Festival of New Spanish Cinema Houston 2013Jan 18–Jan 27

In its fifth consecutive year, the 2012 Festival of New Spanish Cinema consolidates itself as the most important itinerant festival of contemporary Spanish Cinema in North America. The Festival, which will take place this year from September 2012 to March 2013, will screen some of the riskiest and most innovative Spanish films of the year, while providing a space for the audience to discuss the pieces with the filmmakers.

Selected films include Paco Leon’s Carmina or Blow Up (Carmina o Revienta, 2012), the popular phenomenon that has been winning over audiences since its release; Madrid, 1987 (2011), a sensual and intelligent encounter by two very different generations directed by David Trueba; Iceberg, an insightful study of adolescence directed by Gabriel Velázquez; Wilaya (2011), a window into the lives of a Sahrawi family living in a Saharan refugee camp directed by Pedro Perez Rosado; The Double Steps (Los Pasos Dobles, 2011), Isaki Lacuesta’s gorgeously shot award-winning film; and Sleep Tight (Mientras Duermes, 2011), the latest fright by mastermind of suspense Jaume Balagueró.