9th ANNUAL NEW YORK INTERNATIONAL LATINO FILM FESTIVAL

9th ANNUAL NEW YORK INTERNATIONAL LATINO FILM FESTIVAL
ANNOUNCES AWARD WINNERS

July 28, 2007 (New York, NY) – The 9th edition of the New York International Latino Film Festival (NYILFF) concluded with some of the most exciting films in cinema, indelible red carpets events and remarkable attendance records this year. NYILFF announced the winners of its festival awards at its Closing Night ceremony on Sunday, July 27, at El Morocco (3534 Broadway). Awards were given out in four categories, and the winners were as follows:

Director Paul Boyd was the recipient of the Best Picture Award, presented by HBO, for his narrative feature, Vicious Circle—a tragic punk rock Latino love story, starring Paul Rodriguez, Jr. and Emily Rios, delivering the tales of a raw, edgy, teenage Romeo and Juliet with a murder mystery twist. Producer Angelina Boyd, who accepted on behalf of Paul Boyd, was presented with a prize of $2,500 provided by HBO and $500.00 in Kodak Motion Picture film stock.

In an unexpected tie, NYILFF honored both Transvestites Also Cry and La Americana for Best Documentary. Directed by Sebastiano d'Ayala Valva, Transvestites Also Cry, which tells the story of two Ecuadorian transsexuals who work as prostitutes in Paris, demonstrates how life is often a precarious balance between willful optimism and a quiet fatalism. The second winning documentary, La Americana, is an unforgettable story woven into the current immigration debate in the United States, putting a human face on this timely and controversial issue. This film was directed by Nicholas Bruckman and John Mattiuzzi.

First-time filmmaker Juan Manuel Betancourt received the award for Best Short for Rojo Red, a tale of a young boy who pulls apart the threads of reality in this brilliantly imaginative Colombian short that fuses live action, stop-motion and 3D animation. Betancourt, d’Ayala Valva and Bruckman/Mattiuzzi all received an Avid Media Composer and $500.00 in Kodak Motion Picture Stock.

The Heineken Red Star Award was presented to a director whose film pushes the boundaries of creativity, providing a unique vision and execution. Cristobal Valderrama won the prize for his direction of Malta Con Huevo, a twisting story of two mismatched friends who decide to move in together, resulting in unintended, truly far-reaching consequences. This film’s innovative storyline is a testament to the type of thought provoking films the Heineken Red Star Award recognizes. Heineken has partnered with Variety Magazine and the Independent Film Channel (IFC) to bring well-deserved publicity and visibility to the Heineken Red Star Award recipients and their films. Valderamma received a crystal statuette created by Tiffany and Co., a two-page spread in Variety, and a trip to Los Angeles to meet with executives and network with other winners from the Red Star Award Program.


The 2008 NYILFF was presented by HBO, and made possible with the additional support of Official Sponsors HBO Latino, Heineken, Suzuki Auto, TBS & TNT, American Airlines, The Hollywood Reporter, Daily News/VNY, Telemundo, Time Warner Cable’s New York City Region, 103.5 WKTU, WNBC and Impre.com. The NYILFF is also proud to have Absolut, Café Bustelo, El Especial/El Especialito Newspapers, Kodak Gallery, Latina Media Ventures, MiGente.com, nocheLatina.com, Overture Films & State Street Pictures, Roger Smith Hotel, Tequila Tres Generaciones™, and De Película and De Película Clásico as Benefactor Sponsors. Special Thanks to Avid Technology Inc., BMI, Latino Public Broadcasting, Ethos Water, Showbiz Software, Tribeca Film Institute and the Mayor’s Office for Film, Theater and Broadcasting.®

About NYILFF
Launched in 1999, the New York International Latino Film Festival (NYILFF) is now the premier Urban Latino film event in the country. The NYILFF's mission is to showcase the works of the hottest emerging Latino filmmaking talent in the U.S. and Latin America, offer expansive images of the Latino experience, and celebrate the diversity and spirit of the Latino community. Programming includes the flagship film festival in NYC, new music and art showcases, family and community events, scholarships for aspiring filmmakers, and a nationally recognized short film competition in partnership with HBO. The NYILFF is the only film event to have had the endorsement of Mayor Michael Bloomberg's NYC Latin Media and Entertainment Commission since its formation in 2003.

HBO® is a registered service mark of Home Box Office, Inc.

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Contacts
NYILFF
Jennifer Abreu
646.287.9566
press@nylatinofilm.com

Mainstream Press-
Gabrielle Bernstein
917.660-4132
gabrielle@gabriellebernstein.com


Spanish Language Press-
Yesenia De Avila /Reyes Entertainment
917.650.3933
yesenia@reyesentertainment.com

Gabriel Reyes/ Reyes Entertainment
213.483.4511
Gabriel@reyesentertainment.com


TO SEE PICTURES OF THE FESTIVAL... GO TO: www.kodakgallery.com/nyilff08