We Are Mari Pepa

Apr 19 - Apr 21, 2014

(Samuel Kishi Leopo, Mexico, 2013, DCP, 95 min)

Somos Mari Pepa

Breathing unexpected life into the naturally jaded (but hormone-riddled) body of male youth/buddy/skate/band movies, Samuel Kishi Leopo's debut is utterly faithful to its milieu of bored and confused teenagers hanging out and playing hooky on the outskirts of Guadalajara: skating, trying to meet girls, and practicing for an upcoming battle of the bands. 

Hangdog band leader Alex, bent on writing new songs and finding work, is forced into bittersweet maturation when neither his guitar (just stolen) nor a girl (just met) can carry the weight  of expectations from his ailing grandmother, with whom he lives in the absence of parents. Ultimately, her repeated spinning of classic canciónes on vinyl proves to be symbolic of an independent ethos all its own.

"definitely a film for young Latino/as to watch!" —The Seattle Globalist

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