"United Buddy Bears" promote living together in peace and harmony on their global tour. Around 140 Buddy Bears (each 2 m tall), represent as many countries recognized by the United Nations.
Since the first exhibition in Berlin in 2002, more than 20 million visitors world-wide have been able to admire the United Buddy Bears, standing hand in hand in a peaceful circle, promoting tolerance and understanding among different nations, cultures and religions.
From the 5th March till 19th April of 2009 the circle of the United Buddy Bears will be presented in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on the San Martin Square. Each Buddy Bear has been designed by an artist on behalf of his or her native country.
The Argentinean bear was created and designed by a member o the group of artists named Fileteados de Buenos Aires, Maria Cristina Iglesias, and it's going to be auctioned for the benefit of children in need.
This exhibition also commemorates the 15th anniversary of the agreement between Berlin and Buenos Aires as sister cities.
Buddy Bears has raised over USD 2,225,000 (as of January 2009) through donations and auctions in aid of UNICEF and local child relief organizations.

Teatro Argentino de La Plata starts its 2009 season with a new production of the classical ballet "The Swan Lake", with music by Piotr I. Tchaikovsky and choreography by Mario Galizzi, revived by Sabrina Streiff.

The Ballet will be directed by Rodolfo Lastra, and the Orchestra by Javier Logioia Orbe. The guest first dancers on March 20 and 21 will be Natalia Lazebnikova and Jan Vana, members of Ukraine's National Opera, while on the rest of the performances the main characters will be interpreted by Julieta Paul and Bautista Parada (March 22), and Genoveva Surur and Jan Vana (March 29, April 4 and 5). Other main characters will be played by Víctor Filimonov, Martín Quintana, Leandro Ferreira Morais, Esteban Schenone, Paula Elizondo, Stefanía Vallone, Elizabeth Antúnez, Larisa Hominal and Nahuel Prozzi.

Stage design: Augusto González Ara; wardrobe: Eduardo Caldirola; lighting: Gabriel Lorenti.

Performances

March
Friday 20 - 8.30 PM
Saturday 21 - 8.30 PM
Sunday 22 - 8.30 PM
Sunday 29 - 6.30 PM

April
Saturday 4 - 8.30 PM
Sunday 5 - 6.30 PM

Location: Teatro Argentino de La Plata. La Plata, Province of Buenos Aires.
Tickets: Ticketek Argentina.
For visitors in Buenos Aires, there will be a bus service departing from Casa de la Provincia de Buenos Aires, Callao 237, two and a half hours previous to the time of the performance. The cost of the round bus ticket is $ 25 pesos per person, and they must be purchased by Ticketek Argentina website.

The eleventh edition of Buenos Aires Independent Film Festival (BAFICI) organized by the Ministry of Culture of the city of Buenos Aires, and directed by Sergio Wolf, will take place between March 25th and April 5th, 2009, with screenings at various venues around the city, featuring a total of 350 movies and short films.
Some of the titles that make up this year's program are: 35 shots of rhum, by renowned French director Claire Denis (Chocolat, Nénette et Boni, Beau travail); Filmefobia (Brazil, 2008) a movie about fears by filmmaker Kiko Goifman, who last year presented Handerson e as horas; Examined Life (Canada, 2008) by Astra Taylor, about present existence on a tour along the 5th Avenue; Shirin (Iran, 2008) by Abbas Kiarostami (Through the Olive Trees, A Taste of Cherry, Y The Wind Will Carry Us) presented at the 65th Venice Film Festival, a homage to Iranian women; the second film by Chilean director Sebastián Silva, La nana (Chile-Mexico, 2009) winner as best International Drama Film at the Sundance Festival; Une autre homme (2008) by Swiss director Lionel Baier , about the relation between a famous film critic and a novice in the medium; Milestones (United States, 1975) the documentary by Robert Kramer (Guns, À toute allure, Notre nazi) about writer Grace Paley and her particular vision on Vietnam war; Awaydays (United Kingdom, 2008) by Pat Holden based on the novel by Sampson's; Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea (Japan, 2008) by animation master Hayao Miyazaki (Sen and the Mysterious Disappearance of Chihiro, Princess Mononoke, Howl's Moving Castle); and 16 memorias (Colombia, 2008) by Camilo Botero Jaramillo, a movie about the family films of the Posada Saldarriagas in Medellín, among many other titles. Some of these filmmakers will be present at Festival.

Venues:
Aliance Francaise: Av. Cordoba 946
Arteplex Duplex Caballito: Av. Rivadavia 5050
Atlas Santa Fe: Av. Santa Fe 2015
Open Air Screenings: Pasaje Carlos Gardel 3100 / Plaza San Martín de Tours (Schiaffino & Posadas)
Espacio BAFICI: Guardia Vieja 3332
Hoyts Abasto: Av. Corrientes 3247
Malba Cine: Av. Figueroa Alcorta 3415
Teatro 25 de Mayo: Av. Triunvirato 4444
Teatro Gral. San Martín: Av. Corrientes 1530 Piso 10º - Sala Leopoldo Lugones.

Tickets: AR $8.
From March 18th to March 25th, 10 AM to 10 PM:
Online at www.bafici.gov.ar
Casa de La Cultura: Av. De Mayo 575
Hoyts Abasto: Av. Corrientes 3247
Hard Rock Café: Pueyrredón 2501
During the festival: Online at www.bafici.gov.ar, or at all the venues of the festival.
There will be some special activities with free entrance at Hoyts Abasto and free concerts at Teatro 25 de Mayo. Free tickets must be picked up on the day of the performances.
For more information, schedules and programs, visit BAFICi 2009 official website.

Andrew Lloyd Webber's The Phantom of the Opera, "the world's most haunting love story", arrives in Buenos Aires. The great musical play, acclaimed by more than 80 million people for the past 20 years, will be presented with the same staging, the same wardrobe and the same scenography that have made it famous around the world, with adaptation and translation into Spanish by Eduardo Galan.

The Argentine cast will be lead by the following artists:
Carlos Vittori (Phantom of the Opera): Tenor formed at the Teatro Colon's Superior Art Institute, has interpreted the main roles in operas like: Rigoletto, La Boheme, La traviata, among others, the character of Jean Valjean in “Les Miserables”, in Buenos Aires and Mexico. He received numerous awards for his work.
Juan Pablo Skrt (phantom of the Opera): Tenor with an extensive national and international career. He is a singer at the Teatro Argentino in La Plata.
Claudia Cota (Christine Daee): Mexican actress and opera singer. In 1998 played the role of Christine on the Mexican version of "The Phantom of the Opera". In 2002 played Cosette on “Les Miserables”. In 2007, participates in "Beauty and the Beast" as ensamble and cover Belle.

Additional cast:
Nicolás Martinelli (Raoul Vizconde de Chagny)
Mirta Arrua Lichi (Carlotta Giudicelli)
Santiago Sirur (Piangi)
Lucila Gandolfo (Madame Giry)
Ricardo Bangueses (Monsieur Firmin)
Romina Corpucci (Meg Giry)

The Phantom of the Opera opens March 19, 2009, at Teatro Opera, Corrientes 860.
Tickets on sale at the theater, Monday to Sunday 10 am - 8 pm, or through Ticketek Argentina.
Last performance: November 29, 2009.