El Camino, Which Looks at Costa Rica Immigration, Has Gained International Acclaim.

Costa Rica is known for many things — a peaceful government, incredible environmental offerings, friendly people — but not for its film. This small, Central American country, though full of creative and gifted artists, does not have the industry and fan base of its more popular neighbors, like Mexico, Argentina and Venezuela. This disadvantage didn’t stop Ishtar Yasin, a Costa Rican director, whose popular film, El camino, will finally head home on August 22.

Yasin, actress, director and screenwriter, founded Producciones Astarte in 1998. In 1999, she wrote the short film, Florencia de los ríos hondos y los tiburones grandes (”Florencia of the Deep Rivers and Big Sharks”), which won awards for best director and best photography in Costa Rican film. The movie was also chosen for prestigious international film festivals in Mexico, the United States, France, Spain, Italy, Germany, and others.

Yasin followed up this success by producing and directing 2004’s I Remember You As You Were and 2005’s La mesa feliz (”The Happy Table”). In 2005, the accomplished director also wrote and directed Los que pintan el cielo (”Those Who Paint the Sky”). Soon after, Yasin produced her first full-length film, El camino (”The Path”), which has since achieved international acclaim, winning prizes like the Judge’s Special Prize at the Friburgo Film Festival (Switzerland) and the Rail D’Oc award at France’s Latin American Film Festival.

El camino tells the story of young Saslaya, a Nicaraguan girl who is sexually abused by her grandfather. Together with her brother, the 12-year old girl decides to escape to Costa Rica, searching for her mother who left eight years previous in search for work. The film mixes fiction with documentary-style storytelling, seamlessly weaving together poetry and reality, creating a world that pulls you into Saslaya’s hot, dry journey and the immigrant experience in Costa Rica.

El camino’s substantial international popularity has sent Yasin and her movie all over the world, traveling almost everywhere but to its home country. Finally, on August 22, El camino will Travel to Costa Rica, premiering for the first time to Costa Rican viewers. “We are very happy that, finally, the film will be shown in Costa Rica. Afterward, we plan on following [it up] with premiers in Nicaragua and the rest of Central America,” Yasin announced.

El camino follows 2004’s Caribe, another Costa Rican film to gain significant international acclaim. Set in Puerto Viejo de Limón, El Caribe followed the story of Vicente and Abigail, banana farmers on Costa Rica’s Caribbean coast, who welcome Abigail’s unknown half-sister into their lives. Throwing very real problems into the mix, like falling banana prices and government problems, El Caribe wove an intricate human story. In the fall of 2005, El Caribe became the first Costa Rican film to be submitted to the Academy Awards. Up against fierce competition from 50 other foreign films, Costa Rica’s golden child failed to score an Oscar nomination.

Costa Rican film is an essential media form to transmit to the world the culture, problems, politics and everyday life to the rest of the world. Despite its humble beginnings, the film industry in Costa Rica shows international promise. With a touching and real-life storyline, El camino has already secured many fans, and promises to entertain and touch the Costa Rican public, as well. It will be shown in four San José movie theaters beginning August 22, and will enjoy daily publicity events. Check your newspaper for listings.

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Filed under: Cultural Events on July 24th, 2008