Crazy Life / La vida loca
Spain, Mexico, France , 2008.

Directed by: Christian Poveda
Producer: Carole Solive
Production company: La Femme Endormie, El Caiman, Aquellare
Cinematography: Christian Poveda
Editing: Mercedes Alted
Music: Sebastian Rocca

Format: video
Running time: 90'

Synopsis
El Salvador: a country still living in the shadow of a brutal civil war. Poverty, corruption, political instability. In recent years, this struggling nation's problems have been compounded by a growing, increasingly brutal gang culture. In Central America, they are called ‘Maras’, these groups of youngsters who have modelled themselves on Los Angeles youth gangs. They are extremely violent and are propagating terror in El Salvador and elsewhere. Over the course of a year, acclaimed photographer and documentarian Christian Poveda turned his camera on one neighbourhood ‘Clica’ (chapter) of the 18, one of the largest and most infamous gangs in El Salvador. Tracing the daily lives - criminal exploits, murders, funerals, prison sentences, attempts at rehabilitation - of a handful of 18 members, 'La vida loca' is part documentary, part war correspondent report, and part social commentary, a white-knuckle, fly-on-the-wall look at a world rarely seen by outsiders.

Directors Biography
Christian Poveda was born 1955, in Algiers, died September 2, 2009, in San Salvador. Poveda was one of the most talented photojournalists of his generation. He was also a brave documentary film-maker, specialising in politically contentious or dangerous subjects that others wouldn't touch. He was assassinated in El Salvador during a visit to the country in which he had formerly made the film 'La vida loca' documenting the life of local gangs such as Mara Salvatrucha.

Location and screening schedule:
SC Cinema, Thursday, October 22nd at 17.00
Europa Cinema, Friday, October 23rd at 10.00
DOKUKINO Croatia, Friday, October 23rd at 19.00