Courtesy of: Aruba International Film Festival (AIFF)
The Aruba International Film Festival (AIFF) announced today that its fourth edition will take place July 2-6, 2013. AIFF Co-Founder and Executive Director Jonathan Vieira unveiled initial details surrounding the 2013 Film Festival today.
The fourth AIFF will open with Steekspel (Tricked), the first user-generated production—part documentary, part narrative—from internationally renowned Dutch film director Paul Verhoeven (Robocop, Basic Instinct, Total Recall). Verhoeven will present the film along with members of the cast and crew, and will give a directing master class during the festival. Nearly 40 films from over 25 countries will have their world, international, or regional premieres in Aruba, including A Perfect Man, starring Liev Schreiber and Jeanne Tripplehorn; and Mine Games, by director Richard Gray and emerging stars Briana Evigan and Ethan Peck. Gracing the silver screen are the documentaries Angels in Exile (narrated by Oscar-winner Charlize Theron), Finding Hillywood, and Femme (produced by Sharon Stone); and the action pic Empire State, starring Liam Hemsworth, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Michael Angarano, Emma Roberts, and Jerry Ferrara. Audiences in Aruba will have the opportunity to feast their senses on the international sensation The Rocket, the multi-award winner from this year’s Berlin International Film Festival and Tribeca Film Festival.
The 2013 AIFF Caribbean Spotlight Series competition is sure to attract visitors with its first-rate selection of films from countries such as Jamaica, Mexico, the Dominican Republic, and Haiti, all of which will be vying for jury and audience awards. One of the most highly anticipated premieres is Aruba’s first-ever feature-length musical, Abo So (Only You), featuring the songs of musical legend Padú del Caribe. Award-winning cinematic gems from Latin America showcased this year include Brecha en el Silencio (Breach of Silence) from Venezuela, El Limpiador (The Cleaner) from Perú, and Edificio Royal (Royal Building) from Colombia.
Closing the festival will be The Hot Flashes by director Susan Seidelman (Desperately Seeking Susan), starring Brooke Shields, Daryl Hannah, Camryn Manheim, Wanda Sykes, and Virginia Madsen. Madsen, a return guest this year, will introduce the film in Aruba, after which it will enter wide release in the United States starting July 12th.
This year the festival will expand its educational initiatives, by offering daily industry events to visiting filmmakers, press, and patrons. In-depth panel discussions, “In Conversation With” sessions, master classes, and workshops from top industry professionals will cover various aspects of the filmmaking process such as writing, acting, directing, producing, sound recording and design, as well as sales and distribution.
These new elements align with the festival’s mission to educate and inspire Aruba’s emerging actors and filmmakers, to expand the local cinematic landscape of the island, and to raise the international profile of local and regional filmmaking talent.
Collectively, the first three editions of the festival offered over 80 films from all over the globe, and played host to an array of high-profile talent and film industry guests. Richard Gere, Kim Cattrall, Patricia Clarkson, Jonathan Demme, Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson, Guillermo Arriaga, Patricia Clarkson, Thelma Schoonmaker, Pietro Scalia, Steven Bauer, Barbara Mori, Ray Liotta, Xavier Samuel, and Michael Kaplan are among the many to have enjoyed the uniquely intimate and pleasurable setting of the festival. Said an enthusiastic Vieira about the expectations for this year’s festival: “After everything we have experienced during our first three years, we are now better positioned to satisfy the demands of local audiences and visiting tourists. This is reflected in our film program, which features more Latin American, American and Caribbean films than we had in previous editions. We believe this to be the best direction for us moving forward, as we continue to develop a strong regional and international presence. We are overjoyed to be honoring not only one of our local legends in Padú del Caribe, but also the most celebrated filmmaker in the history of the Netherlands, in Paul Verhoeven. Considering our historical and cultural ties to our mother country, we could not more thrilled with our film program and guest list this year.”
The AIFF reaches a broad spectrum of international press. The festival has welcomed over 70 media outlets from South America, the US, Europe, and the Caribbean over the last three years, and Vieira expects the interest from the international press to continue to increase this year. Actors, directors, producers, writers, industry executives and foreign media are once again invited to converge on the island this July to experience one of the fastest-growing “must-attend” summer events; one that has taken only one year to receive endorsement from the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (the organization behind the annual Golden Globe Awards). For the fourth time, local festival patrons and island tourists will be able to experience a diverse array of quality, international films from around the world.
Tickets for AIFF 2013 will be available in a variety of price ranges, from a simple movie and industry event ticket, to special passes for multi–event attendance. About the Aruba International Film Festival The breathtaking Caribbean island of Aruba provides the backdrop for the film industry’s newest marquee summer event – the Aruba International Film Festival (AIFF). Now in its fourth year, the AIFF stands to further global awareness for the Island of Aruba as a center of art, culture and creativity, and to serve as a platform to promote the understanding and appreciation for the art of cinema and filmmaking. The Festival remains dedicated to inspiring, educating and promoting emerging Aruban filmmakers. Its inviting atmosphere, suited like none other, attracts actors, directors, filmmakers, and film lovers to a destination where participants enjoy a relaxed Aruban ambiance and a casual interaction between filmmakers and audience.
For more information please visit the Aruba International Film Festival website at http://www.arubainternationalfilmfestival.com
