Belize International Film Festival 2005 Releases Names of Selected Films

After teasing local movie buffs for the past week with the announcement of the historic docu-drama Guiana 1838 as it's Opening film, organizers of the Belize International Film Festival have finally released the names of the films selected to participate in the Third Edition of the Festival set for Feb. 21 - 28, 2005 at the Bliss Center for Performing Arts in Belize City.

Thirty three (33) films from four different categories will compete for seven Audience Awards. The winners will be chosen by the audience using ballot papers that can be found in the lobby outside the MAIN CINEMA after each screening. Awards will be given for: Most Popular Feature Film (OFFICIAL SELECTION), Most Popular Documentaries (CARIBBEAN FILMMAKERS, CENTRAL AMERICA & MEXICO VISTA and MADE IN BELIZE) and Most Popular Fiction Shorts (CARIBBEAN FILMMAKERS, CENTRAL AMERICA & MEXICO VIST and MADE IN BELIZE).

The remaining twelve (12) films in exhibition are: a selection of student films from the Escuela Internacional de Cine y Television of San Antonio de Los Banos, Cuba, the first film ever made in the English Speaking Caribbean The Right and The Wrong (Trinidad, 1969) by Mickey Nivelli (aka Harbance Kumar) and a selection of three film entries that did not qualify for festival competition but which organizers felt merited screening for their similarities to Belize's indigenous cultures and the international issue of Human Rights.

Synopses along with production details of the 45 films listed below can be found on the festival website at www.belizefilmfestival.com by the end of this week. For further information please contact belizefilmfestival@yahoo.com

BELIZE INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL - 2005 PARTICIPATING FILMS
OFFICIAL SELECTION (in competition)

Fiction:
Come Sweet Death / Komm Suesser Tod (Austria, 2000) Dir: Wolfgang
Murnberger
The Community / La Comunidad (Spain, 2000) Dir: Alex de la Iglesia

The Con Game / Doble Juego (Peru, Argentina, Cuba, Spain 2004)
Dir: Alberto Durant
Guiana 1838 (USA, Guyana 2004) Dir: Rohit Jagessar
The King of Bollywood (UK, India 2004) Dir: Piyush Jha.
Kisna - The Warrior Poet (India, 2005) Dir: Subhash Ghai
The Olive Harvest (Palestine, Israel 2003) Dir: Hanna Elias.
Our Country / Swades (India 2004) Dir: Ashutosh Gowariker
Out of Season / Fuera de Temporada (Argentina, 2004) Dir: Leonardo Maldonado.
Red Passport / Pasaporte Rojo (Dominican Republic 2003) Dir: Albert Xavier
Rolling Family / Familia Rodante (Argentina, Brazil, UK, France, Germany,Spain 2003) Dir: Pablo Trapero .
The Story of An African Farm (South Africa, 2004) Dir: David Lister
U R 4 Given (USA 2004) Dir: Cinque Lee

CARIBBEAN FILMMAKERS (in competition)
Fiction
Another Life / Otra Vida (USA, Venezuela 2004) Dir: Karry Fefer .
A Different Man / Un Hombre Diferente (USA, 2004) Dir: Albert Xavier
For Her / Por Ella (USA, 2004) Dir: Albert Xavier
Signaling Home / El Día Que Llegaron (Puerto Rico, 2004) Dir: Raúl Gacia.

Documentary
Ivan the Terrible (Grenada, Trinidad 2004) Dir: Neisha Agostini 2.. Latin Kings: A Street Gang Story (USA, 2003) Dir: Jon Alpert
Memories of Montserrat (Montserrat 2004) Dir: David Lea
Montserrat's Andesite Volcano (Montserrat, 2004 ) Dir: David Lea
Soldiers for the Streets (Canada 2004) Dir: Ngardy Conteh

CENTRAL AMERICA & MEXICO (in competition)
Fiction
It's a Pleasure (USA, 2004) Dir: Elizabeth Szekeresh
King of Zinacantán, The (Mexico, 2003) Dir: Antonio Coello
Uraga: A Garifuna Story /Uraga:Una historia Garifuna (Guatemala, 2003) Dir: Ana Carlos & Guillermo Escalon
The Whore / La Puta (USA, 2004 ) Dir: Iris Almaraz Documentary
From Girls to Mothers / De Niña a Madre (Nicaragua, 2005) Dir. Florence Jaugey
Hidden Truths / Verdades Ocultas (Nicaragua, 2003) Dir: Rossana Lacayo

MADE IN BELIZE (in competition)
Fiction

Oya (Belize, Canada, USA 2004) Dir: Winsom Winsom
Risking It All (Belize, 2004) Dir: Kimberly Vasquez
Yemaya Asesu (Belize, Canada 2000) Dir: Winsom Winsom
Power Play (Belize, 2004) Dir: Denvor Fairweather, Caleb Ortega, Edita Pariente, Louis Wade Jr., Michael Coye, Javier Molina, Elijah Small, Leticia Guerra

Documentary

Do You See What I See? (Belize, 2004) Dir: Suzette Zayden & Debbie Lisbey
Feast of the Giant Sharks (Belize, 2001) Dir: Carol & Richard Foster
The Hammock (Belize, 2004) Dir: Brent Tombs
A Howler's Tale (Belize, 2004) Dir: Tony Rath