Latin American film festival kicks off Saturday
Andrea Savdie
Issue date: 9/21/07 Section: Arts & Culture
The 15th annual Providence Latin American Film Festival - a week-long event presenting selected documentary, animated, feature and short films produced in Latin America or by Latin American directors - will launch this Saturday at venues throughout downtown Providence. In addition to film, the festival includes panel discussions, art exhibits, musical performances, dance performances and other representations of Latin American culture.
Tickets are free for all Rhode Island School of Design and Brown students, said Jose Torrealba, executive director of the festival.
"The youth is our main target," he said. "One of the most important goals of the film festival is to give the young Latin Americans growing up here a sense of belonging that I don't think they have."
The Providence Latin American Film Festival was founded in 1993 by the Gamboas, a Bolivian couple living in Providence. They wanted to promote Latin American culture and give Latin American filmmakers the chance to exhibit work in New England. Torrealba said the Gamboas also thought it was important to expose the Hispanic community in Providence to Latin cinema.
"Many Americans come to the film festival," Torrealba said. "Usually the Latin American community of Providence isn't the main audience. But I think that this year it's going to be different. There is a feeling of expectancy in the local Latin American community."
One of the few competitive Latin American film festivals in the country, PLAFF offers awards for best film, first work, actor, actress, first feature film, screenplay and cinematography.
"The festival is one of the few that has a juried competition," Torrealba said. "The jury depends on availability. We ask these people to come to Providence for a whole week. We try to have different professionals - some actors, some directors, some writers."
"Fernando Birri is the honorary president of the festival," Torrealba said. "He is known as the father of the new Latin American cinema. He's 83 years old and a walking legend."
Tickets are free for all Rhode Island School of Design and Brown students, said Jose Torrealba, executive director of the festival.
"The youth is our main target," he said. "One of the most important goals of the film festival is to give the young Latin Americans growing up here a sense of belonging that I don't think they have."
The Providence Latin American Film Festival was founded in 1993 by the Gamboas, a Bolivian couple living in Providence. They wanted to promote Latin American culture and give Latin American filmmakers the chance to exhibit work in New England. Torrealba said the Gamboas also thought it was important to expose the Hispanic community in Providence to Latin cinema.
"Many Americans come to the film festival," Torrealba said. "Usually the Latin American community of Providence isn't the main audience. But I think that this year it's going to be different. There is a feeling of expectancy in the local Latin American community."
One of the few competitive Latin American film festivals in the country, PLAFF offers awards for best film, first work, actor, actress, first feature film, screenplay and cinematography.
"The festival is one of the few that has a juried competition," Torrealba said. "The jury depends on availability. We ask these people to come to Providence for a whole week. We try to have different professionals - some actors, some directors, some writers."
"Fernando Birri is the honorary president of the festival," Torrealba said. "He is known as the father of the new Latin American cinema. He's 83 years old and a walking legend."