The Central American International Film Festival (CAIFF) is holding its 3rd grand annual film festival in Los Angeles at the LA Film School on November 3rd, 4th, and 5th. Once again, it will be celebrating and showcasing Central American cinema and culture with a line-up of emerging and unique Central American filmmakers and a program full of cultural entertainment.
The Central American International Film Festival is a new and growing non-profit film festival dedicated to sharing Central American struggles, history, culture, and talent through the world of cinema while supporting and motivating current and future filmmakers. The intention is to add to the innovation and diversity of the global film industry by creating awareness, spreading educational opportunities, providing support, investing in development, forming a network of filmmakers, and contributing to the image of the Central American global community.
This festival is the first of few to represent Central American cinema and culture at a global level while showing the potential of emerging and established Central American filmmakers to compete and produce in the film industry. This will be an opportunity to bring both the Central American and other cultural communities together to experience, enjoy, learn, and appreciate cinema and culture through a three-day festival of 27 Central American-made films, an art exhibition, educational workshops, and performances. The film showcase will include short films, documentaries, and full features with Q&A’s and selected films will represent this year’s festival themes of social justice, history, hope and progress, LGBT, and guest country Brazil. Admission to the film festival is free, however donations will be accepted. Half of the donations will be donated to provide relief to the victims of the earthquake in Mexico and the hurricane in Puerto Rico.
Oscar Torres, screenwriter of Instructions Not Included and Pulling Strings is an advisor to the Central American International Film Festival. He shared his excitement with the audience at the festival’s university tour screening at UC-Santa Barbara by saying, “This is one of the most important steps that Central Americans have taken for cinema and to initiate this festival that has already stepped foot in El Salvador and in Los Angeles and to start the University Tour is a wonderful idea because you will be able to expand on what we as Central Americans are about.” There will be a screening of one of Oscar Torres' films in this year’s festival called, Bravetown with Josh Duhamel and Laura Dern.
The festival is an invitation for everyone to come and learn more about who Central Americans are and what the Central American culture has to offer to the world in the hope of creating more understanding and equal recognition amongst the diversity of cultures in the world. For more information about the festival go to centralamericanfilmfestival.com, or check them out on social media on Facebook at Central American Film Festival, and on Instagram with the handle @CentralAmericanIntFilmFest.