Zafari

a film by Mariana Rondón
screenplay by Mariana Rondón and Marité Ugás

I went to see the closing screening of this year’s Ibértigo, expecting to see a bit of comedy. Well Wikipedia says “dystopian black comedy-drama”, surely it must have some comedy in it?

Not really. There was not a single moment that made me laugh. So it doesn’t count.

Even so, Zafari was well worth watching. The film’s setting — the apartment block, its swimming pool and a neighboouring zoo — is a microcosm of an unnamed Latin American country clearly inspired by the director’s motherland, Venezuela. Things ain’t going well and the arrival of Zafari the hippo doesn’t help... Prepare to be disturbed, but — the only spoiler I’ll give you — there is a glimpse of hope, if not exactly an happy end, for the protagonist. Starring Daniela Ramírez, Francisco Denis and Samantha Castillo.

Devenir Rosa & Hummingbirds

I read the programme of this year’s Ibértigo and decided to watch the two films whose one-line summaries sounded least depressing. I think I made the right choice.

Devenir Rosa

a film by Valeri Hernani

A Peruvian short is a poignant dialogue between generations, that of Valeri and her grandmother Rosa.

Hummingbirds

a film by Silvia del Carmen Castaños and Estefanía “Beba” Contreras

Not much happens in this documentary set in Laredo, Texas (not to be confused with real Laredo), and thank goodness for that. Two teenage friends enjoy “doing nothing together”, they know it’s not gonna last, and it’s beautiful.

Free live music and stuff in Las Palmas, March 2024

This is what I’ve seen in March:

• 2 March: Kya Loum @ Biblioteca Pública Municipal Josefina de la Torre, Paseo de las Canteras, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria
  This concert was a part of two-day workshop «Mujeres, migraciones y derechos humanos» organised by Karmala Cultura. In fact, I turned up on Friday 1 March to see the performance of Kya Loum planned at 7 pm only to discover that it was already over because the other parts of the workshop have finished earlier. Next day, I came by 7 pm to hear a bit of poetry by Biselé, Karessa Malaya, Gabriella Nuru and Hilda Pérez Rodríguez, followed by the rooftop concert of Kya at 8 pm.

  

• 6 March: «Guante blanco» @ Palacete Rodríguez Quegles, Calle Benito Pérez Galdós, 4
  This happened to be a two-in-one evening: presentation of the award of the IV Premio Internacional de Novela de Misterio e Intriga to Juan Muñoz González, the author of the winning novel, El informante; and the concert of Guante Blanco, which was why I went there. The trio of José Carlos Campos (vocals), Antonio Brito (piano) and Paula Conde (electric bass) performed such hits as Armando’s Rhumba, Luz de Luna, Rata de dos patas, Una canción para la Magdalena, Una Notte a Napoli, and Wilkommen and Mein Herr from Cabaret.

  

• 7 March: «Magua» @ Casa de Colón, Calle Colón, 1
  The Canarian singer-songwriter Sylvie Hernández presented her debut album Magua, accompanied by Marta Bautista (double bass), Totó Noriega (percussion), Pablo Quintana (guitar) and Ner Suárez (guitar, tres cubano, cuatro venezolano, accordion).

  

• 14 March: Ari Jiménez @ Museo Castillo de Mata, Calle Domingo Guerra del Río, 147
  The third concert from the cycle «12 Noches de autor».

  

• 21 March: Miryam Quiñones @ Teatro Guiniguada, Plaza F. Mesa de León
  More a concert than a masterclass, but I enjoyed it all the same. Miryam Quiñones took us on an illustrated journey through the history of (mostly) Peruvian author song (trova peruana) and added some “Peruvianised” classics of the genre.

And that was it for this month. The sixth edition of Happy Piano Day, originally planned for 23 March, was cancelled due to rain and is now rescheduled to 6 April. Looking forward to it!