Vallarta Film Festival in Mexico
The Vallarta Film Festival (VFF), in Vallarta, Nayarit, Mexico is getting ready to roll out the red carpet on Nov. 29 and will be in full swing through Dec. 3 with the Pacific resort city of Puerto Vallarta’s beautiful Bay of Banderas as its backdrop. The VFF’s goal is to raise consciousness of film as art, while enriching local culture.
Over the course of the five-day festival, there will be a wide variety of special events including an opening gala Nov. 29, a celebrity tribute Dec. 1, a filmmakers’ brunch hosted by the Vallarta Film Commission, and of course numerous screenings.
Also included in the program is a focus on the works of classic Mexican filmmakers Gabriel Figueroa and Emilio Fernandez, both contemporaries of the legendary John Huston.
Additionally, movie industry panels will feature Hollywood celebrities as well as actors from all over the Americas and a wide variety of concerts, art expos and food events in conjunction with the festival, all contained within the lush natural setting of Puerto Vallarta. Last year, the guest list included such names as Fran Dresher, Diego Luna, Roger Corman, John C. Reily, Alfonso Cuaron, and Rodrigo Prieto.
Expected guests this year include Diane Ladd and Chris Messina. This year the VFF has expanded its categories to include a wider variety of film genres. Included in these are American Independent Cinema, New Films from Canada and Mexican Short Films. There will also be a series of environmental films which are shown in an attempt to create eco-awareness in Mexico, as well as many cutting-edge films including the Hollywood blockbuster hit, Little Miss Sunshine.
This year’s projected audience of more than 10,000 people includes a wide local, national and international base, from celebrities and industry professionals to film students and die hard movie lovers. Priding itself as a freethinking, laid back institution, the festival is a far cry from its sterile competitors. There are no jackets required at VFF, and the vacation feel of the venue makes the experience truly unique.
Founded three years ago by acclaimed actress Anjelica Huston and her brother Danny, the not-for-profit Vallarta Film Festival is offering the best of independent cinema to a trend conscious audience. The Huston’s deceased director father, John Huston, is not only the namesake on the festival’s most prominent awards (John Huston Maverick Awards for Best Film and Director), but he also helped bridge the intimate connection between Hollywood and Puerto Vallarta, two cities whose connection goes decades back. While filming Night of the Iguana in 1961,
Huston fell in love with the Pacific Mexican coastline
