Editor

The el Tran (train) has left Mexico and after a successful tour through Los Angeles, it is now set to head around Australia, for the 7^th annual Hola Mexico Film Festival this October and November.

 The Festival combines the best of everything Mexican for a week of fun, film and food, as the Festival screens 11 feature films, 5 documentaries and one double header. 

Jump on for the journey, as Hola Mexico travels to Melbourne (Oct 19 -28 ACMI Cinemas), then heads to Sydney (Oct 26 – Nov 4 Event Cinemas George Street) and Adelaide (Nov 9 – 14 Mercury Cinemas) before a last stop in Perth (15-21 Cinema Paradiso).

Festival Director Samuel Douek says festival goers can expect a hell of an opening party, and a talk by one of Mexico’s hottest film directors. 

“Arturo Pons (The Compass Is Carried by The Dead) is joining us in Australia for Hola, so don’t miss out on getting a ticket to the Hola Mexico opening film and party where you can meet him. It’s going to be a fiery fiesta where the tacos and tequila will flow and film makers and film fans party the night away to a live mariachi band,” he says.

Opening night will start with a special screening of Mariachi Gringo, a feel good film full of amazing music by famous mariachi singer Lila Downs, who toured Australia in 2007 and stars Shawn Ashmore from X-Men. There is an opening night fiesta for all the festival venues. Tickets are available from October 5^th for $49.

Other highlights of the 2012 program include the Australian premiere of Una Vida Mejor (A Better Life), from About a Boy director, Chris Weitz.  Lead actor Demian Bichir was nominated for Best Actor at the 2012 Oscars alongside Brad Pit, George Cloney, Juan De'Jardin and Gary Oldman. The story takes you on the heart rendering journey of an illegal immigrant who struggles with the challenges of living in a city with immigration agents on every corner and vicious gangsters trying to lure his son away in to a life of crime.

There’s the political thriller, Los Chidos, which is directed by Mars Volta front man Omar Rodriguez Lopez and bravely examines the engrained ideals of cultures, to produce a funny and depraved piece of socio-political commentary.

For the action fans a new epic from Hollywood stars Andy Garcia and Eva Longoria, Cristiada (From Greater Glory) examines just what price we are willing to pay for freedom, as it looks in to the true story of the 1920s Cristero War and the people’s revolt that rocked 20^th century North America.

Foodies and families will love Canela (cinnamon) as it takes a look in to the dramatic life of cooking and restaurateurs that puts the reality drama of cooking shows to shame.

Also on the Festival bill, Burros, the winner of the Best Film at Morelia Film Festival 2010 and Guadalajara Film Festival 2011.  And the not to be missed Miss Bala – a film about a Beauty Queen and Mexico’s violent gang warfare, which was selected to compete in the 2011 Oscars for Best Foreign Language Film.

Those wanting to experience a large slice of Mexico should definitely check out 2x1 Stories of Mexico. The two hour emersion features two medium length films (60min) that show Mexico and the lives of the Mexican people from two very different perspectives. These films are Meko Seyane – Un Retrato De Pierre B (Meko Seyane – A Portrait of Pierre B) and Silvestre Pantaleo.

The Hola Mexico Film Festival combines the fiery passion of the Mexican culture with the beauty of its people to explore all that is Mexico, bringing Mexicans together and everyone else that bit closer to Mexico through the beauty of film.

Hola is proudly sponsored by SOL Beer, Milagro Tequila, SBS, World Movies and Filmink Magazine.

Check out www.holamexicoff.com