| For IMMEDIATE Release
Monday, December 16, 2013
Miami International Film Festival,
Produced and Presented by Miami Dade College,
Announces U.S. Premiere of
Box Office Record-Breaking Argentine Film
Foosball
Miami, FL — Miami International Film Festival (MIFF), produced and presented by Miami Dade College, will host the U.S. premiere of Oscar-winning director Juan José Campanella’s latest film Foosball (Metegol), a Spanish-Argentine produced animated film that has broken the Argentinian 2013 box-office record for the highest grossing film premiere in Argentina. The film will be introduced to U.S. audiences at the 31st edition of MIFF (March 7–16, 2014). This is Campanella’s second collaboration with MIFF, having presented his Oscar-winning film The Secret in Their Eyes at MIFF 2010.
The film is Argentine director Juan José Campanella’s follow-up to his Academy Award-winning film The Secret in Their Eyes (2009); the latter marking only the second time in history that a Latin American country has won the Best Foreign Language Film category. Foosball broke Argentine box office records grossing 4.3 million pesos (US$774,000) during its opening weekend on July 19, 2013 in Argentina. The film has been touted as the most expensive Argentine film production to date, as well as the most expensive Latin American animated feature in history, with a budget of $21 million.
“Premiering Foosball at this year’s Miami International Film Festival gives us the opportunity to really extend our reach to a wider audience and share with them our passion for cinema since the film is very family friendly. This year, with Foosball, we’re definitely going to celebrate the family bonding aspect of cinema and add another layer to the festival, which is always very exciting,” said MIFF Executive Director Jaie Laplante.
Foosball tells the story of young Amadeo, an introverted outsider obsessed with table soccer (or foosball, as the film’s title references) as he tries to save the local stadium from demolition by his long-time rival. Helping Amadeo are his foosball team figures that are magically brought to life, especially El Capi, the optimistic and overconfident leader.
MIFF finalized the arrangement with Foosball executive producer Gaston Gorali recently at Ventana Sur film market in Buenos Aires.
The complete line-up of the 31st Miami International Film Festival will be announced in late January. The festival runs March 7 – 16, 2014. For tickets and more information, please visit www.miff2020.wpengine.com or call 305-405-MIFF (6433). The Festival is the only major film festival event housed within a college or university.
Miami International Film Festival (MIFF), celebrating its 31st anniversary March 7 – 16, 2014, is considered the preeminent film festival for showcasing Ibero-American cinema in the U.S., and a major launch pad for all international and documentary cinema. The annual Festival, produced and presented by Miami Dade College, attracts more than 60,000 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 has made the Festival a natural gateway for the discovery of new talent from this diverse territory. The Festival also offers unparalleled educational opportunities to film students and the community at large. Major sponsors of the 2014 Festival include Knight Foundation, Lexus and Miami-Dade County. For more, visit miff2020.wpengine.com or call 305-237-MIFF (3456).
MDCulture is the Cultural Affairs Department of Miami Dade College (MDC). Comprising the Miami Book Fair International, Miami International Film Festival, Tower Theater, the Center for Literature and Theatre, Koubek Center, Freedom Tower, MDC Live Arts and MDC Galleries and Museum of Art + Design, MDCulture is committed to providing everyone the opportunity to come in contact with innovative thinkers, creators and tradition bearers from around the world. With each presentation, MDCulture offers a bridge between cultures and ideas, creating new opportunities for the increasingly diverse population of Miami to come together through shared live arts experiences. For more, visit mdculture.org.
MIFF Contacts:
Jessica Wade Pfeffer, Jessica Wade Inc., +1 (305) 804-8424, jessica@jessicawadeinc.com
Megan Sedlacek, Jessica Wade Inc., +1 (305) 456-0483, megan@jessicawadeinc.com
MDC Contacts:
Tere Estorino +1 (305) 237-3949, testorin@mdc.edu
Sue Arrowsmith, +1 (305) 237-3710, sue.arrowsmith@mdc.edu
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