Writing and directing wasn't enough for Hernán Jiménez, the Costa Rican filmmaker who produced El Regreso (The Return). Jiménez felt so drawn to the movie's protagonist, Antonio, that he put on his acting shoes for the role. He partially reflects on his own experiences as he plays a 30-year-old writer returning home to Costa Rica after nearly a decade of living in New York. But culture shock is putting the situation mildly. In the film, Antonio is forced to confront much more than just his native country's turmoil. While visiting family, he discovers his father's ailing health, a sister who is a single parent struggling to make ends meet, and a best friend whose pipe dream has led to him fronting a heavy metal band that sounds terrible. The film, which picked up an award for "Best International Film" at 2011's International Latino Film Festival, screens as part of the Latin American Coalition's CineMas: A Latino Film Series. For more information, visit www.cinemascharlotte.com.

Anita Overcash

Price: $5