Latin American cinema is in another golden age. First there was Luis Buรฑuel and his feature work in Mexico during the ย40s and ย50s; more recently, thereยs been a surge started by Alfonso Cuarรณn and Guillermo del Toro. Mexico, Argentina and Brazil are the big players, but at Latin Wave: New Films from Latin America, Panama, Chile and Colombia also get some recognition. Although the Museum of Fine Arts, Houstonยs mini film festival is heavy on drama, the schedule has its share of comedies, including todayยs wonderfully pouty The Maid, which will be introduced by director Sebastiรกn Silva. The film follows Raquel, a Chilean maid who considers herself a member of the family she serves. Unfortunately, sheยs the only one in the household who does. When the family hires additional help, Raquel is determined to oust the newcomers, and sabotages each new hire by pulling increasingly childish pranks and resorting to ever more over-the-top antics. Latin Wave Film Festival runs Thursday through Sunday. 1001 Bissonnet. For information, call 713-639-7515 or visit www.mfah.org. $6 to $7.
Fri., May 1, 9 p.m.; Sun., May 3, 7 p.m., 2009
This article appears in Apr 30 – May 6, 2009.
