By Maria Esteves – August 24, 2011

The 12th New York International Latino Film Festival 2011 (NYILFF11) presented by HBO Opening Night Presentation of Chico and Rita, co-directed by Javier Mariscal, Fernando Trueba, and Tono Errando, commenced Tuesday, August 16, at AMC Empire Cinemas. NYILFF11 Opening Night HBO Short Film Script Competition Award and Mayor Bloomberg’s proclamation making August 15-21 NYILFF days, preceded the film presentation. NYILFF11 Opening Night red carpet arrivals included international filmmakers, producers, writers, actors, recording artists, industry executives, corporate sponsors, and patrons. NYILFF 2011 Official Opening Night After Party immediately followed the film at Juliet.

NYILFF 2011 Opening Night: executive director Carlos Manzano,
NYC Latin Media & Entertainment Commission, center, presents
Mayor Bloomberg’s proclamation to NYILFF founder/co-executive
director Calixto Chinchilla, right, and co-executive director
Elizabeth Gardner.

NYILFF 2011 Opening Night: HBO associate manager of multicultural
marketing, Marvin Scott, left, presents HBO/NYILFF Short Film Script
Competition Award, with NYILFF founder/co-executive director Calixto
Chinchilla, and co-executive director Elizabeth Gardner.

NYILFF 2011 Opening Night: HBO/NYILFF Short Film Script Competition
Award winners, left-right, co-directors Joseph Lamorte,
Gloria Lamorte, and writer/producer Dominic Colon, CRUSH.