MIFF Screening Committee Member Wins HBO/NYILFF Short Film Competition

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Scene from “Gloria & Eric”

MIFF 2010 filmmaker (“Gloria and Eric”) and current screening committee member Nicolas Calzada returns to Miami along with screenwriter/co-director  Carman Pelaez to film their new short which just recently won the 2012 HBO®/New York International Latino Film Festival (NYILFF) Short Film Competition. Calzada’s short “The Acting Lesson” tells the story of a rising starlet who interviews her director’s maid Pepa as research for her next big movie role. But when the questions get personal, Pepa is forced to delve deep into her own history, erasing the line between telenovela and real life. In addition to receiving the $15,000 grand prize, an HBO creative executive will serve as a mentor to Calzada and Pelaez and consult with them during the production of the winning script to film. Calzada is also currently in development of his first feature film Sunset Bakery.

Jaie Laplante

Jaie Laplante is the Miami Film Festival's executive director and director of programming. Learn more about Jaie on Programmers.