Havana Film Festival NY Closes With Star Prize Awards Ceremony And Special Screening Presentation

On Thursday, April 18th at 6:00 p.m., the 24th Havana Film Festival New York will culminate with the highly anticipated Havana Star Prize Award Ceremony. Hosted by Cuban actress Catherine Nuñez, this event will mark the festival's closing and celebrate the outstanding achievements in Latin American cinema. 

The evening will celebrate the rich tapestry of Latin American cinema and honoring the talent and creativity of filmmakers from across the region with the closing night party at Ideal Glass Studios (9 W 8th St, New York, NY 10011) sponsored by Ron Barcelo and Ideal Glass.

Following the award ceremony, attendees will be treated to the Special Presentation of the acclaimed documentary Igualada by director Juan Mejia Botero. The film chronicles the inspiring journey of black Colombian activist Francia Márquez as she transforms a derogatory term, Igualada, into a symbol of defiance against injustice. Through her presidential campaign, Márquez ignites a national movement for a more equitable future, challenging societal norms and inspiring hope among her fellow citizens. Igualada is a compelling David and Goliath story that sheds light on Márquez's tireless advocacy, capturing her relentless spirit and unwavering determination.

We are thrilled about our partnership with Cinema Tropical, a leading advocate for Latin American and Latino cinema in the United States for over two decades. As part of this collaboration, LatinoCircuit TV, a DFEZ Content Management company dedicated to promoting high-quality Latin American content in the US Hispanic market, will present the prestigious Havana Star Prize at our festival.

Before the Igualada screening, we will honor the eighteen films competing for the 13th Havana Star Prize in various categories including Best Film, Director, Screenplay, Actor/Actress, and Documentary. These films have been carefully selected by a jury of influential figures in the film industry and offer diverse experiences. From satirical comedies that critique bureaucratic policies to poignant dramas challenging societal perceptions, each film promises to captivate audiences and provoke thought. These films explore a wide range of themes including music, art, social issues, and politics, offering viewers a glimpse into different cultures and perspectives. The competition features entries from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Mexico, Peru, Panama, Uruguay, and Latino-Americans, with many making their World, US, and New York premieres.

In the Fiction Category, the jury consists of Maria Linares, a Colombian music composer; John David West, an American actor; and Breixo Viejo, a professor at the Herbert School of Communications at Hofstra University specializing in film studies. For the Documentary Category, the jury comprises Ana Maria Hernandez, a professor of Latin American Studies at LaGuardia Community College; Argentinean filmmaker Juan Pablo Cadaveira; and actor/editor Christian Lopez-Lámelas.

Juan Yepes is a film producer with experience in business management and project entrepreneurship. His production experience has focused on documentary filmmaking and short films with a social impact angle. Juan's previous feature documentary, Death by a Thousand Cuts, shot along the border of Haiti and the Dominican Republic, premiered at the HotDocs Film Festival, won the Audience Award at DocNYC, the Grand Jury Prize at the Seattle International Film Festival and Best Changing Planet Program at the Jackson Hole Wildlife Film Festival. Juan has produced work in Cambodia, Thailand, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, Colombia, Peru, and several locations in the United States.

Catherine Nuñez is an actress born in Havana, Cuba. She is currently based in New York. She began her professional career at the age of 11, making her debut in the cinema with the film "The Immobile Traveler" (Dir.Tomás Piard). In 2011, the renowned Cuban director Fernando Pérez included her in the cast of the historical film "Marti, the Eye of the Canary". Her passion for theatre takes her to Washington, DC where she joins GALA (Group of Latin American Artists), one of the largest theater producers in Spanish in the United States. In 2021 she debuted in New York with Teatro Círculo's production "Life is a Dream" (Dir. Mariano de Paco). In 2022 she hits the Miami stages starring in the hyper-realistic drama "The Weepers" (Dir. Jose Eduardo Pardo) Later that year, Catherine goes on tour to Spain to participate in important Spanish Classical Theatre festivals such as Almagro and Alcala.