Gustavo Sánchez Parra Movies

An angry man with a secret becomes a silent witness to the life of strangers in this drama from Spanish filmmaker Sebastian Cordero. Jose Maria (Gustavo Sanchez Parra) is a South American exile who has emigrated to Spain in search of a better life. Jose is working in construction when he meets Rosa (Martina Garcia), a fellow exile who is a maid for a wealthy couple who live in a rambling mansion that has seen better days. Jose has an uncertain temper and when a conflict with his boss turns violent, he finds himself wanted by the law. Adding to Jose's problems, he's in the country illegally, and when he turns to Rosa for help, she hides him in the attic of the home where she works. Rosa's employers (Concha Velasco and Xavier Elorriaga) are none the wiser as Jose slips in and out of the house's many hiding places, spying on their every move as he tries to satisfy his curiosity while remaining out of sight. But the couple has a son (Alex Brendemühl) who is attracted to Rosa, and when he tries to seduce her, the young man doesn't realize a jealous man with a violent streak is watching. La Rabia (aka Rage) received its North American debut at the 2009 Toronto Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

A tense examination of Mexico's multi-billion-dollar drug trafficking business, director Brian J. Bagley's gritty crime drama follows a naïve business journalist as he travels south of the border to interview the leader of the country's most notorious drug cartel. Jules Land was looking to jump-start his career when he requested an audience with the murderous former priest-turned-drug kingpin who now oversees a substantial portion of the drug flow into the United States. But it doesn't take Jules long to realize that he's in over his head, and as the situation intensifies he goes from trying to understand the principals behind the cartel's success to simply trying to escape before disappearing into the desert sands. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

The debut feature from director Patricia Riggen, this drama centers on a young boy's journey across the U.S./Mexico border to be reunited with his mother. Adrian Alonso stars as Carlitos, a Mexican adolescent living with his grandmother while his mother works as a maid in the U.S., hoping someday to send for her child. But when the grandmother dies unexpectedly, Carlitos must sneak across the border and seek out his mother. Featuring a supporting performance by America Ferrera of ABC's Ugly Betty, Under the Same Moon premiered at the 2007 Sundance Film Festival, where it received a standing ovation. ~ Matthew Tobey, Rovi

Veteran screen star Tommy Lee Jones makes his directorial debut with the fractured tale of murder and injustice on the U.S.-Mexico border scripted by Amores Perros and 21 Grams screenwriter Guillermo Arriaga. Mike Norton (Barry Pepper) is a fresh-faced Border Patrol officer in Cibolo County, TX, whose dedication to his new job leaves his lonely wife, Lou Ann (January Jones), with little to do but spend her days at the local diner, where she strikes up a friendship with waitress Rachel (Melissa Leo). Despite her own status as a married woman, Rachel is unfulfilled in her marriage and is intimately involved with both rugged rancher Pete Perkins (Tommy Lee Jones) and local sheriff Belmont (Dwight Yoakam). Soon after Pete hires Mexican illegal Melquiades Estrada (Julio César Cedillo) as a ranch hand, the growing bond between the pair is suddenly shattered when, in a moment of panic on a routine patrol, Mike hastily guns down the innocent Melquaides. When an enraged Pete learns that Mike has unceremoniously buried the illegal immigrant in an unmarked desert grave and local authorities opt to overlook the case, he kidnaps the crooked lawman and sets out to ensure that justice is served with or without the involvement of the local police force. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

The bloody civil war which tore apart El Salvador in the 1980s is seen through the eyes of a young boy in this drama from director Luis Mandoki. Chava (Carlos Padilla) is 11 years old and growing up in a small town in El Salvador where the fighting between rebels and government troops is a daily fact of life. Chava's father has abandoned the family, leaving him behind as the man of the house while his mother (Leonor Varela) and sister try to maintain a normal life by day while dodging bullets by night. Chava's 12th birthday is coming up, which puts the boy in a dangerous position -- at 12, he'll be old enough to join the army and be used as cannon fodder against the rebels, so he and his classmates try to find out when military recruiters will be coming to their schools so they can plan to be absent that day. However, as Chava faces both danger and adventure in his little town, the war edges in closer all the time until it can't be avoided any longer. Voces Inocentes (aka Innocent Voices) was the first Spanish-language film in 18 years for director Mandoki, who came to the United States after the international success of 1987's Gaby: A True Story. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

Ulrich Noethen stars in this Spanish-language espionage thriller from Mexican director Eva López Sánchez. Fleeing Germany for Mexico, spy Helmut (Noethen) is tapped by the Mexican secret service to go undercover as a professor to help bring down a group of local militants. Unfortunately, Helmut becomes emotionally involved with one of the extremists, thus complicating matters. ~ Matthew Tobey, Rovi