Multicultural Austin-based nonprofit Cine Las Americas kicks off their 27th Annual Cine Las Americas International Film Festival (CLAIFF27) today through Sunday, May 18 at the Austin Film Society Cinema (located at 6259 Middle Fiskville Rd, Austin, TX 78752) and Austin PBS (located at 6101 Highland Campus Dr Bldg 3000, Austin, TX 78752). Badges and tickets for the 27th annual festival are currently on sale and can be purchased here.
The festival begins tonight at the Austin Film Society Cinema with a special Red Carpet Event starting at 6:00 p.m. followed by a screening of the Opening Night Film, “Take it Away” by Adrian Alejandro Arredondo & Myrna Perez at 7 p.m. followed by a Q&A with the directors and Legendary musicians Bobby Pulido and Michael Salgado.
There will also be an Opening Night Party from 8:30 – 10 p.m. with music supplied by Chulita Vinyl Club.
On Thursday, May 15, CLAIFF27 will present films from their España en Foco / Spain in Focus film block taking place at the Austin Film Society Cinema starting with the Amnesty International Shorts Showcase at 3:30 p.m.
The conference portion of the festival starts on Friday, May 16 and goes through Saturday, May 17, at the City of Austin PDC Event Center (located in room 1406, 6310 Wilhelmina Delco Dr, Austin, TX 78752). This year’s conference will feature talks with key speaker Elizabeth Avellán and Emmy award-winning Director David Blue Garcia, alongside several other local and internationally acclaimed filmmakers.
CONFERENCE SCHEDULE:
Friday, May 16
- Breaking Borders: Co-Producing between the US, Latin America and Spain
- ¡Saint Primo! Presents – Behind the Brush: How makeup artists shape stories, transform actors, and build lasting careers in film
- Non-Traditional Pathways: Alternate Journeys in filmmaking
Saturday, May 17
- Emerging Technologies: Podcasts, VR, & New Technologies in storytelling
- Filmmaker Roundtable: Latin Voices in the Mainstream
- Conversando con Elizabeth Avellán
More details about each panel can be found here.
Also on Saturday, May 17 there will be a second Red Carpet Event that will take place at Austin PBS at 5 p.m. before the Hecho en Tejas film block, featuring works by Texas filmmakers. The screening will be followed by a Q&A with attending filmmakers and a reception to celebrate local filmmakers.
The festival will conclude on Sunday, May 18 with a Closing Night Party from 9:30 – 11 p.m. at Lima Criolla (located at The Linc 6406 N Interstate 35 Frontage Rd, Austin, TX 78752). More info on the Saturday and Sunday screenings and festival happenings throughout the week and weekend can be found here.
And don’t forget, next weekend on Saturday, May 24, Cine Las Americas will host their very first Emergente Youth International Film Festival, featuring work from international and local young filmmakers under the age of 19 at the Millennium Youth Complex (located at 1156 Hargrave St, Austin, TX 78702). The festival is family-friendly and free to attend for all ages, with programming to be announced. CLAIFF27 audience members can get a sneak peek and learn more at the free, family-friendly screening of “Hola Frida,” based on the life of artist Frida Kahlo, this Sunday, May 18 at 11:30 a.m.
ABOUT CINE LAS AMERICAS:
In 1997, Celeste Quesada, Laura Coger, Sandra Guardado and Rene Rentería came together to create a Cuban film retrospective out of their passion for film and Latin American cultures. Cine Las Americas (CLA) has since grown into a multi-cultural, 501(c)(3) non-profit organization offering theatrical screenings of films made by and/or about Latine/x or Indigenous peoples of the Americas here in Austin, TX. Their screenings also include films from Spain, Portugal and all around the world. Through their annual film festival, the Cine Las Americas International Film Festival (CLAIFF) and programming throughout the year, Cine Las Americas strives to empower the voices and visions of Latine/x and Indigenous filmmakers, their narratives and enhance the mosaic of the American film landscape. This project is supported in part by the Cultural Arts Division of the City of Austin Economic Development Department. For more information about Cine Las Americas and to contribute to their mission, see their website here.
