LOS ANGELES, Oct. 25, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- The first annual Baja International Film Festival, to be held November 14-17 in Los Cabos, Mexico, has announced the line-up of films selected to be screened at the inaugural Festival. The Festival will showcase 80 films from around the world, including 5 international feature films in competition, 5 Mexican feature films in competition, 5 international documentaries in competition, 5 Mexican documentaries in competition, 30 international shorts, 13 Mexican shorts, 4 environmental films, as well as Special Presentation screenings of 7 international feature films, and 6 Mexican feature films.

The following awards and cash prizes will be given for best film in each screening category, honoring the work of this year's outstanding filmmakers at the 2012 Baja International Film Festival.

Best International Feature / $10,000 U.S.
Best Mexican Feature / $10,000 U.S.
Best International Documentary / $5,000 U.S.
Best Mexican Documentary / $5,000 U.S.
Best International Short Film / $2,500 U.S.
Best Mexican Short Film / $2,500 U.S.

The majority of screenings, as well as the opening night celebration, panels, industry forums, hospitality lounge, and closing night awards gala, including Tributes to acclaimed filmmakers and actors, will take place at the new Los Cabos Convention Center, a 72,000 square-foot space equipped with solar panels and the latest environmental technology.

The Baja International Film Festival is pleased to announce the inaugural Mexico-USA Film Forum that will take place on Friday, November 16 as part of the First Edition of the Baja International Film Festival. Renowned Film-Industry members from both countries will be present to create a space for dialogue and exchange of ideas to strengthen the relationship between the two industries. The Film Forum will focus mainly on topics related to Investment and Funding; as well as on the challenges, needs, and opportunities for Mexican Cinema in the United States of America. These topics will be further developed with two discussion tables in which experts in different fields will exchange points of view and related experiences, presenting elements which we intend to integrate within the bilateral character and identity of the Festival. The forum will offer an opportunity for dialogue, reflection, and analysis of both the U.S. and Mexican Film Industries. Industries that are very close to each other and both speak for the cultural identity of their countries.

Also on November 16, prior to the screening of the film "Miradas Múltiples" (La Máquina Loca) we will announce the creation of a Film Fund to support Mexican Projects and Filmmakers. More detailed information will be announced at a later date.

Throughout the festival weekend, pass holders will enjoy film screenings, red carpet ceremonies and parties, panel discussions, and live music featuring Grammy-winning musicians from LA's famed Hotel Café. The awards ceremony recognizing the outstanding work of leaders in the film industry will take place on Saturday, November 17^th.

There will be select free screenings for the public at the Cultural Pavilion Amphitheater in Cabo San Lucas and at the Plaza Mijares in San Jose Del Cabo. Included in the free screening program will be the highly anticipated new animated film from DreamWorks Animation, Rise of the Guardians, directed by Peter Ramsay.

"We are proud to showcase a diverse and compelling film program, ranging from special screenings of industry films to independent passion projects, all carefully selected by our programming committees to showcase the best in Mexican, U.S., and international film," said Festival Director Sean Cross.

"It was important for us to find a balance between our Mexican and international programming, to truly represent Mexico's new wave of innovative filmmakers, while also highlighting the groundbreaking films being produced in the U.S. and across the world. We have an incredible lineup and are excited to share this year's program with our attendees for the first annual Baja International Film Festival," said Eva Sangiorgi, Programmer of the Mexican narrative features selection.

The Inaugural Baja International Film Festival Film Program Includes:

International Narrative Features Competition:
7 Cajas, directed by Juan Carlos Maneglia and Tana Schembori
Faith, Love and Whiskey, directed by Kristina Nikolova
No, directed by Pablo Larrain
The Sky in Bloom, directed by Tor Mian
While We Were Here, directed by Kat Coiro

International Narrative Special Presentations:
6 Month Rule, directed by Blayne Weaver
For Lovers Only, directed by Michael Polish
Mariachi Gringo, directed by Tom Gustafson
Rise of the Guardians, directed by Peter Ramsay
Supporting Characters, directed by Daniel Schechter
Thanks for Sharing, directed by Stuart Blumberg

Mexican Narrative Features Competition:
Fogo, directed by Yulene Olaizola
Las lágrimas, directed by Pablo Delgado Sánchez
Los mejores temas, directed by Nicolás Pereda
Rezeta, directed by Luis Fernando Frías
Un mundo secreto, directed by Gabriel Mariño

Mexican Narrative Special Presentations
Cabeza de Vaca, directed by Nicolas Echevarria
Después de Lucia, directed by Michel Franco
Hecho en México, directed by Duncan Bridgeman
De Tripas Corazón, directed by Antonio Urrutia  
Miradas Múltiples (La máquina loca), directed by Emilio Maillé
Niño Fidencio (El taumaturgo del Espizazo), directed by Nicolás Echevarría

International Documentary Competition:
Blood Relative, directed by Nimisha Mukerji
First Position, directed by Bess Kargman
GuateMaya- The Unification of Wisdom, directed by Cassidy Rast
Money and Honey, directed by Ching-Hui Lee
Nothing Like Chocolate, directed by Kum-Kum Bhavnani

Mexican Documentary Competition:
Buscando a Larisa, directed by Andrés Pardo
Cuates de Australia, directed by Everardo González
El alcalde, directed by Carlos F. Rossini, Emiliano Altuna, and Diego E. Osorno
Inori, directed by Pedro González Rubio
La revolución de los alcatraces, directed by Luciana Kaplan

International Shorts Competition:
Address Is Approximate, directed by Tom Jenkins
Amaqqut Nunaat, directed by Neil Christopher
And If Tomorrow..., directed by Joe Iacovino
Blackout, directed by Francisco Lupini
De Que Se Rien Las Hienas directed by Javier Veiga
El Cocodrilo (The Crocodile), directed by Steve Acevedo
Grounded, directed by Kevin Margo
Hello Caller, directed by Andrew Putschoegl
Immobile, directed by Helio Mira
Julio Solis, A Move Shake Story, directed by Alexandria Bombach
La Mirada Perdida, directed by Damián Dionisio
Lichen, directed by Kevin Lim
Little Kaiju, directed by Jonathan Baker
Luminaris, directed by Juan Pablo Zaramella
Lunch Date, directed by Sasha Collington
Mentiroso, directed by Will Shipley
Mexican Cuisine, directed by Fran Guijarro
Neighbors, directed by Rachel Goldberg
Nostos, directed by Alessandro D'Ambrosi and Santa de Santis     
Q, directed by Felipe Vara de Rey
Rascacielos, directed by Mariana Torres
Resen, directed by Eti Tsicko
Side Effects, directed by Traven Rice
Single Player, directed by Paweł Soja
The End, directed by Ted Marcus
The Gnome Garden, directed by Elena Hattersley
The Most Girl Part of You, directed by Mark Cummins
The Price, directed by Zeke Pinheiro, James St.Vincent
The Verbal Circuits, directed by Elena Hattersley
Tu ez moi, directed by Melissa Papel and Clarisse Gorokhoff

Mexican Shorts Competition:
Dentro, directed by Emiliano Rocha Minter
Dentro de uno, directed by Salvador Aguirre
Dos de tres, directed by Paulina Rosas
Ecuación, directed by Gerardo Enrique Rodríguez Herrera
Ismael, directed by Sebastian Hofmann
La habitación, directed by Raúl Sebastián Quintanilla
La noria, directed by Karla Castañeda
Las manos limpias, directed by Carlos Armella
Lucy contra los límites de la voz, directed by Mónica Herrera
Perro azul, directed by Federico Zuvire
Un ojo, directed by Lorenza Manrique
Yuban, Yaasib Vázquez Colmenares

Environmental Films:
Azul Intangible, directed by Eréndira Valle Padilla
Planet Ocean, directed by Yann Arthus-Bertrand and Michael Pitiot
Open Pit, directed by Gianni Converso
Pad Yatra: A Green Odyssey, directed by Wendy J.N. Lee

ABOUT THE BAJA INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
The inaugural Baja International Film Festival is co-founded by Festival President, Eduardo Sanchez Navarro, longtime supporter of the arts in Los Cabos, BIFF festival directors Scott Cross and Sean Cross, co-founders of the Colorado Film Institute and Vail Film Festival, and business leaders and arts supports Juan Gallardo, Alfonso Pasquel, Eduardo Sanchez Navarro Torres, and Pablo Sanchez Navarro. Scott and Sean Cross also serve as the Festival's artistic directors alongside Jorge Sanchez Sosa, former director of the Guadalajara Film Festival. Nancy Collet, former Director of Programming at the American Film Institute, serves as Festival Senior International Films Programmer. The Baja International Film Festival will include four days of special presentations, as well as competition screenings of feature films, documentaries, and short films, as well as nightly galas, panel discussions, filmmaker receptions, and award ceremonies. The festival is run by a bi-national team of experienced film and business managers who share a passion for bringing Mexican and U.S. cultures together through film. The Baja International Film Festival is supported by the México Tourism Board and endorsed by the State of Baja California Sur and the Los Cabos Tourism Bureau as the Official Festival of Cabo, México. For more information and to order tickets please visit: www.bajainternationalfilmfestival.com or email info@bajafilmfest.com.

SOURCE Baja International Film Festival