Latino Film Festival Returns To NYC
The New York International Latino Film Festival is back for its seventh year, and according to founder Calixto Chinchilla, New York is the only place to hold this kind of event.
"You have every kind of Latino [here]," Chinchilla told The ShowBuzz's Judy Faber. "From day one, it was all about celebrating diversity of Latinos — particularly ones who have lived in this city."
Chinchilla wants the festival to be a place that supports and celebrates his culture, no matter who makes the films or what they are about.
"We noticed that there was Latino filmmakers who didn't want to be pigeonholed into just making Latino product," he said. "But we also noticed that there were people that wanted to make films about the culture … that were non-Latino. We wanted to be a place that supported both."
The festival, which begins July 25, has become the largest urban Latino film event in the country, showcasing the newest works from filmmakers in both the United States and Latin America.
In addition to the film screenings, other programming for the weeklong festival includes a screenwriters' lab, a music showcase, activities for children, a short film competition in partnership with HBO and a high school scholarship program sponsored by Time Warner.
To view the festival's schedule and order tickets, visit the New York International Latino Film Festival's official Web site.
By Jessica Derschowitz