Ascent To Heaven - Mexican Film: Events in Hyderabad

A bumpy bus ride hardly translates to an ascent to heaven. But spirituality does lie in the unlikeliest of journeys.

The Hyderabad Film Club, in association with the Mexican Embassy in New Delhi and the Federation of Film Societies of India, is organising a Mexican Film Festival, from 16th to 18th August, at Sarathi Studios. A total of 5 films directed by Luis Bunuel will be screened during the 3-day film festival.

Ascent To Heaven (Subida Al Cielo), a 1952 Mexican comedy film, is the first film on the second day that will be screened, at 6pm. It is also known as "Mexican Bus Ride" in the United States.

The film entered the 1952 Cannes Film Festival, and features Lilia Prado as Raquel, Esteban Marquez as Oliverio Grajales, Luis Aceves Castaneda as Silvestre, Manuel Donde as Eladio Gonzales, Roberto Cobo as Juan, and Beatriz Ramos as Elisa.

In a small coast town, young Oliverio is forced to interrupt his honeymoon because his mother, Dona Ester, is dying. She asks Oliverio to go to Petatlan to look for Figueroa, so that he can write her will.

Oliverio begins his trip in a beaten-up bus, driven by Silvestre. During the trip, the young man has to overcome all sorts of unforeseen events and the insinuations of Raquel, a sensual and flirty woman set on having sex with him.

Through the course of the terrifying bus journey, central to the film, there are the elements of birth, marriage and death.

Entry is free for everyone. Please contact Bh S S Prakash Reddy, Secretary of the Hyderabad Film Club, at 2373-0841/93910-20243 for further details.