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Films 2015 - Guatemala - Las marimbas del infierno (Marimbas from Hell)

Las marimbas del infierno (Marimbas from Hell)

Director: Julio Hernández Cordón, 2011

Language: Spanish
74 minutes – Guatemala

SYNOPIS: Boldly exploring the boundaries of fiction and documentary, emerging Guatemalan filmmaker Julio Hernández Cordón’s original and entertaining film follows three musicians from Guatemala City as they attempt to fuse improbable musical styles. The result is a skillfully constructed narrative that reflects on important issues in contemporary Guatemalan culture. Don Alfonso plays the marimba (xylophone) for a living but as his traditional music is seen as increasingly old-fashioned, he finds himself without a job. When his glue-sniffing godson introduces him to Blacko, an old heavy-metal legend of the Guatemalan underground, they decide to do something radical and fuse the sounds of the marimba with heavy metal. This innovative idea sparks the beginning of an unexpected collaboration. Filled with laugh-aloud moments, Marimbas from Hell is brilliantly farcical, but with a sharp strain of melancholy. Hernández Cordón continues his work with non-professional actors, creating an incredibly fresh and unique story that conveys a moving and authentic sense of Guatemalan life.

QUOTES/REVIEWS: “… a brilliant and absurd comedy however you look at it, funny and moving at the same time, whose centerpiece is an excellent excuse to create a fun and original story… this notable film from Guatemala is one of the best Latin American comedies in a long time, a true gem that should not be missed.”
Robert Koehler, VARIETY “A likable work, a mix of documentary and fiction whose characters resound with the humorless humor of Smoke, the Wayne Wang film with Harvey Keitel. Very precarious, yes, but with something that sets it apart itself from others, united in their vision of a forgotten continent. Actors not actors, locations “just around the corner.” A little surprise, over all for those who search for authentic Latin American cinema.” - Isabel Croce, DIARIO LA PRENSA