Bazooka: The Battles of Wilfredo Gomez Film.

Diamante Pictures and Cinemar Productions are pleased to announce their documentary film “Bazooka: The Battles of Wilfredo Gomez” will be screening at the prestigious Havana Film Festival in Cuba on December 7, 2003. In recent months, the film has been privileged to participate in other festivals including the Cambridge, Boston, San Juan, and NY Latin Beat Film Festivals. Three-time world champion and Boxing Hall of Famer Wilfredo Gomez will be present at the film screening in Cuba, as well as the film’s director Mario Diaz.

“Bazooka” takes a hard-hitting look at the brutal reality of boxing like no documentary has done before. The film chronicles Wilfredo Gomez’s meteoric rise through the ranks of professional boxing, his reckless lifestyle, and the battles he faced after his retirement, both physical and psychological. Directed by award-winning filmmaker Mario Diaz, this film examines the life of the Puerto Rican Featherweight champ whose fiercest battles were fought outside the ring.

A graduate of NYU’s film program, Mario Díaz is best known for his award-winning documentary films including in Ser Puertorriqueño (“Being Puerto Rican”), he profiled controversial baseball player and Hall-of-Fame inductee Orlando Cepeda in Viva Cepeda!, and studied the influential and wide ranging contributions of Latino artists in Clase Artística (“The Artistic Class”). The first two documentaries are shown regularly on HBO Latino while Clase Artística won the Special Jury Prize at last year’s San Juan International Film Festival. In addition to his documentary work, Mario has directed dozens of music videos and has extensive credits in television. Mario’s journalistic work can also be seen on Televisa (Mexican Television), TVO (TV Ontario), and APTN (Associated Press Television News).

Benjamin DeJesus, owner and founder of Diamante Pictures, is known for his ongoing production and directorial work for MTV, VH1, Fleet Bank, Nickelodeon, ESPN, VH1, ESPN Deportes, and TV Land. DeJesus gained vast experience at MTV as a producer for several seasons of MTV Cribs, where he also wrote for Ananda Lewis, Chris Connelly, John Norris, SuChin Pak, Iann Robinson and Ja Rule. He also recently produced for MTV News’ The Assignment: Paparazzi. Rounding out his professional accomplishments, Benjamin has also produced for Columbia Records, Showtime, Warner Brothers, Fleet Bank, Triumph the Insult Comic Dog, Tito Puente, NY Inter. Latino Film Festival and several music videos. Currently, Benjamin is producing a show for VH1, developing a series for Nickelodeon, and developing a feature film screenplay with Edwin Torres (Carlito’s Way).