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Foreign-Language Oscar-shortlisted Labyrinth Of Lies took the Mercedes Benz Audience Award for Best Narrative Feature at the Palm Springs International Film Festival. Director Giulio Ricciarelli’s film chronicled the coverup of German war crimes. Runners-up in the category included: Elmo Nüganen’s 1944 (Estonia), Jaco Van Dormael’s The Brand New Testament (Belgium), Gavin Hood’s Eye in the Sky (UK), Klaus Härö’s The Fencer (Finland), Fina Torres’ Liz in September…...

Patricia Velasquez, the Latina actress and former supermodel, stars in Fina Torres’ new film, Liz in September, based on the iconic lesbian play Last Summer at Bluefish Cove. Patricia Velasquez On ‘Liz In September’ In Liz in September, Velasquez stars in the titular role of the terminally ill lothari(a) Liz, who falls in love with […]

The post Patricia Velasquez On ‘Liz In September,’ Being The First Latina Supermodel To Come Out As A Lesbian [Exclusive] appeared first on uInterview.

More often than not, films that have an illness at the center of them are far too heartbreaking to watch joyfully. After viewing these films, the audience leaves the theatre with a dark cloud over their heads; still lost in the somber tale as they move throughout the rest of their day. Fina Torres’ “Liz in September” does the opposite. Depicting a masterful story about love, life and friendship against a stunning Caribbean backdrop, watching “Liz in September” felt like floating in a daydream. The film follows 36-year-old Liz (Patricia Velásquez), a lesbian and former supermodel who is spending a final summer on the beach with her close girlfriends. Things don’t quite go as...

German distributors Neue Visionen and Salzgeber & Co. Medien each acquired a raft of new titles at this year’s European Film Market (Efm).

Berlin-based Neue Visionen continued the run of French titles in its line-up by securing the rights to Eric Besnard’s comedy The Sense Of Wonder and Marie-Castille Mention-Schaar’s tragicomedy Once In A Lifetime, currently riding high in the French box office, from TF1 International.

Last year saw Neue Visionen post over 3.5 million admissions at the German box office with the Christian Clavier comedy Serial (Bad) Weddings, and it will release its next French comedy, Jean-Paul Rouve’s Les Souvenirs with Serial star Chantal Lauby, in German cinemas on March 23.

In addition, Neue Visionen picked up Japanese film-maker Naomi Kawase’s CineMart 2014 project An-Sweet Red Bean Paste from German co-producer Twenty Twenty Vision Filmproduktion and Assad Fouladkar’s German-Lebanese comedy Halal Sex from producer Razor Film Produktion.

Moreover, the company...

Efm: The Beverly Hills-based sales agency has launched a full-time office in Paris named Cmg Europe Sas.

The new venture will meet with producers at the Efm this week to discuss a number of projects as Cmg chief Edward Noeltner aims to expand his co-production business.

Cmg has been expanding its international portfolio and recently acquired the Argentina-Canada-Italy family film and recent Sundance selection The Games Maker.

The slate includes Venezuelan production Liz In September from Camera d’Or winner Fina Torres, while Bruno Barreto is in pre-production with another Latin American title.

“We were extremely pleased with our collaboration with Bruno on Reaching For The Moon and his new project, written by Bruno and Matthew Chapman has got huge international appeal,” said Noeltner.

Cmg will also present in Berlin The Messenger, its latest UK title after Saving Santa 3D and Plastic.

David Blair directs Robert Sheehan, Lily Cole and Joely Richardson in supernatural tale The Messenger from producer...

Cinema Management Group has acquired worldwide rights to Venezuelan hit Liz En Septiembre.

Patricia Velásquez and Eloisa Maturèn stars in the tale of a gay woman challenged by her friends to seduce a straight woman.

Fina Torres, who wrote From Prada To Nada, directed Liz En Septiembre has grossed more than $1m at the local box office.

“We are extremely pleased to be representing such a beautiful and penetrating film as Liz En Septiembre,” said president Edward Noeltner (pictured).

“Fina and the amazing cast have created a very special film that lingers for days on the viewers mind and is sure to find the same success internationally as it has in Venezuela.”

Noeltner and vice-president of sales Daniel Bort negotiated the deal with the film’s producers Torres, Judy Miller and Laura Oramus.

Beverly Hills, CA . .¡Sí Cuba! SoCal,. a multi-venue Southern California festival celebrating the culture of the island nation through art, dance, film, music and discussion, runs now through Sunday, October 2, 2011. Building on the momentum of the ¡Sí Cuba! festival currently in New York, .¡Sí Cuba! SoCal. will be presented by seven Southern California-based organizations and will include three exhibitions, hand-silkscreened film posters, political cartoons, and photographs documenting Cuba.s history; performances by the renowned Ballet Nacional de Cuba in Costa Mesa and Los Angeles; a film series with filmmaker Q&As; and a concert by the Buena Vista Social Club® orchestra.

The following is the .¡Sí Cuba! SoCal. calendar of events:

Cuban Film Posters: From Havana to the World

Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences

Grand Lobby Gallery, Beverly Hills

Now . August 28

www.oscars.org/sicubasocal

This exhibition will showcase 125 hand-silkscreened posters from Cuban and international films created by...

Holding court downtown from June 16-26, 2011, the Los Angeles Film Festival comprehensively curates the cinematic landscape across a variety of media. Produced by Film Independent, the festival has continued to grow in recent years, and now boasts many of the best independent films of the year.

With the departure of the organization’s CEO, Dawn Hudson, to run the Academy, it will be interesting to see whether the festival’s director Rebecca Yeldham will stay on board past 2011. In the meantime, they’ve announced their line-up for the 2011 festival, and it includes some much buzzed about Sundance and SxSW titles (“Project Nim,” “The Future,” “Crime After Crime,” “The Salesman,” “Terri,” “Another Earth,” “The Guard,” “Natural Selection,” “Tyrannosaur,” “Where Soldiers Come From” and “Higher Ground,” to name a few), as well as 27 world, North American and U.S. premieres.

For the official list of competition and other films, as well as...

Holding court downtown from June 16-26, 2011, the Los Angeles Film Festival comprehensively curates the cinematic landscape across a variety of media. Produced by Film Independent, the festival has continued to grow in recent years, and now boasts many of the best independent films of the year.

With the departure of the organization’s CEO, Dawn Hudson, to run the Academy, it will be interesting to see whether the festival’s director Rebecca Yeldham will stay on board past 2011. In the meantime, they’ve announced their line-up for the 2011 festival, and it includes some much buzzed about Sundance and SxSW titles (“Project Nim,” “The Future,” “Crime After Crime,” “The Salesman,” “Terri,” “Another Earth,” “The Guard,” “Natural Selection,” “Tyrannosaur,” “Where Soldiers Come From” and “Higher Ground,” to name a few), as well as 27 world, North American and U.S. premieres.

For the official list of competition and other films, as well as...

Film Independent Announces First Round Of Us & International

Film Selections For 2011 Los Angeles Film Festival,

Presented By The Los Angeles Times - 19 Films Chosen for Narrative & Documentary Competition - - International Spotlight to Focus on Cuba -

Los Angeles (May 3, 2011) . Today the Los Angeles Film Festival, presented by the Los Angeles Times, announced the first round of official Us and international selections. The 2011 Los Angeles Film Festival is produced by Film Independent . the non-profit arts organization that also produces the Spirit Awards . and will screen over 200 feature films, shorts, and music videos, representing more than 30 countries. Opening and Closing Night films, Galas, Conversations, Artists in Residence, Lafca.s Films That Got Away, along with additional special guests and programming for the Festival Talks will be announced at later dates.

Returning to downtown Los Angeles, with its central hub at L.A. Live, the Festival will run from Thursday, June 16 to Sunday,...

Rob Marshall, Jerry Bruckheimer, and Johnny Depp on hand to celebrate the star of the upcoming .Pirates Of The Caribbean: On Stranger Tides.

In anticipation of the release of her new film, .Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides. in theaters May 20, 2011, Penelope Cruz received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on Friday, April 1, at 11:30 am. in front of the El Capitan Theatre, 6834 Hollywood Boulevard, joined by .On Stranger Tides. co-star Johnny Depp, producer Jerry Bruckheimer and director Rob Marshall. An Academy Award® winner Penelope Cruz has proven herself to be one of the most versatile actresses by playing a variety of compelling characters, and most recently, becoming the first actress from Spain to be nominated and to win an Oscar®.

First introduced to American audiences in the Spanish films .Jamon, Jamon. and .Belle Epoque,. in 1998 she starred in her first English language film, .The Hi-Lo Country...

2010 has gone by in a blur and another year at the movies has come and gone. So may films that seemed promising have turned out to be disappointments and the surprises audiences received were few and far between.But the past is the past, it's time to look onward as a fresh new year begins and hopes are raised for it to be an exciting time in the world of cinema. Kicking off the Winter season are a number of films described in detail and listed below:january 7Season Of The WITCHNicolas Cage stars alongside Ron Perlman as knights who return from the Crusades to find their homeland ruined by the Black Plague. Two church elders accuse a girl (Claire Foy) of being a witch and being responsible for the destruction. They command Behmen and Felson to transport her to a monastery so the monks there can lift her curse from the land.

Camilla Belle and Alexa Vega go From Prada to Nada. Check out new clips as well as interviews from Lionsgate's comedy. The film stars and their roles are as follows: Camilla Belle as Nora Dominguez, Alexa Vega as Mary Dominguez, Wilmer Valderrama as Bruno, Nicholas D’Agosto as Edward, April Bowlby as Olivia with Kuno Becker as Rodrigo. From Prada to Nada is a modern twist on Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility, is a new romantic comedy and is directed by Angel Garcia from the writing by Fina Torres. It’s a whimsical fish-out-of-water story of two spoiled sisters: Nora (Camilla Belle), a law student, and Mary (Alexa Vega), an undergrad party girl...

Camilla Belle and Alexa Vega go From Prada to Nada. Check out new clips as well as interviews from Lionsgate's comedy. The film stars and their roles are as follows: Camilla Belle as Nora Dominguez, Alexa Vega as Mary Dominguez, Wilmer Valderrama as Bruno, Nicholas D’Agosto as Edward, April Bowlby as Olivia with Kuno Becker as Rodrigo. From Prada to Nada is a modern twist on Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility, is a new romantic comedy and is directed by Angel Garcia from the writing by Fina Torres. It’s a whimsical fish-out-of-water story of two spoiled sisters: Nora (Camilla Belle), a law student, and Mary (Alexa Vega), an undergrad party girl...

Check out images from Lionsgate's "From Prada to Nada" comedy, starring Camilla Belle, Alexa Vega, Wilmer Valderrama, Nicholas D’Agosto, April Bowlby, Kuno Becker and Adriana Barraza. Fina Torres ("Habana Eva," "Woman on Top") directs and writes the film produced by Gary Gilbert, Chris Randa, Linda McDonough and Gigi Prizker. "From Prada to Nada" is a modern twist on Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility, is a new romantic comedy starring Camilla Belle, Alexa Vega, Wilmer Valderrama, with Kuno Becker and Academy Award® nominee Adriana Barraza (Babel, Actress in a Supporting Role, 2006). It’s a whimsical fish-out-of-water story of two spoiled sisters: Nora (Camilla Belle), a law student, and Mary (Alexa Vega), an undergrad party girl, living with their father in a luxurious mansion in Beverly Hills. Mary has become so “90210” she refuses to admit she is of Mexican descent. When dad suddenly passes away, their posh lives are turned upside down.

Check out images from Lionsgate's "From Prada to Nada" comedy, starring Camilla Belle, Alexa Vega, Wilmer Valderrama, Nicholas D’Agosto, April Bowlby, Kuno Becker and Adriana Barraza. Fina Torres ("Habana Eva," "Woman on Top") directs and writes the film produced by Gary Gilbert, Chris Randa, Linda McDonough and Gigi Prizker. "From Prada to Nada" is a modern twist on Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility, is a new romantic comedy starring Camilla Belle, Alexa Vega, Wilmer Valderrama, with Kuno Becker and Academy Award® nominee Adriana Barraza (Babel, Actress in a Supporting Role, 2006). It’s a whimsical fish-out-of-water story of two spoiled sisters: Nora (Camilla Belle), a law student, and Mary (Alexa Vega), an undergrad party girl, living with their father in a luxurious mansion in Beverly Hills. Mary has become so “90210” she refuses to admit she is of Mexican descent. When dad suddenly passes away, their posh lives are turned upside down.

Top Left to Right: Consuelo Alba, Yvette Ederly, Sydney Levine, Isabel Cueva, Fina Torres Front Left: Sarah Vaill, Right: Carmen Marron. (Photo by Veronica Zarate) Such positive combustible energy ignited both the panelists and the Sro audience when six women directors gathered together to share their experiences in making six very different films. From Cannes Camera d'or winner Fina Torres (Havana Eva), to debuting filmmaker from Chicago Carmen Marron and her perfectly targeted high school dance movie (Go For It), to master puppeteer and Nyu film instructor Yvette Ederty and her 4 minuted animated film (Jillian Dillion), to debuting director/…...

Fina Torres’ “Habana Eva” took home the Rita Award as Best Film at the 14th Los Angeles Latino International Film Festival.

Other winners at Wednesday's awards ceremony included Jose Sanchez-Montes Gonzalez’s “Tiempo de Leyenda” and Eduardo de la Serna, Lucas Marcheggiano and Adriana Yorcovich’s “El Ambulante” sharing the award for Best Documentary; Alvaro Bechner’s “Mal Dia para Pescar” cited for Best Opera Prima; and Cristina Escoda’s “Alijuna” named Best Short Film.

Cinelatino’s Audience Choice Awards went to Marcel Rasquin’s “Hermano” for Best Feature and Gilbert Gonzalez’s and Vivian Price’s “Harvest of Loneliness” for Best Documentary. Cinelatino sponsored prizes of $1,000 to each of the winners.

Fina Torres' "Habana Eva" was last night's big winner at the closing night awards ceremony for the 14th edition of the Los Angeles Latino International Film Festival (Laliff). The film took home the Rita Award for Best Feature Film, while Tatiana Gaviola's "Teresa" went on to receive an honorable mention in the same category. In the Best Documentary category, Jose Sanchez-Montres Gonzalez's "Tiempo De Leyenda" shared the prize with "El Ambulante," ...

Fina Torres (Josefina Torres Benedetti) was born in Caracas, Venezuela. Her film Habana Eva, a Cuban Venezualan co-production, shows tonight at Laliff. Fina studied design, photography and journalism in Venezuela and earned her bachelors degree in cinematography at the Institute de Hautes Etudes Cinematographiques in Paris. After graduating, she worked as a film editor, camera operator, and script supervisor and also made short films and documentaries. Her debut feature Oriana (which she directed, wrote, and produced) won the Cannes Festival Camera d’Or and international acclaim. In 2001, she directed the romantic comedy Woman on Top starring Penelope Cruz, which was…...

Habana Eva serves up a nice blend of Latino influenced quirkiness in this story about a woman who's dreams of fashion designing take her down a wildly unexpected path.

Prakriti Maduro plays Eva, a free-spirited seamstress full of innocence, mischief and passion. When a wealthy photographer comes into town and offers her a large sum of money to be his tour-guide it complicates things between Eva and her soon-to-be-husband and she has to come to terms with what she really wants out of life. The film is directed by Fina Torres (Women On Top) and features a solid supporting cast with Yuliet Cruz, Juan Carlos Garcia and Carlos Enrique Almirante.

Habana Eva is delightfully funny, with a dash of magical realism and ode to the beauty of Cuba.

Official Site: www.habanaeva.com...

Fina Torres attending the "Habana Eva" Los Angeles premiere at The Majestic Crest Theater in Westwood.Photo copyright by Albert L. Ortega / PR Photos. Helen Han and Bai Ling attending the "Habana Eva" Los Angeles premiere at The Majestic Crest Theater in Westwood.Photo copyright by Albert L. Ortega / PR Photos. Chanel Ryan and Bai Ling attending the "Habana Eva" Los Angeles premiere at The Majestic Crest Theater in Westwood.Photo copyright by Albert L. Ortega / PR Photos. Fina Torres and Bai Ling attending the "Habana Eva" Los Angeles premiere at The Majestic Crest Theater in Westwood.Photo copyright by Albert L. Ortega / PR Photos. 04/28/2010 - Chanel Ryan and Bai Ling - "Habana Eva" Los...

Latin actors Adriana Barraza, Camilla Belle, Wilmer Valderrama, Kuno Becker, and Alexa Vega are set to star in an upcoming English-language Mexican-u.S. co-production film "From Prada to Nada."

Fina Torres, the Cannes Golden Camer-winner and Alma-nominated director, will be helming the contemporary take of the Jane Austen classic "Sense and Sensibility."

The Odd Lot Entertainment, Lionsgate, and Videocine film will follow the tale of two spoiled sisters who, after the sudden death of their father, are left penniless. They are forced to move in with their estranged aunt in East Los Angeles, where they ultimately find romance, as well as love for their culture.

Torres co-wrote the script with Luis Alfaro.

Adriana Barraza, Camilla Belle and Alexa Vega have signed on to star in the romantic comedy Prada to Nada, from Lionsgate, Odd Lot Entertainment and Televisa's Videocine film distribution arm.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Fina Torres (Woman On Top) will direct a contemporary, Latina version of Jane Austen's classic novel "Sense and Sensibility," with Wilmer Valderrama and Kuno Becker rounding out the ensemble cast.

Co-written by Torres and Luis Alfaro, Prada to Nada will portray two spoiled sisters left penniless after their father's sudden death and forced to move in with their estranged aunt in East Los Angeles. There they find romance and love for their culture.

Production will begin Nov. 2.

By Wrap Staff

Odd Lot Entertainment, Lionsgate and Videocine on Thursday announced the start of pre-production on "From Prada to Nada," an English-language, Mexico-u.S. co-production.

Described as "a whimsical spin" on Jane Austen's "Sense and Sensibility," the film follows two spoiled sisters, left penniless when their father dies suddenly, who move in with their estranged aunt in East L.A.

Fina Torres ("Woman on Top") directs and co-wrote the script with Los Angeles-based playwright-performer Luis Alfaro. 

Cast includes Adriana ...

Toronto -- Adriana Barraza, Camilla Belle and Alexa Vega are to topline "Prada to Nada," the upcoming romantic comedy from Lionsgate, Odd Lot Entertainment and Televisa's Videocine film distribution arm.

Fina Torres ("Woman on Top") is to direct a contemporary, Latina version of Jane Austen's classic novel "Sense and Sensibility," with Wilmer Valderrama and Kuno Becker rounding out the ensemble cast.

The feature, co-written by Torres and Luis Alfaro ("Electricidad"), is set to start shooting Nov. 2.

"Prada to Nada" will portray two spoiled sisters left penniless after their father's sudden death and forced to move in with their estranged aunt in East Los Angeles. There they find romance and love for their culture.

Odd Lot's Gigi Pritzker and Linda McDonough will share producer credits with Rossana Arau and Gary Gilbert.

The U.S.-Mexican co-production was hammered out by Odd Lot COO Bill Lischak, Lionsgate president and co-coo Steve Beeks...

Odd Lot Entertainment, Lionsgate and Videocine announced today the start of pre-production on an English-language Mexican-us co-production film, entitled From Prada to Nada . Cannes Golden Camera-winner and Alma-nominated director Fina Torres ( Woman on Top , Oriana ) will helm a contemporary, Latina version of Jane Austen's classic novel "Sense and Sensibility." Academy Award and Golden Globe nominated actress Adriana Barraza ( Babel , Drag Me to Hell , Amores Perros ), Camilla Belle ( When A Stranger Calls ), Alexa Vega ("Spy Kids" films), Wilmer Valderrama ("That 70's Show") and Kuno Becker ("Goal!" trilogy) are set to star in this ensemble romantic comedy. A whimsical spin on Austen's original, From Prada to Nada follows two...

• A very busy Monday for the ed-in-chief of Ioncinema.com. Caught press screenings for The Time Traveler and Ponyo, sandwiched by tons of news to report on. Here is the best of the rest of the news for August 10th. 1. Not Thirst-y South Korea goes with Bong Joon-ho's Mother for Foreign Oscar nom consideration. 2. Milking the "Cash" Chow Sony moves quickly on Michael Jackson concert experience. This Is It becomes a Halloween experience. on October 30th. (Via THR) 3. Ifp’s Project ForumJodie Foster's “Cockeyed,” The Guatemalan Handshake's Todd Rohal’s “Scoutmasters”, (see pic) produced by Lisa Muskat, Fred Schepisi’s “The Secret River”, “Earth Camp One” by Jennie Livingston, “Fame High” by Scott Hamilton Kennedy, and “Hungry in America” by Kristi Jacobson & Lori Silverbush are among 116 selected projects for Project Forum of Ifp’s Independent Film Week. (Via IndieWIRE.com) 4. Out of the Womb Benedek Fliegauf is now in post production with Womb.

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Fina Torres is set to direct a contemporary, Latino version of Jane Austen's Sense and Sensibility to be called Sense and Senibilidad for Camelot Pictures and Odd Lot Entertainment. Torries will direct the project, set in Los Angeles, from a script she wrote with Luis Alfaro (Electricidad).

Gary Gilbert, a principal in Camelot, will produce with Odd Lot principals Deborah Deborah Del Prete and Gigi Pritzker. Odd Lot's Linda McDonough will co-produce.

Torres, repped by Keith Redmond at Anonymous Content and the law firm of Lichter, Grossman, Nichols & Adler, made her feature directorial debut with the 1985 drama Oriana, which she also wrote and produced. She went on to direct Penelope Cruz in 2000's Woman on Top.

"Fina and Luis have crafted a moving and culturally poignant screenplay based on a classic novel," Del Prete said. "We are extremely excited with Fina's vision and very much look forward to supporting her in bringing a present-day version of Jane Austen's work to the big screen," Gilbert added.