Foreign Film Showing: Illiterate - Las Analfabetas

In Spanish with English Subtitles

This Chilean drama was directed by Moisés Sepúlveda and screened at the 2013 Venice Film Festival.

The Chevy Chase Library elevator is currently out of service and undergoing modernization replacement. This program is held in the downstairs meeting room, and it is only accessible by the stairs.

"Ximena is an illiterate woman in her fifties who has learned to live on her own in order to keep her illiteracy a secret. Jackeline is a young unemployed elementary school teacher who tries to convince Ximena to take reading classes.

Persuading her proves to be an almost impossible task, until one day Jackeline finds something Ximena has been keeping as her only treasure since she was a child: a letter Ximena’s father left when he abandoned her many years before. The two women embark on a learning journey where they discover that there are many ways of being illiterate, and that not knowing how to read is just one of them." - Kanopy

The film running time is 1 hour, 13 minutes.

Join us for screenings of a variety of programs from around the world. All movies have English subtitles. Screenings begin at 1:45 pm, after a short introduction.  Plan to arrive at 1:30 to meet other attendees, and so as not to miss the film introduction. Tea will be served after the showing for conversation to continue. We will choose films from the Kanopy program, which can be accessed with a library card. Titles will be announced one month prior to showing.

Interested in other movies? The library has a large selection of DVD's that you can browse. From the link, you can search by language. For print materials, see the languages available in our World Languages collection.

"Ximena is an illiterate woman in her fifties who has learned to live on her own in order to keep her illiteracy a secret. Jackeline is a young unemployed elementary school teacher who tries to convince Ximena to take reading classes.

Persuading her proves to be an almost impossible task, until one day Jackeline finds something Ximena has been keeping as her only treasure since she was a child: a letter Ximena’s father left when he abandoned her many years before. The two women embark on a learning journey where they discover that there are many ways of being illiterate, and that not knowing how to read is just one of them." - Kanopy

This is a public performance rights (PPR) showing and is recommended for viewers 18 and older.

Library Program Attendance (both virtual and in the branch) is limited to participants within the suggested age range of the program. 

Join us for screenings of a variety of programs from around the world. All movies have English subtitles. Screenings begin at 1:45 pm, after a short introduction.  Plan to arrive at 1:30 to meet other attendees, and so as not to miss the film introduction. Tea will be served after the showing for conversation to continue. We will choose films from the Kanopy program, which can be accessed with a library card.

Learn more about the film content available with your library card by visiting the Kanopy website.

Don't have a card?  Find out how to Get a Library Card.

Location: Chevy Chase Library, Meeting Room (lower level)

Questions about this program? Contact the branch at 240-773-9590.

Accommodation Requests

People who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing should request English-language captioning or sign-language interpretation at least five days before the library-sponsored program they plan to attend. Contact the Assistant Facilities and Accessibility Program Manager at 240-777-0002 with all other accommodation requests.

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