BEVERLY HILLS– Screening of KISS OF THE SPIDER WOMAN (1985) and Panel Discussion

BEVERLY HILLS–Screening of original 35mm print. 119 minutes. Presented with clips from oral history interview with director Héctor Babenco (d. 2016). Panelist: producer David Weisman (schedule permitting). Directed by Héctor Babenco. Produced by David Weisman. Screenplay by Leonard Schrader. Based on a novel by Manuel Puig. Cast: William Hurt, Raul Julia, Sonia Braga, José Lewgoy, Milton Gonçalves, Miriam Pires. Brazilian director Héctor Babenco’s groundbreaking independent feature was nominated for Academy Awards for Directing, Best Picture and Adapted Screenplay. William Hurt won an Oscar for Best Actor for his portrayal of Luis Molina, a homosexual jailed with a political prisoner, Valentin Arregui (Raul Julia), in a South American prison. As one man tries to escape reality through stories, the other tries to stay present, and they ultimately forge a close bond. Babenco’s adaptation of Miguel Puig’s novel was notable for its sympathetic portrayal of a gay man as well as its exploration of politics in South America. For parking information and theater policies, click here. From Latin America to Hollywood: Latino Film Culture in Los Angeles 1967-2017 is a series of film screenings and filmmaker conversations, film restorations, online content, educational initiatives, and a publication exploring the shared influences of Latino and Latin American filmmakers and the work they created or presented in Los Angeles during the past half-century. This series is part of Pacific Standard Time: LA/LA, a far-reaching and ambitious exploration of Latin American and Latino art in dialogue with Los Angeles. Led by the Getty, Pacific Standard Time: LA/LA is the latest collaborative effort from arts institutions across Southern California. This project was supported in part by California Humanities’ Humanities for All Project Grant. To learn more about Humanities for All Project Grants, please visit our webpage here.