New York International Latino Film Festival 2002

New York International Latino Film Festival -- July 30 - August 4, 2002

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 2002                        

Press Contact:

Anna Samuel or Tanya Kabay
Samuel / Kabay & Associates, LLC - 212.786.0619
anna@annasamuel.com / tanya@annasamuel.com
Charles Rice-Gonzalez-718.542.0267

THE NEW YORK INTERNATIONAL LATINO FILM FESTIVAL
ANNOUNCES A POWERFUL SLATE OF FILMS FOR ITS TRIUMPHANT RETURN
JULY 30 - AUGUST 4, 2002

FESTIVAL PROVIDES A HOME FOR LATINO FILMMAKERS AND FOR CINEMATIC WORKS ABOUT LATINOS

NEW YORK, NY (May 22, 2002) - THE NEW YORK INTERNATIONAL LATINO FILM FESTIVAL (NYILFF) announced that the third annual fest will take place Wednesday, July 31 - Sunday, August 4, 2002 in Manhattan, and will screen a powerful slate of 50 films by and/or about Latinos. The event will also present a pre-opening kick off on Tuesday, July 30 with the screening of Robert Rodriguezs SPY KIDS 2: THE ISLAND OF LOST DREAMS from Dimension Films, a subdivision of Miramax.

The festival will open with EMPIRE starring John Leguizamo and released by Arenas Entertainment, the LA-based Latino production and distribution company, and will close with the Sundance and Tribeca Film Festival award-winning MANITO. NYILFF will also present the world premiere of the documentary film, STILL NOT A PLAYER, on the life of late rap star Big Pun. 50 films were selected from nearly 500 submissions in all categories (narrative films [feature length and short], vanguard films which include documentary and experimental films [both feature length and short] and International films). There will be three world premiere films, five New York/U.S. premieres and two special sneak preview screenings. Six international films will also be shown representing Mexico, Argentina and Brazil. (Full roster attached.)

This has been a strong year for Latinos in film and we are presenting our strongest roster yet," shared Calixto Chinchilla, Founder and Executive Director of the Festival. We are excited to be a home for Latino film where new and celebrated works by or featuring Latinos can be shown and celebrated."

The six-day-event, which seeks to expose Latino talent in front of and behind the camera, will present an impressive slate of over 50 works. This year, Lincoln Mercury will award a $5000 grant to the best feature film.

NYILFF is the first festival in New York City to showcase the works of national Latino filmmakers alongside international Latin American films, while offering expansive images of the Latino experience.The festival presents works in the categories of Feature Film (in Spanish and English) and Vanguard Cinema, which includes experimentals, documentaries, student works and short films.

The festival is presented by Budweiswer with additional support by Lincoln-Mercury, American Airlines, NBC-TV, The New York Daily News/Viva New York, CPMM-Connecting Point Multimedia, The Roger Smith Hotel and Latino Mix.

A full schedule of festival films and activities can be obtained by calling the festival hotline by logging on to www.nylatinofilm.com.