Ibero American Film Festival

Come participate in our annual series of award-winning films from Spain and Latin America.

SEALED CARGO (Carga sellada)                                                                              

Julia Vargas Weise / Bolivia, France, Mexico, Venezuela / 107 min / 2015 / Spanish with English subtitles                                                                                                                                                                                             

With a promotion in the offing and his beautiful wife Nena at his side, things couldn’t be better for ambitious policeman Hector Mariscal. Before he can enjoy the good life, though, a final, top-secret assignment must be carried out: to transport-by rail-a highly toxic cargo across Bolivia’s high desert backcountry and “dispose” of it in a remote indigenous village. With kindly engineer Klinger guiding his beloved steam locomotive Federica, and presented with a crew of hapless cops and an unexpected young stowaway, Mariscal finds that there’s much more on the line than he imagined in this sharp, energetic satire. Bolivia’s official entry for Best Foreign Language Film at this year’s Academy Awards®, Julia Vargas-Weise’s third feature is a lively rejoinder to that country’s status as a dumping ground for the world’s industrial waste. Rich in symbolism and in spirit, Sealed Cargo is a terrific ride through the seldom-seen Altiplano and a potent reminder of what really matters. Based on the real events that took place in 1994 when 400 tons of toxic waste were transported through Bolivia, Sealed Cargo delivers a crucial and current message about the global waste crisis that highlights its relevance.

Official Selection: Bolivia’s official entry for Best Foreign Language Film at this year’s Academy Awards

SPONSORED BY:  Intercultural Development, Foreign Languages & Literatures, Latin American & Caribbean Studies, and Film & Media Studies.