NUOVOMONDO

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An Italian Movie Premier in Argentina

NUOVOMONDO (The new world in Italian...a must see)

This evening was quite spectacular. My first movie premiere ever and it was in the seats of a Buenos Aires theater with a German lady I met in Puerto Iquazu. The director and many of the actors were present. It was an Italian movie with Castellano (Argentinian spanish) subtitles. There were some bits of english scattered throughout the movie. I was excited that I could understand most of the dialogue...and able to follow the plot of the movie.

The evening started by us, two foreign girls, rushing to get to the theater on time. After stumbling out of a taxi and rushing to the theater we were confronted by long lines. Which one was ours? After scrambling through the crowds of people we found the end of the line for our movie...it was stretched around the movie theater onto a side street. We had to laugh...we weren't late but early. We entered into the theater with the complimentary pass and were handed pieces of gold money wrapped chocolate. Our feet then led us to the bustling theater that was filled with italian and spanish chatter. The excitement saturated the air...and the impatience began after all the greetings and cheak kissing were complete. The movie wasn't going to start on time. Clapping started in some non-logical fashion. Everybody was excited to see the new masterpiece that thier friend had just created. I was placed inside an exotic movie family...the whole theater seemed to be congratulating each other.

I observed with foreign eyes the interactions amongst the people. The theater the popcorn and sodas and other snacks were sold by vendors that walked up and down the center isles before the movie started. Unlike the States, there were no extra-large-free refill sizes for only 75 cents more that always create an irresistable urge to stuff yourself with greasy, salty, addictive american movie popcorn. Since, I did not have any dinner I sampled the popcorn...it was in a clear plastic back bag and had a sweet flavor like kettle corn...they probably added dulce de leche (the carmel like topping they put on everything). While, eating the popcorn the movie started at least 1 hour 30 min late because the director had not arrive yet. That is buenos aires for you....a latin american time schedule. So, after some speeches and introductions the movie started. The clammor of voices haulted and a dead silence it the theaters. The introduction of the movie flashed the names of people in white letters on a black background. I felt like every bite of popcorn resounded throughout the large theater. The bag of popcorn emptied slowly and my stomach was satisfied.

Its ironic how I always tend to watch movies about the United States when I am in foreign countries (team america being the one that i sat through in London). It was about italian immigrants who traveled from the old world to the new world on a boat and went through ellis island. There was imagery of milk filled rivers in California, Crops had onions the size of people, and money growing on trees. I feel like the more I travel the more I analyze the country I was born within...creating some peace of mind and creating some more friction in the societal structure. I guess somehow I fit in there, but I love to step into new shoes and realize everything is the same everywhere with different scenery and political structures. Everybody needs to travel to foreign lands and watch foreign movies. It does wonders for you mind and soul. One thing I have grown to love the most about the USA is the diversity. I love being in the center of world culture and not having to leave a continent. I love being able to live in a city and hear language after language on the streets, look at the different costumes people wear, and go and eat an american influenced version of world food. Diversity is great!

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