Film Festival Encourages Aspiring Latino Filmmakers 4/7/05

The cable TV station, HBO (Home Box Office), is partnering with the
New York International Latino Film Festival (NYILFF) to hold the HBO/NYILFF Short Film Competition.

To enter the competition, U.S. or international Latino filmmakers who are 18 years old or older must submit a script for a 5-minute film and also a sample reel with a short film they made. Submissions must be postmarked by May 6, 2005.

Submitted scripts should be written in English and can dramatize the Latino experience. The winner will receive $15,000 to create a short film on digital video that will be shown at the 2005 New York International Latino Film Festival in July.

"Through this film competition, we are able to find fresh talent and provide them the unique opportunity to realize a project from beginning to end," says Calixto Chinchilla, founder and executive director of the film festival.