The Dryden will screen Los tallos amargos (The Bitter Stems, Fernando Ayala, Argentina 1956, 90 min., 35mm, Spanish w/subtitles) as part of the UCLA Festival of Preservation Tour series.

Alfredo Gaspar is a Buenos Aires—based journalist who is down on his luck. He meets a Hungarian immigrant and together they create a fake correspondence school as a get-rich-quick scheme. After a brief period of initial success, Alfredo becomes more and more paranoid, and eventually commits a murder, which he then attempts to cover up. But he can't run away from his conscience. This movie is considered one of the most beautifully photographed films in history, shot by cinematographer Ricardo Younis. Also worth mentioning is the music by Astor Piazzola, one of the greatest Argentine composers of the 20th century, who revolutionized traditional tango music by adding jazz and classical elements.

[source: George Eastman Museum calendar, 2018-May-7]