6th Annual Havana Film Festival in New York
April 15 - 21, 2005

The 6th Havana Film Festival in NY honored some of our favorite previous guests for yet another blend of classic and fresh selections of the best in Latin American cinema. Our alliance with Cuba became more important this year as regulations on travel have severely limited American and Cuban interaction. We gladly take on the role as one of the very few domestic outlets of an endangered cultural and artistic exchange and more importantly to make our festival a known advocate of cultural education through the art of film.


Tributes

When we first met director Pastor Vega at 2001’s Havana Film Festival in New York, we were immediately taken by his charm and vision. For this year’s festival, we wanted to pay special tribute to his body of work as one of the most important filmmakers to come out of Cuba. En el Aire, Habanera, Las Profecias de Amanda, Retrato de Teresa, Vidas Paralelas and Viva la Republica delighted audiences at our primary venues.

The Motorcycle Diaries became one of the few Latin American films to break into the American market in 2004.  After such a huge success, we honored Oscar-nominated Brazilian director Walter Salles. A legend in the making, Salles embodies the realities of Brazil today through a triangulation between self-discovery, national identity and landscape that is developing into his form of cinematic tradition. Films shown, such as Abril Despedacado, Central do Brasil, Terra Estrangera, Socorro Nobre, Meia Noite and A Saga do Castanha e Caju are very rare findings in the U.S.

Special Programs

Animation 4 Kids held at NYU’s King Juan Carlos I of Spain Center brought children closer to the reality of life in Latin American through a 70-minute program of seven animated films.

Current Perspectives in Latin American Cinema
A conversation with invited filmmakers and industry experts included Walter Salles, tribute honoree, Silvio Caiozzi – Cachimba, Alberto Durant – Doble Juego, Judith Escalona – La Muleta, Victor Gaviria – Sumas y Restas, Fernando Lavanderos – Y las Vacas Vuelan, Fernando Mejias – Sumas y Restas, Hector Menis – El Cielito, Anilu Pardo – La Espera, Esteban Ramirez – Caribe, Miguel Ortega – Head of International Sales IMCINE, moderated by Sandy Lieberson – Chairman of Film London