Slamdance Miami Announces New Festival Lineup Focusing on Filmmaking From Central and South America, the Caribbean, and Florida

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Diverse coalition of Slamdance alumni, local filmmakers, and arts leaders choose 18 films for inaugural event

August 16th, 2021 (Los Angeles, CA) — Slamdance, the nonprofit organization dedicated to discovering and nurturing emerging filmmakers is launching a new kind of film festival: Slamdance Miami, coming October 28-30 2021. Slamdance Miami celebrates emerging filmmakers from Central and South America, the Caribbean and Florida via an open-air, COVID-sensitive festival experience at the North Beach Bandshell in Miami, Florida and on Slamdance’s virtual platform.

Slamdance has a 25-year history of providing emerging filmmakers with the platform they need to develop long-term artistic careers. Slamdance Miami aims to do the same for the emerging artists coming together in Miami, with a twist: The festival’s programming is a fully collaborative endeavor between Slamdance, its alumni, and Miami's own arts leaders. This coalition has selected 18 films from filmmakers in 9 countries representing the future of filmmaking from these regions of the Americas. Slamdance Miami’s opening night film is Malpaso, directed by Héctor M. Valdez from the Dominican Republic.

"Slamdance belongs in Miami-Dade because it can build from the region's strong cultural ties with the Carribean, Central and South America and the rest of Florida. Here, Slamdance Miami can become the center for the most talented content creators from these parts of the world," says Miami Dade Film Commissioner Sandy Lighterman.

Festival programmer Ron Baez says, “It's truly as if Slamdance and Miami were made for each other. The only way to truly represent Miami is to prioritize radical cultural inclusion and its spirit of hopeful rebellion. Slamdance Miami is a distinctive celebration of extraordinarily singular voices indicative of Miami's cultural identity.”

Slamdance Miami also aims to shine a spotlight on the emerging artists and arts organizations that make Miami special, laying the groundwork for Miami’s artistic future. “Constructing relationships with artists, programmers and educators inside Miami creates a bridge to and from our own stories and organizations,” says Slamdance Miami Festival Manager Taylor Miller. “We are honored to collaborate and continue learning from the people, the stories and the city of Miami.”

Ticketing Information: Passes and tickets to the three-day physical event are available through the North Beach Bandshell’s website. Passes cost $90 for all three days, with discounted passes available at $65 for Miami Beach residents, seniors, students, frontline workers, and active-duty military. Tickets to individual film screenings cost $15, with discounted tickets also available for the above listed. Tickets to individual film screenings are also available at the door on the day of the events. Passes for Slamdance Miami’s virtual festival will be available on slamdance.com and cost $9.

COVID-19 Policy: Slamdance Miami believes in providing a healthy environment for all. The festival will be presented in-person to a limited audience with COVID-19 protocols in place. The venue is open-air (covered with a canopy), and mask-wearing will be mandatory throughout the entire festival. Bandshell staff and crew follow strict COVID-19 protocols, including mandatory masks while working, and rapid-tests for all who have not yet been vaccinated. Slamdance reserves the right to remove any guest from the facility who refuses to follow COVID-19 and other public safety guidelines. This event is subject to change based on the COVID-19 situation at the time of the event. Up-to-date information about the festival’s COVID policy will be posted on the Slamdance Miami website.

Slamdance Miami Film Festival Founding event sponsors are:
GMCVB, The Miami Film Commission, FilMiami, O Cinema, Faena, Miami Media and Film Market & Miami Club Rum.

Feature Film Program

ColOZio – (Mexico) (90 mins) Narrative Feature
Director: Artemio Narro - Screenwriters: Artemio Narro, Maria Gonzalez de Leon - Producers: Artemio Narro, Carlos Narro, Ixel Rion, Juan Sarquis, Oliver Castro, Matias Barberis, Ruben Gutierrez
In 1994, Mexican presidential candidate Luis Donaldo Colosio garnered attention for his democratic ideology and anti-corruption stance until he was shot through the head in Tijuana. The wondrous ColOZio, which is partly based on true events, starts three days prior with a prophecy to tripping friends Diego and Gael: save Colosio from death.
Cast: Orlando Moguel, Diego Calva, Manolo Caso, Hector Kotsifakis & Ignacio Perales

Death Doesn’t Exist and Love Doesn’t Either – (Argentina) (81 mins) Narrative Feature
Director: Fernando Salem - Screenwriters: Fernando Salem, Esteban Garelli - Producers: Diego Amson, Lucila de Arizmendi.
Based on Romina Paula’s Novel August, Emilia is invited to return to her hometown in Patagonia to spread the ashes of Andrea, her best friend. Emilia pauses her whole life and travels for the ceremony. The snow and the wind are the setting of a trip to the past in which she revives her friendship with Andrea, accompanies the family and reunites with Julian, her first love, who has just become a father. Emilia scatters the ashes and with them she will let go of her past, her family, the south and also, love.
Cast: Antonella Saldicco, Justina Bustos, Agustín Sullivan, Osmar Nuñez, Susana Pampin

Malpaso – (Dominican Republic) (80 mins) Narrative Feature
Director: Héctor M. Valdez - Screenwriters: Héctor Valdez, José Ramon Alama, David Maler, Ángel de la Cruz, José Pastor - Producers: Héctor Valdez, Michael Carrady
Candido and Braulio are twin brothers growing up near the border between Haiti and the Dominican Republic. While Candido stays home secluded due to his albinism, Braulio helps his grandfather sell coal in the market. Their life takes a turn for the worst after the unexpected death of their grandfather. Now Braulio will need to look after his brother and will attempt to make ends meet in the border town market. All the while, Candido dreams of the eventual return of their absent father.
Cast: Ettore D'Alessandro, Ramón Emilio Candelario, Vicente Santos,Pepe Sierra,Ariel Diaz and James Saintil

Parkland Rising – (USA) (93 mins) Documentary Feature
Director: Cheryl Horner McDonough - Executive Producers: Katie Couric, will.i.am, Kenan Kristen Turnacioglu - Producers: Cheryl McDonough, Emilie Bunnell, Bill Richmond, Lori Raimondo
On February 14, 2018, a school shooting took the lives of 17 people and suddenly changed the conversation about guns in America. Local and national news crews descended on the suburban town of Parkland, Florida in droves. A handful of media-savvy student survivors saw that all eyes were on them and seized the opportunity to be heard.
Cast: David Hogg, Manuel Oliver, Patricia Padauy- Oliver, Fred Guttenberg, Jaclyn Corin

The House of Mama Icha – (US & Colombia) (85 mins) Documentary Feature
Director: Oscar Molina - Screenwriters: Oscar Molina, Gustavo Vasco, Brenda I. Steinecke Soto - Producers: Brenda I. Steinecke Soto, Oscar Molina
Mama Icha feels the end of her life is close and thinks only of one thing: returning to her homeland, Colombia. Decades ago, she immigrated to the United States to help her daughter and care for her grandchildren. Mama Icha returns home to Colombia, finding joy and heartbreak after decades in the US.
Cast: María Dionisia Navarro (Mama Icha), Epifanía Ortíz, Michelle Ángela Ortiz, Gustavo Niño Navarro & Alberto Niño Navarro.

The Border – (Colombia) (90 mins) Narrative Feature
Director: David David - Screenwriter: David David - Producer: David David
Amid a political crisis, on the border between Colombia and Venezuela, an Andean woman, her husband, and her brother survive by looting travelers. However, fate pushes her to the brink of illusion, and she gets lost inside mysterious dreams.
Cast: Daylin Vega Moreno, Sheila Monterola, Nelson Camayo, Alejandro Aguilar, Yull Núñez

Short Film Program

Breastfeeding Bats – (Brazil) (15 mins) Narrative Short
Director: Gabriel Gomes - Screenwriter: Gabriel Gomes - Producers: Daniela Freire, Maria Elisa Nascimento
Lucas is a kid filming a school project that aims to show his day, his family, and his friends. After his mother's interview he tries to make it more interesting by playing some pranks on his brother and their maid. In his short videos, we get to know his family's daily life and their behavior. A short movie about the influences that kids receive and the examples they choose to follow.
Cast: Pedro Henrique Barros, Carla Pagani, Pedro Martins, Malu Whit & Paulo Ernesto

Bridge of the Mischievous Children – (Mexico) (17 mins) Narrative Short
Director: Fabian Leon Lopez - Screenwriter: Fabián León López - Producer: Christian De La Luz
Jhony’s summer passes slowly as he watches his older brother’s life. He wastes time with his friends and becomes obsessed with alcohol, pornography, and the different women whom they take into the maternal bedroom. One day, La Misha arrives in the neighborhood, fracturing their monotony. Nobody knows about her. They call her that because of her green eyes, like those of cats.
Cast: Gabo Anguiano, Ángel Alvarado, Michelle Betancourt, Fernando Cuautle, Constantino Morán

(((((/*\))))) Echoes of the Volcano – (USA/Mexico) (18 mins) Documentary Short
Directors: Charles Fairbanks & Saúl Kak - Producers: Charles Fairbanks & Saúl Kak
In 1982, the eruption of a volcano called Chichonal forced the Zoque community to relocate. Filmed over the course of six years, (((((/*\))))) captures the unique atmosphere of the Indigenous group’s Chiapas village. This ethnographic excursion is a feast for the eyes and an auditory journey paced by quaint music and advertisements blaring from shops and roving trucks. Gradually, political themes come to the surface.

Extracts – (Brazil) (8 mins) Documentary Short
Director: Sinai Sganzerla - Screenwriter: Sinai Sganzerla - Producers: Mercúrio Produções, Sinai Sganzerla
Extracts is a short film with images from 1970 to 1972 in the cities of Rio de Janeiro, Salvador, London, Marrakech, Rabat, and the Sahara desert region. All images were filmed by Helena Ignez and Rogério Sganzerla.
Cast: Helena Ignez and Rogério Sganzerla

I See Colorful Mists – (Brazil) (18 mins) Documentary Short
Director: Pedro Jorge - Screenwriters: Pedro Jorge, Renato Sircilli - Producer: Pedro Jorge
Gisele Marie Rocha is a Muslim and guitarist for the thrash metal band Eden Seed. She was enchanted by the Koran and from then on she felt free to devote herself to metal as a musical genre. She seeks recognition in music, but feels that being a woman and Muslim brings issues in her daily life. To overcome this, Gisele seeks to protect herself in mists of various colors that bring inspiration to produce her art.
Cast: Gisele Marie Rocha

Lavosi – (Guatemala) (10 mins) Documentary Short, Slamdance UNSTOPPABLE Film
Directors: Mohammad Jastaniah, Gabriela Williams, Alejandro Vergara - Producers: Alejandro Vergara, Mohammad Jastaniah, Gabriela Williams, Eddie Del Carmen
An inspiring story of a little school in Antigua, Guatemala that's changing kids' lives.

My Mud My HIllside – (USA) (19 mins) Documentary Short
Director: Julia Mendoza Friedman - Producer: Julia Mendoza Friedman
A story about a Puerto Rican community engagement artist who spent ten years painting one mountainside village green. The film touches on themes of life post-Maria, American colonialism, and the magic of community resilience.
Cast: Chemi Rosado-Seijo, Marsel Rosado Collado, Doris Serraechno, Nahiely Rosendo, Michy Marxuach

Paris is Here – (French Guiana) (17 mins) Narrative Short
Director: Quentin Chantrel - Screenwriters: Léa Magnien, Quentin Chantrel - Producers: Jil Servant, Palaviré Productions
The peaceful life of Georges, an introverted Guyanese teenager, becomes complicated when he falls in love with Gisèle, a dreamy girl who hopes more than anything to see Paris.
Cast: Amine Slimani, Emmanuella Lalois, Ivan Télémaque, Rosita Joacilien, Quentyn Baste

Steps Out of the Blue – (USA) (4 mins) Experimental
Director: Hector David Rosales - Screenwriter: Hector David Rosales - Producer: Hector David Rosales
A poetic testimony of an immigrant struggling to redefine her identity in a new society.
Cast: Claudia Hilda Rodriguez Pozo

Stunned, I Remain Alert – (Brazil) (15 mins) Documentary Short, Slamdance UNSTOPPABLE Film
Director: Henrique Amud - Screenwriters: Lucas H. Rossi dos Santos, Henrique Amud - Producers: Lucas H. Rossi dos Santos, Henrique Amud
Journalist Dermi Azevedo has never stopped fighting for human rights and now, three decades after the end of the military dictatorship in Brazil, he's witnessing the return of those same practices.

The Absences – (USA) (7 mins) Narrative Short
Director: Hansel Porras Garcia - Screenwriter: Hansel Porras Garcia - Producer: Hansel Porras Garcia
After trying to revive once again the lost passion of her marriage, a young woman will make a radical decision she had planned some time ago.
Cast: Camila Rodriguez & Frank Egusquiza

The Needle and The Drum – (Mexico) (14 mins) Documentary Short
Director: Andrés Solis Barrios - Screenwriter: Andrés Solis Barrios - Producer: Andrés Solis Barrios
A warm and tender look at the director's grandparents told through memories that intertwine in an abyss of dreams and illusions. In a Mexican setting of an ancient era (the director is of Mexican origin), the grandfather is a musician and the grandmother embroiders at home. Using only archival footage, the film is a reflection about memories and the fact that memory deteriorates over the years.
Cast: María Cruz Dominguez Vargas & José Solis Adame

About Slamdance:

The mission of Slamdance is to champion emerging artists who in turn will shape our cultural future.

Slamdance has successfully discovered and supported independent artists since 1995. Though Slamdance has greatly evolved since the early years, its spirit remains the same. Slamdance is a community, a year-round experience, and a statement in which everyone is invited to take part. As an artist-led group Slamdance has been able to thrive working outside the system to create a disruptive co-operative run ”by filmmakers, for filmmakers” Slamdance continues to discover and nurture diverse, international creators through new programs like Unstoppable, which focuses on creators with visible and nonvisible disabilities, Slamdance Joshua Tree (September 24-26, 2021) and Slamdance Miami, which serves emerging talent from Central and South America, the Caribbean and Florida. Additionally, Slamdance nurtures talent through its ongoing programs including its Screenplay Competition, DIG--Digital, Interactive and Gaming, grants and mentorships, and the Slamdance Film Festival in Park City, Utah (January 21-27, 2022).

Slamdance conducts business as a Non-Profit Organization under U.S. Internal Revenue Code Section 501(c)(3).

For more information on Slamdance Miami, visit: https://www.slamdance.com
Follow Slamdance on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Instagram
Hashtag: #Slamdance2021
Additional References: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slamdance_Film_Festival

Photos/Images:
Slamdance Miami Film Festival
Slamdance Miami Artwork

Press Contact:
press@slamdance.com
Tel: 323.466.1786

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