Mexican film showcase becomes fixture after positive reception

By Joe Brown

Wednesday, June 11, 2008 | 2 a.m.

Last year, CineVegas introduced a new section of the festival to highlight the next wave of Mexican filmmakers and to introduce their films to American audiences. Called La Proxima Ola, it showcased first- and second-time filmmakers — some internationally known as actors — who represent the future of Mexican film.

Films featured last year included the U.S. premiere of “Bad Habits” (“Malos Habitos”), which received La Proxima Ola Jury Prize. Other films included “Chavez,” a documentary about Mexican boxer Julio Cesar Chavez, the directorial debut of actor Diego Luna; “Drama/Mex”; “Never on a Sunday” (“Morirse en Domingo”); and the U.S. premiere of “Once Upon a Time Maria” (“Eros una vez Maria”).

The sidebar showcase was a success, and CineVegas has made La Proxima Ola a permanent part of the annual program. This year’s featured films include “Ano una” (“Year of the Nail”), Jonas Cuaron’s love story about a Mexican teenager and an older American woman who meet one summer in Mexico; “Cochochi,” by directors Israel Cardenas and Laura Amelia Guzman, about two Raramuri boys and their efforts to find a lost horse; “Deficit,” following characters at a house party just outside Mexico City (and the directorial debut of actor Gael Garcia Bernal); “¿Donde estan sus historias?” (“Where Are Their Stories?”), director Nicolas Pereda’s debut film about family conflicts; and Alejandro Lubezki’s short “Flash Lesson” (“Leccion Relampago”).

For more information, visit Cinevegas.com/laproximaola online.