Latin America & Spain Film Festival returning to Whanganui

Photo: The Hispanic Arts Group: L-R;  Beverly Stuart, Andrea Gardner, Queralt Scott & Marilyn Wilkie (three of whom are WHS teachers).

A group of locals associated with Latin America and Spain, the Whanganui Hispanic Arts group, were able to get the Latin America and Spain Film Festival to come to Whanganui five years ago. Since then it has become part of the Whanganui entertainment calendar and will be returning from Thursday, October 18 through to Saturday, November 10.

The group do more than arrange screenings at the Davis Theatre. They run an opening function/party with traditional Latin American music, dances and food. This year the ambassador from Chile will be there.  They are also planning to have short introductions to some of the movies which could include some food and drink. Watch this space.

The selection of movies looks great. They come from 11 different countries and are all subtitled in English. The pattern will be a movie at 7pm on a Thursday and normally two movies on a Saturday at 4 and 7pm. They range from Sci-fi through to romantic, historical and psychological dramas, comedy and historical drama and a ‘Mockumentary.’

Thanks to the generosity of the embassies from Latin America and Spain, the support of the Whanganui District Council and the Sarjeant Gallery and the sponsorship of a number of local Whanganui businesses, there is free entry to all movies.

The RCP will have brief summaries of the first three movies next week but information is also available from LASFF Wanganui with brochures also available in cafes and art galleries.

 River City Press 4/10/18