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| San Telmo Municipal Museum (housed in a former 16th century Dominican convent, with a modern architectural extension) |
Miami International Film Festival (MIFF) co-hosted an exclusive gathering of film industry influencers during last week’s San Sebastian Film Festival at San Telmo Municipal Museum’s elegant Bokado Café, set in the historical center of San Sebastian. In keeping with the historic and modern flavor of the venue, MIFF raised a glass to filmmakers and industry professionals closely aligned with MIFF in the past, present and future.
The invitation-only event was co-hosted by MIFF executive director, Jaie Laplante; MIFF film & industry office manager, Eloisa López-Gomez; and Miami’s own Terry Zarikian, director of product development for China Grill management properties worldwide, South Beach Wine & Food Festival’s culinary advisor, Selecta Magazine’s food editor and director of new business and development for Rockaway PR.
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| San Telmo Muncipal Museum’s Bokado Café |
The gastro-cultural fare included a special selection of pinxtos (Basque equivalent of small snacks, similar to tapas) consisting of patatas bravas, rocas de calamari, Basque beef tenderloin crostini, goose fois gras with passion fruit, and sheep’s milk yogurt with fresh strawberries… accompanied by a crisp and refreshing white wine, Txakoli from Museo Balenciaga, a native vintage produced solely in the Basque countryside.
Representing all corners of the globe, guests included France’s Marché du Film’s executive director Jérôme Paillard and industry programs manager Julie Bergeron; Urban Distribution International’s president, Frédéric Corvez; producer Edgard Tenembaum, whose film Sweet Mud won the Audience Award at MIFF 2007; Costa Rican director Neto Villalobos — 2013 Miami Encuentros winner with All About the Feathers (Por las plumas); Alpha Violet’s Virginie Devesa, international sales agent for MIFF 2013’s Knight Grand Jury Prize winner Tanta Agua. From Spain, Gorka Bilbao international sales for deAPlaneta, producer Simón de Santiago (and MIFF 2012 jury member); producer Jessica Berman; filmmaker Félix Viscarret; Film Factory’s general manager, Vicente Canales; filmmakers Javier Rebollo and Jonas Trueba.
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| San Telmo Muncipal Museum’s Bokado Café |
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Also attending were Inti Herrera from La 5ta Avenida Produccciones (Cuba), producer of MIFF 2012 Lexus Audience Award winner Juan of the Dead (Juan de los muertos); Cuban director Pavel Giroud, who won San Sebastian’s 2nd Europe-Latin American Production Forum with his new project, The Companion; Jirafa Films co-founder and executive producer Bruno Bettati and producer Augusto Matte (Chile); Constanza Arena, executive director of Cinema Chile; Argentinean producer Ignacio Rey, winner of Cine en Construcción 2013 with La Salada (by Juan Martin Hsu, who was also at the party) and co-producer of MIFF 2012’s Lexus Opera Prima Winner Solo (by Guillermo Rocamora); producer Benjamin Domenech from Rei Cine (producers of MIFF 2013 Villegas, by Gonzalo Tobal); Outsider Pictures U.S. distributor Paul Hudson (USA); Locarno Film Festival artistic director Carlo Chatrian (Switzerland); Berlin International Film Festival’s Paz Lázaro and Javier Martín Lozano; and Panama Film Commissioner, Arianne Benedetti. From Uruguay, Transparente Films producer Michaela Solé (Miami Encuentros 2013 with Darwin’s Corner); and from Los Angeles, FiGA Films’ Sandro Fiorin and Alex Garcia. ¡Salud! —Eloisa López-Gomez
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