The National Association of Latino Independent Producers Draws The Next Wave of Filmmakers.

The National Association of Latino Independent Producers (NALIP), Time Warner, Inc., and its HBO division announce the Sixth Annual NALIP Conference co-chaired by SíTV President Jeff Valdez and AIVF Executive Director Bienvenida Matías. It will be held on March 3 through 6 in Huntington Beach.

The Conference will feature a Gala Awards dinner with a celebrity Master of Ceremonies, Latino Media Market, professional-development seminars and keynote speakers, media lab and networking opportunities. In addition, NALIP will unveil its second Latino Media Resource Guide(TM), an essential directory that includes credits and contacts of Latino film, television and documentary makers, production companies, film schools, diversity opportunities and distributors.

This March, NALIP brings together the Latino media field in order to discuss the state of the Latino Wave and opportunities for creative talent in entertainment today. The Conference also allows the organization to celebrate the contribution of three media luminaries at their annual Gala Awards dinner on Saturday evening, March 5. The recipient of the Lifetime Achievement in Advocacy Award goes to Raul Yzaguirre (NCLR), Pioneer Achievement in Producing Award to veteran documentary filmmaker Lourdes Portillo (Señorita Extraviada), and Outstanding Achievement in Producing Award to Jeff Valdez (SíTV).

While continuing to offer a clear view of topics concerning the film and television community through issue-oriented panels, workshops, a digital center, key-note speakers and networking sessions, NALIP has added the new Latino Media Market to the agenda. The Market is intended to connect programming and development executives in film and television with independent producers and their respective projects. Select participants will have the chance to pitch for funding commitments in the following areas: non-scripted television, documentary works-in-progress, feature film projects for development, and direct-to-video production projects.

Executives scheduled to attend and participate represent the areas of producing, development and funding, distribution and broadcasting, management and representation. HBO Chairman and CEO Chris Albrecht, and PBS President Pat Mitchell are scheduled to address the Conference attendees, along with speakers that include Time Warner and HBO executives. Those attending include LPB Executive Director Luca Bentivoglio, P.O.V/American Documentary Executive Producer Cara Mertes, Warner Bros. Pictures Creative Executive David Ortiz, Moctesuma Esparza of Maya Pictures, and Julio Noriega of Venevision, among others.

Founded in 1999 by a group of Latino producers, educators and media activists, NALIP’s mission is to promote the advancement, development and funding of Latino and Latina film and media arts in all genres.

NALIP is committed to improving access and opportunities for Latino/as at all points in the media production pipeline, including the training of our next generation of media makers, and the support of emerging and mid-career professionals. It is a national organization of industry, independent and community producers dedicated to increasing the quality and quantity of images by, for and about Latinos in the media.

For more information at http://www.nalip.org