News

In today’s film news roundup, “El Norte” has been set for re-release, “A Dark Place” finds a home and Nazneen Contractor has joined the cast of the “Saw” reboot.

Anniversary Release

Fathom Events and Lionsgate have set a 35th anniversary release on Sept. 15 for “El Norte,” Gregory Nava’s drama about the dreams of immigrants from Central America.

“El Norte” has been set to coincide with the first day of National Hispanic Heritage Month. It will play in more than 200 movie theaters in select markets nationwide and include an exclusive introduction by Nava, whose films also include “Selena” and “Mi Familia.”

The screenings will also include a featurette that explores the making of the film with the film’s stars, Zaide Silvia Gutiérrez and David Villalpando. Nava’s introduction and the behind-the-scenes featurette will be presented in both English and Spanish.

The Fathom Events presentation of “El Norte” is...

35 Years After Its Original Theatrical Release, the Oscar® Nominated Classic, Restored by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences, to Play on More Than 200 Screens to Celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month

“El Norte,” the epic, widely acclaimed masterpiece about the dreams of immigrants from Central America and the promise of America, will return to movie theaters in select markets this September in a special one-day-only 35th anniversary presentation from Fathom Events and global content leader Lionsgate.

Directed by Gregory Nava from a screenplay co-written by Anna Thomas, “El Norte” will play on Sunday, September 15 – the first day of National Hispanic Heritage Month – in more than 200 movie theaters in select markets nationwide. This special one-day-only presentation will include an exclusive introduction by Nava, whose films also include the beloved hits “Selena” and “Mi Familia.” The Fathom Events screenings will also include a brand-new featurette that explores the making of the film...

The prize for best direction of 1991 ought to have gone to Alex Cox, whose visual economy in this show is to be applauded. Cox’s camera is fluid, expressive yet technically invisible and unencumbered with fancy tricks: the frame never goes static, yet the film has only a couple of hundred cuts! Filmed in Spanish in Mexico, we get a non-cynical image of a culture and a story that’s universally applicable. Mexican neorealism? Roberto Sosa is an idealistic young recruit, who learns that reality is pretty rough out on the lonesome, deadly highway.

Highway Patrolman

Blu-ray

Kl Studio Classics

1991 / Color / 1:85 widescreen / 104 min. / Street Date April 16, 2019 / available through Kino Lorber / 29.95

Starring: Roberto Sosa, Bruno Bichir, Vanessa Bauche, Zaide Silvia Gutiérrez, Pedro Armendáriz Jr., Malena Doria, Ernesto Gómez Cruz, Mike Moroff, Jorge Russek.

Cinematography: Miguel Garzón

Film Editor: Carlos Puente

Song: Zander Schloss

Written and produced by Lorenzo O’Brien...

The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences is out with its 2018 list of invitations for membership. Here is the list of the record 928 folks from 59 countries. Note that 10 individuals (noted by an asterisk) have been invited to join the Academy by multiple branches; they must select one branch upon accepting membership.

New members will be welcomed into the Academy at invitation-only receptions in the fall.

Actors

Hiam Abbass – “Blade Runner 2049,” “The Visitor”

Damián Alcázar – “The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian,” “El Crimen del Padre Amaro”

Naveen Andrews – “Mighty Joe Young,” “The English Patient”

Gemma Arterton – “Their Finest,” “Quantum of Solace”

Zawe Ashton – “Nocturnal Animals,” “Blitz”

Eileen Atkins – “Gosford Park,” “Cold Mountain”

Hank Azaria – “Anastasia,” “The Birdcage”

Doona Bae – “Cloud Atlas,” “The Host”

Christine Baranski – “Miss Sloane,” “Mamma Mia!”

Carlos Bardem – “Assassin’s Creed,” “Che”

Irene Bedard – “Smoke Signals,” “Pocahontas”

Bill Bellamy – “Any Given Sunday,” “love jones”

Haley Bennett – “Thank You for Your Service,...

Director: Luis Estrada Writers: Luis Estrada, Jaime Sampietro Starring: Damián Alcázar, Joaquín Cosio, Ernesto Gómez Cruz, Mauricio Isaac, María Rojo, Elizabeth Cervantes, Salvador Sánchez, Daniel Giménez Cacho, Jorge Zárate, Isela Vega, Kristyan Ferrer, Tenoch Huerta Benny Garcia (Damián Alcázar) moved to greener pastures -- the United States -- back when he was a teenager with hopes of becoming a successful Capitalist. Twenty years later he is deported back to Mexico -- presumably due to the increasingly xenophobic immigration policies in the U.S. Upon his return to his hometown, Bennie quickly discovers that a pair of feuding drug lords have taken over the region; his younger brother (Tenoch Huerta) and several of his closest friends have died as a result. Determined to remain on the straight and narrow, Benny begins working at his godfather's garage; but as soon as Benny falls for a gorgeous prostitute (Elizabeth Cervantes) -- the mother...

Formerly named the devilish El Infierno or The Hell, Lightning Entertainment has renamed this crime thriller to El Narco, aka The Drug Dealer. Recently completed, El Narco is a real heartwarming story of Benny (Damian Alcazar) and returning to his home town, in Mexico. In reality, his welcome involves gunfire, violence and his partially forced entry into the illicit drug export business. Here, events go from bad to worse and shortly, Benny is on the run from local authorities and into the deep pockets of the local crime lords.

El Narco was recently shown in Cannes 2011 (Lightning) and hopefully, good news will return from this locale, as a North American release date has not been announced so far. For now, watch the comedic, yet sinister hijinks of Benny and his criminal underlings in the exciting reel below.

The synopsis for El Narco is here:

"Drugs, guns, violence, death: Mexico today...

El Infierno, Chicogrande, and the other nominations of the 2011 Premio Ariel (Ariel Awards) have been announced. The 53rd Annual Premio Ariel (Ariel Awards) are presented by the Mexican Academy of Cinematographic Arts and Sciences. “The Ariel is the Mexican Academy of Film Award. It has been awarded annually since 1947. The award recognizes excellence in motion picture making, such as acting, directing and screenwriting in Mexican cinema. It is considered the most prestigious award in the Mexican movie industry.” The 53rd Annual Premio Ariel (Ariel Awards) “ceremony will take place on May 7 [, 2011] at the Palacio de Bellas Artes in Mexico City.” The full listing of the 2011 Premio Ariel (Ariel Awards) nominations is below

Best Picture

Abel

Chicogrande

El infierno (Hell)

Best Director

Felipe Cazals, Chicogrande

Luis Estrada, El infierno (Hell)

Diego Luna, Abel

Best Actress

Karina Gidi, Abel

Mónica del Carmen, Año bisiesto (Leap Year)

Maricel Álvarez, Biutiful

Úrsula Pruneda, Las...