THE Australian National Centre for Latin American Studies and the Embassy of Colombia have joined forces to present the Colombian Film Festival, a free event opening tonight at the ANU. 

This is a great opportunity to get to understand a country we know relatively little about. Colombia is always an active participant in the annual Latin American Film Festival and this is more of the same.

The once-a-week program is as follows:

Week 1, at the Manning Clark Centre, Theatre 2, ANU, 6:30pm tonight, Tuesday,  October  16, “Gordo, Calvo y bajito” (Fat, Bald, short man).

Antonio Farfan is a 46 year old man working in a notary’s office who has always believed that his personal and professional failure is the inevitable result of his looks– he is bald, short and fat. Life goes almost uneventfully until the new notary arrives: a fatter, balder and shorter man that, unlike Antonio, is successful and loved by others. Confused, Antonio is now thrown out to the real world.

Week 2, at the Manning Clark Centre, Theatre 2, ANU, 6:30pm, Tuesday, October  23, “El Embajador de la India” (The Ambassador from India). In this 1986 film, a man claiming to be the Ambassador to India is treated like a dignitary.

Week 3, at the Haydon-Allen Lecture Theatre (The Tank), ANU, 6:30pm, Tuesday, October  30, “Confesión a Laura” (Confession to Laura).

The action is situated in Colombia on April 9, 1948, the date of the notorious “Bogotazo” riots.

Public servant Santiago and his bossy wife, Josefina, are forced to spend the riots in the flat of their neighbour, Laura, a spinster schoolteacher.  Besieged and  targeted by snipers, they gradually reveal  what they really are.

The Colombian Film Festival, October 16, 23, 30. Refreshments are served. No  RSVP required. All are welcome. Free and open to all.