South American films get US distribution at Miami Fest

Miami International Film Festival (MIFF) festival director Nicole Guillemet announced today that three films screening at MIFF received North American distribution deals. "The films truly celebrate the spirit of the festival and is another step towards growth for the festival further establishing it as a marketplace where filmmakers have the opportunity to seek and find distribution,” said Guillemet. “This has always been a part of my vision for the festival and to see it come to fruition is gratifying." Alice’s House and Antonia are Brazilian productions, and A Ton of Luck is a Colombia/Argentina co-production.
Alice’s House (A Casa de Alice) directed by Chico Teixeira was acquired by Los Angeles based FiGa Films. FiGa representatives Sandro Fiorin and Alex Garcia negotiated the deal with producers Patrick LeBlanc and Zita Carvahosa. The film centers on a lonely wife and mother neglected by her husband and three sons. Her mundane life takes a turn when she begins harboring secrets that threaten the only life she knows. “We are so happy that the Miami International Film Festival provided such a wonderful platform for our film to debut in North America,” said Le Blanc. “We are very excited to partner with FiGa to bring our film to a whole new audience.”
Red Envelope, the distribution arm of Netflix, picked up Antonia. Award winning filmmaker Tata Amaral produced and directed the film. Head of Netflix Original Content Division Bahman Naraghi brokered the deal with Amaral and co-producer Georgia Costa Arujo. The film is about an all-girl singing group struggling to make it on the outskirts of Sao Paolo. “Antonia has some incredible soul,” Naraghi said. “Audiences are going to love Tata’s unique style and the film’s energetic and inspiring performances.”
Venezuelan owned, Miami based Venevision picked up A Ton of Luck (Soñar no cuesta nada). Vice President of Communications Jose Antonio Espinal brokered the deal. “A Ton of Luck tells an amazing tale full of morality and with a unique insight into human nature, said Espinal. “The film broke Colombian box office records and has the potential to make an impact on an even wider audience.” A Ton of Luck was shot in Colombia and Argentina, and is based on a true story of members of a Colombian anti-guerrilla patrol who happen upon a $46 million dollar cache of drug money. Clara Maria Ochoa Dominguez produced the film. Ana Piñeres and Noemi Fuhrer served as executive producers.
This year’s festival attracted a record number of acquisition executives from around the world. Ellen Pittleman from Paramount Pictures International, Nancy Gerstman from Zeitgeist Films, Matt Brodlie from Paramount Vantage, Eileen Rodriguez from The Weinstein Company, Jason Resnick from Universal Pictures & Focus Features, Arianna Bocco from IFC, Rob Williams from Netflix, Inc., and Rebeca Conget from New Yorker Films are just a few of the buyers on hand.

Festival attendees include Career Achievement Tributee Luc Besson and Rie Rasmussen star of Angel-A; Viggo Mortensen, star of Alatriste; Eduard Fernández, star of Fiction and Alatriste; and Catalina Sandino Moreno (Maria Full of Grace), star of The Heart of the Earth. In addition, more than 300 filmmakers, directors, producers, distributors, and industry executives will attend the 2007 Festival to actively participate in screenings, panels and sales meetings including Damián Alcázar, Alberto Arvelo, Andi Baiz, Emily Barclay, Michael Barker, Steven Barron, Luis Bellaba, Tammy Blanchard, Cedella Marley Booker, Carles Bosch, Jim Brown, Zita Caivallosa, Robert Cary, Andres Cepeda, Antonio Cuadri, Veronica Cura, David D'Arcy, Oded Davidoff, Joaquim de Almeida, Ira Deutchman, Agustin Diaz Yanes, Serge Elissalde, Geoffrey Enthoven, Howard Feinstein, Mark Fergus, John Fiege, Alex Garcia, Anita Grabowski, Julie Goldman, Octavio Gomez-Berrios, Mike Goodridge, Olga Guillot, Quim Gutiérrez, Adam Guzinski, Megan Hammitt, Justine Henzell, Todd Hitchcock, Ted Hope, Samantha Horley, Anne Hubell, Sheila Johnston, Gonzalo Justiniano, Daniel Katz, Julia Kaufman, Peter Keough, Philippa Kowarsky, Sarah Lash, Patrick Leblanc, Jérome Lemonnier, Diego Lerman, Ilana Levine, Caroline Libresco, Kirsi Marie Liimatainen, Cynthia Lopez, Mike Maggiore, Oliver Mahrdt, Elba McAllister, Selton Mello, Maria Merlino, Kirill Mikhanovsky, Takayuki Nakamura, Bertha Navarro, Frances Negron, Sabrina Nudeliman, Benjamin O'Dell, Loris Omedes, Matt Orley, Veronica Orozco, Hsiao-hung Pai, Chitra Palekar, Raoul Peck, Mike Plante, Tahani Rached, Steven Raphael, Barry Rebo, André Ristum, Rene Rodriguez, J.B. Rutagarama, Veronica Sanchez, Daniel Sánchez, Josefina Sartora, Issaka Sawadogo, Dror Shaul, Tali Shemesh, Steve Solot, Ugo Sorrentino, Jim Stark, Jeremy Stulberg, Randy Stulberg, Cecilia Suarez, Rodrigo Triana, Tonny Trimarsanto, Ela Troyano Tristán Ulloa, Christine Vachon, Francisco Vargas Quevedo, Carice van Houten, Francis Veber, Eduardo Veràstegui, Paul Verhoeven, Margarethe von Trotta, Lois Vossen, Bruce Weber, Douglas Wellbat, Ryan Werner, Jennifer Westfeldt, Fred Willard, Marco Williams, Sean Wolfinghton, Vanessa Wranger, Norma Yolí, Markus Zimmer, and Bernardo Zupnik.


The Miami International Film Festival gratefully acknowledges the support it receives from its sponsors, including its Producing Sponsors, City of Miami, Miami-Dade County, American Airlines, The Miami Herald and El Nuevo Herald. Premiere Sponsors include America Filmworks, Comcast, del Rivero Messianu DDB, The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs, Regal Cinemas, University of Miami and Venevision International. Principal Sponsors are 2150 Editorial, ABC Management Services and The Historic Alfred I. DuPont Building, AméricaEconomía, CBS4 and MY33, Clear Channel Radio, Diario Las Americas, Eastman Kodak Entertainment Imaging, Entertainment Partners, FedEx Express, Florida Power & Light, Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau, Heineken, Hertz Radio, Jaman, Lava Studio, Magna-Tech Electronic Company, Miami Parking Authority and Gusman Center for the Performing Arts, Movado, Premiere Magazine, Selecta Magazine, Shore Club, Sunrise Intracoastal Cinema, Telefutura 69, Terra Group, Univision 23, Univision Radio, Vanidades, Wachovia and Warren Henry Automobiles. The Festival’s Supporting Sponsors include Astoria Communications, Blue Capital Management, BMI, Books & Books, Carlton Fields, Catalina Hotel and Beach Club, Cineworks Digital Studios, Inc., Consulado de México en Miami, Continental New Art Digital, Cultural Services Department of the French Embassy in the U.S., Digital Devoid, Dorchester Hotel, El Argentino, FilmFinders, The Garner Foundation, Inc., Hotel Victor ICAA, Lion Video, Manhattan Transfer, Miami Downtown Development Authority, Miami New Times, Midtown Video, Personal Music, Pinnacle Housing, Raleigh Hotel, River Oyster Bar, SAGIndie, SocialMiami.com, TownHouse Hotel, Universal Casting, Univision Online, View Premium, LLC, 88.9 FM Serious Jazz (WDNA), WLRN Public Radio and Television, and WPBT TV-Channel 2.

The 2007 Miami International Film Festival is sponsored in part with the support of the State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Cultural Affairs and the Florida Arts Council, and the National Endowment for the Arts; the Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs and Cultural Affairs Council, the Miami-Dade County Mayor and Board of County Commissioners the Miami-Dade Mayor’s Office of Film and Entertainment; the City of Miami Mayor’s Office of Film and Cultural Affairs; the Governor’s Office of Film and Entertainment; Miami-Dade Transit; the City of Miami Beach, the Miami Beach Visitor and Convention Authority; the City of Miami Beach Cultural Arts Program; Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences, the Miami Coalition for the Homeless, the Alvah H. and Wyline P. Chapman Foundation, Inc., and Florida International University – Latin American and Caribbean Center.

The Miami International Film Festival to be held March 2-11, 2007, brings the best of world cinema to South Florida and plays a leading role in maintaining and further enriching its film culture. MIFF uses the unique geographical and cultural position of Miami to be a premiere venue for the exhibition of international and US films, with a special focus on Ibero-American cinema.

• More than 67,000 people attended the Festival in 2006
• In addition, more than 300 filmmakers, producers, talent, and industry representatives from around the world attended the 2006 Festival to introduce their work to Miami audiences and industry professionals
• The 2006 Festival held more than 250 screenings, including features, shorts, Outreach and press

During the last four years, the Festival has presented films from more than 60 countries, including 200 East Coast, U.S. and World Premieres, scores of Oscar winners and nominees, and many international prizewinners. Tickets go on sale to Members Feb. 2, 2007 and to the General Public Feb. 16, 2007.

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 Cultura del Lobo performing arts series, The Cuban Cinema Series, and the School of Entertainment and Design Technology in addition to the 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 163,000 students, MDC is the nation’s top producer of associate of arts and associate of science degrees. The college’s eight campuses and outreach centers offer more than 200 distinct degree programs including baccalaureate degrees in education, public safety management and nursing.