Aardman Animations’ founder Peter Lord will receive the honorary Chinelo del Año at Mexico’s 10th Pixelatl animation festival, hosted by the city of Cuernavaca. Taking place in an online format, the event runs Sept. 7-11.
Organization has confirmed the attendance of executives from Disney Animation, Netflix, Nickelodeon, Illumination Entertainment, Lucas Films, Bento Box, Titmouse, HBO Max, BBC, Gaumont and Disney Plus, among others.
Conceived as both an exhibition platform and cluster of networking events, talent recruitment programs, masterclasses and workshops, Pixelatl main thrust is to extend the international reach of Mexico and Latin America’s animation industries.
Activities include a conversation with Byron Howard, the co-director of Disney Animation hit “Zootopia”; a workshop given by Sandra Equihua, the character designer – and a key creative influence – on the much-anticipated Netflix title “Maya and the Three”; and sneak previews of Pixar’s SparkShorts program with presentations by two of the selected...
Organization has confirmed the attendance of executives from Disney Animation, Netflix, Nickelodeon, Illumination Entertainment, Lucas Films, Bento Box, Titmouse, HBO Max, BBC, Gaumont and Disney Plus, among others.
Conceived as both an exhibition platform and cluster of networking events, talent recruitment programs, masterclasses and workshops, Pixelatl main thrust is to extend the international reach of Mexico and Latin America’s animation industries.
Activities include a conversation with Byron Howard, the co-director of Disney Animation hit “Zootopia”; a workshop given by Sandra Equihua, the character designer – and a key creative influence – on the much-anticipated Netflix title “Maya and the Three”; and sneak previews of Pixar’s SparkShorts program with presentations by two of the selected...
- 9/7/2021
- by Emilio Mayorga
- Variety Film + TV
Chile’s Chilemonos International Animation Festival, the country’s largest event dedicated to celebrating its rapidly expanding animation scene, kicked off its second entirely online edition last week, and will run through July 25.
2021 is a milestone year for the festival, marking a decade since its inaugural edition. Since then, the festival has grown exponentially and become the only Academy Award qualifying event for animated shorts in Latin America. Once again this year, organizers are predicting record numbers of attendees on the event’s digital platform and are eagerly looking forward to an in-person event in 2022.
Uniquely, and excitingly for animation fans across Central and South America, Chilemonos’ entire competition and events lineup will be accessible across Latin America free of charge, supported by an alliance with the OndaMedia platform – which hosts the online version of the fest – and the Department of Culture at Chile’s Ministry of Culture, Arts and Heritage.
2021 is a milestone year for the festival, marking a decade since its inaugural edition. Since then, the festival has grown exponentially and become the only Academy Award qualifying event for animated shorts in Latin America. Once again this year, organizers are predicting record numbers of attendees on the event’s digital platform and are eagerly looking forward to an in-person event in 2022.
Uniquely, and excitingly for animation fans across Central and South America, Chilemonos’ entire competition and events lineup will be accessible across Latin America free of charge, supported by an alliance with the OndaMedia platform – which hosts the online version of the fest – and the Department of Culture at Chile’s Ministry of Culture, Arts and Heritage.
- 7/12/2021
- by Jamie Lang
- Variety Film + TV
The director of the Quirino Awards-nominated “Cranston Academy: Monster Zone,” Mexico’s Leopoldo Aguilar, will direct “Bem & I.”
It will be produced by Mexico’s Espíritu Santo Cine and Pēek Paax animation studio, both of whom backed this year’s Quirino best feature winner, “A Costume for Nicholas.”
Mexico’s Espíritu Santo is a recently-founded company devoted to producing family-targeting cinema content. The company is run by Dariela Pérez. Aguilar and Heriberto Manzanares are also founding partners.
“Bem & I” also draws down financing from Mexico’s biggest public-sector fund for movies, Fidecine, and benefits from the country’s Eficine tax break system.
Aguilar’s fourth animated feature, “Bem & I” depicts the friendship between a lemur, illegally brought from the Madagascar forests to Mexico’s Sonora market, and Irene, a girl “allergic to everything,” who has been forced to live for years trapped between four walls.
“We need to make movies...
It will be produced by Mexico’s Espíritu Santo Cine and Pēek Paax animation studio, both of whom backed this year’s Quirino best feature winner, “A Costume for Nicholas.”
Mexico’s Espíritu Santo is a recently-founded company devoted to producing family-targeting cinema content. The company is run by Dariela Pérez. Aguilar and Heriberto Manzanares are also founding partners.
“Bem & I” also draws down financing from Mexico’s biggest public-sector fund for movies, Fidecine, and benefits from the country’s Eficine tax break system.
Aguilar’s fourth animated feature, “Bem & I” depicts the friendship between a lemur, illegally brought from the Madagascar forests to Mexico’s Sonora market, and Irene, a girl “allergic to everything,” who has been forced to live for years trapped between four walls.
“We need to make movies...
- 6/19/2021
- by Emilio Mayorga
- Variety Film + TV
Two students unleash a portal of monsters in a busy family offering from Mexico’s Anima Estudios
The two nominal main characters of this derivative but reasonably amusing computer-animated feature are a pair of teenage kids attending an elite Hogwartsian science school called Cranston Academy in London; the location signified by the fact it rains all the time and the teachers drink tea. Awkward American Danny, who prefers to work solo, is forcibly teamed up with prissy but whipsmart Liz from Australia (Ruby Rose). Together, they get the school’s nuclear reactor working, but it opens up a portal to another dimension. This Promethean class project unleashes all manner of monsters, many of whom recall the creatures in Pixar’s Monsters, Inc. but with less affable personalities.
The production, directed by Leopoldo Aguilar, emanates from Mexican cartoon studio Anima Estudios, which is interesting because only a tiny amount of animation...
The two nominal main characters of this derivative but reasonably amusing computer-animated feature are a pair of teenage kids attending an elite Hogwartsian science school called Cranston Academy in London; the location signified by the fact it rains all the time and the teachers drink tea. Awkward American Danny, who prefers to work solo, is forcibly teamed up with prissy but whipsmart Liz from Australia (Ruby Rose). Together, they get the school’s nuclear reactor working, but it opens up a portal to another dimension. This Promethean class project unleashes all manner of monsters, many of whom recall the creatures in Pixar’s Monsters, Inc. but with less affable personalities.
The production, directed by Leopoldo Aguilar, emanates from Mexican cartoon studio Anima Estudios, which is interesting because only a tiny amount of animation...
- 4/16/2021
- by Leslie Felperin
- The Guardian - Film News
“Nahuel and the Magic Book” and “A Costume for Nicholas” and TV shows “Petit Season 2” and “I, Elvis Riboldi,” are nominated for the 4th Quirino Ibero-American Animation Awards.
The Awards will be held in the Spanish Canary Island city of La Laguna, in Santa Cruz de Tenerife over May 27-29.
Targeting family audiences, German Acuña’s fantasy movie “Nahuel and the Magic Book” is produced by Chile’s Carburadores, Brazil’s Levante Films and Chile’s Punkrobot, which won a best animated short Academy Award for “Bear Story.” Sold by Spain’s Latido Films, it mixes adventure, myths and legends from the Southern Chilean island of Chiloé while telling the story of a Nahuel, 12, who has a deep fear of the sea. When his father is captured by a malignant sorcerer, he sets out to rescue him, overcoming his fears along the way.
Eduardo Rivero’s “A Costume for Nicholas...
The Awards will be held in the Spanish Canary Island city of La Laguna, in Santa Cruz de Tenerife over May 27-29.
Targeting family audiences, German Acuña’s fantasy movie “Nahuel and the Magic Book” is produced by Chile’s Carburadores, Brazil’s Levante Films and Chile’s Punkrobot, which won a best animated short Academy Award for “Bear Story.” Sold by Spain’s Latido Films, it mixes adventure, myths and legends from the Southern Chilean island of Chiloé while telling the story of a Nahuel, 12, who has a deep fear of the sea. When his father is captured by a malignant sorcerer, he sets out to rescue him, overcoming his fears along the way.
Eduardo Rivero’s “A Costume for Nicholas...
- 3/17/2021
- by Emilio Mayorga
- Variety Film + TV
"How much bigger can they get?!" Lionsgate has unveiled an official US trailer for an animated movie titled Monster Zone, also known as Cranston Academy: Monster Zone, originally made in Mexico in the Spanish language (and released there in the summer). It's now getting a direct-to-vod English language release in the US coming up next February. An intelligent 15-year-old high school student is unexpectedly transferred to a boarding school where he opens a portal full of monsters from another dimension. This hilarious family adventure features the voices of Jamie Bell and Ruby Rose. These kind of low quality, "made for kids!" animated movies are a dime a dozen nowadays, and don't have much to offer in originality or creativity. At least some of the monsters in this look pretty cool, but the rest of it seems very uninspired. Here's the official trailer (+ poster) for Leopoldo Aguilar's Monster Zone, direct...
- 12/16/2020
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
In today’s film news roundup, “Avatar” gets a streaming date, Trace Adkins and Thora Birch join disaster thriller “13 Minutes,” and Jamie Bell and Ruby Rose get voice cast roles.
Streaming
James Cameron’s “Avatar” will be available on Nov. 12 on Disney Plus when the streaming service launches in the U.S., Canada and the Netherlands.
“Avatar” will also become available on the service in Australia and New Zealand on Nov. 19. Disney Plus will be the exclusive subscription streaming home of the film, which will be marking the 10th anniversary of its theatrical release on Dec. 18.
“Avatar” was nominated for nine Oscars and won three for visual effects, cinematography and production design. It’s the second-highest worldwide grosser of all time at $2.79 billion, trailing only “Avengers: Endgame.”
The film stars Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana, Sigourney Weaver, Stephen Lang, Michelle Rodriguez, Giovanni Ribisi, Joel David Moore, Cch Pounder, Wes Studi and Laz Alonso.
Streaming
James Cameron’s “Avatar” will be available on Nov. 12 on Disney Plus when the streaming service launches in the U.S., Canada and the Netherlands.
“Avatar” will also become available on the service in Australia and New Zealand on Nov. 19. Disney Plus will be the exclusive subscription streaming home of the film, which will be marking the 10th anniversary of its theatrical release on Dec. 18.
“Avatar” was nominated for nine Oscars and won three for visual effects, cinematography and production design. It’s the second-highest worldwide grosser of all time at $2.79 billion, trailing only “Avengers: Endgame.”
The film stars Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana, Sigourney Weaver, Stephen Lang, Michelle Rodriguez, Giovanni Ribisi, Joel David Moore, Cch Pounder, Wes Studi and Laz Alonso.
- 11/2/2019
- by Dave McNary
- Variety Film + TV
Exclusive: Rocketman actor Jamie Bell and Ruby Rose, who plays Batwoman in the CW’s DC series, are set to voice animated feature Cranston Academy: Monster Zone. Now in post-production, pic is the story of Danny and Liz, two rival geniuses attending a secret school for child prodigies. When one of them accidentally opens a portal to another dimension and unleashes a slew of monsters, they must put their rivalry aside to save the school.
Double Dutch International is handling sales and will be repping the project at Afm.
Leopoldo Aguilar (Monster Island) is directing. Producers are Fernando De Fuentes, José C. García de Leton and Greg Gavanski. The project is set for delivery this fall.
Carl Bunker and Bob Barlen (Escape From Planet Earth) penned the screenplay. Feature is an Anima production (Ana & Bruno) with Prime Focus (Lego Nexo Knights) in association with Fifth Dimension Films.
“We are big fans of Jamie and Ruby.
Double Dutch International is handling sales and will be repping the project at Afm.
Leopoldo Aguilar (Monster Island) is directing. Producers are Fernando De Fuentes, José C. García de Leton and Greg Gavanski. The project is set for delivery this fall.
Carl Bunker and Bob Barlen (Escape From Planet Earth) penned the screenplay. Feature is an Anima production (Ana & Bruno) with Prime Focus (Lego Nexo Knights) in association with Fifth Dimension Films.
“We are big fans of Jamie and Ruby.
- 11/1/2019
- by Tom Grater
- Deadline Film + TV
Jamie Bell and Ruby Rose are lending their voices to the animated feature Cranston Academy: Monster Zone.
Double Dutch International will begin shopping the Mexican animation project from director Leopoldo Aguilar at the American Film Market. The project, currently in postproduction, portrays Danny as a genius 15-year-old high school student who, after being unexpectedly moved to a boarding school, opens a portal of monsters from the fifth dimension.
Fellow genius Liz must put their rivalry aside and help Danny, together with a half-moth, half-man professor aptly nicknamed Mothman, to overcome the creatures of the fifth dimension and save the school. Cranston ...
Double Dutch International will begin shopping the Mexican animation project from director Leopoldo Aguilar at the American Film Market. The project, currently in postproduction, portrays Danny as a genius 15-year-old high school student who, after being unexpectedly moved to a boarding school, opens a portal of monsters from the fifth dimension.
Fellow genius Liz must put their rivalry aside and help Danny, together with a half-moth, half-man professor aptly nicknamed Mothman, to overcome the creatures of the fifth dimension and save the school. Cranston ...
- 11/1/2019
- The Hollywood Reporter - Film + TV
Jamie Bell and Ruby Rose are lending their voices to the animated feature Cranston Academy: Monster Zone.
Double Dutch International will begin shopping the Mexican animation project from director Leopoldo Aguilar at the American Film Market. The project, currently in postproduction, portrays Danny as a genius 15-year-old high school student who, after being unexpectedly moved to a boarding school, opens a portal of monsters from the fifth dimension.
Fellow genius Liz must put their rivalry aside and help Danny, together with a half-moth, half-man professor aptly nicknamed Mothman, to overcome the creatures of the fifth dimension and save the school. Cranston ...
Double Dutch International will begin shopping the Mexican animation project from director Leopoldo Aguilar at the American Film Market. The project, currently in postproduction, portrays Danny as a genius 15-year-old high school student who, after being unexpectedly moved to a boarding school, opens a portal of monsters from the fifth dimension.
Fellow genius Liz must put their rivalry aside and help Danny, together with a half-moth, half-man professor aptly nicknamed Mothman, to overcome the creatures of the fifth dimension and save the school. Cranston ...
- 11/1/2019
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Features the voices of: Fiona Hardingham, Roger Jackson, Jenifer Beth Kaplan, Eric Larsen, Katie Leigh, Michael Robles, Johnny Rose, Nancy Sullivan, Phillip Vasquez | Written by Billy Frolick, Alicia Núñez Puerto | Directed by Leopoldo Aguilar
When young Lucas finds out he’s not really a human; the news changes his whole world. Especially since his first monster transformation happened in front of the most popular kids at school! After unreasonably blaming his Dad for keeping his identity a secret, the angry and embarrassed Lucas runs away from home. His search for Monster Island and his real roots takes him on a fabulously scary journey that puts him face to face with more tentacles, fangs and far-out situations than he can shake one of his new wings at. Ultimately Lucas learns that being a freak, isn’t freaky – it means you’re a member of a brand new type of family you can proudly call your own.
When young Lucas finds out he’s not really a human; the news changes his whole world. Especially since his first monster transformation happened in front of the most popular kids at school! After unreasonably blaming his Dad for keeping his identity a secret, the angry and embarrassed Lucas runs away from home. His search for Monster Island and his real roots takes him on a fabulously scary journey that puts him face to face with more tentacles, fangs and far-out situations than he can shake one of his new wings at. Ultimately Lucas learns that being a freak, isn’t freaky – it means you’re a member of a brand new type of family you can proudly call your own.
- 10/13/2017
- by Phil Wheat
- Nerdly
Bad animation is only the first thing wrong with this children’s fantasy
There are few things more unpleasant to look at than bad animation. And Monster Island’s Technicolor yawn of regurgitated influences is monstrous in all the wrong ways. The eyeball-melting colour palette is just the tip of the tentacle – this is a cobbled-together, plotless mess from director Leopoldo Aguilar, completely lacking in the internal logic that is essential for the successful creation of a fantasy world. A 13-year-old boy discovers that his asthma inhaler actually delivers medicine that stops him returning to his natural state – as a gigantic orange ogre. He returns to Monster Island to seek the truth about his history and discovers, perhaps unsurprisingly, plenty of skeletons in his family closet.
Continue reading...
There are few things more unpleasant to look at than bad animation. And Monster Island’s Technicolor yawn of regurgitated influences is monstrous in all the wrong ways. The eyeball-melting colour palette is just the tip of the tentacle – this is a cobbled-together, plotless mess from director Leopoldo Aguilar, completely lacking in the internal logic that is essential for the successful creation of a fantasy world. A 13-year-old boy discovers that his asthma inhaler actually delivers medicine that stops him returning to his natural state – as a gigantic orange ogre. He returns to Monster Island to seek the truth about his history and discovers, perhaps unsurprisingly, plenty of skeletons in his family closet.
Continue reading...
- 7/23/2017
- by Wendy Ide
- The Guardian - Film News
Guadalajara Wraps and a New Fest Begins
Ficg (pronounced FeeSeeg and standing for the Festival International de Cine in Guadalajara), displayed a new vibrancy. Besides some great films, great attendance and great organization, several Latin American countries are entering the international film business for the first time (Peru and Ecuador) with subsidies from their government pointing to an optimism for film production as an economic factor in their country's growth. I blogged about the Dominican Republic but not about the new Law 226 in Mexico which encourages businesses to invest up to 20 million pesos (U.S.$2 million) or 10% of the taxes they owed the previous year (whichever is higher) into Mexican film production, or Brazilian access to subsidies.
In addition, Guadalajara is becoming known as the Silicon Valley of Mexico as its economy is based especially on information technology with a large number of international firms having facilities there. It is also considered to be the home of Mariachi music. The city is named after the Spanish city of Guadalajara with the name originating from the Arabic word meaning "Valley of Stones". It is the highest ranking major Mexican city and has the second strongest economic potential of any major North American city. Only Chicago scores more highly for sheer economic potential (Per a 2007 report in fDi magazine, an English-language news and foreign direct investment publication owned by The Financial Times Ltd and edited in London). The same research calls Guadalajara the "city of the future" due to its youthful population, low unemployment and large number of recent foreign investment deals. It was also ranked the third most business friendly city in North America.
A new digital film studio is going up. The University is an important center of culture and learning.
And sadly, violence over drugs is not far away. This past Friday, Narco gangs appropriated 25 vehicles in 16 separate incidents – 11 of them in the Guadalajara metropolitan zone where they set fire to them in retaliation for action taken against them in a military action to capture two Mexican drug cartel members. At the Centro Magno festival venue, festival transport staff stopped filmgoers leaving a screening of Andres Wood's Violeta Went to Heaven as they sought to return to the festival's central Expo Center venue, acknowledging concerns for safety. A truck was set on fire not far (but not too close either: at Calzada Lázaro Cárdenas and Mezquite, at la Colonia de El Fresno) from the Expo where the festival was still being held, but there was no disruption of the festival.
Our friend, Hebe Tabachnik, Iberoamerican programmer for the Palm Springs Film Festival is on the jury and writes from there:
Dear friends, in spite of the disruptive and unfortunately deadly incidents in Guadalajara today, all the attendees to the Ficg Guadalajara are Ok. We are sorry this beautiful city and specially its amazing people have to experience this kind of criminal acts. The festival is going ahead with its schedule events, as it should be. Celebrating the arts and show no fear is the best way to manifest against the non sense violence. Viva Guadalajara. Viva Mexico!!!!
The activities of the industry, with meetings about Iberoamerican coproductions with its well presented professional projects, the film market itself with films available to watch up to 2 weeks after the closing, the Cannes Marche Producers Network, Works in Progress, Berlinale's Talent Campus and Doculab, and of course, the festival itself with galas every night, a Focus on U.K. and Mike Leigh, Homages, Mexican and Iberoamerican Competition, Sounds of Cinema, Children's Cinema, Lgbt prizes, Open Air Screenings - all defy easy decision making on how best to spend one's time there.
The prize winners:
PalmarÉS FICG27
Premio Maguey
Mención Especial
“Todo el mundo tiene alguien menos yo” (México) Dir. Raúl Fuentes
Premio Maguey
“Mía“ (Argentina) Dir. Javier van de Couter
Premio del Público Milenio
“Espacio Interior“ (México) Dir. Kai Parlange
Premio Mezcal
“Un mundo secreto“ (México) Dir. Gabriel Mariño
Premio Cinecolor
“Un mundo secreto“ (México) Dir. Gabriel Mariño
Mejor Cortometraje de Animación - Premio Rigo Mora
“Un ojo” (México) Dir. Lorenza Manrique
Mejor Cortometraje Iberoamericano
“Minuto 200” (Colombia) Dir. Frank Benítez
Mejor Cortometraje Mexicano
“Lucy vs. los límites de la voz” (México) Dir. Mónica Herrera
Largometraje Iberoamericano Documental
Mención Especial
“El salvavidas“ (Chile) Dir. Maite Alberdi
Mejor Documental Iberoamericano
“ ¡Vivan las antípodas! “(Argentina - Chile - Alemania - Holanda) Dir. Víctor Kossakovsky
Largometraje Mexicano Documental
Mención Especial
“Carrière, 250 metros” Dir. Juan Carlos Rulfo y Natalia Gil
Mención Especial
“El paciente interno” Dir. Alejandro Solar
Mejor Documental Mexicano
“Cuates de Australia” Everardo González
Largometraje de Ficción Iberoamericana
Mejor Guion
Jaime Osorio por “El páramo” (Colombia)
Mejor Fotografía
Mauro Pinheiro Jr. por “Sudoeste” (Brasil)
Mejor Actriz
Francisca Gavilán por “Violeta se fue a los cielos” (Chile)
Mejor Actor
Andrés Crespo por “Pescador” (Ecuador)
Premio Especial del Jurado
“Los pasos dobles” (España - Suiza) Dir. Isaki Lacuesta
Mejor Opera Prima
“Transeunte” (Brasil) Dir. Eryk Rocha
Mejor Director
Sebastián Cordero por “Pescador” (Ecuador)
Mejor Película Iberoamericana
"Abrir puertas y ventanas" (Argentina) "Dir. Milagros Mumenthaler
Largometraje de Ficción Mexicana
Mención Especial
Música Original de "Días de gracia"
Mejor Guion
Miguel Bonilla por “Diente por diente”
Mejor Fotografía
Jerónimo Rodríguez por “Todo el mundo tiene a alguien menos yo”
Mejor Actriz
Martha Higareda por “Mariachi Gringo”
Mejor Actor
Kuno Becker por “Espacio Interior”
Mejor Opera Prima
"El fantástico mundo de Juan Orol" Dir. Sebastián del Amo
Mejor Director
Everardo Gout por “Días de gracia”.
Mejor Película
“Mariachi Gringo” Dir. Tom Gustafson
alt=premios-paralelos>
Premio de los Niños
“El secreto del medallón de jade” (México) Dir. Rodolfo Guzmán y Leopoldo Aguilar
Premio Feisal
Mención Especial
“No hay lugar lejano” (México) Dir. Michelle Ibaven
Mención Especial
“Oro Colombiano: 400 años de música del alma” (Colombia) Dir. Sanjay Agarwal e Iván Higa
Premio Feisal
“75 habitantes, 20 casas, 300 vacas” (Argentina) Dir. Fernando Domínguez
Premio Fipresci
“Violeta se fue a los cielos” (Chile) Dir. Andrés Wood
Guerrero de la Prensa
Mejor largometraje de ficción “Días de gracia” (México) Dir. Everardo Gout Mejor largometraje documental “El paciente interno” (México) Dir. Alejandro Solar
Academia Jalisciense de Cinematografía
Mejor cortometraje jalisciense “La noria” Dir. Karla Castañeda Mejor largometraje jalisciense “Fecha de caducidad” Dir. Kenya Márquez
No sooner does this festival and market wrap when a new Mexican festival, the Riviera Maya Film Festival, begins March 20 - 25 which will play in Cancun, Playa del Carmen, Tulum, Cozumel and Holbox. The industry component Rivieralab, a coproduction event will take place in Quintana Roo March 22-25 and will host 158 projects from Latin America and Europe. 10 projects will be showcased to financiers, fund representatives, producers and sales agents, 3 will receive 200,000 pesos or approximately Us$15,500. 8 international works in progress at post-production stage from a pool of 40 will be selected to receive support.
Ficg (pronounced FeeSeeg and standing for the Festival International de Cine in Guadalajara), displayed a new vibrancy. Besides some great films, great attendance and great organization, several Latin American countries are entering the international film business for the first time (Peru and Ecuador) with subsidies from their government pointing to an optimism for film production as an economic factor in their country's growth. I blogged about the Dominican Republic but not about the new Law 226 in Mexico which encourages businesses to invest up to 20 million pesos (U.S.$2 million) or 10% of the taxes they owed the previous year (whichever is higher) into Mexican film production, or Brazilian access to subsidies.
In addition, Guadalajara is becoming known as the Silicon Valley of Mexico as its economy is based especially on information technology with a large number of international firms having facilities there. It is also considered to be the home of Mariachi music. The city is named after the Spanish city of Guadalajara with the name originating from the Arabic word meaning "Valley of Stones". It is the highest ranking major Mexican city and has the second strongest economic potential of any major North American city. Only Chicago scores more highly for sheer economic potential (Per a 2007 report in fDi magazine, an English-language news and foreign direct investment publication owned by The Financial Times Ltd and edited in London). The same research calls Guadalajara the "city of the future" due to its youthful population, low unemployment and large number of recent foreign investment deals. It was also ranked the third most business friendly city in North America.
A new digital film studio is going up. The University is an important center of culture and learning.
And sadly, violence over drugs is not far away. This past Friday, Narco gangs appropriated 25 vehicles in 16 separate incidents – 11 of them in the Guadalajara metropolitan zone where they set fire to them in retaliation for action taken against them in a military action to capture two Mexican drug cartel members. At the Centro Magno festival venue, festival transport staff stopped filmgoers leaving a screening of Andres Wood's Violeta Went to Heaven as they sought to return to the festival's central Expo Center venue, acknowledging concerns for safety. A truck was set on fire not far (but not too close either: at Calzada Lázaro Cárdenas and Mezquite, at la Colonia de El Fresno) from the Expo where the festival was still being held, but there was no disruption of the festival.
Our friend, Hebe Tabachnik, Iberoamerican programmer for the Palm Springs Film Festival is on the jury and writes from there:
Dear friends, in spite of the disruptive and unfortunately deadly incidents in Guadalajara today, all the attendees to the Ficg Guadalajara are Ok. We are sorry this beautiful city and specially its amazing people have to experience this kind of criminal acts. The festival is going ahead with its schedule events, as it should be. Celebrating the arts and show no fear is the best way to manifest against the non sense violence. Viva Guadalajara. Viva Mexico!!!!
The activities of the industry, with meetings about Iberoamerican coproductions with its well presented professional projects, the film market itself with films available to watch up to 2 weeks after the closing, the Cannes Marche Producers Network, Works in Progress, Berlinale's Talent Campus and Doculab, and of course, the festival itself with galas every night, a Focus on U.K. and Mike Leigh, Homages, Mexican and Iberoamerican Competition, Sounds of Cinema, Children's Cinema, Lgbt prizes, Open Air Screenings - all defy easy decision making on how best to spend one's time there.
The prize winners:
PalmarÉS FICG27
Premio Maguey
Mención Especial
“Todo el mundo tiene alguien menos yo” (México) Dir. Raúl Fuentes
Premio Maguey
“Mía“ (Argentina) Dir. Javier van de Couter
Premio del Público Milenio
“Espacio Interior“ (México) Dir. Kai Parlange
Premio Mezcal
“Un mundo secreto“ (México) Dir. Gabriel Mariño
Premio Cinecolor
“Un mundo secreto“ (México) Dir. Gabriel Mariño
Mejor Cortometraje de Animación - Premio Rigo Mora
“Un ojo” (México) Dir. Lorenza Manrique
Mejor Cortometraje Iberoamericano
“Minuto 200” (Colombia) Dir. Frank Benítez
Mejor Cortometraje Mexicano
“Lucy vs. los límites de la voz” (México) Dir. Mónica Herrera
Largometraje Iberoamericano Documental
Mención Especial
“El salvavidas“ (Chile) Dir. Maite Alberdi
Mejor Documental Iberoamericano
“ ¡Vivan las antípodas! “(Argentina - Chile - Alemania - Holanda) Dir. Víctor Kossakovsky
Largometraje Mexicano Documental
Mención Especial
“Carrière, 250 metros” Dir. Juan Carlos Rulfo y Natalia Gil
Mención Especial
“El paciente interno” Dir. Alejandro Solar
Mejor Documental Mexicano
“Cuates de Australia” Everardo González
Largometraje de Ficción Iberoamericana
Mejor Guion
Jaime Osorio por “El páramo” (Colombia)
Mejor Fotografía
Mauro Pinheiro Jr. por “Sudoeste” (Brasil)
Mejor Actriz
Francisca Gavilán por “Violeta se fue a los cielos” (Chile)
Mejor Actor
Andrés Crespo por “Pescador” (Ecuador)
Premio Especial del Jurado
“Los pasos dobles” (España - Suiza) Dir. Isaki Lacuesta
Mejor Opera Prima
“Transeunte” (Brasil) Dir. Eryk Rocha
Mejor Director
Sebastián Cordero por “Pescador” (Ecuador)
Mejor Película Iberoamericana
"Abrir puertas y ventanas" (Argentina) "Dir. Milagros Mumenthaler
Largometraje de Ficción Mexicana
Mención Especial
Música Original de "Días de gracia"
Mejor Guion
Miguel Bonilla por “Diente por diente”
Mejor Fotografía
Jerónimo Rodríguez por “Todo el mundo tiene a alguien menos yo”
Mejor Actriz
Martha Higareda por “Mariachi Gringo”
Mejor Actor
Kuno Becker por “Espacio Interior”
Mejor Opera Prima
"El fantástico mundo de Juan Orol" Dir. Sebastián del Amo
Mejor Director
Everardo Gout por “Días de gracia”.
Mejor Película
“Mariachi Gringo” Dir. Tom Gustafson
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Premio de los Niños
“El secreto del medallón de jade” (México) Dir. Rodolfo Guzmán y Leopoldo Aguilar
Premio Feisal
Mención Especial
“No hay lugar lejano” (México) Dir. Michelle Ibaven
Mención Especial
“Oro Colombiano: 400 años de música del alma” (Colombia) Dir. Sanjay Agarwal e Iván Higa
Premio Feisal
“75 habitantes, 20 casas, 300 vacas” (Argentina) Dir. Fernando Domínguez
Premio Fipresci
“Violeta se fue a los cielos” (Chile) Dir. Andrés Wood
Guerrero de la Prensa
Mejor largometraje de ficción “Días de gracia” (México) Dir. Everardo Gout Mejor largometraje documental “El paciente interno” (México) Dir. Alejandro Solar
Academia Jalisciense de Cinematografía
Mejor cortometraje jalisciense “La noria” Dir. Karla Castañeda Mejor largometraje jalisciense “Fecha de caducidad” Dir. Kenya Márquez
No sooner does this festival and market wrap when a new Mexican festival, the Riviera Maya Film Festival, begins March 20 - 25 which will play in Cancun, Playa del Carmen, Tulum, Cozumel and Holbox. The industry component Rivieralab, a coproduction event will take place in Quintana Roo March 22-25 and will host 158 projects from Latin America and Europe. 10 projects will be showcased to financiers, fund representatives, producers and sales agents, 3 will receive 200,000 pesos or approximately Us$15,500. 8 international works in progress at post-production stage from a pool of 40 will be selected to receive support.
- 3/12/2012
- by Sydney Levine
- Sydney's Buzz
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