Edition 3 of Venezuelan Film Festival to bring Latin American cinema to Nandan

Kolkata: The third edition of the Venezuelan Film Festival will be held on July 21 and 22 at Nandan-III in Kolkata, bringing to the city four contemporary Venezuelan films that highlight diverse and urgent social narratives.

The festival is being organised by the Forum for Film Studies and Allied Arts in collaboration with the Embassy of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.

The event will begin on Monday, July 21, at 3:45 pm with the screening of Tarkarí de Chivo (2023), directed by Francisco Denis and Daniel Yegres. Set in a run-down

restaurant in downtown Caracas, the film is a darkly comic tale of chaos as a storm brews outside and a cast of eccentric characters—ranging from a fake terrorist to a washed-up TV star—descend on the kitchen, setting off a night of absurdity.

The formal inauguration will take place at 5 pm the same day. Alfredo Caldera, Counsellor at the Venezuelan Embassy, will inaugurate the festival. Eminent director Ashoke Viswanathan will be present as special guest, with Forum president Goutam Ghose and vice-president Samik Bandopadhyay in attendance.

Following the inauguration, Ali Primera (2024), a 125-minute biographical film directed by Daniel Yegres, will be screened. The film chronicles the life and activism of the iconic Venezuelan folk singer Alí Primera, whose music became a voice for the oppressed.

On Tuesday, July 22, the festival resumes at 3:45 pm with Tango Bar (2024), directed by Gibelbys Coronado. The film follows Maria, a trafficking survivor trapped in a cabaret, and her bond with a former tango singer, as they dream of escape.

The final film, Julia has a Sugar (2024), will be screened at 4 pm. Directed by José Antonio Varela, it portrays a young woman navigating workplace harassment and poverty, who agrees to be a rich lawyer’s companion for a week—sparking unexpected changes in both their lives.

Entry to the festival is free and open to all.