoria and Manuel who, to comply with a will, must marry each other. Director Rene Cardona co-stars as Don Manuel, who is Victoria's father and Manuel's godfather, and he finally has to manipulate circumstances to get the squabbling pair together. A great cast surrounds them, with the ever funny "El Chicote" Armando Soto as Manuel's sidekick Tepalcate, and Alejandro Cangherotti as Ernesto, the town doctor (for both human and animal patients) who is madly in love with Victoria. (DVD in Spanish with no subtitles. Not Rated.) Celos (Jealousy) With wedding preparations in full swing, a man discovers a photo of his fiance with another man and becomes obsessed with learning about this former lover. (DVD, In Spanish with English subtitles, 105 minutes, Not Rated/could be R). Chac, the Rain God, a cult film from the 1970s, is based on ritual and legends from the Popul Vuh, as well as Tzeltal and Mayan stories. Shot in the Chiapas region of Mexico, this film focuses on a small Tzeltal village during a terrible drought. Desperate for relief, thirteen men set out on a quest to save their people from starvation. They seek a solitary Diviner who lives in the mountains and knows the ways of the Ancients. They hope that he can summon Chac, the Rain God. The Diviner takes them far from their own land on a strange journey -- a trek that challenges their beliefs and even their sanity. Magical, mystical, and intensely visual, Chac, the Rain God is a dazzling portrait of a Native American spiritual quest. (DVD, In Spanish with English subtitles, 94 minutes, Not Rated). El Ch: Investigating a Legend. Ch Guevara, the man with the beret and the star, embodies one of the strongest myths of the 20th century. He was a combination of a saint and an adventurer, somewhere between Don Quizote and a latter-day Jesus Christ. In his relations with Fidel Castro, he is the hero of a tragedy of Shakespearean proportions. Ch Guevara became a symbol of an entire generation. Today he is a myth. Some still draw inspiratiopn from him; others condemn him, sometimes bitterly. For all, he is a subject of controversy and passion. This film examines the myth; it contains: his voyages of discovery throughout Latin America, the meeting with Fidel Castro, his travels around the world, and his tragic end in Bolivia at age 39. (DVD in English and in Spanish with English subtitles, 150 minutes, B&W and Color) La Ciudad is a moving tribute to the struggles and hopes of a group of new Latin American immigrants facing the harsh realities of urban America. Men hired to work in an abandoned lot are left stranded in the face of tragedy. A young man arriving from Mexico falls in love with a girl from his home village, only to lose her in the intimidating urban wilderness. A puppeteer living homeless with his daughter dreams that she'll one day learn to read. A seamstress, desperate to send money home to help her sick child, is trapped working in a sweatshop eventually rebelling against her employers. La Ciudad takes us on an eye-opening journey through a world of frustration, hope, and sheer will, leaving us with an enlightened view of a

determined group of struggling contemporary Americans. (DVD, in Spanish and English with English subtitles, 88 minutes, Not Rated) Common Ground Set against Argentina's devastating economic crisis, Common Ground is a powerful and uplifting film. A respected university professor and his devoted wife have lived in Buenos Aires for many years. Without warning, they find their comfortable world threatened when the husband is forced into early retirement. Facing an uncertain future, the couple relocates to the countryside where they bravely set out on a new chapter of their lives. (DVD, in Spanish with English subtitles, 112 minutes, Not Rated) El Crimen del Padre Amaro (The Crime of Padre Amaro) A recently ordained priest is sent to help an aging priest run a small parish church in rural Mexico. Upon arriving at his new post, he meets a beautiful young woman with a religious passion that borders on obsession. Quickly, her passion for her faith becomes helplessly entangled in a growing attraction to the new priest. But when the handsome priest crosses the line that separates temptation from sin, he finds himself torn between the divine and the carnal, the righteous and the unjust. (DVD, In Spanish with English, French or Spanish subtitles, 119 minutes, Rated R for sexuality, language and some disturbing images) Danzn is a love story about a telephone operator whose hum-drum life is enlivened only in her ballroom dance class. When her dance partner suddenly disappears, her life changes drastically as she sets out to find him. (Video in Spanish with English subtitles; 103 minutes, Rated PG-13) A Day Without a Mexican The California Dream becomes a hilarious nightmare when the Golden State's entire Latin American population mysteriously vanishes. For most, "the disappearance" forces the cracks in their private lives wide open, including a TV news reporter (the state's last remaining Hispanic) and a senator who becomes governor pro tem despite his anti-immigrant stance. Confusion, misunderstandings and humorous situations abound, making A Day Without a Mexican a comedic satire and a modern fable with a very current message. (DVD, in Spanish with English subtitles; 98 minutes, Rated R) The Devil's Backbone is a stylish and unpredictable supernatural chiller from director Guillermo del Toro which deftly mixes horror, suspense, and dark humor. Twelve-year-old Carlos is the latest arrival to Santa Luca School, an imposing stone building that shelters the orphans of the Republican militia and politicians during the last days of the Spanish Civil War. Carlos gradually uncovers the dark ties that bind the inhabitants of the school: hidden riches, sexual intrigue,and the restless ghost of a murdered student. (DVD in Spanish with English subtitles; 108 minutes; Rated R for violence, language,and some sexuality.) The Devil's Miner is an astonishing portrait of two brothers, 14-year-old Basilio and 12-yearold Bernardino, who work deep inside the silver mines of Cerro Rico, Bolivia. Raised without a father and living on the slopes of the mine, Basilio and his brother must work in the mines when they are not in school to help support their family and afford supplies vital to their education. In the mines, which date back to the 16th century, it is an ancient belief that the Devil determines the fate of those who enter. Basilio and his brother place their faith in the mountain devil's generosity, hoping to earn enough money so that they can continue to go to school -- their only

chance of escaping their destiny in the silver mines. This film is endorsed by Human Rights Watch as shedding light on human rights abuses throughout the world. (DVD in Spanish with English subtitles; 82 minutes; Not Rated.) Emma Zunz Beneath the timid personality of 19-year-old Emma Zunz there lurks a thirst for vengeance. In this tale by Jorge Luis Borges, Emma's father, wrongly accused of a crime, commits suicide, sending Emma on a search for the real culprit. (DVD, IN SPANISH ONLY -NO ENGLISH SUBTITLES, 52 minutes, Not rated but contains mature themes.) Eva Pern: The True Story An amazing and complex woman, Eva left an impoverished childhood behind to rise to fame as the wife of Juan Pern, popular President of Argentina. Loved by her people, but hated by the elite, she was elevated to almost "saintly" status, before facing the most difficult challenge of her life. (DVD in Spanish with Englsh subtitles; 114 minutes Rated PG-17 for adult language and adult themes) Flores de Otro Mundo (Flowers from Another World) A group of women travels by bus to a remote Spanish village overwhelmingly populated by men. The women dream of better lives while the men ache with more romantic yearnings. The film looks at three different relationships that develop as the couples struggle to find ways to share their lives together. Winner of the Mercedes-Benz Prize at the Cannes Film Festival. (DVD in Spanish with English subtitles; 100 minutes; Not Rated.) Frida Julie Taymor's triumphant motion picture about Frida Kahlo, an exceptional woman who lived an unforgettable life. From her humble beginnings, to her enduring relationship with her mentor and husband, Diego Rivera, to her scandalous affairs, Frida's uncompromising personality inspired her greatest creations. Nominated for six 2002 Academy Awards. (DVD, English or French language track with Spanish subtitles, 123 minutes, Rated R for sexuality, nudity and language) Frida This 1997 biographical film, from filmmaker Paul Leduc, tells the story of artist Frida Kahlo, a remarkable painter, revolutionary and woman of the world who fused politics, painting and passion into an extraordinary life. (Video in Spanish with English subtitles; Not Rated) Frida Kahlo: La cinta que envuelve una bomba Using rare, never-before-seen footage, family interviews and photographs, La cinta que envuelve una bomba explores the intimate details of the life of the infamous Frida Kahlo. This documentary examines her turbulent relationship with Diego Rivera, her scandalous lesbian affairs, and her mastering of the art that depicted her anguished life. (DVD in Spanish, with or without subtitles, 60 minutes, Not Rated) Goya en Bordeaux is a visually sumptuous, emotionally powerful film about the turbulent life of brilliant painter Francisco de Goya. In Bordeaux, France, in the early 1800s, Goya suffers from strange visions and nightmares. While his young daughter cares for him, Goya reflects on his tumultuous career: a time when a passionate love affair with the beautiful Duchess of Alba and the evil crusade of Napoleon's French army inspire Goya's most shocking, brilliant paintings -- works that change the art world forever. (DVD, In Spanish with English or Spanish subtitles; 105 minutes, Rated R for strong violence, language and some sexuality/nudity)

The Grandfather (El Abuelo) When news of his son's death returns proud Count Albrit home to Spain after years abroad, he's pleased to meet his two charming young granddaughters. But he also carries the burden of a newly discovered family secret: one of the girls is not his son's daughter ... and therefore not his true heir. The determined Count sets out to discover which granddaughter is worthy of his love and his name. (DVD In Spanish with English subtitles, 146 minutes, Rated PG) Gringuito is the story of a young cchild who is uprooted from his New York home and forced to move back to Chile with his parents. He has always lived in New York and feels totally out of place the day his parents settle in to their new apartment in Santiago. Ivan, the gringuito, considers his parents' return to Chile very disappointing and feels that his mother's pregnancy will also take attention away from him. Shortly after moving in, he runs away and gets involved with El Flaco who looks after Ivan and for whom he develops a true friendship. Ivan's experiences develop into a young boy's rite of passage and lead him to a poignant encounter with Chile. (DVD in Spanish with English subtitles; 97 minutes) Guantanamera Yoyita, a world famous diva, returns to her home town of Guantnamo, Cuba, for an elegant reception in her honor and a surprising reunion with her once-beloved, Candido. Overjoyed with the rekindled memories of her first love, Yoyita's elated heart fizzles while in Candido's doting embrace. Joining Yoyita's funeral procession back to Havana are several diverse characters whose interaction provides an interesting plot. The film is a bold overview of contemporary Cuba. (DVD in Spanish, with English subtitles, 104 minutes, Not Rated.) Herod's law (La Ley de Herodes) is a hilarious, outrageous satire set in a tiny Mexico town in 1949. Juan Vargas is a junkyard operator who is recruited as a temporary mayor following the demise of the latest corrupt town leader. At first, Vargas is the ideal politician: he's honest, desperate and not overly ambitious -- or so it seems. But eventually Vargas gives in to overwhelming temptation, bribery, and even violence in this brilliant, tongue-in-cheek story about government treachery. (DVD in Spanish, with English subtitles, 122 minutes, Rated R.) I, Worst of All is the story of the brilliant and beautiful poet Sor Juana Ins de la Cruz in this magnificent portrayal of 17th-century Mexico. In order to pursue her love of writing, Juana enters the convent and gains international renown. When the Inquisition comes, the local Vicereine becomes Juana's protectress and erotic muse. Based on the novel The Traps of Faith by Nobel Prize winner Octavio Paz, I, Worst of All is a thrilling romance of startling passion and intensity. (DVD in Spanish with English subtitles; 107 minutes; Not Rated) El Jardn del Edn (The Garden of Eden) In Tijuana, the border is a 15-mile long wall that separates Mexico from the United States. Serena, Jane, and Elizabeth are three women in this hot, dusty border town, each looking for meaning in their lives. Serena, a young Mexican widow, arrives with her three children to build a new life; Jane, an American, is looking for her brother; and Elizabeth, a Mexican-American artist, is in search of her roots. Each finds more than she had expected in this place that is a refuge for some and a prison for others: a garden and a desert. (DVD in Spanish with English subtitles; 110 minutes; Not Rated.)

Like Water for Chocolate is an erotic tale of forbidden love. Tita and Pedro are passionately in love, but their love is forbidden by an ancient family tradition. To be near Tita, Pedro marries her sister. Tita, as the family cook, expresses her passion for Pedro through preparing delectable dishes in which ordinary spices be come a recipe for passion. (DVD in Spanish with English subtitles, 105 minutes, Rated R) Living It Up: La Gran Vida A romantic comedy about a down-on-her-luck waitress and a charming big-spender who indulge in a whirlwind extravagant romance -- but is he really a millionaire? (DVD in Spanish with English subtitles; 114 minutes; Rated R) Lovers of the Arctic Circle charts the remarkable destinies of Ana and Otto, childhood friends whose fates intersect over the years, leading to a stunning conclusion in which destiny and romance collide. A beautiful and haunting love story in the tradition of Amlie. (DVD in Spanish with English subtitles; 109 minutes; Rated R) Mara Full of Grace introduces us to a determined young woman whose desire for a brighter future leads her into a world of unimaginable danger. Desperate to leave her unbearable job and support three generations of her family, Mara accepts a lucrative offer to transport packets of heroin -- which she must swallow -- to the United States. (DVD in Spanish with English subtitles; 101 minutes; Rated R for drug content and language) El Mariachi All he wants is to be a mariachi, like his father, his grandfather, and his greatgrandfather before him. But the town he thinks will bring him luck brings only a curse of deadly mistaken identity. Forced to trade his guitar for a gun, the mariachi is playing for his life in this critically-acclaimed film debut from director Robert Rodrguez. (DVD in Spanish, with English subtitles, 81 minutes, Rated R.) Matando Cabos cuenta la divertida historia de dos jvenes, Jaque y Mudo, quienes se ven envueltos en una noche de secuestros fallidos, un luchador retirado, un perico ruidoso, persecuciones picas y un canbal llamado Tony. (DVD in Spanish with NO ENGLISH SUBTITLES; 99 minutes; Not Rated.) The Motorcycle Diaries This is a portrait of the young Ch Guevara (later to become a Cuban revolutionary leader) who sets off from Buenos Aires, Argentina, with his friend Alberto Granado, hoping to circumnavigate the continent on a leaky motorcycle. They end up traveling more by foot, hitch-hiking, and raft, but their experience of the land and the people affects them profoundly. (DVD in Spanish with English subtitles; 120 minutes; Rated R) My Mother Likes Women is an uproarious comedy in which three sisters' lives are thrown offkilter by their mother's sudden sexual awakening. Sophia, a concert pianist, has long been divorced, but the sisters are shocked when she announces that her new love is a young woman and fellow pianist, Eliska. The daughters quickly label Eliska a gold-digger and concoct a hilarious plot to break the couple up. Later they realize the folly of their plan and must conspire to clean up the mess they've created. (DVD in Spanish with English subtitles; 93 minutes; Not Rated)

Mouth to Mouth (Boca a Boca) To make ends meet, a struggling actor takes the only "acting" job he can find ... as a phone sex operator! But the real fun begins when he falls for a sultry, mysterious callers who wants to do more than just talk, setting in motion a hilariously madcap sexy adventure. (DVD in Spanish with English subtitles; 97 minutes; Rated R) Nada + (Nada ms) Carla, a postal worker in Havana, Cuba, fulfills her romantic longings by opening letters and re-writing them into passionate prose before sending them out again to their intended recipients. After her co-worker Cesar catches her, Carla turns her amorous attentions on him. Beautifully filmed in black and white with accents of brilliant color, Cuba's 2003 Oscar entry combines visual humor, poetry, satire of Cuban bureaucracy, and a light-hearted love story. (DVD, In Spanish with English subtitles, 88 minutes, Not Rated.) Nine Queens Welcome to a world of suspicion, betrayal and intrigue, where two small-time grifters team up to pull off a big-time score involving a set of valuable counterfeit stamps known as the Nine Queens. But when the rules of the con game unexpectedly change, the two crooks finds themselves pitted against each other in this taut psychological thriller in which neither the players, nor the audience, knows for sure who is playig whom. (DVD, In Spanish with English subtitles, 115 minutes, Rated R) El Nominado (The Chosen One) In the brutal battle for ratings, how far will a reality show go? This thriller will keep you on the edge of your seat as contestants struggle to survive in the most extreme reality show ever. Dropped by helicopter into the snow-covered Andes Mountains, a dozen people live together in an underground bunker, every move of their lives captured on camera. Each week, one of the contestants is voted off the show but, when one man refuses to leave and starts shooting people, the ratings skyrocket from meager to incredible. (DVD in Spanish with English subtitles; 99 minutes; Not Rated, but contains scenes of graphic violence.) El Norte is a moving drama about two young Guatemalans (brother and sister) who leave their native land after the murder of their father and the disappearance of their mother. They decide to leave for a better life in California, but the trip north is not easy. (DVD, In Spanish with English subtitles, 139 minutes, Not Rated) The Official Story details the collapse of an affluent Argentine family. Alicia, the wife of a successful businessman, faces the ultimate challenge when she begins to suspect that her adopted daughter may have been stolen from a family of los desaparecidos (the disappeared ones). Determined to find out the truth, Alicia risks everything -- even at the cost of her own family. (DVD, In Spanish with English subtitles, 110 minutes, Not Rated) Open Your Eyes (Abre los ojos) is a steamy, complex psychological thriller in which the line between reality and fantasy is hopelessly blurred. Csar tries to make sense of his life after a car crash leaves his once-handsome face grotesquely disfigured. After he is placed into a psychotic penitentiary for a murder he doesn't remember committing, Csar's only hope is to delve into the depths of his subconscious mind where the answer to end his living nightmare lies in his dreams. (DVD, In Spanish with English subtitles, 117 minutes, Rated R) El Padrecito In this film, a new priest has been sent to a small town to gain experience in

ministry. When he arrives, he does not receive such a great welcome because the townspeople and the old priest's family think he was sent to take over the church. The new priest (played by Cantinflas) has to overcome the greedy villains and stubborn people. Although he is a priest, he has a mind of his own, and he tells people exactly what he is thinking. (DVD, In Spanish with English subtitles, 130 minutes, Rated PG) Paloma de Papel (Paper Dove) In this grim realistic depiction of chaos set in the majestic Peruvian Andes during the 1980s, the characters must survive amidst a bloody civil war. This film recounts the story of young Juan as he struggles to survive poverty, corruption, and violence when Shining Path guerillas sweep through and force the helpless youngster into their ranks. Paloma de Papel explores the violence and political turmoil as seen through the eyes of a child and effectively shows an alternate side of the conflict. (DVD, In Spanish with English subtitles, 93 minutes, Not Rated) Pan's Labyrinth Following a bloody civil war, young Ofelia enters a world of unimaginable cruelty when she moves in with her new stepfather, a tyrannical military officer. Armed with only her imagination, Ofelia discovers a mysterious labyrinth and meets a faun who sets her on a path to saving herself and her ailing mother. But soon, the lines between fantasy and reality begin to blur, and before Ofelia can turn back, she finds herself at the center of a ferocious battle between good and evil. (DVD in Spanish with English subtitles; 119 minutes; Rated R) The Perfect Crime (El Crimen Perfecto). Rafael is at the top of the heap at the department store where the ladies department is his own small kingdom. A hit with customers and coworkers alike, the suave Rafael is able to sell anything to anyone and seems a shoe-in for store manager. But things don't go exactly as planned, and Rafael is beaten out by rival Don Antonio. When Don Antonio mysteriously disappears, Rafael is the most likely suspect, and one person knows the secret that could bring him down. Black comedy abounds in this tale of the perfect crime. (DVD in Spanish with English subtitles; 104 minutes; Not Rated) Por la Libre (Dust to Dust) Rodrigo Carnicero would rather die than attend his son's latest wedding --- so that's exactly what he does, leaving the family to grapple with a will that's every bit as difficult as the man was in life! Bound by love for their grandfather, and despite the fact that they loathe each other, his grandsons Rocco and Rodrigo undertake a hilarious road trip to Acapulco in order to scatter the old man's ashes at sea. Along the way, though, the two young men learn about themselves and each other as well as a few shocking family secrets that will change their lives forever. (DVD, In Spanish with English subtitles, 96 minutes, Rated R) Por si no te vuelvo a ver (If I Never See You Again) A quintet of elderly men escapes from a nursing home in search of a common dream of playing their music in public. Along the way, they confront the police, drug lords, nursing home authorities, their families and everyone else who is determined to destroy their only chance to perform ... which finally happens when they are hired as a backup band for exotic dancers in a cabaret. (DVD, In Spanish with English subtitles, 97 minutes. Not rated, but contains strong sexual content and language.) Quinceaera As Magdalena's 15th birthday approaches, her working-class family prepares for the all-important Quinceaera, a lavish coming-of-age celebration. To help with expenses,

Magdalena is forced to wear a hand-me-down party dress and abandon her dream of arriving in a Hummer limousine. But, when her father discovers she's pregnant and refuses to believe the incredible truth -- she's actually still a virgin -- Magdalena moves in with her elderly Uncle Toms and black sheep cousin Carlos. Her newfound family is soon put to the test, however, when an unexpected crisis threatens to tear them apart, and Magdalena learns what it truly means to come of age. (DVD, In Spanish with English subtitles, 91 minutes. Rated R.) Un Rincn cerca del Cielo (Disk 2 of the Pedro Infante Edicin Especial collection) The humanization of poverty is not exactly a light subject to tackle. In this film, Pedro has a demeaning job in the capital and is married to Margarita. He is fired from his job, hired in a new position and fired once again. Facing such poverty and desperation, Pedro thinks that his only path is suicide. (DVD in Spanish with no subtitles. Not Rated.) Rito Terminal. Attending a fiesta in a rural Mexican-Indian village, a young photographer has a startling supernatural experience. At a native woman's funeral, he discovers that his shadow has disappeared, and the world that he thought he knew begins to unravel. To regain his hold on reality, he must undergo a journey of self-discovery beyond the safe convictions of his urban lifestyle into the unsettling realm of the Indian mystical arts. Ultimately, he will have to find the woman who stole his shadow and learn that there is more to the world, and to himself, than the rational mind can comprehend. (DVD, In Spanish with English subtitles, 110 minutes. Not rated.) Romero is a compelling and deeply-moving look at the life of Archbishop Oscar Romero of El Salvador, who made the ultimate sacrifice in a passionate stand against social injustice and oppression in his country. This film chronicles the transformation of Romero from an apolitical, complacent priest to a committed leader of the Salvadoran people, leading to his assassination in 1980 at the hands of the military junta. (DVD, In Spanish with English or French subtitles; Video in Spanish with English subtitles; 105 minutes, Rated PG-13) Santitos (Little Saints) After Esperanza Daz, a beautiful widow, loses her 12-year-old daughter, Blanca, to a rare virus following a tonsillectomy, she searches her faith for an explanation. When St. Jude appears in the smudged window of Esperanza's oven and tells her that Blanca is still alive, the woman is convinced that her daughter was kidnapped from the hospital and sold as a sex slave. Becoming a prostitute herself, Esperanza sets out to find Blanca in Tijuana, and eventually Los Angeles, where she unexpectedly discovers true love in this uplifting film about faith and undying family love that is as touching as it is hilarious. (DVD, In Spanish with English subtitles, 101 minutes, Rated R) The Sea Inside is based on a moving true story that captured the world's attention, about Spaniard Ramn Sampedro who fought a 30-year campaign to win the right to end his life with dignity. The story also explores Ramn's relationships with two women and his ability to inspire them through his gift of love. A truly joyous experience, The Sea Inside celebrates the nature of freedom and love, and the mystery and beauty of life. (DVD, In Spanish with English subtitles, 125 minutes. Rated PG-13 for intense depiction of mature theatrical material) Sex and Luca is an intense, daring and hypnotic tale of love and lust. After the loss of her

boyfriend, Luca escapes to a quiet Mediterranean island where she meets a new man and discovers the dark secrets of her past relationship. (DVD, In Spanish with English subtitles, 128 minutes. Not Rated/would be R+ for strong sexual content and nudity) Sin Dejar Huella (Without a Trace) Hoping to outrun a serial killer who's attacking people at the factory in which she works, Aurelia, a young mother of two, steals some cash from her drugdealing boyfriend and heads south. She comes across Maril, who's beautiful, well-educated, and a master at selling fake Mayan art to gullible Americans. Although initially the two women blend like oil and water, they realize their common purpose in seeking a better life. Embarking on a road trip to Cancn, they have one adventure after another, exploring a side of their country they've never seen, dodging dangerous pursuers, and learning much about themselves along the way. (DVD, In Spanish with English subtitles, 110 minutes, Not Rated) Son of the Bride is a heart-warming story of love and the appreciation of life. Rafael Belvedere is a 42-year-old divorced father and restaurant owner who is overwhelmed with life. He feels guilty that he doesn't visit his mother, who is stricken with Alzheimer's disease; he lives in his father's shadow, doesn't spend enough time with his daughter, can't commit to his girlfriend. Rafael's whole life is put into perspective when a series of unexpected events happen that make him re-evaluate his life. With the help of a childhood friend, he is able to restructure his past and appreciate life's little details. (DVD, In Spanish with English or French subtitles, 124 minutes, Rated R for language) The Spirit of the Beehive is widely regarded as the greatest Spanish film of the 1970s. In a small Castilian village in 1940, in the wake of the country's devastating civil war, six-year-old Ana attends a traveling movie show of Frankenstein and becomes possessed by the memory of it. Produced as Franco's long regime was nearing its end, The Spirit of the Beehive is a bewitching portrait of a child's haunted inner life and one of the most visually arresting movies ever made. A second disk contains Bonus Features, including interviews and documentary features. (DVD, In Spanish with English subtitles, 99 minutes. Not Rated.) Strawberry and Chocolate is a comedy about a naive young college kid who's out on his own for the first time. With the help of two new friends, David soon learns everything there is to know about the things that aren't taught in school. Diego is the writer who teaches him about the passion of life ... and Nancy is the woman who teaches him about the passion of love. (DVD, In Spanish with English subtitles, 104 minutes. Rated R for brief sexual content and language) Su Excelencia Filmed during the cold war era, this movie presents several fictional nations that "resemble" several real nations: Pepeslavia (Soviet Union), La Repblica de los Cocos (Mexico) and Dollaronia (USA). After years of world-wide debate between two systems, reds and greens (Communists and Capitalists), they have decided to solve the conflict through an assembly in which every nation of the world will vote between reds or greens, with the winner controlling the world. There is only one vote left, the vote of "La Repblica de los Cocos" so Pepeslavia and Dollaronia try every manipulation possible to get that vote, and Cantinflas, as ambassador of "La Repblica de los Cocos," must decide which side will get his vote. (DVD, In Spanish with English subtitles; 133 minutes, Rated PG)

Sub Terra (Underground) The town of Lota, Chile, is the setting that reflects a story of human and social changes. In the depths of the biggest coal mine in the world, a grand rebellion develops in the heart of a man. While the aristocratic family of Cousio Goyenchea dreams of progress, the coal miners awaken in their search for dignity. (DVD, In Spanish with English subtitles, 108 minutes, Not Rated but contains adult situations, strong language, violence, and sexual content) Talk to Her Two men almost meet while watching a dance performance, but their lives are irrevocably entwined by fate. Later, they do meet, at a hospital where each is visiting a girlfriend in serious condition. As they watch over the women they love, the story unfolds in flashback and flashforward as the lives of the four become further entwined and their relationships move toward a surprising conclusion. (DVD, In Spanish with English subtitles, 114 minutes. Rated R for nudity, sexual content and language.) We have three copies on DVD. Things I Left in Havana (Cosas que dej en la Habana) This film sensitively explores the sense of loss felt by immigrants who discover that their dreams come with a high price. Three Cuban sisters come to Spain in search of a better life, but they must contend with exploitation and seduction as they pursue the capitalist dream. Forced by their aunt to work in her fur store, they are each in turn seduced by a dashing gigolo who barters sexual favors for the freedom in America that exit visas provide. (DVD in Spanish with English subtitles; 103 minutes; Not Rated.) Tinta Roja A man studying to be a writer learns some unpleasant lessons about himself in this drama. Alfonso is an aspiring novelist who, as part of his scholarship to a writing program, must take an internship at a tabloid newspaper alongside his girlfriend Nadia. While Nadia is given a simple office assignment, Alfonso is made an assistant to one of the paper's top writers, Faundez, which turns out to be a demanding job. With his driver Van Gogh and his photographer Escalona, Faundez heads out each day to collect stories through intimidation and emotional manipulation, and he has no qualms about using sources for his own purposes or passing along stories to his less-industrious significant other, Roxanna. While Alfonso is appalled by Faundez's shaky ethics and cavalier attitude toward women, it also begins to sink in, and when circumstances force Alfonso to take over for Faundez for a while, he's surprised to discover how much he's come to resemble the man he despises. Tinta Roja was based on the novel by Alberto Fuguet.(DVD, In Spanish with English subtitles, 119 minutes. Not Rated.) Under the Same Moon (La misma luna) Even across thousands of miles, the special bond between a mother and son can never be broken. It gives hope to Carlitos, a scrappy nine-year-old boy whose mother, Rosario, has gone to America to build a better life for both of them. While Rosario struggles for a brighter future, fate forces Carlitos to embark on an extraordinary journey to find her. (DVD in Spanish with English subtitles. 110 minutes. Rated PG.) Utopia Adrian, a young man who has been trying to escape from himself for a long time, cintunuously moves from city to city changing jobs, trying to socialize with as few people as possible, for one reason: He has the ability to see things that have not yet happened. Angela severs relations with her family and leaves for South America where she meets a group of guerillas and faces great danger. Herv, having lost his wife and daughter and eyesight during a

crime, now dedicates his life to rescuing people who have been captured by guerillas. These three people are goingto find each other in Madrid in a strange society called Utopia. (DVD, In Spanish with English or Chinese subtitles, 103 minutes. Not Rated.) La Vida que te espera (Your Next Life) A tale of love, envy, and murder. In a land steeped in tradition and competition, the inevitable happens: a murder among neighbors, a mystery unsolved and a familial rift that leads to love and hatred. Nominee for the Golden Berlin Bear of the 2004 Berlin International Film Festival. (DVD in Spanish with English subtitles; 105 minutes; Not Rated.) La Virgen de los Sicarios (Our Lady of the Assassins) is a story about the search for love and redemption in a society gone mad. An author, returning to his native Columbia to find his oncequiet town a haven for drugs and violence, forms an unlikely relationship with a hardened street kid. (Video in Spanish with English subtitles; 101 minutes; Rated R) Viridiana. Banned in Spain and denounced by the Vatican, Luis Buuel's irreverent vision of life as a beggar's banquet is regarded by many as his masterpiece. In this film, novice nun Viridiana does her utmost to maintain her Catholic principles, but her lecherous uncle and a motley assemblage of paupers force her to confront the limits of her idealism. Winner of the Palme d'or at the 1961 Cannes Film Festival, Viridiana is as audacious today as ever. (DVD in Spanish with English subtitles; 91 minutes; Not Rated) Voces Inocentes El Salvador's civil war raged from 1980 to 1992, during which approximately 75,000 people died. During the war, the government 'recruited' boys at the age of 12, taking them out of school. If Chava is lucky, he has another year of innocence, one year before he too is taken to fight in the government's war against the FMLN. Chavas life becomes a game of survival, While he fights to find a job to help out his mother and experiences first love with a pretty classmate, his little town becomes a playfield and a battleground. With the love of his mother as his only weapon, a small radio that transmits a prohibited hymn of love and peace, and with the impossible choice he must make between fighting with the army or the rebels, Chava finds another option. (DVD in Spanish with English subtitles; 120 minutes; Rated "R") Volver. Raimunda and her sister Sole lost their parents in a tragic fire years ago .... or did they? Superstitious villagers claim that the girls' departed mother, Irene, has been seen wandering around their Aunt Paula's home. When Irene appears to Sole, she explains that she has returned to set right her daughters' troubled lives and to reveal shocking secrets that will impact everyone! Raimunda has "female troubles" of her own, least of which is a corpse in the freezer! (DVD in Spanish with English subtitles; 121 minutes; Rated R.) Whisky. The deadpan style of Jim Jarmusch meets Aki Kaurismaki's wry sensibility in this perversely funny story set in Montevideo, Uruguay. When Jacobo, a lonely sock factory owner, hears about the impending visit of his irritatingly cheerful brother, whom he hasn't seen in years, he enlists his faithful assistant Marta to pretend to be his wife. The film won awards at international film festivals in Cannes, Chicago, Havana, Tokyo, and Thessalonika. (DVD in Spanish with English subtitles; 94 minutes; Not Rated)

Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown (Mujeres al borde de un ataque de nervios) is a wild, witty war-of-the-sexes comedy. High atop one of Spain's poshest penthouses, three women have come to the end of their mental ropes. They're all mad over their varied relationships with their lovers/husbands, and one of them is about to commit murder unless the other half-crazed femmes fatales can stop her! (DVD, In Cataln Spanish, English or French with English, French or Spanish subtitles; 89 minutes, Rated R) Y tu Mam Tambin Julio and Tenoch are two teens ruled by raging hormones and a mission to consume exotic substances. But, one summer the boys learn more about life than they bargained for when they set off on a wild cross-country trip with seductive, 28-year-old Luisa. Both boys taste forbidden fruit as Luisa schools them in the finer points of passion, but will their mutual desire for her destroy their friendship forever? (DVD, In Spanish with English subtitles, 105 minutes, Not Rated, but could be R for strong sexual content and language).

SPANISH MOVIES THAT COULD BE WATCHED AT HOME OR IN A MOVIE THEATERHere is a list of Spanish movies that will also qualify for your Spanish 1L or 2L Lab requirement, if you watch them at home or at a movie theater. Most of these may be found at video rental stores (such as Blockbuster or NetFlix). This is not a definitive list; if you find another film that you want to use, please clear it with your instructor. Even though some of these films have English titles, to qualify for the requirement, the spoken dialogue for all films MUST be in the Spanish language, unless approved by your instructor. It is OK if they have subtitles in English (or your native language other than Spanish). Keep in mind also that these are foreign films. Content of a violent or sexual nature may be different from American films with which you are familiar. La Ciudad y los Perros Cra La Cucaracha Don Juan, My Love The Fencing Master Jamn Jamn Julio y su Angel