CineFestival Celebrates 40th Anniversary

The Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center and CineFestival are excited to announce the 2018 Premios Mesquite winners, the Third Annual Ya'Ke Smith Filmmaker Award, master classes for directors, a free punk rock show featuring Fantástico and the official list of CineFestival after parties and receptions. The National Association of Latino Arts and Cultures (NALAC) will also present the inaugural NALAC Fund for the Arts Adán Medrano Legacy Award in Film.

In addition to the films, CineFestival will host two master classes with award winning filmmakers Miguel Alvarez and Ya'Ke Smith, the first entitled Directors Working With Actors and From Script to Screen: Crafting a Successful Short and the second From Script to Screen: Crafting a Successful Short Film. CineFestival alum, Raúl Castillo, will be a guest speaker for Directors Working With Actors workshop. The first master class will give directors the chance to have a scene in their original screenplays analyzed by Alvarez. Additionally, each director will be given the opportunity to learn how to direct their scene. The second class will focus on production elements essential to crafting a successful short film and give filmmakers the chance to have their work reviewed by Ya'Ke Smith. The Registration fee for classes is $50 for CineFestival badge holders, and $100 for non-badge holders. To register visit www.cinefestival.org.

Before and after the films, CineFestival will host a number of pre-film receptions and after parties for badge holders, filmmakers, and sponsors. Parties will feature an opportunity to view the limited edition poster for CineFestival designed and printed by Cruz Ortiz and enjoy beer from Big Bend Brewing Co. The Thursday and Saturday after-parties will feature a Caribbean menu exclusively curated by Chef Waldo and the Sunday party will have tapas and sangria. Please see below for a list of CineFestival parties as well as the 2018 Premio Mesquite Award winners. To purchase Individual after party tickets visit www.cinefestival.org.

CineFestival Parties Include:

Opening Night Reception in CineFestival Lounge - July 5, 2018 - 6:00 P.M.

Opening Night After-Party with DJ Despeinada at Galeria Guadalupe - July 5, 2018 - 9:00 P.M.

Puro Punk After-party featuring Fantástico! on Guadalupanita Patio - July 6, 2018 - 10:00 P.M.

Saturday Night Salsa Music After-party in Progreso Hall - July 7, 2018 - 10:00 P.M.

Closing Night Reception in CineFestival Lounge - July 8, 2018 - 9:00 P.M.

This year's winners will be honored after the screening of each film.Please see below for the full list of 2018 Premios Mesquite winners:

BEST FEATURE FILM:

We the Animals

Directed by Jeremiah Zagar, 2018, USA, 90 min

BEST DOCUMENTARY:

Ruben Blades Is Not My Name

Directed by Abner Benaim, 2018, USA, 85 min

SPECIAL JURY AWARD:

As I Walk Through The Valley

Directed by Charlie Vela and Ronnie Garza, 2017, USA, 86 min

BEST SHORT FILM:

Atlantic City

Directed by Miguel Alvarez, 2018, USA, 15 min

BEST SHORT DOCUMENTARY:

An Uncertain Future

Directed by Chelsea Hernandez and Iliana Sosa, 2017, USA, 11 min

THIRD ANNUAL Ya'Ke SMITH FILMMAKER AWARD:

San Antonio

Directed by Fatima Aguillon, 2017, USA, 3 min

NALAC ADÁN MEDRANO LEGACY AWARD IN FILM:

America In Transition

Directed by André Perez

For four decades, CineFestival has hosted many of the industry's pioneering U.S. Latino and Mexican films, actors, and directors. Highlights from past editions include appearances by Gina Rodriguez, Guillermo del Toro, Edward James Olmos, Benjamin Bratt, Jesse Borrego, Esai Morales, Hector Galan, Luis Valdez, Lou Diamond Phillips, Cheech Marin, Lourdes Portillo, Lalo Alcaraz, Miguel Arteta,

Guillermo Gomez Pen?a, Culture Clash, and some of the fresh voices in Latino film including Aurora Guerrero, Cruz Angeles, Alex Rivera and last year's feature film subject Dolores Huerta.

GCAC is a 501c(3) non-profit organization founded in 1980 to preserve, promote and develop the arts and culture of the Chicano, Latino, Native American peoples for all ages and backgrounds through public and educational programming.

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