Inspired by Southwest Event, HNLFS Brings Together Film, Latino Bloggers with Media and Brands Under One Roof
Hollywood, CA — Latin Heat Media, LLC, a multi-media company providing media content about the burgeoning Latino market and in the entertainment arena and Hispancize 2012, the iconic annual event for Latino trendsetters and newsmakers in social media, marketing, entertainment and innovation are set to launch the 1st Annual National Latino Film Showcase at its April 10-13th event in Miami, Florida to take place at the JW Marriott Marquis. Another major co-presenter is Getty Images Hispanic who will document the entire event along with helping organize film premieres and red carpet programs.
The film showcase includes a line-up of feature length, short and documentary films along with a variety of professional development sessions, in a growing program specifically tailored to advance the careers of the U.S. Latino filmmakers and actors. More than a dozen film and entertainment related panels will be sprinkled throughout the four-day Hispanicize event.
For Latin Heat Media as a co-presenter of the Hispanicize Latino Film Showcase is an exciting way for company to celebrate and commemorate it’s 20th year anniversary profiling, reporting, honoring Latinos working in the film, television, music and multi-media industry. “Latin Heat has a track record of showcasing and highlighting Latino filmmakers,” said Bel Hernandez Castillo, LHM’s CEO. “Hispanicize represents a one-of-a-kind, historic opportunity that will greatly enrich the Latino filmmaking community.”
Latin Heat played a lead role in both the selection of films and in the creation of workshops, working alongside Roman Morales, festival organizer/film curator for the Film Showcase. It’s about providing access for filmmakers to learn about developing content, networking, marketing and exploring distribution avenues for their projects. “Latin Heat is working closely with its industry friends to ensure Hispanicize event advances the work of the independent filmmakers, actors and producers that we serve,” added Hernandez-Castillo.
Manny Ruiz, CEO of Hispanicize event had been thinking of adding an independent film element to the annual event and had thought of waiting a few more years, but after the first two overwhelming success of Hispanicize, the one of a kind annual multi-media event in the U.S., Ruiz felt the time had come for its film showcase.
Latino filmmakers responded with dozens of films being submitted for consideration and according to Morales it wasn’t just because filmmakers just want another venue to view their work, it was because they recognize that the Hispanicize event is an excellent screening venue that adds a strong social media, media, brands, marketing/communications journalists and film and distribution executives together under one roof. “There is nothing like this film event any where else,” says Ruiz. “This face-to-face presentation with social media, brands and distributors is invaluable to independent filmmakers.”
Morales agrees. “Out of all of the participants at Hispanicize, filmmakers stand to benefit more than all others.”
Writer and Producer, Kiki Melendez
The Journey of a Female Comic-La Trayectoria de una comediante (Producer/Director, Kiki Melendenz) opens the Film Showcase on Tuesday. April 10th at the Tower On Wednesday the competition film screenings kick off wth Unknowns/Desconocidos (Director/Andres Ramirez, Producer/Manolo Travieso) at the Tower Heights Theater.
Thursday, April 12th will see the screenings of Hollywood Whores (Writer/Director/Adam Schlachter, Producers/Adam Schlachter, Van Kassabian); The Cable (Director/Jesse Quinones, Producer/Ann Marie Goodwin); The Miracle of Spanish Harlem (Director/Derek Velez Partridge, Screenplay/Carlos Bermudez); History of Spaceflight (Director/Chris Caraballo, Producer/Chris Caraballo, Lea Dizon, Douglas Jessup); Girl in Progress (Director/Patricia Riggen); Lilia (Director/Sam Lerma); Knight to D7 (Director/Nathan Scoggins, Executive Producer/Hugo Perez); and Most Wanted (Producer/Director, Dallas King).
There will also be several special preview presentations beginning with Wednesday’s screening of Andy Garcia’s latest film For Greater Glory (Director/Dean Wright, Producer/Pablo Jose Barroso) which releases June 1st. Mr. Garcia will be in attendance for a Q&A after the screening. On Thursday, April 12th the unseen 2nd episode of the highly touted original drama series starring Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Dominik Garcia-Lorido, and Yul Vasquez Magic City will be presented by Starz. And as the culmination of the Hispanicize 2012 is a mega screening of the cult classic Scarface (a Brian de Palma film) at the infamous Oceanside Vecchi mansion, a benefit for ArtesMiami, Inc. Attending stars include original cast members Steven Bauer, Pepe Serna and Angel Salazar.
At the final event, Hispanicize 2012 National Latino Film Showcase will present a $10,000 prize for the Best Independent Feature Film and $5,000 for the Best Short Film. Short films selected will be screened in a constant rotation format throughout each day of the event at the main hotel venue and will be heavily marketed before and during the program.
“The beauty of the Hispancize 2012 Film Showcase is that it will provide access to elements essential to present day filmmakers—social media and marketing training, and direct access to bloggers and brands all at one event,” concluded Hernandez-Castillo, Latin Heat Media CEO.
Yes, indeed it is so cool to be Latino!
For more information on Hispancize 2012 National Latino Film Showcase, visit: www.film.hispanicizeevent.com or Latin Heat, www.latinheat.com.
Hispanicize 2012 Sponsors: Disney Parks, Target, BlackBerry, Unilever’s ViveMemor, Sprint, Dove Clear Tone, Walmart, McDonald’s, Cricket Wireless, Starz, Pampers, Univision Communications, JeffreyGroup, Southwest Airlines, Diageo, Telemundo, RadioShack, United Healthcare, Clorox, JetBlue Airways, Fox Hispanic Media, Herbalife, NBC Latino, Terra, Visit Orlando, HATUEY Cuban-Style Ale, Bacardi USA, The Axis Agency, Transitions, Fleishman-Hillard, Newlink America, PR Newswire, Business Wire, Sensis, Critical Mention, Voxxi, Plus Three, Fox News Latino, OfferWise, Reyes Entertainment and others. Hispanicize 2012 Media Partners: Getty Images Latin America/Hispanic, Latin Heat Media, Billboard Latin Music, AdWeek, Hispanic Market Weekly, LatinVision and the National Association of Hispanic Publications (NAHP).
Hispancize 2012 Charity Focus: ArtesMiami, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization dedicated to developing South Florida as a cultural center with a special emphasis on Hispanic culture.
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