Mexican film fest to open with Almodovar`s latest

Mexico City: The latest from Spanish director Pedro Almodovar, "Los amantes pasajeros" (I`m So Excited), will be the first offering at Mexico`s Es.Cine festival of Ibero-American film, organizers said.

The film, which debuted in Spain three months ago, will have its Mexican premiere at the July 5-11 festival, which is to feature 13 pictures from Spain and Latin America. Es.Cine will also pay homage to Spanish filmmaker Jose Juan Bigas Luna, who died in April at the age of 67, with screenings of four of his most important movies: "Las edades de Lulu", "Jamon, jamon", "Huevos de oro" and "La teta y la luna". Bigas Luna helped launched the careers of international stars such Javier Bardem, Penelope Cruz, Ariadna Gil and Jordi Molla. Es.Cine plans to reconvene in October to present the Luis Buñuel awards, created to recognize iconic figures in Ibero-American cinema. IANS