Havana Film Festival New York 2017 Closes with Musical Tour-de-Force THE FORBIDDEN SHORE

The 18th Havana Film Festival New York (www.HFFNY.com) comes to a close with the 8th Havana Star Prize Awards Ceremony followed by the NY premiere of the musical documentary The Forbidden Shore (dir. Ron Chapman) - a portrayal of over 40 exceptional Cuban musicians and artists. With his ambitious new film, Chapman captures the full gamut of what's happening now in Cuba, both the most exciting artists and the distinct musical scenes they move in, from classic son and salsa, to trova, reggaeton, rock, jazz, metal, rap, electronic, classical, choral, pop, rumba, conga, timba, and more!

Chapman was born in Toronto, Canada. His 2014 film Who the F**K is Arthur Fogel, (Lady Gaga, U2, The Police, Madonna...) was distributed in over 40 countries, and his 2015 critically- acclaimed award-winning documentary, The Poet of Havana (Carlos Varela, Jackson Browne, Benicio Del Toro...) on HBO.

One of the shining stars of the Cuban underground music movement is the native poetess and rapper, Telmary Diaz. She has collaborated with the likes of Isaac Delgado, Los Van Van, and the Buena Vista Social Club, and performed and recorded with figures from the international hip-hop and electronica community. Her first album "A Diario" was prized the CubaDisco award for Best Hip Hop Album in 2008. Telmary has recently wrapped up recording her second album, "Libre." HFFNY has established itself as an integral site of cultural celebration for and of the Latino community of NYC, as well as one of the most prominent Latino international film festivals in the U.S. Annually, the Festival promotes the richness and diversity of Latino voices with programs that feature an international variety of award-winning films, Q&A sessions, retrospectives, and panel discussions with notable local and international directors, actors, and producers. As a platform for artistic and cultural exchange, HFFNY celebrates the work of existing and emerging Latino talent while creating bridges between filmmakers and the people of NYC.
For more information, please visit us at www.hffny.com.