Editor

LA MIRADA FILM FESTIVAL 2011

CO-PROGRAMMED BY PEDRO
ALMODÓVAR, GUEST CURATORS ANG LEE, ANTONIO BANDERAS, KEN LOACH AND GUILLERMO
DEL TORO

THURSDAY 14 APRIL to TUESDAY
26 April 2011

acmi (Australian Centre for the Moving Image)
Federation Square, Melbourne

Bookings:
www.lamirada.org.au or  www.acmi.net.au/ticketing.htm, by phone 03 8663 2583 and at
the ACMI Ticket Desk

The fabulous La Mirada Film Festival returns to the Australian Centre for the
Moving Image (ACMI) in April 2011, presenting the best and most exciting new
Spanish and Latin American films of the last twelve months plus a breathtaking
selection of Spanish film classics selected by some of the world's finest
filmmakers.

La Mirada is delighted to
announce that the infamous Antonio
Banderas will be joining Oscar Winner
Ang Lee (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon,
Brokeback Mountain), Mexico's Guillermo
Del Toro (Pan's Labyrinth, Hell Boy)
and England's Ken Loach (The Wind That Shakes The Barley, Looking
For Eric) as guest curators for La Mirada 2011. The dynamic program includes new
releases, classics and documentaries and features Mexico Bizarro, a retrospective of offbeat Mexican cult films from
the 1950's through to the 1990's compiled by Guillermo Del Toro for this year's special program.

The Opening Night Gala event
always sells out so be sure to book your tickets soon! Festival director Rocío
García is very excited to announce that Gustavo Taretto's Medianeras will be the
opening night film for La Mirada 2011. Runner up in the Panorama at the Berlin Film Festival, Medianeras stars the stunning Pilar López De Ayala (In
The City Of Sylvia). La Mirada is also delighted to announce that Unax Ugalde and Nicholas Goldbart will be attending the festival as guests. New
Spanish heartthrob and star of Lovestorming and Bon
Appétit, Ugalde will be introducing both films at their La Mirada
screenings. Nicholas Goldbart, director of this year's closing night selection
the science fiction comedy Fase 7 (Phase 7), will be present to introduce his film.
Watch this space for more guests to be announced soon.

Now entering its fifth year, La Mirada is a unique film festival. Celebrated
Spanish filmmaker and patron of La Mirada, Pedro
Almodóvar, co-programs the festival, selecting five masterpieces for the ‘Almodóvar Presents', classics section.
Each year different international cinema luminaries act as guest curators.
Independent of one another Antonio
Banderas and Pedro Almodóvar both selected Luis Garcia Berlanga's 1953
classic Bienvenido Mr. Marshall (Welcome Mr. Marshall) for this year's
festival. La Mirada's vibrant curators will
share one of their favourite films from Spanish and Latin American filmmakers,
offering a variety of stimulating perspectives on the intriguing world of
Spanish language cinema. The films selected by Ang Lee and Ken Loach will be
surprise screenings for the audience, not revealed until the night.

As in previous years, La Mirada
will screen the Australian premieres of films lauded in both their Spanish
speaking homes as well as film festivals abroad. Premiering at this year's
festival will be También La Lluvia (Even The Rain), Spain's official entry for
the Oscars and winner of the Panorama at the 2011 Berlin Film Festival starring
Gael García Bernal; the gripping Pa Negre (Black Bread) fresh from
impressive sweeps at the Goya (Spanish
Academy Awards) and Gaudi awards; Maria Y Yo (Maria and I); No Controles (Lovestorming) and Remando
al Viento (Rowing in the Wind) starring Elizabeth Hurley and Hugh
Grant.       

Mexican
Fiesta and Film, a hedonistic evening
of Mexican cinema, delicacies, and entertainment, is a new addition to the
deliciously indulgent Spanish Cuisine
and Film nights, returning with a feast of authentic Spanish dishes and premium
Spanish wines. With all this as well as the famous opening
and closing night galas, La Mirada 2011 will once again set Melbourne swinging
with its sassy melange of film, food and culture.

La Mirada
is in a unique position to present the finest new Spanish language films thanks
to official support from the Spanish, Argentinean, Mexican and Australian
governments and their respective consulates and embassies, as well as the
Institute of Cinema and Audiovisual Arts in Spain and Argentina (ICAA and INCAA),
Mexican Cinema Institute (IMCINE), Film Victoria, Australian Centre for the
Moving Image (ACMI), Victorian Multicultural Commission, World Movies, Art
Series Hotels, FILMOTECH, the Audiovisual Producers' Rights Management
Association (EGEDA) and the Agency for External International Cooperation for
Development (AECID).

Full
program details will be announced in mid March 2011. Visit www.lamirada.org.au