This week enjoy a free film festival, “Cine Alternativo,” from Mexico, Central America, South America, North America, the Iberian Peninsula, Chicanadas and other Latino themes, at the Orange County Center for Contemporary Art (OCCCA), located at 117 N. Sycamore, in Downtown Santa Ana.

This festival offers a different perspective and a new look at the popular culture in the USA. We are glad to present these independent films, which provide dramatic contrast to the commercial film industry.

The experimental cinema of the new independent Mexican film industry from the classic to surrealistic to the avant-garde contrast with the “golden Age” of classic films from the early 1930’s.

These films were created by visual artists, photographers, activist or amateurs, and frequently ignored by the industry, because of the lack of advertising, promotion or big budgets The avant-garde rebellion provides origins of the underground cinema.

Admission is Free

Wednesday, January 5th. 2011 at 7: 30 P.M.

“La Otra Conquista” (the Other Conquest, 2007)
Director Salvador Carrasco

Mexico 1521 – The Spanish army of Hernan Cortes has swept through the new world forcing their religious beliefs on the brave Aztec people. They would conquer their land but not their soul.

Thursday, January 6th. 2011 at 7: 30 P.M.
“La Montana Sagrada” (The Sacred Mountain, 1972)
Director Alejandro Jodorowsky

Jodoroswsky is one of the most controversial directors in the world. In this film the alchemist (Jodorowsky) assembles one group of people with all kinds of diversity, this group will represent the solar system. The intention is to take on the recruits on a journey of mystical rituals, strange and deprived of the mundane. They will reach the Lotus Island, and then will climb to the holly mountain to throw out the immortal Gods who secretly govern the universe.

Friday, January 7th, 2011 at 7:30 P.M.

“El Callejon de los Milagros” (The Alley of The Miracles)
Director Jorge Fons (Mexico)

Based in the novel by Naguib Mahfuz, winner of the Nobel Prize for literature in 1988. Hamida, a young woman, is very ambitious and looking for a rich businessman to rescue her from the misery of life where she lives. The modest barber Abbas he will take a risk for her, but as much as he courts her; he does not conquer her gree. Kirsha, the owner of the café in the barrio has inclinations for the young guys and takes it to the point that he does not care anymore for the scandal lust provokes his family. The widow Afifi, who is alone and looking for a young lover that can warm her bed for the night. The plot takes place in the center of Cairo on the Alley of Midaq but the adaptation is in the center of Mexico City.

Saturday, January 8th, 2011 at 7:30 P.M.
“Canoa” (1975)
Director Felipe Cazals (Mexico)

In 1968 a group of young workers from the University of Mexico goes on a hike near the Malinche hill in San Miguel Canoa state of Puebla. A big storm causes them to look for lodgings in the village of Canoa: a priest intervenes and says to the people that they are manifestation of the student movent. However, Lucas a farm worker offers his house for them to stay overnight; but the priest tries to stir to the population against the students calling them communists, thief’s, rapist of women’s and enemies of their religion. Luca’s house is destroyed and the villagers lynch the students.
Sunday, January 9th 2011 at 7: 30 P.M.

“Dark Habits” (1983)
Director Pedro Almodovar (Spain)

Yolanda (Cristina S. Pascal) is a nightclub singer and junky. When her boyfriend accidentally dies from a drug overdose, she decides it is best to hide out from the cops who are looking for her. She winds up at a convent that specializes in saving woman from the street. However, this is not the average groups of nuns… the off-beats sister include a heroin using superior nun who is in love with Yolanda, a soft core romance novelist and another who is raising tigers in the convent yard. When the nuns face the possibility of their convent closing. They throw a final extravagant party starring Yolanda to try to persuade their wealthy patrons not to abandon them.