International Film Festival of Panama 2013
The next International Film Festival of Panama (Panama IFF) will be held from April 11 to 17, 2013.
IFF Panama Press Release:
IFF Panama reveals the 12 films that are to be presented in the Iberoamerican Panorama section and confirms the presence of actress, Maribel Verdú.
Fecha Publicacion:
Thursday, March 7, 2013
The International Film Festival of Panama, IFF Panama, confirmed the presence of actress and two-time winner of the Goya Award, Maribel Verdú, at this year’s event.
Maribel Verdú recently won the Goya Award for Best Actress for her role as the stepmother in Pablo Berger’s Snow White. The film will be screened during IFF Panama and also one of the twelve films that will be competing for the Iberoamerican Panorama section.
The festival director, Pituka Ortega de Heilbron, stressed, “Each of the films in this section has been specially selected to offer the best of current Iberoamerican cinema to the Panamanian public”.
This list of films that are set to screen cover a variety of controversial topics. Among them is White Elephant by Argentinian director Pablo Trapero, which explores one of the most dangerous corners of Buenos Aires, Villa Maria; an area for drug dealers under the orders of corrupt policemen.
Also hailing from Argentina is another film entitled Gone Fishing by Carlos Sorín. This film tells a story of a man who wishes to learn to fish for shark while in search of his daughter whom has been estranged for a long time.
The new Portuguese film, Tabu, by Marcelo Gomes will be accompanying the list of acclaimed films. Taboo chronicles the story of forbidden love and takes a penetrating look into the colonial history of Portugal.
Ghost Graduation is a hilarious Spanish comedy that combines elements of 80’s teen comedies and fantasy films. When a high school teacher, with the ability to speak to the dead, begins working at a new school he finds that ghosts are terrorizing his students.
Beast of the Southern Wild, nominated for four Academy Awards 2013, will is scheduled to screen at the Closing Red Carpet event on April 17, in the National Theater. The story surrounds a young girl, her father and a group of their friends as they prepare to brace a storm that promises to be the biggest one yet in the mythical backlands of Louisiana.
Other films that are set to screen during the festival include: Marcel Gomes’ Once Upon a Time was I, Veronica; Pablo Larraín’s No; Miguel Cortois’ Operation “E”; Sebastián Cordero’s Fisherman; Hari Sama’s Lu’s Dream; and Eduard Cortés’ Robbery.
Like last year, the festival will feature its already well-known red carpet sections while debuting the most outstanding films. These sections will also include First Time Directors, where first time directors will debut films from various countries including Panama. As well as the International Showcase which brings the captive works of Oscar nominees and the world’s most recognized talents.
Other sections are: Family Corner, where young and old share the magic of cinema, Central American Stories, Documentaries and Special Presentations.
This year Panama IFF honors Geraldine Chaplin, a multifaceted artist and unique presence on the international scene who has built a long and varied acting career. Chaplin has confirmed her presence in Panama during the week of the Festival.
About IFF Panama
The International Film Festival of Panama has a mission to build a bridge of cultural between its followers and the best of film. IFF Panama was created with the aim of spreading the best of international cinema in Panama, to help the preserving culture in the country, promoting the development of local industry, film education and to establish the festival as a tourist destination.
Awards 2013
In the first edition of 2012, IFF Panama and Copa Airlines placed the power to choose the best film into the hands of the audience. Of that emerged the sections First Time Directors (Operas Primas) and Panorama Iberoamericano. Cuban filmmaker Alejandro Burgués was the first to be awarded in this section for his work, Juan de los Muertos.
Since then, IFF Panama has maintained the belief of public decision and has added on two more awards from the audience: The Audience Award for Best Documentary, sponsored by K-Magazine La Prensa and the MASTERACRD Audience Award for Best Film of the Central American Stories section.
Copa Airlines continues to sponsor the 2013 Copa Airlines Audience Award for Best Film. Eight films from the Operas Primas section will be comepeting for this award as well as 12 other films from the Panorama Iberoamericano section. In the words of IFF Panama’s director, Pituka Ortega Heilbron, “Our festival is targeting criteria that will strengthen the power of the audience as an entity that can make the fate of the winning films”.
What is the RUSH LINE?
The Rush Line allows those who were not able to buy tickets prior to the date of events to report to this line 15 minutes before the start of the screening. Once the festival staff has determined the amount of unoccupied seats in the theater, those waiting in the Rush Line will be allowed to enter the theater. We strongly recommend all interested parties take advantage of our presale that will take place April 1 to 10 as well as arriving early to screenings.
The International Film Festival of Panama thanks its sponsors, most notable within the Directorate General MTI Film, among others, who have made it posible for this event to be held in Panama April 11 to 17, 2013.
For more informaiton visit: www.iffpanama.org
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