Mariana Rondón’s BAD HAIR, will open in the US beginning Wednesday, November 19. In the film, a nine-year-old boy’s preening obsession with straightening his hair elicits a tidal wave of homophobic panic in his hard-working mother.  BAD HAIR will have a 2-week engagement, November 19 – December 2, in New York City at Film Forum, 209 West Houston Street (West of 6th Avenue), with screenings daily at 12:45, 3:00, 5:10, 7:20, and 9:30. A Cinema Tropical/FiGa Films release.

Writer-director Mariana Rondón grounds her film in the cultural realities of working-class Venezuela – and, by dint of two remarkable performances, finds warmth and humor between mother and son, even as the uncertainties of pre-adolescence threaten to pull them apart. Samuel Lange as the mischievous, incipiently stylish Junior is a wonder to behold: whether arguing with adults, hanging out with his chubby gal-pal, or admiring his newly straightened hair. The rest of the cast exude believability as well as poignancy, emotional depth, and joie de vivre. Winner, Best Film, San Sebastian Film Festival, and winner of more than a dozen directing, acting, and screenwriting awards at festivals throughout the world.

BAD HAIR (2013, 93 minutes) Written and Directed by Mariana Rondón. Produced by Marité Ugás. Cinematography: Micaela Cajahuaringa. Editor: Marité Ugás. Music: Camilo Froideval. Cast: Samuel Lange (Junior), Samantha Castillo (Marta, his mother), Nelly Ramos (Carmen, his paternal grandmother), Maria Emilia Sulbaran (his friend). Venezuela/Peru/Germany. In Spanish with English subtitles. Released by Cinema Tropical and FiGa Films.