| For Immediate Release:
January 27th, 2012
Miami International Film Festival Adds World Premiere of
The Sex of The Angels to Knight Ibero-American Competition; Announces Jurors
MIAMI, FL – The Miami International Film Festival (MIFF), produced and presented by Miami Dade College (MDC), announced today the addition of the World Premiere of Xavier Villaverde’s The Sex of The Angels (El sexo de los ángeles) to its signature Knight Ibero-American Competition. The film joins the previously announced 10 titles from Latin America, Spain and Portugal competing for $45,000 in jury prizes at the Festival’s upcoming 10-day showcase, from March 2 – 11th.
The just-completed Spanish drama features three of Spain’s top rising talents, including Álvaro Cervantes, familiar to MIFF audiences from his recent appearance at Miami – Recent Cinema From Spain with the film Three Meters Above The Sky. The film also stars Astrid Bergès-Frisbey, recent co-star of Rob Marshall’s Pirates of the Caribbean 4: On Stranger Tides, and Spanish TV star Llorenç González. The original story was directed, co-written, and executive-produced by Villaverde, director of the feature films 13 Curses and Finisterre.
“The Sex of the Angels is a complex, modern story of sexuality, compassion and respect,” said MIFF executive director Jaie Laplante. “Xavier Villaverde’s film of powerful yet tender souls exploring new territory with each other will add an interesting element to the Knight Ibero-American Competition.”
The film tells the story of Rai (Cervantes), a charming and mysterious hip hop dancer, who comes between Bruno (González) and Carla (Bergès-Frisbey), a seemingly happy couple. After Bruno and Rai begin to fall in love, Carla grapples with the decision to stay with Bruno.
The film was produced by Barcelona’s Continenal Producciones and is represented for international sales by Latido Films. Villaverde is anticipated to attend the World Premiere of the film in Miami.
The film was produced by Galicia’s Continenal Producciones, Barcelona’s Dream Team Concept and Brazil’s CCFBR Produçoes represented for international sales by Latido Films. Villaverde is anticipated to attend the World Premiere of the film in Miami.
The Festival also announced the members of the Grand Jury of the Knight Ibero-American Competition. They are:
- Simon De Santiago, of Madrid’s MOD Producciones, executive producer of Alejandro Amenabar’s Agora and Oskar Santos’ For The Good of Others, among many other credits
- Tania Hermida, Quito, Ecuador-based filmmaker, director of the MIFF 2012 selection In The Name of the Girl, in the Cinema 360/Films For Youth section
- Ariel Rotter, Buenos Aires producer/director, producer of the Cannes Film Festival Camera d’Or winning film Las Acacias, also featured in MIFF 2012’s Lexus Opera Prima Competition, and director of The Other, an official selection at MIFF 2008.
The Sex of the Angels is one of two World Premieres at MIFF in the Knight Ibero-American competition. The other World Premiere is Javier Andrade’s The Porcelain Horse (Mejor no hablar (de ciertas cosas)) (Ecuador/USA). The other previously-announced titles in the Competition are: I’d Receive the Worst News From Your Beautiful Lips (Eu Receberia As Piores Notícias De Seus Lindos Lábios) (Brazil); Blood of My Blood (Sangue do Meu Sangue) (Portugal); Pescador (Ecuador/Colombia); Bonsái (Chile/Argentina/Portugal/France); Zoo (Zoológico) (Chile); The Cat Vanishes (El gato desaparece) (Argentina); Madrid,1987 (Spain); Violeta Went to Heaven (Violeta se fue a los cielos) (Chile) and The Sleeping Voice (La voz dormida) (Spain).
The Festival opens March 2nd with yet another World Premiere, Tom Gustafson’s, Mariachi Gringo starring Shawn Ashmore, Adriana Barraza, and Martha Higareda.
Miami International Film Festival (MIFF), celebrating its 29th edition on March 2-11, 2012, is considered the preeminent Ibero-American film festival in the U.S. The annual Festival, produced and presented by Miami Dade College, attracts more than 70,000 audience members and more than 400 filmmakers, producers, talent and industry professionals. It is the only major festival housed within a college or university. In the last five years, the Festival has screened films from more than 60 countries, including 300 World, International, North American, U.S. and East Coast Premieres. MIFF’s special focus on Ibero-American cinema have made the Miami International Film Festival a natural gateway for the discovery of Ibero-American talent. Additionally, the Festival offers unparalleled educational opportunities to filmmakers and the community at large. For more, visit miff2020.wpengine.com or call 305-237-MIFF (3456). Major sponsors of the 2012 Miami International Film Festival include: Lexus, John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, Miami Beach Visitors & Convention Authority, FPL, EGEDA, Downtown Development Authority of the City of Miami, Comcast, Miami New Times, The Historic Alfred I. Dupont Building, ABC Management Services, Screen International and the City of Miami Beach. The official headquarter hotel of MIFF 2012 is The Standard Spa, Miami; and the Festival is produced with the support of the Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs and the Cultural Affairs Council, the Miami-Dade County Mayor and Board of County Commissioners.
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 MDC Live! Performing Arts Series, The MDC Tower Theater 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 174,000 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. It has admitted nearly 2 million students since it opened its doors in 1960. More at mdc.edu.
About the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation
The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation supports transformational ideas that promote quality journalism, advance media innovation, engage communities and foster the arts. The foundation believes that democracy thrives when people and communities are informed and engaged. For more, visit knightfoundation.org.
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