SLFF WELCOMES FOUR SPECIAL GUESTS
The Seattle Latino Film Festival continues its commitment to enrich the movie-going experience by providing audiences with the exciting opportunity to engage directly with filmmakers, actors, and film professionals during the festival. Special guests this season include filmmakers Miguel Coyula, Marcela Zamora Chamorro and Abby Ginzberg; and actor Omar Avila.
Miguel Coyula is a Cuban filmmaker. At age 17, he made his first short with a VHS camcorder, which led to his admittance to the International Film School of San Antonio de los Baños, Cuba. Since then he has won awards in his country with his short films Bailar Sobre Agujas (1999), Buena Onda, (1999), and Clase Z "Tropical" (2000). In 2009 Coyula was awarded the Guggenheim Fellowship to developing his film Memories of Overdevelopment, a follow-up to the Cuban classic Memorias del Subdesarrollo (1968). After its World Premiere at the Sundance Film Festival, the film went on to gather several awards and honors.
Marcela Zamora Chamorro was born in Nicaragua. She studied journalism in Costa Rica and went on to study film at the International School of Film and Television of San Antonio de los Baños, Cuba. Maria en Tierra de nadie is her first documentary feature.
Abby Ginzberg has been producing and directing award-winning documentary films since 1983. Her work has focused on character-driven stories, racial and gender discrimination and social justice issues, and has been shown in film/video festivals and broadcast on public television networks. Her three award-winning films about unsung heroes of the legal profession include Cruz Reynoso: Sowing the Seeds of Justice; Soul of Justice: Thelton Henderson's American Journey and Doing Justice: The Life and Trials of Arthur Kinoy.
Omar Avila is an actor who appeared in the films Once Upon A Wedding and The Punisher. He got his big breaking role in the Telemundo series Los Teens. Omar has appeared on several TV series (both in the Spanish and English languages), including Latin Lover, Soñar No Cuesta Nada, Watch Over Me, House, Justified and CIS Miami.
