NEW YORK, January 10, 2006 – The Miami International Film Festival (MIFF), presented by Miami Dade College (MDC), announced today the full schedule of films for the 23rd annual festival to be held March 3-12, 2006. The Opening Night film this year will be the World Premiere of "Heartlift" ("Lifting de Corazón”) from director Eliseo Subiela. The Closing Night film will be the East Coast Premiere of “Friends With Money” from director Nicole Holofcener starring Jennifer Aniston and Frances McDormand.

The Miami International Film Festival has also announced that the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation will contribute $250,000 over three years to create the Knight Grand Jury Prizes as well as support the festival’s marketing efforts. The Knight Grand Jury Prizes will carry a cash award of $25,000 each in the three categories: Dramatic Features (World Cinema Competition), Dramatic Features (Ibero-American Cinema Competition), and Documentary Features (World & Ibero-American Cinema Competition).

"With the amount of fresh perspective and cultural diversity in this year’s program, the vision, spirit, and stature of the Miami International Film Festival has never felt more tangible,” said Festival Director Nicole Guillemet. “Emphasizing the multicultural aspect of the Festival, 71 films, or 77%, of our films this year are by international filmmakers, 55 films, or 60% of our films are by 1st or 2nd time directors and 24 (30%) are by women directors. And now, with the wonderful contribution of the Knight Foundation, the Festival is taking on a new role that builds community, bridges communities, and transforms communities.”

“The Miami International Film Festival has become a defining cultural event in South Florida,” according to Alberto Ibargüen, president and CEO of the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation. “Events like this set an artistic standard that most cities can only hope for. But, our interest at Knight Foundation is that they also help define the community and give it a common language,” said Ibargüen. “A festival of films can lead us to a better sense of who we are by showing us the great variety from which we come and view the world. That is essential to understanding each other and building community.”

Eighteen films will premiere at the Gusman Center for the Performing Arts while twelve films will be competing in the Dramatic Features - World Cinema Competition, thirteen films in the Dramatic Features - Ibero-American Cinema Competition and seventeen films in the Documentary Features – World & Ibero-American Cinema Competition round out the categories. Additionally, the Festival will screen 32 films, including both dramatic and documentary films, in the International Panorama categories. The Shorts Programs comprise the balance of the schedule with a total of 25 short films.

Films in the Dramatic Features - World Cinema Competition, Dramatic Features - Ibero-American Cinema Competition and Documentary Features – World & Ibero-American Cinema Competition are eligible for a Knight Grand Jury Prize along with audience awards.

“With the generous support of Knight Foundation, the 2006 Miami International Film Festival has hit new heights - elevating its profile and significance among great festivals worldwide,” said MDC president Eduardo J. Padrón. “We are truly honored to provide the community such a high quality program that explores where and who we are in the world; our place not only here in South Florida, but also in the Americas and beyond.”

The Opening Night film this year will be "Heartlift" ("Lifting de Corazón”). In director Eliseo Subiela’s sexy, frothy meditation on the madness of love, a successful plastic surgeon confronts a mid-life crisis and lives to tell the tale – just barely. In addition to being a World Premiere at this year’s festival, "Heartlift" ("Lifting de Corazón”) was also a MIFF Encuentros project in 2003.

The Closing Night film will be the East Coast Premiere of “Friends With Money.” With a fine ensemble cast of Jennifer Aniston, Frances McDormand, Catherine Keener, and Joan Cusack, “Friends With Money” centers on a group of people on the brink of middle-age who only pretend to have it all together.

On Wednesday, March, 8th MIFF will honor director Wim Wenders with the Career Achievement Tribute for his distinguished body of work. In addition to the tribute, there will be a special screening of Wim Wender’s latest film “Don’t Come Knocking,” a tragic-comic road film about missed chances and family relations.

An assortment of special programs will be featured throughout this year’s festival:

Touching Florida - With 3 World Premieres, “Touching Florida” proudly celebrates the latest works from Floridian directors and producers with films whose subjects touch on the Sunshine State.

MIFF Abroad - Newly launched this year, “MIFF Abroad” establishes a genuine cultural exchange by focusing on the filmmaking of one Latin American country each year. Given the tremendous resurgence of filmmaking, this year will focus on the filmmaking of Chile.

The Big Picture - A powerful program highlights films that tackle world issues and the human struggle for life and dignity. This year “The Big Picture” will address four major topics: French “Banlieue” Uprisings, The Death Penalty, Children Affected by War and Terrorism, and Soldiers Question War.

For the fourth year, the Festival will present Encuentros, which gives emerging producers from Spain and Latin America the opportunity to present new projects to U.S. industry professionals: producers, sales agents, television stations and distributors. This intensive three-day event fosters dialog, builds lasting connections and offers opportunities for networking and the nurturing the next generation of filmmakers, providing access to distributors and thus, to the public.

Miami International Film Festival 2006 Program

PROGRAM CATEGORIES

Gusman Gala Premieres (18 films)
Dramatic Features - World Cinema Competition (12 films)
Dramatic Features - Ibero-American Cinema Competition (13 films)
Documentary Features - World & Ibero-American Cinema Competition (17 films)
International Panorama - Dramatic Features: World Cinema (7 films)
International Panorama - Dramatic Features: Ibero-American Cinema (9 films)
International Panorama - Documentary Features: World & Ibero-American Cinema (4 films)
International Panorama - Touching Florida (4 films)
Big Picture Discussions (8 films)
Shorts Programs (25 films)

FILM PROGRAM

Gusman Gala Premieres

Every night the latest films from world renowned directors and emerging filmmakers are showcased at the historic Gusman Theater: Award-winning dramas, crowd-pleasing comedies, wondrous documentaries and tense thrillers premiere in this gala section.

OPENING NIGHT: "Heartlift" ("Lifting de Corazón") Director: Eliseo Subiela (Argentina/Spain)
A successful plastic surgeon confronts a mid-life crisis and lives to tell the tale—just barely—in director Eliseo Subiela’s sexy, frothy meditation on the madness of love. Pep Munne and Moro Anghileri squeeze sparks out of the older man/younger woman romance, while Maria Barranco steals the show as a wife scorned. This film will be a World Premiere in Miami. (World Premiere)

CLOSING NIGHT: "Friends With Money" Director: Nicole Holofcener (USA)
What do the haves and have-nots have in common? They never have enough money! A fine ensemble cast of today’s top actors portray people on the brink of middle age, who only pretend to have it all together. Jennifer Aniston, Frances McDormand, Catherine Keener and Joan Cusack chase the almighty dollar, while we laugh and pretend we don’t love money, designer clothes and bling-bling as much they do. (East Coast Premiere)

"C.R.A.Z.Y." Director: Jean-Marc Vallée (Canada)
A moving coming-of-age film and a warm family portrait spanning 20 tumultuous years (1960-1980), C.R.A.Z.Y. charts the journey of a boy and his family that will be instantly recognizable to any adolescent who has ever felt out of step with the world. With a killer soundtrack (Bowie, Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd, Patsy Cline) the funny and uplifting C.R.A.Z.Y. won the Audience Award at the 2005 Toronto Film Festival and is Canada’s entry for Best Foreign Language Film at this year’s Academy Awards. (East Coast Premiere)

"Don’t Come Knocking" Director: Wim Wenders (USA)
Director Wim Wenders and playwright Sam Shephard (Paris,Texas) re-team in this compelling and amusing story about a western movie star looking for his past. Featuring Sam Shepard, Jessica Lange, Tim Roth, Eva Marie Saint and Sarah Polley in a tragic-comic road film about missed chances and family relations. (East Coast Premiere)

"The Grönholm Method" ("El Método Grönholm") Director: Marcelo Piñeyro (Argentina,Spain/Italy)
Six job applicants—plus one company “mole”—are pitted against one another in a series of dehumanizing “tests” cooked up by a corporate human resources department. Director Marcelo Piñeyro’s adaptation of Jordi Galceran Ferrer’s play is a chilling look inside today’s hypercompetitive corporate world, set against a backdrop of anti-globalization protests in Madrid. Marcelo’s cast ensemble includes Eduardo Noriega and Najwa Nimri.
(Regional Premiere)

"Hard Times" ("Malas Temporadas") Director: Manuel Martín Cuenca (Spain)
A woman’s son refuses to leave his room; a Cuban exile dreams of Miami; an ex-prisoner stalks his former cellmate. These stories and more come to life amid the chaos and indifference of modern Madrid. From the director of The Weakness of the Bolsheviks, starring Javier Camara (Talk to Her), Nathalie Poza and Leonor Watling (Talk to Her). (Regional Premiere)

"Iberia" Directors: Carlos Saura, Assistant Director Saura Medrano (Spain/France)
Spanish traditions and Andalusian gypsy culture are the essence of this elegant, impeccably staged homage to Isaac Albeniz’s “Iberia” suite. Internationally acclaimed dancers like Sara Baras and flamenco singers such as Enrique Morente converge in Carlos Saura’s (Carmen, Tango) latest performance piece. Exquisitely lit. Gorgeously costumed. Always vibrant. A joyous celebration. (East Coast Premiere)

"In His Hands" ("Entre Ses Mains") Director: Anne Fontaine (France)
A successful, young married woman is attracted to a charming, naive veterinarian while a mass murderer is on the loose. Anne Fontaine’s psychological thriller is a French feminist answer to the male-oriented fantasies of DePalma, Verhoeven and Hitchcock. More than a mere urban horror story, In His Hands clinically dissects the logic and illogic behind attraction, satisfaction and love. (East Coast Premiere)

"Kinky Boots" Director: Julian Jarrold (UK)
A U.K. shoe factory is going out of business until its straight, young white owner hooks up with a very unstraight black drag queen (Chiwetel Ejofor) to make pumps and thigh-high boots for men who prefer wearing mini-skirts and Dolly Parton wigs to work boots and overalls. A thoroughly enjoyable, feel-good movie that encourages tolerance while observing commonalities. (East Coast Premiere)

"L'Enfant" ("The Child") Directors: Jean-Pierre Dardenne, Luc Dardenne (Belgium/France)
A hard-edged, unemployed working class 20 year-old is unprepared for fatherhood when his 18-year-old girlfriend returns from the hospital with their baby. He’s a wanderer, an immoralist. No shame. No values. No heart. Desperately in need of guidance and two inches from the devil’s grasp. Cannes’ 2005 Palme d'Or Award winner. (Regional Premiere)

"The Lost City" Director: Andy Garcia (USA)
Andy Garcia directs and stars in this intensely personal tribute to his native land. This family drama of impossible love is a poignant remembrance of a time gone by, when so much was lost forever. Respectfully and elegantly rendered, with an extraordinary musical tapestry. Written by novelist Guillermo Cabrera Infante. With: Bill Murray, Dustin Hoffman, Inés Sastre, Tomás Milian and Steven Bauer. (East Coast Premiere)

"Sólo Dios Sabe" Director: Carlos Bolado (Mexico/Brazil)
A carefree coed in California encounters the earthy religion of Mexico and travels back to her native Brazil to confront her own mystical roots, all the while falling deeper in love with the man who initiated her journey. A romance, a road trip, and, above all, a spiritual voyage of self-discovery. (Starring Diego Luna and Alice Braga.) (East Coast Premiere)

"Summer in Berlin" ("Sommer vorm Balkon") Director: Andreas Dresen (Germany)
A friendship between a 40-year-old alcoholic single mother and her younger, prettier friend forms a solid, conflict-filled base for this engaging character-study. Hot summer Berlin nights, flirtatious glances, a rivalry over the same man, too much wine, words said in haste and rage. A contemporary, feminist, sweet and sour parable. (East Coast Premiere)

"Thank You for Smoking" Director: Jason Reitman (USA)
A spin-doctor for the Academy of Tobacco Studies looks after the industry's better interests. He's not above shouting down a weak, near-death cancer victim on national T.V. just to make his point. When the smoke clears, amused moviegoers will know two things: biting satire has hit a new, devilish level, and director Jason Reitman's career is on fire. (East Coast Premiere)

"Tsotsi" Director: Gavin Hood (South Africa/UK)
A twentysomething thug is prone to robbing, mugging and backstabbing fellow crooks. The day he carjacks and shoots a middle-class woman is a new low. The victim's baby is in the back seat. Is anybody beyond redemption? Winner of Audience Awards at both the Edinburgh and Toronto International Film Festivals. A nail-biting emotional rollercoaster. (East Coast Premiere)

Una Rosa de Francia Director: Manuel Gutiérrez Aragón (Spain/Cuba)
In Havana, Cuba, in the 1930s, a young man gets involved in rum smuggling during the height of Prohibition in the U.S. He works for a smarmy boss and a corrupt syndicate and witnesses deadly crimes. He meets and falls in love with a French prostitute. They dream of running off to Paris. Is fate on their side? World Premiere from director Manuel Gutiérrez Arágon (Las Truchas, Furtivos). (North American Premiere)

"Vinicius de Moraes" ("Vinicius") Director: Miguel Faria Jr. (Brazil/Spain)
The prolific and passionate life of Vinicius de Moraes, Brazilian poet, songwriter and playwright, is examined through interviews with friends, lovers and relatives; rare archival footage; and performances from his songs and poems. This revealing look at a world-class artist goes beyond perceived myths to get at the heart of its compelling subject.
(North American Premiere)

"Viva Cuba" Directors: Juan Carlos Cremata Malbertí, Iraida Malbertí (Co-Director) (Cuba/Spain/France)
In this charming “Romeo and Juliet”-like road trip, two ten-year-old runaways travel the length of Cuba, trying to avoid their forced separation. Director Juan Carlos Cremata Malbertí (Nada Más) fills the journey with humor and adventure while revealing a Cuban landscape seldom seen. The film is Cuba’s entry for the Academy Awards and won the “Best Children’s Film” at the 2005 Cannes Film Festival. (U.S. Premiere)

Dramatic Features - World Cinema Competition

This high-profile world competition category showcases the latest works of first- and second-time filmmakers from around the world. Each participant is eligible for a cash Grand Jury Prize, an MIFF Audience Award and the prestigious FIPRESCI Prize (International Federation of Film Critics).

Past award winners include: “Evil” (Sweden-Denmark), by Mikael Håfström; “Japanese Story” (Australia), by Sue Brooks; “The Edukators” (Germany), by Hans Weingartner; “A Way of Life” (UK), by Amma Asante; “Red Dust” (South Africa/UK), by Tom Hooper.

"Accused" ("Anklaget") Director: Jacob Thuesen (Denmark)
A middle-class father is accused of molesting his teenage daughter, who has a habit of lying. His wife and friends support him. Others ostracize him. Did he do it? Is she telling the truth? A taut storyline, subtle performances and intelligent direction keep you guessing. A top-notch psychological thriller. (U.S. Premiere)

"Burnt Out" ("Sauf le Respect que Je Vous Dois") Director: Fabienne Godet (France)
In France, a white-collar worker (Olivier Gourmet) has a great job, a wonderful wife and a loving son. When a fellow co-worker gets fired, he leaves town at the same time that company employees have been murdered. A woman befriends him, not knowing if he may be a killer. A fine-tuned psychological thriller. (North American Premiere)

"Close to Home" ("Karov La Bayit") Directors: Dalia Hager, Vidi Bilu (Israel)
Two young, diametrically opposed female soldiers patrol the anxious streets of Jerusalem, questioning Palestinians and looking for suicide bombers. The rebellious one finds the army demeaning; the controlled one is obedient. Under intense pressure, against a backdrop of any-minute-now terrorist attacks, a friendship takes hold and roles reverse. A touching, observant Middle-East allegory. (North American Premiere)

"Familia" Director: Louise Archambault (Canada)
A reckless woman with a gambling addiction infringes on her happily married best friend. She and her daughter move into the friend's home and create problems as the friend discovers her marriage may not be so stable! Dysfunctional families collide in this very observant and humorous family debacle. (East Coast Premiere)

"The Forsaken Land" ("Sulanga Enu Pinisa") Director: Vimukthi Jayasundara (Sri Lanka/France)
This Cannes 2005 Camera d’Or winner for best first feature examines a decades-long civil war that blights Sri Lanka. A soldier and his family carve out a meager existence, eking out bits of pleasure and fun whenever they can amidst combat so old that some forget what it’s about. A visually stunning and poetic allegory. (U.S. Premiere)

"The Master " ("Mistrz") Director: Piotr Trzaskalski (Poland)
A knife-thrower, an accordionist and a prostitute booze their way through the back roads of Poland in this road movie for drinkers, dreamers and lovers. Taking its cues from the metaphorical visions of Andrei Tarkovsky and the lowlife aesthetic of Bela Tarr, The Master updates their Slavic sensibilities with a cinemascope romanticism all its own.
(East Coast Premiere)

"Offside" ("Eine Andere Liga") Director: Buket Alakus (Germany)
A young football/soccer player is stricken with cancer. Her widowed father wants her to stop playing, bad health threatens her career, and a deep depression shrouds her. With the help of her friends and a new lover, can she persevere? Can she gain her life back? A rousing, romantic sports movie. (North American Premiere)

"One Night" ("Yek Shab ") Director: Niki Karimi (Iran)
After an argument with her mother, a twenty-something fearless woman in conservative Iran goes out on the town, hitching rides from strange men. She becomes a sounding board for male angst in a film that thoughtfully, subtly reveals the sexual politics of the modern Islamic world, and a society on the brink of change. (Regional Premiere)

"Ouaga Saga" Director: Dani Kouyate (Burkina Faso)
A winner from Burkina Faso, whose capital, Ouagadougou, is home to a group of appealing young lads inventing a path to adulthood, charming even those they scam and making it all, even the grinding poverty, seem easy. They have soccer, music, dance, and, most of all, magic— in this film of mystical neorealism from the director of Keita! L’héritage du griot. (U.S. Premiere)

"Premium." Director: Pete Chatmon (USA)
A struggling actor named Cool is fed up with stereotypical African-American roles. While pumping gas to make ends meet, he collides with his long-lost ex-fiancée. She_s getting married to a businessman -- in 36 hours. As the clock ticks away, Cool gets a clue and plans a comeback as an ultra-hip musical soundtrack plays. (World Premiere)

"Sa-kwa" Director: Kang Yi-kwan (Republic of Korea)
A young woman is dumped by her boyfriend of seven years. A man who has admired her from afar puts the moves on her. Before she knows it, she is courted, engaged and married to a man who may not be the love of her life. Then her ex shows up. What’s a girl to do? Lead actress Mun So-ri, as the lady in question, pulls you into her love dilemma. She’s slightly ditzy, always amusing and playfully ambivalent, in a film that will tickle your heart.
(East Coast Premiere)

"Turtles On Their Backs" ("Tartarughe sul dorso") Director: Stefano Pasetto (Italy)
Parting glances. Yearning eyes. Near meetings and misses. Why they’re together is a mystery to them both, in this elegantly, intelligently crafted love story about two lost, disparate souls colliding in a big world. She’s a former med student, vulnerable, non-confident. He’s a short-fused ex-con. Love binds them with a very thin clasp. (U.S. Premiere)

Dramatic Features - Ibero-American Cinema Competition

This inspiring competition showcases dramatic features by first- and second-time directors from Latin America, Spain and Portugal. Each is eligible for a cash Grand Jury Prize and an MIFF Audience Award.

Past award winners include: “Días de Santiag”o (Perú), by Josué Méndez; “Nada Mas” (Cuba), by Juan Carlos Cremata Malberti; “En la ciudad sin límites” (Spain), by Antonio Hernandez; “Nicotina” (Mexico), by Hugo Rodriquez; “La Espera” (Uruguay) by Aldo Garay Dutrey.

"7 Virgins" Director: Alberto Rodríguez (Spain)
A 16-year-old boy gets into a year’s worth of trouble on a 48-hour leave from a juvenile hall. He hangs with his buddies, does drugs, robs, has sex… A rebellious coming-of-age tale, set on mean streets in southern Spain, with an outgoing protagonist who finally looks inward. Harsh realism. Strong performances. (East Coast Premiere)

"Angels of the Sun" ("Anjos Do Sol") Director: Rudi Lagemann (Brazil)
A young girl is forced into child prostitution in this fictionalized Brazilian melodrama, inspired by over nine years of research and countless writings and news stories. Awarded a special prize by Brazil’s Ministry of Culture, Angels of the Sun moves from the North’s sandy coastal villages deep into its big cities and outlaw mining towns, following its child heroines as they encounter an unfathomably cruel, heartbreaking realm. (International Premiere)

"Como Pasan Las Horas" Director: Inés de Oliveira César (Argentina)
A father takes his son to the beach. His wife spends the afternoon with her ailing mother. They do simple family things as if their world could never stop turning. But does anyone's heaven last forever? Like an unfinished poem searching for an ending, this artful film takes you places you wouldn't expect. It's magical. (U.S. Premiere)

"Do U Cry 4 Me Argentina?" Director: Bae Youn Suk (Argentina)
The in-between lives and thwarted dreams of young Korean immigrants in Argentina roar onto the screen in this fast-paced, genre-busting film that occupies a niche all its own: Asian South American cinema. Members of the “1.5 Generation” Koreans who immigrated as children grapple with conformity, class and success or lack of it in contemporary Buenos Aires. (U.S. Premiere)

"In Bed" ("En la Cama") Director: Matías Bize (Chile)
With the help of two superb and literally naked performances and a screenplay that owes much to Richard Linklater and playwright Terrence McNally, Chilean director Matías Bize has found a place so sensual that you’ll forget all you know about sex in the movies – and then rediscover it. (East Coast Premiere)

"The King of San Gregorio" ("El Rey de San Gregorio") Director: Alfonso Gazitúa (Chile)
Love blooms for a severely disabled garbage picker living in the slums of San Gregorio, Chile. Pedro Vargas plays himself in a haunting performance brimming with romantic intensity. Alfonso Gazitúa’s touching, troubling romance offers an unvarnished look at the inner lives of those living on the margins in Chile’s urban underworld.
(World Premiere)

"Life in Color" ("Vida y Color") Director: Santiago Tabernero (Spain)
A young boy living under the repression of the Franco regime finds solace and everyday comfort with his friends and family. His life changes the day a young girl goes missing, and a secret about a town boogey man is revealed. A luminous, 1970s coming-of-age story, with a very compelling mystery. (International Premiere)

"Lower City" ("Cidade Baixa") Director: Sérgio Machado (Brazil)
Two twentysomething men, pals since childhood, meet a sexy, temptress/hooker, who sorely tests their friendship. Set in a red light district in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil, this raw, steamy love triangle involves armed robbery, drugs and unbridled desire. Directed by Sergio Machado, an assistant director on Walter Salles’ Central Station.
(North American Premiere)

"The Machine" ("A Máquina") Director: João Falcão (Brazil)
A young woman dreams of leaving her boring town. In a bid to make her stay, a lover goes on TV and claims he will travel to the future. If he fails, a death machine will kill him. Is that enough to keep her? Dreams contradict reality, and love tries to conquer all in this winsome love story. (International Premiere)

"Madeinusa" Director: Claudia Llosa (Peru/Spain)
High in the Cordillera Blanca mountains of Peru, a sweet-faced 14-year-old indigenous girl named Madeinusa is the victim of abuse that escalates every Good-Friday-to-Easter-Sunday, when sin is in and morals take an official holiday. One day, a young geologist comes to town. Can he save her? Can he break a cycle of cruel exploitation?
(East Coast Premiere)

"News From Afar" ("Noticias Lejanas") Director: Ricardo Benet (Mexico)
Stuck in a dead-end desert hamlet, a restless young laborer dreams of escaping his tortured family and moving to Mexico City. Domestic melodrama, gothic romance and a neo-western notion of frontiers, both psychological and geographic, all intersect in News From Afar, a bold, if bracing, cinematic exploration of home and community. (Regional Premiere)

"Orlando Vargas" Director: Juan Pittaluga (Uruguay/France)
Orlando Vargas, a European businessman, flees his country and relocates to Uruguay with his wife and young son. He mysteriously disappears. The story is an homage to the director's dad, a career diplomat who was ostracized in 1973 due to his opposition to Uruguay's military coup. Impeccably photographed. Part of the Cannes 2005 Critics Week. (North American Premiere)

"The Sacred Family" ("La Sagrada Familia") Director: Sebastián Campos (Chile)
The orderly world of a bourgeois Chilean family is upended when the son’s sensual new girlfriend arrives for Easter weekend. In his feature film debut, director Sebastián Campos blends hand-held camerawork and improvised dialogue from an impressive ensemble to create a raw, incisive portrait of a family teetering on the edge of chaos.
(North American Premiere)

Documentary Features - World & Ibero-American Cinema Competition

Documentary feature films from around the world are screened in this prestigious competition category. Social issues, diverse cultures, icons and inspiring people are an integral part of this program. A cash Grand Jury Prize is awarded to the winner, and each entry is eligible for an MIFF Audience Award.

Past award winners include: “La Sierra” (Colombia), by Scott Dalton and Margarita Martinez; “The Untold Story of Emmett Louis Till” (US), by Keith A. Beauchamp; “Ônibus 174” (Brazil), by Jose Padilha; “The Story of the Weeping Camel” (Germany), by Byambasuren Davaa and Luigi Falorni; “Balseros” (Spain), by Carles Bosch and Josep Domènech; “Beah: A Black Woman Speaks” (US), by Lisa Gay Hamilton.

"51 Birch Street" Director: Doug Block (USA)
In this engrossing personal documentary that reveals as much about American family archetypes as it does about one family, Doug Block seeks answers after his mother dies and his father is re-married to his former secretary only three months later. What he discovers will be as surprising to you as it is to Block. (U.S. Premiere)

"Across the River" ("Do Outro Lado do Rio") Director: Lucas Bambozzi (Brazil)
Prostitutes, gold-diggers, lovers and smugglers form the real-life rogue’s gallery of this gritty documentary, set in a lawless border town between Brazil and French Guiana. Money and gold, love and death, Latin Americans and Europeans: All collide in the town of Oiapoque, a setting straight out of a García Márquez novel. (U.S. Premiere)

"a/k/a Tommy Chong" Director: Josh Gilbert (USA)
Tommy Chong is a legendary comic, so his arrest and nine month incarceration for selling drug paraphernalia (“bongs”) did not make him famous. Instead, it made the government’s faltering anti-drug crusade infamous. This amusing, observant documentary catches the stoner comedian using his brush with the Drug Enforcement Agency for fodder and reflection. Final score: The Feds, nine months; Tommy Chong, the last laugh? (East Coast Premiere)

"Benigno, Farewell to a Revolution" ("Benigno, afscheid van een revolutie") Director: Marlou van den Berge
(The Netherlands)
After government forces burn his farm and murder his wife, Daniel Alarcón (aka El Benigno, “the kind one,”) joins Castro’s rebels at age 17. Years later, as a revolutionary hero, he escapes the ambush that took Che Guevara’s life, returns to Cuba and becomes disillusioned. Rare footage of Che and Castro; a powerful study in broken idealism.
(U.S. Premiere)

"Between The Lines- India's Third Gender" ("Between The Lines- Indiens drittes Geschlecht")
Director: Thomas Wartmann (Germany)
They live on the fringes of Indian society. They are the Hijras, eunuchs whose existence is officially denied, but who exert a legendary some say supernatural power over everyone they encounter. This documentary takes moviegoers inside their unique world, with its omnipresent eroticism, mutual acceptance and refreshing sense of community.
(North American Premiere)

"Black Sun" Director: Gary Tarn (UK)
Artist Hugues de Montalembert learns that there are many kinds of sight as he narrates his long journey out of “the pit” into which he was cast when assailants blinded him in 1978. Composer-turned-filmmaker Gary Tarn weaves a mesmerizing web out of de Montalembert’s observations, an impressionistic flow of images, and his own spare, haunting orchestral score. (U.S. Premiere)

"For The Love Of Dolly" Director: Tai Uhlmann (USA)
Tai Uhlmann’s documentary vividly illuminates the Dolly Parton fan phenomenon by focusing on the human stories of five of the entertainer’s most devoted followers. Interviews mixed with scenes from everyday life show how Dolly’s simple message of self-acceptance transforms their lives and inspires them to quasi-religious acts of devotion.
(World Premiere)

"GITMO - The new rules of war" Directors: Erik Gandini, Tarik Saleh (Sweden)
In this compellingly sensational examination of the terrorist prison camp at Guantanamo Bay, Swedish filmmakers Erik Gandini and Tarik Saleh adopt a polemical investigative style, with the tabloid charm of Nick Broomfield and the sharp media eye of Michael Moore, as they seek truths behind an issue defined by its secrets.
(North American Premiere)

"The Heart of the Game" Director: Ward Serrill (USA)
A new age coach's unorthodox methods turn a Washington state high school girls basketball team into champions. But the team's biggest challenge may be helping its star player- an inner-city, African-American girl- go on to college. Hoop Dreams are on their minds in this uplifting, inspirational sports documentary. A real winner!
(East Coast Premiere)

"In the Pit" ("En El Hoyo") Director: Juan Carlos Rulfo (Mexico)
Several work crews battle to give a traffic-bogged, over-smogged Mexico City freeway an upper level in this earthy documentary from Juan Carlos Rulfo. Showcasing the jokes, curses and philosophizing of a little-seen underclass of the upper deck, the film fashions a tribute to those who keep “progress” moving, one brick and mortar at a time. His 1997 homage to his father, Juan, I Forgot, I Don't Remember, garnered praise in festivals around the world.
(East Coast Premiere)

"Memory Train" ("El Tren de la Memoria") Directors: Martas Arribas, Ana Pérez (Spain)
This sensitive and thought-provoking documentary artfully weaves interviews and wonderful historical footage to tell the story of a hidden part of European history: the officially sanctioned mass exodus of some two million Spaniards to work in European factories in the 1960s, when Germany and other countries were experiencing a boom, while in Franco’s Spain, families went hungry. (Regional Premiere)

"Muxes: Authentic, Intrepid Seekers of Danger " ("Muxes: auténticas, intrépidas buscadoras del peligro") Director: Alejandra Islas (Mexico)
A lively and surprising portrait of a group of homosexuals, who defend their sexual diversity while preserving their identity as Zapotec Indians in the “queer paradise” of Juchitán, Mexico. Winner of the Audience Award at the Morelia International Film Festival, Muxes examines transgressive boundary-pushing within an indigenous culture that has historically embraced this “third gender.” (North American Premiere)

"My Grandmother's House" ("La casa de mi abuela") Director: Adán Aliaga (Spain)
The relationship between a feisty, high-energy granddaughter and her proper, religious, but just as feisty grandmother, anchors this remarkably candid documentary on family life in Spain, modernization and generational change. A tribute to grandmothers everywhere, filled with painterly images of southeastern Spain and a director’s love for his family. (East Coast Premiere)

"Nuestra Familia, Our Family" Director: Oriana Zill de Granados (USA)
A rare look inside the secret world of the NF, or Norteños, one of America’s most violent Latino street gangs, in Salinas, California. Exclusive interviews with gang members and never-before-seen FBI surveillance footage document the deadly toll waged by gang violence and the efforts being made to reveal their devastating effect on families, as well as the controversial war to stop their spread. (East Coast Premiere)

"The Refugee All Stars" Directors: Zach Niles, Banker White (Guinea/Sierra Leone/USA)
And the beat goes on! Refugees, victims of the brutal Sierra Leon war, form a band and perform reggae-tinged music in their safe-haven camp in Guinea. While their music inspires, their powerful personal stories quickly dispel the stereotype of refugees as helpless victims of war. A moving and elating experience. Winner of the Best Documentary Award at the A.F.I. Film Festival 2005. (East Coast Premiere)
"Si Sos Brujo, A Tango Story" ("Si Sos Brujo, Una Historia de Tango") Director: Caroline Neal (Argentina)
With the old maestros of the tango on the verge of dying off, a young musician, Ignacio Varchausky, forms the Tango School Orchestra to ensure that the true spirit of the music is passed on to the next generation. Caroline Neal’s engaging film documents the effort of Ignacio and Emilio Balcarce, a retired legendary violinist, bandoneonista and composer, and the music that ensued. Emilio collaborates with notable figures such as Pepe Libertella, Raúl Garello, Néstor Marconi and Ernesto Franco, amongst many more. (East Coast Premiere)

"Teen Mothers" ("As Meninas") Directors: Sandra Werneck Additional Director: Gisela Camara (Brazil)
A stark and honest look at the explosion of teen pregnancy in Brazil, portrayed through the lives of four teenage girls—each from a different region and social stratum. By following them through the course of their pregnancies, this documentary puts a human face on what had been an impersonal statistic. (North American Premiere)

International Panorama

Amazing works from the masters and up-coming filmmakers who have created more than two features are on view in this vibrant array of films from all corners of the world. Compelling dramas, poignant biographies, innovative docudramas, neo westerns, hilarious comedies and groundbreaking documentaries premiere from Spain to Canada, the U.S. to the U.K. and Brazil to South Africa. In addition, this year the International Panorama pays a special tribute to Chilean cinema and films that touch Florida.

International Panorama - Dramatic Features: World Cinema

"All Souls" ("Allerzielen")
Directors: Mijke de Jong, Eddy Terstall, Nicole van Kilsdonk, Gerrard Verhage, Peter de Baan, Marco van Geffen, Norbert ter Hall, Maarten Treurniet, Rita Horst, Meral Uslu, Hanro Smitsman, Michiel van Jaarsveld, David Lammers, Tim Oliehoek, Constant Dullaart, Rob Schröder & Mariecke van der Linden, David Lammers
(The Netherlands)
Last year’s murder of Dutch filmmaker Theo Van Gogh, killed for his film’s stance against Islamic oppression of women, forms the basis of this provocative look at religion, integration and individualism in today’s multicultural Europe. The collection of 16 different short films by 17 directors moves from comedy to tragedy, dance to protest, to uncover the heart of contemporary Amsterdam. (U.S. Premiere)

"Conversations on a Sunday Afternoon" Director: Khalo Matabane (South Africa)
An inventive film from a major new South African voice fuses fiction and documentary to explore Johannesburg as an unlikely haven for the world’s war refugees. In a park where he reads heady novels, Keniloe finds a real-life character in Fatima, a Somali refugee with a tragic story. Searching for her in the streets of Johannesburg, Keniloe finds there are many “Fatimas.” (U.S. Premiere)

"Joyeux Noël" ("Merry Christmas") Director: Christian Carion (France/Germany/UK/Belgium/Romania)
During WWI, in the heat of battle, and the dead of winter, Scottish, French and German troops laid down their weapons to share a Christmas meal and glad tidings. This official French selection for the 2006 Oscars race brims with touching drama and life lessons that are more topical today than ever before. Based on true events.
(Regional Premiere)

"The Notorious Bettie Page" Director: Mary Harron (USA)
Model extraordinaire Bettie Page pioneered the sexy, kinky nude pin-up pose way back in the ‘50s. Director Mary Harron (American Psycho) films her racy life story. A very svelte Gretchen Mol gives an amazing performance as Paige, the lady in leather who drove men wild. Partly shot in Florida, it perfectly re-creates a time gone by.
(Regional Premiere)

"The Proposition" Director: John Hillcoat (Australia/UK)
In the harsh, parched, unforgiving 1880s Australia Outback, two Irish outlaw brothers have been captured and sentenced to death. One can save the other’s life if he captures their psychotic eldest brother – dead or alive. Guy Pearce, Ray Winstone and Emily Watson star in this brutal, neo-western thriller. (East Coast Premiere)

"Shooting Dogs" Director: Michael Caton-Jones (UK)
The horrors of the 1994 Rwandan genocide and the horrific lack of response in the West are re-visited in this hard-hitting British counterpoint to Hotel Rwanda, filmed on location and based on an actual event. John Hurt gives a career-capping performance and Hugh Dancy a career-making one, as two individuals trying to save hundreds from slaughter. (U.S. Premiere)

"Wassup Rockers" Director: Larry Clark (USA)
In L.A., a group of aimless El Salvadorian teen boys play in a rock band. They prefer skateboarding to hip hop, and are ostracized by their neighbors. They head to Beverly Hills, where the local girls think they are "muy caliente". But the girls' boyfriends are not so amused! The latest kid-flick from director Larry Clark (Kids). (East Coast Premiere)

International Panorama - Dramatic Features: Ibero-American Cinema

"El Calentito" Director: Chus Gutiérrez (Spain)
The virginal Sara (Verónica Sánchez) joins an all-woman punk band, but her debut happens to fall amid the chaos of a failed military coup. Set in a bar in Madrid, this exuberant comedy re-creates the atmosphere of Spain’s movido liberation movement, when the sexual, the musical, the familial and the political all converged to burst out of Franco’s fascism. (Regional Premiere)

"The Good Voice" ("La Buena Voz") Director: Antonio Cuadri (Spain)
Pepe, an insensitive taxi driver, lives a peaceful, if not complacent, existence with Rosa, a devoted subservient wife. A heart attack and a surprise visit from a past love force him to re-evaluate his relationship and overcome his bitterness and old fears. (World Premiere)

"Heroine" ("Heroína") Director: Gerardo Herrero (Spain)
Your son is a heroine addict. What’s a mother to do? For one Spanish woman in the drug-choked Galicia of the 1980s, the answer is simple: attack the dealers head-on. Based on real-life events, Gerardo Herrero’s film is a vibrantly compassionate study of devotion, persistence and, above all, familial love. (U.S. Premiere)

"In Evil Hour" ("O Veneno da Madrugada") Director: Ruy Guerra (Brazil)
In a godforsaken Latin American town where the rain won’t stop, an outbreak of poison-pen letters unnerves the populace. The great Brazilian director Ruy Guerra adapts an early novel by Gabriel García Márquez (La Mala Hora), bringing to the fore the author’s rich imagination and oddball characters in a distinctly cinematic style.
(North American Premiere)

"Play" Director: Alicia Scherson (Chile/Argentina/France)
A lonely man and a lonely woman almost cross paths as they search for love in a hostile city. Cristina takes care of an old man in what she sees as a modest city; Tristan wanders, heartbroken, in what he sees as a very modern city. Both are involved in loveless relationships. Chile's Oscar entry for Best Foreign Language Film, Play examines small things and looks for clues about what makes us breathe, in a city that denies itself. (Regional Premiere)

"Pretendiendo" Director: Claudio Dabed (Chile)
When her boyfriend cheats on her with her best friend, a beautiful woman (Barbara Mori) swears off relationships and re-makes herself in a new town. However, a chauvinist co-worker’s remarks soon draw her back into the battle of the sexes. Claudio Dabed’s comedy combines sharp observations about inter-gender friendship with farcical hijinks, to winning effect. (World Premiere)

"Sisters" ("Hermanas") Director: Julia Solomonoff (Spain/Argentina/Brazil)
The last time these two Argentinean sisters had seen each other was in Buenos Aires in 1975, during the brutal military coup. Secrets from those turbulent days threaten to fracture the family again, when the sisters are re-united ten years later. This first feature from Julia Solomonoff is a tense drama of guilt and redemption.
(East Coast Premiere)

"Sud Express" Directors: Chema de la Peña, Gabriel Velásquez (Spain/Portugal)
Multi-narrative in structure and deeply humanist in scope, Sud Express is a kaleidoscopic look at the delicate balance of emotions that exist on the Paris-Lisbon railway service, which ties together southwestern Europe for better or for worse – an economic corridor still hampered by social hierarchies, racial prejudices and even some romance.
(East Coast Premiere)

"Time Off" ("Paréntesis") Directors: Francisca Schweitzer, Pablo Solís (Chile)
An aimless twentysomething man who works in a video store meanders through life. His lackadaisical attitude alienates his girlfriend, who calls for a week-long trial separation, a “paréntesis". While the cat’s away, the mouse starts to play — with a rebellious 16-year-old girl. He’s smitten. He’s happy. So why does she disappear? Que pasa?
(East Coast Premiere)

International Panorama - Documentary Features: World & Ibero-American Cinema

"Buena Vista Social Club" Director: Wim Wenders (Germany/USA)
Rock legend/guitarist Ry Cooder and director Wim Wenders pay homage to Cuba's Buena Vista Social Club, a band of musicians from the 50s and 60s who are re-united, to the delight of millions. Legends like 70-year-old Ibrahim Ferrer sing and play. In concerts from Havana to Carnegie Hall, their vibrant, history-making performances are gorgeously photographed. A masterpiece. (1999)

"Lover Other" Director: Barbara Hammer (USA)
On the Jersey Isle during World War II, surrealist artists, lovers and half-sisters Claude Cahun and Marcel Moore make art, love each other and commit imaginative acts of resistance against the Nazi occupation. Barbara Hammer’s daring documentary replicates the aesthetic and memorializes the heroism of these uncompromising, avant-garde pioneers. (North American Premiere)

"Pick Up the Mic" Director: Alex Hinton (USA)
All across the nation, there’s a new vibration – queer hip hop. Gays, lesbians, bi's and transgenders take center stage in this inspiring, unapologetic documentary about the gutsy, articulate new artists who’ve hijacked rap music and created their own underground art form. Now wave your hands in the air. Wave ‘em like you just don’t care.
(East Coast Premiere)

"Yo Soy Boricua, pa'que tu lo sepas!" ("I'm Boricua, just so you know!")
Directors: Rosie Perez, Co-Directed by Liz Garbus (USA)
In her directorial debut, Rosie Perez pays tribute to Puerto Rican pride and surveys the complex, controversial history of Puerto Rican/U.S. relations. Alternately shocking and celebratory, this perceptive documentary examines the overarching themes of the Puerto Rican experience including family, language and racism in a broad historical perspective. (World Premiere)

International Panorama - Touching Florida

The Festival proudly celebrates the latest works from Floridian directors and producers with films whose subjects touch on Florida. Feature films and documentaries are showcased in this special section devoted to the Sunshine State.

"Bob Marley & Friends" Director: Saul Swimmer (USA)
A celebration of the life and art of the incomparable Bob Marley, this joyous documentary puts the reggae master’s music front and center, featuring rare concert footage as well as outstanding performances of Marley compositions and reggae classics from some of today’s top artists, including Peter Tosh, Seal, Ziggy Marley & The Melody Makers, Wyclef Jean and Lauryn Hill in celebration and in memory- 25 years already! (World Premiere)

"Class Act" Director: Sara Sackner (USA)
The failing state of American arts education is exposed in this lively profile of famed Miami teacher Jay W. Jensen. Created by the team behind Super-Size Me, Class Act gathers an impressive list of Miamians- Andy Garcia, Brett Ratner and many more- to attest what education and inspiration can do for students, society and this country.
(World Premiere)

"Purvis of Overtown" Directors: Shaun Conrad, David Raccuglia (USA)
Purvis Young’s colorful, visionary paintings record the life and embody the spirit of Overtown. And after 30 years spent toiling away in the same dilapidated warehouse, the art world finally took notice. This perceptive documentary illuminates the life and work of this uncompromising African-American pioneer through extensive interviews with the artist, his friends and colleagues. (World Premiere)

"Trona" Director: David Fenster (USA)
An alcoholic businessman finds himself inexplicably lost in the Mojave Desert. After someone swipes his clothes, he stumbles into a town in his underwear. Masculinity is undressed and on parade in this abstract, cocky man tale by a perceptive, native Miamian director, who tells a very off-center story amazingly well. (East Coast Premiere)

Big Picture Discussions

The Big Picture program highlights films that tackle world issues and the human struggle for life and dignity. Often asking more questions than they answer, these films aim to increase awareness and inspire dialog that will lead to understanding and meaningful change.This year's program addresses four major topics: “French “Banlieue” Uprisings,” “The Death Penalty,”and “Children Affected by War and Terrorism and Soldiers Question War.” The program pairs each film with a thought-provoking discussion, engaging filmmakers, international experts and the audience.

THE BANLIEUE IN FRENCH CINEMA: STORIES FROM THE GHETTO ON THE OUTSKIRTS

"Alimentation Générale" Director: Chantal Briet (France)
Ali's grocery store is the only shop of the decayed shopping center still in business. It's also the only place left for the forsaken inhabitants of the surrounding tower blocks, where they can get together. By filming time going by, this chronicle shows the importance of such a place where, in spite of difficulties and poverty, people still share friendliness, laughter and human warmth. (North American Premiere)

"L'Esquive" ("Games of Love and Chance") Director: Abdelatif Kechiche (France)
Fifteen-year-old Krimo is in love with Lydia, the confident and sassy star of the upcoming school play. This is not your typical high school comedy, but a reality-based romance set in the housing complexes that surround Paris. The play is an 18th century comedy, whose language is as far from French slang as Shakespeare is from rap. (2003)

“L’Haine” (“Hate”) Director: Mathieu Kassovitz (France)
Twenty-four hours in the lives of three close friends from very different backgrounds.Said is an Arab, Hubert is black and Vinz a Jew. Each of them need to vent the anger they feel about the police brutality that landed another friend in the hospital. A riot breaks out in their housing project outside Paris, and Vinz finds a gun lost by a policeman. (1995)

"Wesh wesh. Qu'est-ce qui se passe?" ("Wesh wesh, what's going on?") Director: Rabah Ameur-Zaimeche
(France)
Kamel, a young man from a Paris banlieue, was sentenced to prison and expulsion. After a term in jail and two years in Algeria, he comes back illegally to his family. He wants to rebuild his life, find a job, get papers and live a normal life. But all of his efforts fail. (2001)

THE DEATH PENALTY

"After Innocence" Director: Jessica Sanders (USA)
Imagine serving prison time for someone else’s crime. Now imagine getting a second chance at freedom and facing a judicial system that resents being challenged. After Innocence takes a closer look at the legal revolution of DNA testing and its effect on inmates, who are suddenly proven not guilty. Discussion to follow film. (Regional Premiere)

Fighting for Life in the Death-Belt Directors: Jeff Marks, Adam Elend (USA)
This film is a gripping, behind-the-scenes look at a lawyer's fight to save his wrongly convicted client from execution. Narrated by singer Ani Di Franco, this new documentary considers the controversial institution of capital punishment through the eyes of Stephen Bright, the nation's leading anti-death penalty lawyer. Discussion to follow film.
(Regional Premiere)

SOLDIERS QUESTION WAR

"Sir, No Sir" Director: David Zeiger (USA)
The first film to tell the complete story of the GI movement against the Vietnam War is both a timely document and a much needed redress to a forgotten and sometimes suppressed history. Troy Garity narrates this blistering and passionate award-winning documentary that combines dramatic personal testimony and never-before-seen archival material. Discussion to follow film. (Regional Premiere)

CHILDREN AFFECTED BY WAR AND TERRORISM

"Echoes Of War" Director: Joop Van Wijk (The Netherlands)
Children from around the world, victims of war and terrorism, share their harrowing experiences. From Afghanistan to Colombia, Sierra Leone to 9/11, they recollect the carnage that affects them to this day. Grief, courage and hope are their common bond in this heart-warming documentary. Discussion to follow film. (North American Premiere)

Short Films Program
This international array of short films is presented in two dynamic, eclectic programs featuring amusing comedies, animation, tense thrillers, compelling dramas, romantic vignettes and edgy experimental works. In addition to the two Short Programs, individual shorts will be played prior to some feature films during the 10 days of the Festival.
SHORT FILMS PROGRAM I (total runtime: 121 min.)

"A Good Day" (En god dag) (Sweden)
Director: Per Hanefjord

"Contracuerpo" (Spain)
Director: Eduardo Chapero-Jackson

"Los Ojos De Alicia" (Basque)
Director: Ugo Sanz

"I Like You Too" (Yo También Te Quiero) (Mexico)
Director: Jack Zagha Kababie

"Alice" (Brazil)
Director: Rafael Gomes

"May God Keep You" (Dios Te Salve) (Mexico/US)
Director: Cecilia Martínez

"Eramos Pocos" (Basque)
Director: Borja Cobeaga

"A Message From Fallujah" (Australia)
Director: Richard Gibson

"Before Dawn" (Hungary)
Director: Balint Kenyeres

SHORT FILMS PROGRAM II (total runtime: 127 min.)

“Phone Booth On Main Street” (USA-Miami)
Director: Priscilla Cordoba

"The Mirakle" (USA)
Director: Roberto Bentivegna

"Taina-Kan The Big Star"
(“Tainá-kan, a Grande Estrela”) (Brazil)
Director: Adriana Figueirdo

"Mama Said" (USA)
Director: Yasmina Cadiz

"Little Things" (UK)
Director: James Tywford

"The Aluminum Fowl" (USA)
Director: James Clauer

"The Moor" (USA)
Director: Caerthan M. Banks

"Behind The Curtains"
(“Tras Las Cortinas”) (Chile)
Director: José Miguel Palacious

"Squirrel Man" (USA)
Director: Jeffrey Lynn Shepherd

SHORT FILMS BEFORE FEATURE FILMS

"Moonglow" (“Schijn van de maan“)(Belgium) (showing before "Benigno, Farewell to a Revolution")
Director: Peter Ghesquière

"Escapades" (Canada) (showing before "My Grandmother’s House")
Director: Elric Robichon

"She Sank on Shallow Bank" (USA) (showing before "Black Sun")
Directors: Clifton Childree, Nikki Rollason

"Band Of Sisters" (USA) (showing before "Lover Other")
Director: Joel Fendelman

"Missing" (USA) (showing before "Orlando Vargas")
Director: Kit Hui

"The Man Who Met Himself" (UK) (showing before "Trona")
Director: Ben Crowe

"Queen of Brazil petit" (Brazil) (showing before "For The Love of Dolly")
Director: Fernanda Tornaghi, Ricardo Bruno

"Kwagh-hir" (“Thing of Magic”) (USA) (showing before "The Refugee All Stars")
Director: Charles Recher

In addition, a program of more than 20 panels and discussions will be held throughout the 10-day festival.

The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation promotes journalism excellence worldwide and invests in the vitality of Miami and 25 other U.S. communities. Since its creation in 1950, Knight Foundation has approved more than $148 million in grants to the greater Miami area. Learn more online at www.knightfdn.org.

Screenings will take place at six venues throughout the city: The Gusman Center for the Performing Arts in downtown Miami, Regal South Beach Cinema in South Beach, Tower Theater in Little Havana, Sunrise Intracoastal Cinema in North Miami Beach, The Bill Cosford Cinema at the University of Miami in Coral Gables, and The Colony in Miami Beach.

MIFF also announced today that art from photographer Abelardo Morell will adorn the cover of the 2006 film catalogue and the 2006 MIFF poster. Born in Havana, Cuba in 1948, Abelardo Morell has received a number of awards and grants, which include a Cintas grant and a Guggenheim fellowship. His work has been collected and shown in many galleries, institutions and museums, including the Museum of Modern Art, The Whitney Museum of American Art, the Metropolitan Art Museum in New York, The Chicago Art Institute, The San Francisco Museum of Modern Art.

Guests who have recently attended the Miami International Film Festival have included Andy Garcia, Jonathan Demme, Woody Harrelson, Geraldine Chaplin, Carlos Saura, Virginie Ledoyen, Zana Briski, HBO, Fox Searchlight, Liv Ullmann, Alexia de la Iglesia, Chris Terrio, Luis Mandoki, Stanley Nelson, Bob Rafelson, Sara Driver, Ted Hope, Sony Pictures Classics, Camilla Belle, Miramax, Baltasar Kormakur, Tony Safford, Rory Kennedy, Daniel Bruhl, Luis Tosar, Stephen Frears, Gaspar Noe, Fred Wiseman, Fernando Leon de Aranoa, Jesse Bradford, Daniele Thompson, Mikael Hafstrom, LisaGay Hamilton, Khyentse Norbu, Eve Ensler, Focus Features, ThinkFilm, Venevision, Maverick, Plural, PBS, Wellspring, Global Film Initiative, Emerging Pictures, Paradigm Consulting, Bristol Media, William Morris Agency, Ibermedia, Traction Media, Comerica Bank, amongst others.

The Miami International Film Festival brings the best of world cinema to South Florida and plays a leading role in maintaining and further enriching its film culture. MIFF uses the unique geographical and cultural position of Miami to be a premiere venue for the exhibition of international and US films, with a special focus on Ibero-American cinema.

More than 60,000 people attended the Festival in 2005, a 275% increase since 2002. In addition, more than 220 filmmakers, producers, talent, and industry representatives from around the world attended the 2005 Festival to introduce their work to Miami audiences and industry professionals. During the last three years, under the direction of Nicole Guillemet, the Festival has presented films from more than 50 countries, including 125 East Coast, US, and world premieres, scores of Oscar winners and nominees, and many international prizewinners.

Miami Dade College
Miami Dade College has a long and rich history of involvement in the cultural arts, providing South Florida with a vast array of artistic and literary offerings including The Miami Book Fair International, the Cultura del Lobo performing arts series, The Cuban Cinema Series, and the School of Entertainment and Design Technology in addition to the Miami International Film Festival. MDC is the largest institution of higher education in the country and is nationally recognized for many of its academic and cultural programs. With an enrollment of more than 163,000 students, MDC is the nation’s top producer of associate of arts and associate of science degrees. The college’s eight campuses and outreach centers offer more than 200 distinct degree programs including baccalaureate degrees in education.

For more information contact the Miami International Film Festival at (305) 237-3456 or visit www.miamifilmfestival.com. For more information on Miami Dade College, please visit www.mdc.edu.