Alias Maria (Alias Maria)

Showings

Rafael 3 Sat, Oct 10, 2015 6:30 PM
Lark Theatre Mon, Oct 12, 2015 5:30 PM
Film Info
Section:World Cinema
Country:Colombia
Argentina
France
Year:2015
Running Time:92 min
Language:Spanish
Director:José Luis Rugeles Gracia
Producer:Federico Duran Amorocho
Screenwriter:Diego Vivanco
Cinematographer:Sergio Iván Castaño
Editor:Delfina Castagnino
Cast:Karen Torres
Carlos Clavijo
Erick Ruiz
Anderson Gómez
Lola Lagos
Fabio Velásco
Print Source:UDI
Note Writer:Margarita Landazuri

Description

Child soldiers risk their lives to ferry their commander’s newborn baby to safety in director José Luis Rugeles’ tense drama. The children are part of a band of leftist guerrillas battling right-wing paramilitaries in the Colombian jungle. Thirteen-year-old Maria; her boyfriend, Mauricio; Afro-Colombian Byron; and Yuldor, a scrawny preteen, face constant danger in trying to protect an infant whose very cries could alert the enemy to their presence. The pressure on Maria is even greater as she tries to hide her own pregnancy from her comrades. In her screen debut, Karen Torres makes palpable Maria's terror, tenderness, and determination, while Rugeles’ camera captures both the claustrophobia and lush beauty of the jungle. No mere war drama, Rugeles and writer Diego Vivanco made Alias Maria to draw attention to the plight of the thousands of children—according to Human Rights Watch—recruited to fight in Colombia’s decades-long civil strife.

Co-presented by Latino Council and Hispanic Chamber of Commerce

Additional Information

Alias Maria is the second feature by José Luis Rugeles, following his debut film Garcia (2010), which won the Moviecity Best Film Award in Cartagena. In 2007, he directed the award-winning short film The Comodo Dragon. He has wide experience in TV commercials and music videos and has been recognized at Cannes, FIAP, Caribe, Ojo de Iberoamerica, and the New York Film Festivals. He co-founded the Rhayuela Films production company and is co-creator of the project Buenaventura Mon Amour and associate producer of the film El Páramo (2011).