Cochochi / Encarnación January 29, 2009

Set in the beautiful Sierra Tarahumana region of northwest Mexico, the unforgettable Cochochi (Land of the Pines) is a folktale that doubles as a remarkable portrait of an indigenous community facing change.

During a journey to deliver medicine to a remote community, two brothers who have just graduated from elementary school lose their grandfather's horse and then each other, and they cannot return until all are reunited. The cast (including the real-life siblings who play the lead roles) is made up of nonprofessional actors from the Rarámuri (or Tarahumara) community of this region and is filmed in the indigenous language they speak. (87 mins., 35mm)

Another great example of the rich cinema coming out of Argentina, Encarnación is an engaging character study of Encarnación Levier, a forty-something actress. Her sex kitten days are unavoidably behind her, interesting roles aren't being offered to her anymore, and she survives on the fading memories of her pinup days.

The film centers around Encarnacion's visit to her favorite niece's birthday party in a small farming town, where the actress's sister obviously disapproves of her lifestyle and her niece is enthralled by her exotic aunt. Despite the film's illustrations of the lack of roles for aging actresses, former theater actress Silvia Pérez gives the performance of a lifetime as the title character. (93 mins., 35mm)

Encarnación will begin at 8:40 PM.

Official Website: http://www.wexarts.org/fv/index.php?eventid=3499