Date: July 8, 2008
Contact: Lindsay Gladstone
Governors State University
Phone: (708) 534-7090
Fax: (708) 534-8399
Email: l-gladstone@govst.edu
For Immediate Release
University Park, IL, July 8, 2008 – The Governors State University First Annual Latino Film Festival will showcase films from Spanish speaking countries that highlight the Latino art, culture, and society.
The films chosen for the festival have all been previously showcased at the Chicago Latino Film Festival.
“We hope the festival gives many people, both Latinos and those interested in Latino art and culture, the opportunity to enjoy fine filmmaking from different countries,” said Carlos Cantu, of the Latino Center for Excellence at GSU. “There is so much that can be learned by watching films that showcase other countries and cultures.”
The festival opens with “El Proximo,” a film from Spain directed by Fernando Colomo, on July 17. “El Benny,” a film from Cuba, Venezuela, and Spain, by director Jose Luis Sanchez will be shown on July 31. On August 14, “Tocar y Luchar,” a Venezuelan film by director Alberto Arvelo, will be screened. “Cuando Rompen Las Olas,” a Columbian film by director Riccardo Gabrielli, will be shown on September 10. The festival continues on September 11 with “Fuga,” from Chile and Argentina, directed by Pablo Llarain. “El Clown,” from Puerto Rico, by directors Pedro Adorno Irizarry and Emilio Rodriguez will be screened on September 18. The festival concludes on September 25 with “Mas Que Nada en Este Mundo,” a film from Mexico, by directors Andres Leon Becker and Javier Solar.
The film festival is co-sponsored by the GSU Latino Center for Excellence and the Association of Latin American Students (ALAS) at the university. All the screenings are free and open to the public. Most of the films have English subtitles.
All the films will be shown at 5 p.m., in Engbretson Hall, on the campus of Governors State University, located at 1 University Parkway, University Park, Illinois. For more information, call (708) 534-4553.
