Director Sergio Arau Joins Ofrenda, Inc.

Ofrenda, Inc. www.ofrenda.com announces the signing of director Sergio Arau. Ofrenda, Inc. is a multi purpose creative group encompassing commercial production services and independent films with a multicultural focus. Celebrated filmmaker, artist and musician, Sergio Arau is the writer/producer/ director of the hit independent feature film A Day Without a Mexican," distributed by Televisa Cine.

(PRWEB) May 27, 2005 -- Arau and his wife, writer/actress Yareli Arizmendi received national media attention from the Wall Street Journal, the Los Angeles Times, the San Francisco Chronicle, and the Associated Press for their roles in this controversial film. Together they appeared in interviews on National Public Radio's Marketplace", and San Francisco's top rated talk shows The Dog House" and The Chui Gomez" morning shows; and featured on national TV media such as CNN, CBS News with Dan Rather, and Fox News Network's Hannity and Colmes". Sergio wrote and directed the mockumentary short film A Day Without a Mexican", a project commissioned by the Fine Arts Museum of Chicago that lead to the full length feature.

An accomplished musician, Arau formed Botellita De Jerez" a music group fusing humor and traditional Mexican music with the sounds of rock and roll. He is currently directing a rock and roll mockumentary with his group and recording a song for Titan Tribute". Arau went on to form the Heavy-Mex" group La Venganza De Moctezuma" directing the ground breaking video for his hit song, Viajo Sin Brujula" gaining a reputation as a filmmaker not to be missed. Araus group is considered the precursor of the Rock en Español movement. He directed music videos for Café Tacuba" where he won the MTV Award for Alarmal", as well as for such diverse groups as El Gran Silencio, Banda Maguey, Grupo Mojado, and Jose Manuel Figueroa.

Arau is honored with the Coral De Plata Award from the Havana Film Festival for his animated short film El Muro" (The Wall). He also created the comic strip El Muro" (The Wall) receiving first prize at the XVIII International Salon of Cartoons, Montreal, Canada. His cartoon El Preso" received first honors at the Bi-Annual House of Humor in Gabrovo, Bulgaria. Arau coined the phrase ART-NACO," which is still a style emulated by many of today's most popular artists. His paintings adorn homes of some of Mexico 's elite artists and politicians. Casas y Gente" Magazine stated Sergio Arau is destined to be the painter of the next millennium." Arau received his MFA in Film Studies at the National School of Film (CUEC), Mexico City.

About Ofrenda, Inc.

Ofrenda is a director-based production company specializing in multicultural media solutions, based in Los Angeles with production affiliates in Bahia and Mexico City. We represent directors Luis Aira, Jim Edwards, Felipe Fenton, Pico Garcez, Alex Jovy, Oscar Lobo, and Jaime Toledo. We are an international creative team of award winning directors, producers, writers, cinematographers, and editors. Ofrenda productions include feature films, commercials, music videos, public service announcements, and radio campaigns. Our philosophy is based on our belief that our clients need essential cross-cultural marketing tools to compete in todays diverse market.

Directors Sergio Arau, Luis Aira, and Oscar Lobo are featured conference speakers at the upcoming 6th Annual Hispanic Market Boom conference along with Ed Leon Senior VP of SiTV, Antonio Gonzalez President of SVREP, Yareli Arizmendi, Actress/Writer/Producer, Diego Pombo Consultant Creative Director and Marlo Baker Broadcast Producer Al Punto Advertising at the Hyatt Regency, Los Angeles on June 13, 2005.

Ofrendas recent projects include public service announcements for Southwest Voter Registration and Education Project designed to mobilize Latino voter turnout and the Antonio Villaraigosa Hispanic media campaign for Mayor of Los Angeles. These campaigns directed by Luis Aira contributed to the historic Latino voter turnout with exit polls indicating Villaraigosa grabbed 84% of the Latino vote. Luis Airas script Somewhere" is honored as a winner of the 2005 International Family Film Festival Screenplay Competition and his script Kemosabe" was honored as a finalist in the Cinequest 2005 Screenplay Competition. Airas feature film Girl in 3D" premiered at the Dances with Films Festival and showcased in Cannes by Cinemavault Releasing.

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