OLA Latino Film Festival Teams Up with Sag Harbor Cinema

Editors Note: The Sag Harbor Cinema is sorry to have to announce that, due to the recent spike in recorded coronavirus cases in Suffolk County, it must cancel the in-cinema screening of "Virus Tropical," originally scheduled for Saturday, November 14, 2020 at 7 p.m. Online tickets are still available via sagharborcinema.org.

The Sag Harbor Cinema (SHC) is pleased to host both virtual and in person screenings of Santiago Caicedo’s lush, animated feature “Virus Tropical.” The screening is the first at Sag Harbor Cinema since the building’s renovation after the fire destroyed the cinema in 2016, and will be held on Saturday, November 14, at 7 p.m. as part of the 17^th OLA (Organización Latino-Americana) Latino Film Festival of Long Island.

“Virus Tropical” tells the story of Paola Born, who is born into a not-so-conventional family and grows up between Ecuador and Colombia. Paola finds herself unable to fit in any mold, and with a unique feminine vision of the world, she will have to fight against prejudice and struggle for her independence while her universe is struck by a series of crises. The film is in Spanish with English subtitles and based on the graphic novel “Virus Tropical” by PowerPaola.

“I am a big fan of PowerPaola’s work,” said Caicedo in a statement. “The innocent, simple and direct language of her graphic work has always moved me, the humor of her drawings is punctual and hides a deep awareness under a blanket of sweetness.

“‘Virus Tropical’ tells a transcendent and honest story in an insightful and fun way, and it tackles universal topics that let us relate to the characters in a powerful way,” he added. “Like every family, Paola’s one had its crises and nuances that shaped her personality and influenced the person she became. ‘Virus Tropical’ took me back to my intense adolescent years, when I needed to understand and find a meaning to life, and that also shaped me in a way to become who I am.

“This is why I felt immediately connected to the graphic novel and wanted to try and make a film out of it,” continued Caicedo. “Finding an audiovisual language that respects and pays tribute to PowerPaola’s original drawings represented an interesting challenge for the art of animation, while making a film with such a unique feminine vision was thrilling.”

“We are delighted to partner with the 17th OLA Latino Film Festival of Long Island and very excited about this particular film, a highly original coming of age story, designed by a beloved Colombian/Ecuadorian artist and beautifully animated by Santiago Caicedom” says SHC’s Artistic Director Giulia D’Agnolo Vallan. “We see this as the first of many collaborations with OLA Latino Film Festival  and the beginning of a rich vein of programs inspired by the wealth of Latin American cinema.

“OLA is thrilled with the Sag Harbor Cinema collaboration,” she added. “Experiencing films in this state-of the-art cinema is a dream. We are looking forward to this event and all future events where we can help to bridge Latino community members to great programming.”

The screening will be followed by a conversation between Vallan and the director of the 17th Ola Film Festival of Long Island, Minerva Perez. It will be preceded by two short films, “Solo” and “Rocco,” both made by Riverhead high school students participating in the OLA Media Lab filmmaking and story-telling workshop series earlier this year. OLA offers this free workshop, led by filmmaker and educator Maria Maciak, yearly to area school districts.

Sag Harbor Cinema is at 90 Main Street, Sag Harbor. For tickets, visit sagharborcinema.org.

In addition to the screening at the Sag Harbor Cinema, OLA will presents two feature-length films — one at the Parrish Art Museum and one via Guild Hall — on Friday and Saturday, November 13 and 14.

“It was very important to us that we not cancel this film festival as it has grown to represent the shared experiences of our community members regardless of background or language. We need cultural bridges now more than ever,” said Minerva Perez, Executive Director of OLA. “The virtual platform was tricky to navigate, but our venue partners took the technological heavy lift for us, allowing us to focus on the film choices, the interviews, and the OLA Media Lab premiere of new student films.”

[caption id="attachment_103331" align="aligncenter" width="600"] A still image from the film "NO," by award-winning Chilean director, Pablo Larraín.[/caption]

On Friday, November 13, 5:30 p.m., at Parrish Art Museum and online, “NO,” a film by the award-winning Chilean director, Pablo Larraín, will be screened. “NO” depicts a time in Chile’s history when the decision whether or not to allow a dictator to remain in power was decided with the help of a genius advertising campaign that took hold of the country and led to Pinochet’s ousting after a national referendum. At the Parrish, there will be a limited-seating screening with a 5:30 p.m. reception to start off the evening, film at 6 p.m. The film will also be offered online. Visit parrishart.org for tickets to in-person or online screening. $20 onsite, $15 online, $10 members of Parrish Art Museum.

[caption id="attachment_91189" align="alignleft" width="165"] A Spanish-language screening of "Inside Out" will be offered virtually by Guild Hall.[/caption]

On Saturday, November 14, via Guild Hall, at noon, an online only screening of “Inside Out” from Walt Disney Studios will be available for viewing. The film is about an 11-year-old child who navigates Anger and Fear and other negative emotions during a traumatic life event. The film is offered in Spanish with English Subtitles and is free and only offered online. To register for a free link visit guildhall.org.

Tickets must be purchased online through venue websites. If interested folks cannot access email or do not have access to credit cards, call OLA 631-899-3441.