AN ALBUQUERQUE LATIN AMERICAN FILM FESTIVAL SPECIAL!  THANKS TO THE OPENING ACT SPONSORS UMB BANK, THE UNM-LATIN AMERICAN  AND IBERIAN INSTITUTE  AS WELL AS SUPPORTING SPONSOR ROB DONNELLY!  ALSO A BIG SPECIAL THANKS TO WAYOUT WEST FILM FESTIVAL!

Winner of the Un Certain Regard Prixe at Cannes!

Set in a remote 1980s Chilean desert mining town during the onset of the HIV/AIDS crisis, The Mysterious Gaze of the Flamingo follows 11-year-old Lidia, (Tamara Cortés), as she grows up within a loving, protective, queer family. When a deadly, unknown illness begins to ravage the town, a paranoid myth spreads among the hostile townspeople. As prejudice, scapegoating, and violence quickly target Lidia’s chosen family—the young girl sets out to demystify the rumor.

Diego Céspedes is a renowned Chilean filmmaker known for his evocative short films like The Summer of the Electric Lion (2018) and The Melting Creatures (2022). His work blends realistic, intimate social critiques with mythological elements to explore themes of identity, desire, and chosen families. His debut feature The Mysterious Gaze of the Flamingo won Un Certain Regard Prixe at Cannes.

"Set during the dawn of the AIDS epidemic, Diego Céspedes’ gentle, funny, passionate, and occasionally absurdist debut drama packs an enormous emotional punch." - Variety

"A finely crafted, deeply affecting tribute to love and community––a piece of proudly, vitally queer art." - The Film Stage

"Dips its toes into the not-so different motifs of Hollywood Westerns and telenovelas with a wink or two to some queer cinema classics." - The Playlist