Miami Dade College Hires Veteran Festival Manager as Director of Miami International Film Festival
Miami Dade College Hires Veteran Festival Manager as Director of its Miami International Film Festival
MIAMI, August 23, 2010 – Miami Dade College (MDC) has hired veteran festival manager, Jaie Laplante, as director of its acclaimed Miami International Film Festival (MIFF). Laplante moved to Miami more than a decade ago after falling in love with the city and the potential he knew it had to reach even greater cultural heights. The experienced cultural event administrator, programmer, and consensus-builder will officially take the reins of MIFF October 15.
Laplante is currently the director of the South Beach Wine & Food Festival where he oversees everything from programming to budgeting. Prior to this important post, he was co-director of the Miami Gay & Lesbian Film Festival. He has also worked as a screenwriter, consultant and project manager.
Obtaining his Bachelor’s of Fine Arts with a specialization in film production from York University in Toronto, Laplante describes himself as an innovator. “I like to be at the intersection of artistic and creative impulse, but through a strong business and fiscal approach,” said Laplante. “I am very excited about working for the Miami International Film Festival at Miami Dade College to continue building on the successes the festival has achieved through the backing of the institution and its supporters.”
Next year’s Festival is March 4 – 13.
MIAMI INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
The Miami International Film Festival, celebrating its 27th year in 2010, is now a leading cultural destination event. It is considered the finest Ibero-American film festival in the U.S. The Festival, presented each year in March, attracts more than 75,000 audience members and over 400 filmmakers, producers, talent and industry professionals. In the last five years, the Festival has screened films from more than 60 countries, including 300 East Coast, U.S. and World Premieres. Because of MIFF programs, such as Miami Encuentros, and a special focus on Ibero-American cinema, the Miami International Film Festival has become the natural gateway for the discovery of Ibero-American talent. Additionally, the Festival offers unparalleled educational opportunities to filmmakers and the community at large, including the REEL Education Seminar Series, the World Issues / World Films outreach program, and MIFF Abroad, a cross-cultural venture created to cultivate the next generation of Ibero-American filmmakers. It is the only major festival housed within a college. For more information please visit www.MiamiFilmFestival.com or call 305.237.MIFF (3456).
MIAMI DADE COLLEGE
Miami Dade College has a long and rich history of involvement in the cultural arts, providing South Florida with a vast array of artistic and literary offerings including The Miami Book Fair International, the Florida Center for the Literary Arts, the Cultura del Lobo performance series, The Cuban Cinema Series, nine visual arts galleries including The Freedom Tower at Miami Dade College and the School of Entertainment and Design Technology, in addition to the renowned Miami International Film Festival. MDC is the largest institution of higher education in the country and is nationally recognized for many of its academic and cultural programs. With an enrollment of more than 170,000 students, MDC is the nation’s top producer of degrees. The college’s eight campuses and outreach centers offer nearly 300 distinct degree programs including several baccalaureate degrees.
MDC Media Contacts: Juan Mendieta – MDC’s director of communications – 305-237-7611, jmendiet@mdc.edu; Tere Estorino – 305-237-3949, testorin@mdc.edu; Sue Arrowsmith – 305-237-3710, sue.arrowsmith@mdc.edu; Alejandro Rios – 305-237-7482, arios1@mdc.edu; or Tarnell Carroll – 305-237- 3359, tarnell.carroll@mdc.edu.
###
