“Movies That Matter” continue every Sunday and Thursday at 2 p.m. through March at the Cine+Lago Theater at Plaza Bugambilias in Ajijic.
“The Price of Freedom: Who Does the NRA Represent?” (Sunday, March 24) examines the inner workings and lobbying strategies of the National Rifle Association. The NRA wields enormous influence over political and public opinion by equating gun ownership with patriotism and challenging legislation as attacks on personal liberty. This film confronts one of the most emotionally-charged topics in the U.S. and calls for common sense gun reform.
“Fahrenheit 451,” on Thursday, March 28, offers a scary futuristic view of a world dominated by those intent on thought control, and eradicating knowledge by banning and burning books. This 2018 modernized sci-fi version of Ray Bradbury’s dystopian novel about an underground rebellion committed to protecting literature, provides parallels to the current increasing repression in the U.S. of history, facts and free-thinking.
Two short documentaries will be featured on Sunday, March 31. Our 2024 Festival highlight will be the exclusive showing of “Living in the Time of Dying,” personally provided by independent filmmaker Michael Shaw, who tackles tough questions on how climate change is affecting our planet. Shaw’s global journey for answers explores individual ways to absorb these changes by how we choose to live and act with our world. It will be followed by “Unknown Killer Robots”, which investigates exciting advances in artificial intelligence and robotics, as well as how these could drastically change weaponry and war in the future. It follows military-funded scientists racing to build this technology and ethicists scrambling to awaken the world to its apocalyptic potential.
The series is hosted by the Democrats Abroad Lake Chapala Chapter. Individual tickets for US$8.75 can be purchased at the door or online at democratsabroad.org/312781/film_festival_2024. Ask about the memory stick specials. Proceeds support non-partisan Voter Assistance at Lakeside.