Argentina is best known for Tango, steak and football, but a festival is hoping to put its films on the map too.
Three directors are travelling over from the South American country for the Argentine Film Festival which launches at Hackney Picturehouse on Thursday night.
Director Francisco Varone will host a question and answer session about his movie Road to La Paz (Camino a la Paz), which kicks off the four-day film fest at the Mare Street cinema.
The movie stars Rodrigo de la Serna, of Motorcycle Diaries fame, and 75-year old veteran theatre actor Ernesto Suárez who is making his film debut in the heart-warming road movie about two men at their respective crossroads in life.
Festival founder, Sofia Serbin de Skalon, was inspired to set up the festival four years ago after working in film PR for Argentinian film directors.
She said: “The films coming out of Argentina at the moment are absolutely brilliant - there is a really high standard of quality they are just getting better and better, and the stories are interesting and diverse.
“It’s great the directors are coming all the way from Argentina to present their films, it means a lot to us, all the questions that come up when the audience see their films, they will be able to ask them what made them inspired to make them, it makes it more connected - it’s an honour for us and adds a lot to the screening as well.
“We try and bring together a programme of varied films, documentaries, commercial hits and human interest stories, and a programme of shorts which showcases up and coming directors.”
The festival has a special focus on Patagonia this year, to coincide with the 150 year anniversary of the Welsh settlement in Argentina.
Veteran director Carlos Sorin will present screenings of his films Intimate Stories and Bombón el Perro, while Super Furry Animals Welsh front man Gruff Rhys appears in documentary Separado about his search for his Patagonian roots.
Director Santiago Charrière will also present his film Bring Back Rock (Poner el rock de moda) about Argentine pop/rock sensations Banda de Turistas.
For the full programme see www.argentinefilmfestival.com.
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