Premiering at the Tribeca Film Festival, Lucy Mulloy's Una Noche, about two Cuban teens "tantalized by the promise of a new life in Miami," will begin screening tomorrow night at 9pm.
This is Mulloy's feature film debut. It's a film I've been anxiously awaiting the film since its critical acclaim after its premiere at the Berlin International Film Festival last month.
A BIFF review from Variety says Una Noche is "Marked by a vibrant evocation of Havana street life and excellent performances from three non-pro naturals, "Una noche" throws off a restless energy well attuned to its tale of impetuous Cuban teens preparing to make the dangerous ocean journey to Florida.
Una Noche stars newcomers Dariel Arrechaga, Anailin de la Rua de la Torre and Javier Nunez Florian.
Here's the full synopsis:
Fed up with living in poverty while catering to a privileged tourist class, Cuban teens Raul and Elio are tantalized by the idea of fleeing the confines of their broken-down country for a new life in Miami. When Raul is accused of assaulting a foreigner, he has no choice but to escape, but Elio must decide whether his desire for freedom and helping Raul are worth abandoning his beloved twin sister, Lila. Brimming with the nervous energy of Havana's restless youth and the evocative cinematography of the sun-bleached capital, Una Noche follows one sweltering day, full of hope and fraught with tension, that burns to a shocking climax.
Winner of the Tribeca All Access Creative Promise Award for Emerging Narrative Filmmaker in 2010, director Lucy Mulloy spent years living in Havana to research Una Noche. Her film is infused with sensitivity, depth, and fearlessness as it unfolds in a city rarely seen by American audiences. Untrained actors play the leads, and their aching vulnerability and honest performances leave a lasting impression. A universal coming-of-age story in an unlikely place, Una Noche marks the directing debut of an important, passionate new voice.
Click HERE for tickets, screen times and venues. A trailer should surface any day now; but for now check out the stills below.
