Costa Rican Film EL REGRESO Wins NY Latino Film Fest

The New York International Latino Film Festival (NYILFF) announced the winners for its 12th edition which came to a close yesterday. The Costa Rican film El regreso / The Return (pictured) by Hernán Jiménez was awarded the prize as Best International Feature Film whilst Jasmine McGlade Chazelle's María My Love won the prize as Best Domestic Feature Film. The award for Best Director went to Aaron Burns for his feature film Blacktino. On the documentary category Macarena Aguiló Marchi's El edificio de los chilenos / The Chilean Building was awarded the prize as Best Film. All of the winners received a cash prize of $1,000 USD and video equipment. The fiction jury was integrated by Leslie Cohen, VP at HBO; filmmaker Rashaad Ernesto Green; and Carlos A. Gutiérrez, director of Cinema Tropical, whilst the documentary jury was integrated by filmmaker Nicolás Entel; film programmer Livia Bloom; Lucila Moctezuma from Women Make Movies and journalist Elizabeth Nuñez.

Veteran Filmmaker Raúl Ruiz Dies

Chilean-born filmmaker Raúl Ruiz died today in Paris, France where he had lived since 1973 when he left in exile fleeing the Pinochet regime. He died at the age of 70 of pulmonary infection. A prolific filmmaker, he made more over a hundred films in a career that spanned over four decades since his acclaim debut feature film Tres tristes tigres in 1968, winner of the top prize at the Locarno Film Festival.

Some his most acclaimed films are Time Regained (1999), Genealogies of a Crime (1997), Three Lives an Only One Death (1996). His last film Mysteries of Lisbon is currently in theatrical release in the US. Ruiz was married to filmmaker and editor Valeria Sarmiento.

MISS BALA and EL ESTUDIANTE to the New York Film Fest

The New York Film Festival announced its main slate for its 49th edition this morning which features two Latin American productions: the Mexican film Miss Bala by Gerardo Naranjo and the Argentine film The Student / El estudiante (pictured) by Santiago Mitre. Organized by the Film Society of Lincoln Center, the festival will run September 30 through October 16 featuring 27 films in its main slate. It's the second time that Gerardo Naranjo participates at the New York Film Festival as his previous film Voy a explotar / I'm Going to Explode was featured in the 2008 edition.

Mexican Films EL PREMIO and THE TINIEST PLACE Win Lima Film Fest

Mexican film El Premio (pictured) by Paula Markovitch won the top prize of the 15th edition of the Lima Film Festival that ended today. The top prize received a cash prize of $5,000 USD. The Mexican film El lugar más pequeño / The Tiniest Place by Tatiana Huezo received the award for  Best Documentary. Additionally the Mexican-Dominican co-production Jean Gentil by Laura Amelia Guzmán and Israel Cárdenas won the Special Jury Prize, whilst the prize for Best First Feature was awarded to Argentinean film Las Acacias by Pablo Giorgelli.  Argentine filmmaker Anahi Berneri was awarded as Best Director for her film Por tu culpa / It's Your Fault, and Rosario García Montero's film Las malas intenciones / The Bad Intentions won the prize as Best Peruvian Film.

Argentina Wins Six Prizes at Locarno Including Best Film Award

Argentina was the big winner of the 64th edition of the Locarno Fim Festival that came to an end today, winning six prizes. Milagros Mumenthaler's Abrir puertas y ventanas / Back to Stay took hom five prizes at the competition including the Golden Leopard award, the festival's top prize, as Best Film in the international competition; the Best Actress award for María Canale; and the FIPRESCI Award. Additionally Santiago Mitre's El estudiante won a Special Jury Prize in the Cineasti del Presente section. The Golden Leopard prize includes a cash award of 90,000 Swiss francs (about $131,000 US).

Lucrecia Martel Directs Short Film for Miu Miu

Renowned Argentinean filmmaker Lucrecia Martel (The Headless Woman) has directed a short film for Miu Miu, the high fashion brand owned by Prada. Titled Muta, the short film is the second in the promotional campaign series Women's Tales, directed by international female directors -the first one The Powder Room was directed by Zoe Cassavetes. The short film is described as a "contemporary noir film" and a  "beautiful and cryptic portrayal of an all female world of symbolism, hidden meaning and intrigue (...) a mesmerizing personal reflection on the transformative power of femininity at the hear of Miu Miu obsession."

Click here to watch the short film.