OLA Film Festival Picks Up Steam

In 2004, the OLA Film Festival drew out no more than five moviegoers.

The same cannot be said today.

Last year’s two-day festival, which this year will be held next weekend—Saturday, December 10, and Sunday, December 11—by the Organización Latino-Americana at the Parrish Art Museum in Southampton, attracted more than 200 East Enders, according to founder Isabel Sepulveda.

And only half of them were Latinos, she noted.

“To me, 50 percent Latino and 50 percent Anglo is fantastic,” she said. “It’s a good balance. It means we’re reaching both. And there are all ages, from teenagers to 40s, 50s, 80s. For me, that’s it, seeing all of them under the same roof watching the same film and then leave saying, ‘What a great film.’ This is working.”

The film festival’s goal is to bring the Latino culture, and all of its nuances, to the masses through independent, award-winning films from Hispanic countries like Brazil, Mexico, Argentina and Colombia, Ms. Sepulveda said. All of the movies being screened during the festival have English subtitles.

Each year is a hunt for the four perfect films. Ms. Sepulveda, with a committee of 10, sits down and watches the first 15 minutes of each movie in the running, she said.

“If the movie doesn’t catch our attention in 15 minutes ...” she paused, and continued, “But it normally does. We usually realize by 15 minutes, ‘Wow, this is great. This is fun.’”

After a reception with wine, food and live entertainment, the first day of the festival, Saturday, kicks off at the museum with “Nora’s Will,” which was named Mexico’s Best Picture of the Year in 2010.

Ms. Sepulveda recalled reading much about the film in foreign newspapers. It follows a Jewish family in Mexico that is turned upside down when a long-held family secret is uncovered.

“It makes you think,” Ms. Sepulveda said of the film. “We live in an area where the Jewish community is huge on the East End. It’s a great film to bring to the Jewish community, too. And at the same time, there are a lot of Latina Jewish people.”

The first evening concludes with the film “The Colors of the Mountain,” which is set in the remote, mountainous region of the Colombian countryside. Young Manuel lives with his hard-working farmer parents, who are trying at all costs to avoid both the armed military and the guerrilla rebels fighting against each other in the area. But all Manuel cares about is playing soccer any chance he gets.

“It’s the country, the children and the atmosphere where the area is run by the cartel that makes you question what are we doing, especially people who consume drugs,” Ms. Sepulveda said. “It’s a message. We’re feeding these people’s pockets.”

Day two, Sunday, begins with “Carancho,” the story of a personal injury attorney whose questionable ethics and greed lead him down a death-ridden path. The movie stars Ricardo Darin, a top actor in Argentina.

“There’s a lot of action in this movie,” Ms. Sepulveda said. “I said, ‘Oh, guys will love this film.’ I won’t tell you the end, but it surprised me.”

A reception will also precede the second day of the film festival on Sunday. The screenings that day come to a close with “My Mexican Shivah,” one of the stand-out films in the lineup, Ms. Sepulveda said.

“Oh my god, ‘My Mexican Shivah’ is really, really funny,” she said. “You have to see it. Just the name tells you a lot.”

Set in Polanco, a Jewish quarter of Mexico City, this comedy explores how the death of the beloved Moishe Tartakovsky results in the celebration of his life while his friends and family, who are sitting shivah, are forced to confront each other.

“Everyone clashes, everything goes wrong,” Ms. Sepulveda said. “So funny.”

In the future, she expects the festival will continue to grow in size and scope. And so does the Parrish Art Museum’s Director of Adult Programs, Mark Segal.

“We have supported it [the festival] since its inception because it presents high-quality films that might not otherwise come to our community,” Mr. Segal wrote in an email last week. “The festival has interesting films, great food and wine, and a terrific vibe. Plus, at $7 for two films and the reception, it’s a great deal.”

The 8th annual OLA Film Festival will be held on Saturday, December 10, and Sunday, December 11, at the Parrish Art Museum in Southampton. Day one begins at 6 p.m. with a reception and is followed by films “Nora’s Will” and “The Colors of the Mountain.” Day two starts at 3 p.m. with a reception and concludes with “Carancho” and “My Mexican Shivah.” Tickets are $7 per day, or $5 for members. For tickets or more information, call 283-2118 or visit parrishart.org.