LACLA Presents the Streaming of Costa Rican Film CENIZA NEGRA

Latin American Cinemateca of Los Angeles (LACLA) is pleased to present its Cine Nepantla program with the streaming of the Costa Rican film,Ceniza Negra. Ceniza Negra is a heartwarming coming-of-age story, written and directed by Sofia Quiros Ubeda and starring an all Afro-Latino cast, with breakthrough performances by Smashleen Gutierrez, Humberto Samuels and Hortensia Smith. This film is part of this year's Hispanic Heritage Month celebrations.

Ceniza Negra premiered at the 2019 Cannes Film Festival and led the way for female-directed Costa Rican films.

Ceniza Negra will be available for streaming September 22-26, 2022 at www.laclastream.com. The streaming includes an interview with the director.

Cine Nepantla is curated by Guido Segal, a screenwriter and LACLA program manager. Segal is world- known for his film critiques, screenwriting and teaching..

For 25 years, the Latin American Cinemateca of Los Angeles (LACLA) has been championing and screening feature and short films by LatinX filmmakers from all over the Americas.

About Ceniza Negra

Selva (13) lives in a coastal town in the Caribbean. After the sudden disappearance of her only motherly figure, she is left to take care of her grandfather who does not want to live. Between shadows and wild games, she must decide if she will help her grandfather die, even though that means going through her last moments of childhood alone. Selva discovers that when we die, we just shed our skin. We can turn into wolves, goats, shadows, or anything as long as your imagination allows it.

This program is made possible with funds from the Los Angeles County Arts Commission and the many contributors of LACLA's programs. Thank you to our media sponsors Vida Salsera, KPFK 90.7 Travel Tips For Aztlan, Living Outloud LA.

Nepantla is a Nahuatl word which describes the state of living in-between different cultures. It can also refer to
living in the borderlands or being at a literal or metaphorical crossroads. In line with this concept, Cine
Nepantla aims to create a space in which meaningful dialogue among audiences of different socio-economic
backgrounds, races, ethnicities, ages, abilities, genders, sexualities, nationalities, and religions can take place and effect change.