The 50º Festival Internacional de Cine de Cartagena de Indias (50th International Film Festival of Cartagena de Indias, FICCI), in Colombia, will feature a short film directed by Luis Gerardo Otero, based on the nouvelle El teorema de Genny (Genny’s Theorem) written by Dr. José Cardona-López, Assistant Professor of Spanish at Texas A&M International University.
A recognized Colombian writer, Dr. José Cardona-López, has published a number of novels, nouvelles, and short stories. Just last year, the Universidad del Valle Publishing House released Dr. Cardona’s latest collection of short stories, Todo es adrede, in Colombia. Here in the United States, Cardona-López is recognized for his TeorÃa y Práctica de la Nouvelle, and has been at TAMIU since 1997.
Luis Gerardo Otero, a Colombian independent film director living in Paris, and an admirer of Cardona-López’s work, had already made a film version of a short story written by Cardona López, L’Appartement (The Apartment), which was featured in the French Film Fesstival at TAMIU in 2007. His latest project featuring Cardona-López’s nouvelle, Tu teorema de Genny, was recently selected to participate in the International Video Showing at the FICCI along other short films from directors from all over the world.
El teorema de Genny, a 22-minute short film shoot entirely in Paris, tells the story of Ramiro, who lives with his aunt in the outskirts of Paris, and his love for his cousin Jenny. Adolfa, Jenny’s mother, suspects Ramiro’s advances, and has to intervene in the relationship even though Jenny sees Ramiro only as his cousin and accomplice.
Last semester, the film was screened for a group of graduate students from the Spanish program.
For more information about the FICCI and El teorema de Jenny, visit www.festicinecartagena.org, www.hiedra.fr, or email Cardona-López at cardona@tamiu.edu.
(Lilia Eskildsen may be contacted at lilia@dusty.tamiu.edu)