Lights, Camera, Action! Baja International Film Festival to Return in November
The Baja International Film Festival opened last year in Los Cabos to widespread acclaim, drawing celebrities and cinéastes to Baja California Sur for four fabulous days of screenings, exclusive social events, and other programs designed to strengthen the bonds between the U.S. and Mexican film industries.
Get ready for the sequel.
Gael García Bernal was one of many movie stars in attendance at last year’s inaugural Baja International Film Festival.
The second annual appearance of what is expected to be a mainstay of the autumn events calendar is scheduled for November 13-16 at the Pabellón Cultural de La República and Puerto Paraiso in Cabo San Lucas. The newest edition of the film fest will showcase an entirely new line-up of shorts and features culled from over 370 worldwide entries, with filmmakers competing for more than $170,000 U.S. in prizes and funds.
Despite the success of last year’s maiden voyage—a glamorous red carpet affair that drew movie stars Edward Norton, Gael García Bernal, Virginia Madsen, Diego Luna, Melissa Leo, and Matt Dillon, and featured a concert headlined by Grammy nominated singer-songwriter Sara Bareilles—the film festival’s sophomore effort will be marked by significant changes in leadership, focus, and geographic scope.
Last year’s film fest was marked by glamorous social events, including a concert at Puerto Los Cabos featuring Grammy nominated musician Sara Bareilles.
Although attendees can rest assured that the event will continue to attract A-list Hollywood talent, this year’s festival will be more industry focused. Subsidies will be awarded for the new Gabriel Figueroa Film Fund. Named for the great Mexican cinematographer, these grants will be a major boost for production and post-production of Mexican films. Also premiering will be the Works in Progress Mexico program, an initiative that allows distributors, sales agencies, delegates, and buyers early looks at works by first-time Mexican filmmakers. Sales and distribution are keywords at this year’s festival, as seen from yet another new addition, the sales agents training workshop.
The festival will also open up the prestigious Los Cabos Competition, which honors top features and documentaries from the U.S. and Mexico, to North American neighbor Canada. “Reaching out to Canada was natural,” said new Festival Director Alonso Aguilar-Castillo. “The U.S. is key for the festival, but in many ways Mexico and Canada have more in common.”
In 2012, Wirikuta Cactus Garden hosted a screening of the musical documentary Hecho en Mexico.
Several key announcements have already been made this month, including the naming of the opening night film: Foosball (Metegol) by Argentine Academy Award winner Juan José Campanella. Also revealed at a recent reception at the Toronto International Film Festival were two Canadian entrants in the Los Cabos Competition category: Chloé Robichaud’s Sarah Prefers to Run and Matt Johnson’s The Dirties, winner of the Grand Jury Prize at Slamdance earlier this year.
For tickets or additional information about the Baja International Film Festival, visit www.bajafilmfest.com.mx.