Cinema

The life of Puertorican ‘Sonero’ Hector Lavoe will be coming to life in a movie title possibly ‘El Cantante’. The film is currently in production in Puerto Rico. Marc Anthony leads the film as Hector Lavoe.

Born Hector Juan Perez, on September 30th, 1946 in the town of Ponce, Puerto Rico. “El Cantante De Los Cantantes” how he is affectionately known, came to New York at age 17 with the dream of making it big . With no formal singing training this skinny kid from Barrio San Antonio in Ponce, caught the ears of Johnny Pacheco.

“Duck Season” takes you into one particular Sunday morning in the lives of two fourteen-year old boys, Flama and Moko. With their neighbor Rita and pizza delivery boy Ulises, they create their own adventures to overcome their boredom. “Duck Season” explores the loneliness of childhood, the effects of divorce and the curious power of love and friendship.

del Rivero Messianu DDB in conjunction with Renta Imagen served as producers of Cecilia Martínez’s “Opera Prima”. The writer/director helmed “Dios te Salve” (“May God Keep You”) a Short Film that was just awarded the top prize at the Huelva Film Festival in Spain.

VOY Pictures’ film debut, Favela Rising, was awarded “Best Documentary’ at the New York International Latino Film Festival last night, marking the third film festival award it has garnered since its debut in April of this year.

VOY Pictures announced the establishment of the VOY Pictures Film Lab whose mission is to foster exceptional Latino talent across a variety of film disciplines. The first annual competition will focus on screenwriting and will provide undiscovered screenwriters with guidance and professional opportunities.

The sixth annual New York International Latino Film Festival (NYILFF) just announced this year’s roster, which includes over 70 domestic and international features, as well as documentaries and short films from emerging Latino filmmakers. The festival, which is presented by HBO, will take place from July 26 – 31, 2005 and will include panel discussions, educational forums and special cultural events.

Winners of the prestigious WIF/GM Latina New Filmmaker Grant, announced in February by Women In Film (WIF) and its national presenting sponsor General Motors Corporation (GM), were revealed at WIF’s 27th annual Crystal + Lucy Awards dinner gala, Friday, June 10, at the legendary Beverly Hills Hotel in California.

Two young and talented Latino actresses lead the cast of the highly anticipated Warner Bros. Pictures new film, The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, the Honduran-American America Ferrera and the Argentinean-American Alexis Bledel. And, to top it off, the veteran actress Rachel Ticotin (Man on Fire, Total Recall), a Bronx native of Puerto Rican descent, completes the Latino presence in this film, playing America Ferrera´s mother. A top billing Latino cast for a film that breaks through common stereotypes in Hollywood films – which usually has Latinos as illegal immigrants or marginal types in society – presenting these Latinas as true members of American society, without having to renounce their roots and cultural heritage.

For the second year, HBO has teamed with The New York International Latino Film Festival (NYILFF) to find the next hot Latino Filmmaker. The winner of the Latino Filmmaker Competition, sponsored by HBO, will receive $15,000 in funding to produce and direct an original short film narrative based on their entry. The winning film will be presented on-screen this summer during the 2005 New York International Latino Film Festival in July.

The 6th Havana Film Festival in New York (HFFNY) will open at the Quad Cinema, NYC April 15 with award winning films from Havana’s Festival Internacional del Nuevo Cine Latinoamericano and new independent films from and about Latin America and the Caribbean that rarely have an opportunity to be screened outside of their country of origin.

Papi, Me, and Cesar Chavez chronicles, from the perspective of a child, the historic march from the fields of Delano to the California state capitol in Sacramento led by United Farm Workers Union Leader, Cesar Chavez.