As in many parts of the world, in Latin America, a family’s income can often affect whether kids will attend and graduate from high school — but that’s only part of the story. For 2015’s El Aula Vacía, Gael García Bernal (who’s found acclaim with his roles in Y Tu Mamá También, The Motorcycle Diaries and more) brought together 11 directors in seven Latin American countries to make short narrative and documentary films. These shorts, collected under a Spanish title meaning “the empty classroom,” investigate why almost half of high school students never graduate in Latin America. Lucrecia Martel’s “Leagues” explores school discrimination in indigenous communities in Argentina. In “Mathematics,” director Flavia Castro takes a look at the lack of interest in school among teens in Brazil. Mariana Chenillo’s “Hugo” sheds light on the physical, social and cultural barriers that disabled students face in Mexico. With “See No Evil, Hear No Evil, Speak No Evil,” Tatiana Huezo explores how school violence forces Salvadoran students to abandon their studies. By delving into such diverse themes, El Aula Vacía presents a wide-ranging account of a crisis that spans two continents. Catch it this week as part of Vanderbilt’s ongoing International Lens series. 7:30 p.m. at Sarratt Cinema, 2301 Vanderbilt Place ERICA CICCARONE
International Lens: El Aula Vacía
