24th Havana Film Festival NY Announces The Winners of The Havana Star Award

The 24th Havana Film Festival NY announced the winners of the Havana Star Award during its Closing Ceremony at the Quad Cinema in Manhattan. The jury in the Fiction category was composed of Maria Linares, the Colombian composer of film music; John David West, the American actor; and Breixo Viejo, a professor at the Herbert School of Communications at Hofstra University, specializing in film history. The awards in this category were the Havana Star Prize for Best Film, awarded to Heroic by David Zonana (Mexico); Best Director: Carolina Markowicz for Toll (Pedagio, Brazil); Best Actor for JhonNarvaez for his role as Joe Arrollo in Rebellion (Colombia); Best Actress for Lola Amores from A Night with the Rolling Stones (Cuba); Best Screenplay for Josué Méndez for The Monroy Affaire (Peru). With a Special Mention from the Jury for Memento Mori by Fernando Lopez (Colombia).

In the justification for the award, the jury expressed: "A bold work that delves into themes of national patriotism, the marginalization of indigenous groups, and the insidious effects of hyper-masculinity. It presents a sharp critique of the role of the army in shaping young people into instruments of violence. For all these reasons, David Zonana's 'Heroic' takes home the award for Best Film at the HFFNY".

The jury in the Documentary category was composed of Ana María Hernández, professor of Latin American Studies at LaGuardia Community College; Argentine filmmaker Juan Pablo Cadaveira; and actor and editor Christian López-Lámelas. The Havana Star Prize for Best Documentary went to Transfariana by Joris Lachaise (Colombia). A special mention from the jury was given to The Castle by Benjamin Benchimol (Argentina).

The jury presented Transfariana with the award "for its sensitive, multifaceted, and complex representation of a contemporary marriage that breaks long-standing taboos."

The eighteen competing films offered a captivating range of experiences, from satirical comedies critiquing bureaucratic policies to poignant dramas challenging societal perceptions of the female experience. Insightful documentaries that unveiled truths and confronted norms, demanding attention and pushing boundaries. “Additionally, these fiction films and documentaries transported viewers to new worlds, exploring musical, artistic, social, and political themes in ingenious and challenging ways,” said Diana Vargas, HFFNY Artistic Director. The competition featured films from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Mexico, Peru, Panama, Uruguay, and Latino-Americans, with many making their World, US, and NY premieres.

Havana Film Festival NY collaborated with Cinema Tropical and LatinoCircuit TV to showcase the competing films. For more than two decades, Cinema Tropical has played a vital role in introducing Latin American and Latino cinema to audiences throughout the United States. As part of this partnership, LatinoCircuit TV, a DFEZ Content Management company committed to distributing top-notch Latin American content that aims to educate, entertain, and celebrate Latino culture within the US Hispanic market, will present the esteemed Havana Star Prize at our festival.

During the awards ceremony, which was attended by a large audience, there was also a special presentation in New York of the documentary Igualada by director Juan Mejia Botero (Colombia). More information about the winners can be found at www.hffny.com

Best Film

"Heroic" by David Zonana (Mexico)

Best Director

Carolina Markowicz, "Toll" (Brazil)

Best Actor

Jhon Narvaez, "Rebellion" (Colombia)

Best Actress

Lola Amores from "One Night with the Rolling Stones" (Cuba)

Best Screenplay

Josue Mendez, "The Monroy Affaire" (Peru)

Best Documentary

"Transfariana" by Joris Lachaise (Colombia)

Special Mentions in Documentary to "The Castle" by Martin Benchimol (Argentina) and in Fiction to "Memento Mori" by Fernando Lopez (Colombia)