La Salada

Juán Martín Hsu’s LA SALADA mixes together a diverse group of immigrants in the titular street market of Buenos Aires. While economic opportunity has drawn these immigrants thousands of miles away from home, life in and around the market has its fair share of challenges. Korean shop-owner Mr. Kim must rely on his teenage daughter Yunjin’s ability to speak Spanish to make his business deals. But he is less than pleased when he suspects Yunjin is using her fluency to flirt with Argentinian men. Meanwhile, no amount of Spanish is helping Taiwanese DVD hawker Huang fill his lonely nights. And although Bruno – an awkward 17-year-old illegal immigrant from Bolivia – is a native Spanish speaker, his conversation skills are not making his current position as a waiter in a Korean restaurant any easier. In this intimate ensemble drama, Hsu unites an eclectic cast of characters through the stifling uncertainty that afflicts immigrants who are not quite at home. (In Spanish, Korean, Mandarin, and Quechan with subtitles) – E.B.