New York International Latino Film Festival 2005 Lineup.

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.

“It has always been our mission to highlight the diversity of Latino film and to provide a platform for Latino filmmakers from across the world to showcase their work,” said NYLIFF executive director Calixto Chinchilla. “This year’s offering will take us from a favela in Brazil to the streets of downtown New York, truly capturing the broad essence of Latino culture.”

“We’ve long been committed to the Latino community through creative and outreach efforts,” said Olivia Smashum, executive vice president, Affiliate Marketing at HBO. “The NYILFF lets us do both in an environment that celebrates and showcases the cultural diversity of Latinos. We especially look forward to presenting the 2nd Annual Latino Filmmaker Competition award to an emerging filmmaker.”

The festival will open on July 26 with a special screening of HOW THE GARCIA GIRLS SPENT THEIR SUMMER starring Elizabeth Peña, America Ferrera, Lucy Gallardo, Jorge Cevera, Jr., Steven Bauer and Rick Najera. The film tells the story of three women in a Mexican-American family who undergo a sexual awakening. Grandmother Doña Genoveva decides to buy a car, and not having a license she has her gardener help with “driving lessons.” Her divorced daughter disapproves of the situation, but has her own desires aroused with a man at the butcher shop. In the middle of all this, the granddaughter, Blanca, engineers an awakening of her own. The reward for the audience is three performances that are both emotionally indelible and refreshingly funny. The screening, which will be sponsored by Latina Magazine, will take place on Tuesday, July 26 at 8:00 p.m. at the Regal Cinemas located on 14th street in Union Square.

Among the Domestic Features are: INDOCUMENTADOS/UNDOCUMENTED, a film with a unique perspective on the impact of September 11th on people of color; THE LATIN LEGENDS OF COMEDY, a comedy that highlights the struggles and joys of pioneering Latino comedians J.J. Ramirez, Angel Salazar and Joey Vega; LIFE’S DECISIONS: A BRONX STORY, a film that follows the tough upbringing of a man in the Bronx dealing with a series of difficult decisions with far-reaching consequences and LOVE FOR RENT, a comedy that chronicles a struggling college student who is offered $50,000 to become a surrogate parent.

This year’s International Features lineup includes films from Chile, Spain, Argentina, Costa Rica, Peru, Germany, Cuba and Mexico: MUSICA CUBANA: THE NEXT GENERATION, a film by the producer of Buena Vista Social Club, discovers new musical legends that draw on Cuban traditions and popular world music movements; CACHIMBA is a humorous portrayal of the single most important moment in the life of Marcos, an unremarkable bank employee who discovers a collection of paintings belonging to an exiled Chilean painter; and, DIAS DE SANTIAGO/DAYS OF SANTIAGO follows a 23 year-old trying to live a normal life after service in the army.

The Vanguard Documentaries will move audiences with controversial topics ranging from love and deceit to racism. DANGEROUS DECEPTION: LIVING ON THE DOWN LOW, documents non-gay Latino and Black men who have sex with men in addition to women; JUST FOR KICKS, treats viewers to an entertaining refresher course on the hottest sneakers-of-the-moment over the past 20 years; LUCHA LIBRE: LIFE BEHIND THE MASK, explores a unique style of wrestling through the stories of three Mexican luchadors continuing the tradition in Los Angeles; and, PRETO CONTRA BRANCO/BLACK AGAINST WHITE, exposes the racial and social divide that exists between Black Brazilians and White Brazilians.

NYILFF on the Edge will continue to push the envelope with three progressive features from Mexico, Chile and Puerto Rico. ADAN Y EVA-TODAVIA/ADAM AND EVE-STILL is a film that finds Adam and Eve living in a desperate situation in 21st century Mexico City. This film represents the new wave of avant-garde filmmaking from Mexico. SABADO/SATURDAY will take the audience behind the scenes as a bride confronts her husband-to-be an hour before their wedding about an ongoing affair with her friend. VAMPIROS/VAMPIRES, featuring reggaeton artist Daddy Yankee, is a horror/comedy about a heart-broken young man who allows himself to be seduced by a beautiful temptress and vampire. These films will be screened at Two Boots Pioneer Theater. Tickets can be purchased on the day of the screening at the Pioneer’s box office.

As a special presentation, NYILFF presents the 50th Anniversary celebration of the Valladolid International Film Festival, which will feature a series of five recent, award-winning Spanish films, including Cannes Film Festival’s Fipresci award LAS HORAS DEL DIA/THE HOURS OF THE DAY and two-time Goya Award winner LA CAJA 507/BOX 507. The Valladolid International Film Festival, Spain’s premier film festival, has been a major force behind the reemergence of Spanish cinema worldwide, as well as a politically committed space for the promotion of international cinema at home. Since its creation in 1956, the festival has been characterized by its innovative programming and a courageous spirit, fighting state censorship under particularly adverse political and historical contexts, becoming one of world’s most prestigious film festivals. All films will be shown in Spanish with English subtitles at Tribeca Cinemas.

The festival will close with Victor Buhler’s documentary, RIKERS HIGH. The film takes you to New York City’s Rikers Island prison, which is the location of the city’s most extreme high school. Two thousand teenagers, primarily Latino and Black, jailed for crimes that range from jumping the subway turnstiles to armed robbery, attend the prison’s high school. This emotionally gripping film shows all angles, from the dedicated teachers who try to make a difference in their lives, to families who try to put their children back on the right path, to the problems of the prison system and redemption. Rikers High will be presented by McDonald’s, with fifty percent of ticket sales proceeds to be donated to the Ronald McDonald House Charities Program, HACER, which has awarded more than $1.3 million in scholarships and is now the largest high school-to-college scholarship program for Hispanic students. Closing night is Saturday, July 30 at 8:00 p.m. at Florence Gould Hall.

All films, with the exception of opening night and NYILFF on the Edge, will be screened at Florence Gould Hall, 55 East 59th Street off Park Avenue and at the Lighthouse, 111 East 59th Street between Lexington and Park Avenues. A full roster of festival films, special activities and tickets can be obtained on the festival’s website www.NYLatinoFilm.com, or by calling the festival hotline at 212-726-2358. Tickets are on sale now.