Latino Public Broadcasting Announces Selection Of 7th Annual Open Call.

Latino Public Broadcasting (LPB), a non-profit organization funded by The Corporation for Public Broadcasting, announced today its seventh annual Open Call newly funded programs. The funding initiative invites independent producers to submit proposals for funding on Latino-themed programs or series. This year fourteen projects have been selected for funding from one hundred and eleven applicants from across the United States.

“Open Call is one of the highlights of the year for us. There is so much talent in the Latino community that is virtually untapped. The proposals we receive from these gifted producers, directors and writers are truly extraordinary. It is a privilege to be able to give their work an outlet, to help these worthwhile projects come to fruition,” said Luca Bentivoglio, Executive Director, LPB.

Every year LPB invites independent filmmakers to submit proposals in various stages, from research and development, to production, post-production and outreach. All proposals are reviewed by a selected group of public television professionals, local stations programmers, independent filmmakers, academics and executives from other funding organizations.

This year fourteen (14) proposals were selected for funding. New York filmmakers counted for 43% of awarded submissions, followed by California with 29%, Massachusetts with 14% and North Carolina and Texas with 7%.

This year 28% were emerging filmmakers, 36% were mid-level producers and 36% veteran filmmakers. As far as funding history, 64% of awarded producers have never been funded by Latino Public Broadcasting before, which is the direct result of an extensive outreach program for independent filmmakers throughout the nation.
The 2005 awarded projects (alphabetically) are as follows:

Antonia Pantoja: Abriendo Camino
Producer/Director: Lillian Jimenez
Documentary, 1 Episode/60 Minutes

As Long as I Remember: American Veteranos
Producers: Laura Varela and Fernando S. Cano II
Documentary, 1 Episode/60 Minutes

Beisbol
Producers: Nancy Oey and Leane Clifton
Documentary, 3 Episodes/60 Minutes

A Class Apart
Producer: Carlos Sandoval
Documentary, 1 Episode/60 Minutes

Delirio Tropical
Producer: Edin Velez
Drama/Experimental, 1 Episode/60 Minutes

From Mambo to Hip Hop: A South Bronx Tale
Producer: City Lore, Inc.
Documentary, 1 Episode/60 Minutes

The Guestworker
Producers: Cynthia Hill and Charles Thompson
Documentary, 1 Episode/60 Minutes

Lalo Guerrero: The Original Chicano
Producers: Nancy De Los Santos and Dan Guerrero
Documentary, 1 Episode/60 Minutes

Mariachi High
Producer/Director: Ilana Trachtman
Documentary, 1 Episode/60 Minutes

Our Disappeared/Nuestros Desaparecidos
Producer/Director: Juan Mandelbaum
Documentary, 1 Episode/90 Minutes

The Road to Chulumani
Producer: Rick Tejada-Flores
Documentary, 1 Episode/60 Minutes

Scenes From a Parish
Producers: James Rutenbeck, Angelica Allende Brisk, Tina Nguyen
Documentary, 1 Episode/60 Minutes

Special Circumstances
Producer: Marianne Teleki
Documentary, 1 Episode/60 Minutes

When the Mountains Tremble-Redux
Producer: Paco de Onís
Documentary, 1 Episode/60 Minutes

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