Havana Film Festival (ICAIC Festival Internacional del Nuevo Cine Latinoamericano)
Latin America's most politically and culturally significant film festival, held annually in December in Havana, celebrating Latin American and Caribbean cinema with a particular commitment to the New Latin American Cinema tradition.
Overview
The Havana Film Festival is Latin America's most politically and culturally significant film festival. Founded in 1979 by the Cuban Institute of Cinematographic Art and Industry (ICAIC) and held annually in December in Havana, the festival celebrates Latin American and Caribbean cinema with a particular commitment to the New Latin American Cinema tradition.
The New Latin American Cinema movement of the 1960s and 1970s -- which included films by Tomas Gutierrez Alea, Glauber Rocha, Jorge Sanjines, and others -- was a politically committed cinema of anti-imperialism, social justice, and cultural decolonization. The Havana festival was founded as the primary international showcase for this tradition and has maintained this political identity through four decades.
Havana's extraordinary beauty -- its crumbling Baroque architecture, its vintage American cars from the 1950s, its Malecon seafront, and its unique cultural isolation -- creates a festival experience unlike any other in the world.
Key Sections
- Latin American Feature Competition -- films competing for the Coral Award
- Documentary Competition -- nonfiction Latin American films
- Short Film Competition -- Latin American and international shorts
- Caribbean Cinema -- films from the islands
- New Voices and Visions -- emerging Latin American filmmakers
What Filmmakers Should Know
Havana accepts open submissions. The Coral Award is among the most historically significant Latin American film prizes. For filmmakers engaged with politically committed cinema, social justice, or anti-colonial themes, the festival's political heritage creates a uniquely receptive context.
Major Awards
- Grand Coral Award -- Best Latin American Film
- Best Documentary
- Best Debut Film
- Audience Award
Festival History
Havana Film Festival was founded in 1979 by ICAIC and has operated continuously for over four decades through Cuba's economic and political isolation.
See Also
For Latin American cinema, see International Film Markets. For Mar del Plata, see Mar del Plata International Film Festival.
