Presented by the American Cinematheque and the Consulate General and Promotion Center of the Argentine Republic in Los Angeles.

Southern Californian film buffs look forward to the annual Argentine: New Cinema series with gusto.

Following the success of previous years, our Argentina: New Cinema series returns with some of the best films to emerge from Buenos Aires and beyond in 2013 and 2014. The annual event always draws large crowds from both the local Argentine community and foreign-language film fans, and the 13th installment promises to be no different, with an impressive lineup including several Los Angeles premieres.

This has been a very good year for films from Argentine directors, with four of them screening at Cannes (Damian Szifron’s WILD TALES, Lisandro Alonso’s JAUJA, Pablo Fendrik’s EL ARDOR and Pablo Lerman’s REFUGIADO) and four more appearing at the Berlin Film Festival (Benjamin Naishtat’s HISTORY OF FEAR, Celina Murga’s THE THIRD SIDE OF THE RIVER, Ines Maria Barrionuevo’s ATLÁNTIDA and Matias Lucchesi’s NATURAL SCIENCES).

At the Egyptian, we will be showing some of the finest recent Argentine cinema, ranging from thrillers (BETIBU) to comedies (THE PRINCESS OF FRANCE) and dramas about family (NATURAL SCIENCES), romance and friendship (THE MYSTERY OF HAPPINESS, and the need to find direction in life (Sundance favorite LOCK CHARMER). The powerful Cannes Film Festival selection REFUGIADO adds to the breadth and depth of selections. Don’t miss the opportunity to see South America’s first home-grown film industry come of age on the big screen!

Egyptian Theatre • Fri, Nov 21, 2014 • 7:30pm
BETIBÚ / NATURAL SCIENCES
Double Feature! Opening Night!
Presented by the American Cinematheque and the Consulate General and Promotion Center of the Argentine Republic in Los Angeles.
Los Angeles Premiere!

BETIBÚ
2014, Latido, 100 min, Argentina, Spain, Dir: Miguel Cohan
When a wealthy businessman is found murdered in his home, the local newspaper puts three writers on the case – a jaded veteran reporter (Daniel Fanego), a brash new arrival on the crime beat and famed mystery novelist Nurit “Betibú” Iscar (an excellent Mercedes Morán) – who unearth secrets buried for decades as they follow the trail of clues. Writer-director Cohan’s complex characters and sharp dialog keep this thriller moving at the snappy pace of a vintage film noir. In Spanish with English subtitles.

NATURAL SCIENCES (CIENCIAS NATURALES)
2014, Outsider Pictures, 70 min, Argentina, Dir: Matias Lucchesi
Director Matias Lucchesi’s feature debut earned the Grand Prix of the Generation Kplus International Jury at the Berlin International Film Festival. 12-year-old Lila (Paula Hertzog) is struggling with a lot of questions – most of them about her long-absent father. Enlisting a sympathetic teacher (Paola Barrientos), she sets out from her school in rural Argentina in search of answers. In Spanish with English subtitles.

Egyptian Theatre • Sat, Nov 22, 2014 • 7:30pm
THE MYSTERY OF HAPPINESS / LOCK CHARMER
Double Feature! Los Angeles Premieres!
Presented by the American Cinematheque and the Consulate General and Promotion Center of the Argentine Republic in Los Angeles.

THE MYSTERY OF HAPPINESS (EL MISTERIO DE LA FELICIDAD)
2014, Strand Releasing, 92 min, Argentina, Brazil, Dir: Daniel Burman
From acclaimed director Daniel Burman (LOST EMBRACE) comes a joyful story about love, friendship and the pursuit of happiness. Santiago (Guillermo Francella) and Eugenio (Fabian Arenillas) are best friends and business partners who run a thriving electronics store together. One day, Eugenio disappeared. Perplexed, Santiago and Eugenio’s wife, Laura (Ines Estevez) embark on a journey to find Eugenio. Burman’s highest-grossing outing there to date. In Spanish with English subtitles.

LOCK CHARMER (EL CERRAJERO)
2014, Memento Films, 77 min, Argentina, Dir: Natalia Smirnoff
A Grand Jury Prize nominee at the Sundance Film Festival, this charming drama explores the human need for direction by employing a touch of magic realism. The “Smoke Days” of 2008 in Buenos Aires leave Sebastian (Esteban Lamothe) with an unusual ability to see into peoples’ lives as he fixes their locks. The commitment-phobic locksmith is also dealing with a pregnant girlfriend and an unexpected house guest, and his strange new power may be the key to putting his own life in order. In Spanish with English subtitles.

Egyptian Theatre • Sun, Nov 23, 2014 • 7:30pm
REFUGIADO / THE PRINCESS OF FRANCE
Double Feature! Los Angeles Premieres!
Presented by the American Cinematheque and the Consulate General and Promotion Center of the Argentine Republic in Los Angeles.

REFUGIADO
2014, Memento Films, 90 min, Argentina, Columbia, France, Poland, Dir: Diego Lerman
The specter of domestic violence runs throughout this absorbing drama from director Diego Lerman even though the abusive husband remains unseen. After her 8-year-old son (Sebastián Molinaro) discovers her unconscious from a beating in their Buenos Aires apartment, Laura (Julieta Diaz) flees with the boy through a network of shelters that she hopes will lead to safety in the countryside. A Director’s Fortnight selection at the 2014 Cannes Film Festival.

THE PRINCESS OF FRANCE (LA PRINCESA DE FRANCIA)
2014, Cinema Guild, 70 min, Argentina, Dir: Matías Piñeiro
Writer-director Matías Piñeiro revisits the Shakespeare-inspired territory of his last two films with Julián Larquier Tellarini playing Victor, a theater director hoping to mount a radio production of Love’s Labour’s Lost. As in the Bard’s famous comedy, Victor wants to focus on work rather than women, but that’s easier said than done as aspiring actresses and past and present girlfriends swirl around him. Along with Tellarini, this well-crafted romantic rondelay features such Piñeiro regulars as María Villar and Agustina Muñoz. In Spanish with English subtitles.

All films are in Spanish with English subtitles unless otherwise noted.
Series compiled by Pablo Maseda and Gwen Deglise. Program notes by John Hagelston.

For Tickets, more information and to see trailers go to http://americancinemathequecalendar.com/content/betib%C3%BA-natural-sciences

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Robin Menken Robin Menken lives in Los Angeles. She was the Artistic Director of the Second City Workshops, taught at UC Berkeley, USC, Barcelona\'s Ateneu and the Esalin Institute. She was Roberto Rossellini\'s assistant, and worked with Yevgeny Vevteshenku, Glauber Rocha and Eugene Ionesco. She sold numerous screenplays and wrote the OBIE winning The FTA SHow (touring with Jane Fonda, Donald Sutherland and Ben Vereen.) She was a programming consultant and Special Events co-ordinator for numerous film festivals, including the SF, Rio, Havana and N.Y Film Festivals. Her first news outlet was the historic East Village Other.

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