7 pm Beloved Mexican comic Cantinflas (Mario Moreno) portrays a young lawyer who dedicates himself to resolving the problems of the less fortunate. The title is a play on words deriving from his old professor’s description of him as “un hombre puro, y sin mancha” (a pure man, without stain)—qualities he is perceived to share with Cervantes’ Don Quixote de la Mancha (referring, in this case, to the region of Spain in which Don Quixote lives). Presented in partnership with Instituto Cervantes as part of the Bank (more...)

7 pm Cinco de Mayo: La batalla is the story of the 1862 Battle of Puebla, the most important battle in Mexican history. Defending the city of Puebla, the army of General Ignacio Zaragoza, numbering around 2,000 men, won an unlikely victory against a supposedly unbeatable French army of over 6,000—at that time the world’s largest and most powerful army. French forces were withdrawn from the country six years later; the legendary battle for freedom and for Mexico is celebrated to this day. Presented as part of (more...)

7 pm When a Mexican mariachi singer and single father applies for a visa for his daughter to travel to Arizona, his application is promptly denied by an uptight U.S. embassy official looking forward to her forthcoming transfer to London. Subsequent events, and complications, bring the two together in a bilingual romantic comedy that has been described as “a love letter to Mexico City.” Presented as part of the Bank of America Free Thursday Film Series. 2013; directed by Pitipol Ybarra; English/Spanish with English subtitles; 112 minutes; (more...)

7 pm An Acapulco playboy’s bachelor lifestyle comes to a halt when a former lover shows up on his doorstep with a baby girl, asks for money to pay her cab fare, and disappears. His attempt to return the child to her mother leads him to Los Angeles, to a successful career as a stuntman, and to unexpected developments—alternatively sweet, funny, and poignant. Presented as part of the Bank of America Free Thursday Film Series. 2013; directed by Eugenio Derbez; Spanish with English subtitles; 122 minutes; rated (more...)

7 pm Two former thieves reunite to rob the biggest thief they know—a TV infomercial guru who has made millions selling worthless health products to poor Latino immigrants. While his empire is nearly impossible to infiltrate, they know that by going undercover as day laborers they can pull off the heist. When none of their associates want the job, they turn to the real thing for help, forming a team of criminal amateurs with just the right skills. Presented as part of the Bank of America Free (more...)

7 pm Before Night Falls, based on the writer’s autobiography of the same name, is the story of Cuban poet and novelist Reinaldo Arenas, born in rural Oriente province in 1943. After joining the revolution that brought Fidel Castro to power in 1959, Arenas moved to Havana, where he joined a circle of writers and artists and gained critical acclaim for his own work. His political writing and openly gay lifestyle eventually led to imprisonment by the Castro regime, failed attempts to leave the country, and his (more...)

7 pm An epic drama of power, passion, and betrayal set during the Spanish Inquisition. Celebrated painter Francisco Goya is drawn into a web of deception when his muse and inspiration Inés is imprisoned for heresy against the Church, and he seeks to free her with the help of Inquisitor Brother Lorenzo. When the duplicitous monk commits the unthinkable, Goya is left to make sense of a world gone mad. Presented as part of the Bank of America Free Thursday Film Series; in June, the series features (more...)

7 pm An innocent desire blossoms into a romance for the ages in this stunning epic, based on Gabriel García Márquez’ best-selling novel. At the turn of the 20th century, youthful romantic Florentino Ariza spots the beautiful and sheltered Fermina Daza and immediately falls in love. Denied by her father, he refuses to give up his dream of winning her hand, even if it means waiting decades. Presented as part of the Bank of America Free Thursday Film Series; in June, the series features films by award-winning (more...)