11th Annual Vancouver Latin American Film Festival Shines Spotlight On Colombian Film

^[1]The 11^th Vancouver Latin American Film Festival ^[1] (VLAFF), the largest festival of Latin American cinema in Canada, proudly announced that Colombian film will be the spotlight of this year’s festival. From August 30 to September 8, filmmakers from Colombia and other regions in Latin America will be attending the festival to showcase some of their most recent works.

La Playa D.C. by Montreal-based director Juan Andrés Arango, premiered at the 2012 Cannes Film Festival and will be the Opening Night Film. The Spotlight on Colombian cinema includes six feature films, four short films, a panel discussion on Colombian cinema, along with six guests from Colombia in attendance, Arango included.

“Latin American cinema is rapidly becoming one of the most respected and represented regional cinemas in international forums – winning awards in prestigious festivals such as Cannes, Berlin and San Sebastian,” says Christian Sida-Valenzuela, VLAFF Festival Director. “The level of artistry and commitment of its directors has made an impressive mark on the world stage.”

This year, VLAFF is proud to be screening award-winning films ^[2] such as Post Tenebras Lux by Carlos Reygadas, winner of Best Director at Cannes 2012; and NO by Pablo Larraín, nominated for a 2013 Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. VLAFF will be presenting awards in four categories:

• First-Time Directors Award
• Al Jazeera Documentary Award
• VLAFF Short Film Award
• Youth Choice Award

Winners will be selected by four festival juries ^[3] who will present the awards at the closing ceremony.

“VLAFF has created a dynamic line-up that stands out for the quality of its selection; it not only celebrates Latin American cinema, but it also acclaims its intersection with international cinema,” says Sida-Valenzuela. “Our 2013 selection will showcase works from 21 countries in 11 different languages.”

With tickets available ^[4] both online and at the box office, VLAFF provides a unique opportunity for film lovers to experience the talent of Latin American filmmakers, as 98 per cent of these films will not be commercially released in Canada. All films are subtitled and are open to the general public.