Tribeca Latin America Media Arts Fund

The 2009 grantees for the Tribeca Latin America Media Arts Fund in Mexico were presented at the 7th Morelia International Film Festival. These grants received support from Fundación BBVA Bancomer and Movie City, LAPTV's premium channel.

“This support is and will continue to be extremely important for Movie City because one of the channel’s priorities, which it shares with the Tribeca Film Institute, is to support the artistic and creative expression of young Latin American artists as well as push forward emerging talent,” said Richard Rohrbach, LAPTV's Vice President of Programming and Creative Services. He added that “as of this year we are also giving the Movie City Award at important film festivals in Latin America as an additional way to support the artistic exrpession and the development of film in the region.”

"We are happy to welcome Fernando Eimbke and Everardo Gonzalez to the Tribeca Film Institute family,” said Beth Janson, Artistic Director of the Tribeca Film Institute. She noted, “Together with LAPTV and Bancomer, we are proud to be able to support these talented and accomplished film artists. Their work underscores our commitment to the importance of film in promoting understanding across cultures."

Gustavo Lara, Director of Fundación BBVA Bancomer, said that “through these grants we reiterate our institution’s interest and commitment to support film and to acknowledge the innovative work being done by media artists to promote enriching dialogue among diferent societies.”

The recipients of the 2009 Tribeca Latin America Media Arts Fund in Mexico, and the proposed projects for which they are receiving support are:

FERNANDO EIMBCKE
El diario de un elefante | The Diary of an Elephant

El diario de un elefante tells the story of a fifty year-old man who has to take care of his sick father, who abandoned him when he was nine years old. During a long trip to deliver his father to his brother, the memories and resentment from his childhood surface.

Fernando Eimbcke previously directed the narrative features Lake Tahoe (2008) and Temporada de Patos | Duck Season (2004), for which he received an Ariel (Mexico's Academy Award) and numerous awards at international film festivals including Guadalajara, Berlin and Cannes.



EVERARDO GONZALEZ
Cuates de Australia

Cuates de Australia is a documentary about a community’s search for water and their continuing hope that rain will fall. The film takes place in the desert of Coahuila at a cooperative farmland called Cuates de Australia .

Everardo González' documentaries Los ladrones viejos | Old Thieves (2007) and La canción del pulque | Pulque’s Song (2003) have received accolades such as an Ariel and awards at international film festivals including Morelia, Guadalajara and Biarritz.

About the Tribeca Latin America Media Arts Fund
The Tribeca Latin America Media Arts Fund has been created to support artists in Latin America with the creation of new works that contribute to the international arts panorama through the power of film and video and creative innovation. Whether through classical traditions or new technologies, media artists are encouraged to redefine, invent, explore, create and recreate visions and stories that reflect their diverse cultures. A rotating committee of experts in the independent media field—comprised of artists, scholars, curators and programmers from different regions of the Mexican Republic—nominate artists for consideration. Selected applicants submit proposals and a panel of recognized specialists in the media arts field is convened to review and evaluate the quality of the applicant’s proposed project as well as to consider the caliber of the artist’s body of work to date.  Formerly known as the Media Arts Fellowships in Mexico, previously supported artists have included Ernesto Contreras, Juan Carlos Rulfo, Carlos Reygadas, Maria Novaro, Carlos Carrera, Yulene Olaizolea, Maryse Sistach and Jose Buil.

About Movie City and LAPTV
Movie City™ broadcasts the premieres of films produced and distributed in Latin America by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Paramount Pictures, Twentieth Century Fox, Universal Studios and DreamWorks, as well as independent and international cinema.  Films are shown without cuts and censorship, and in their original language with Spanish subtitles.

LAPTV (Latin American Pay Television Service) represents an alliance of  four of the main entertainment studios: Twentieth Century Fox, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Paramount Pictures and Fox Latin American Channels (FLAC). With a programming based principally on cinematographic titles, LAPTV programs and exhibits, through the systems of television by subscription in Latin America, the channel Movie City On Demand™ y Cityvibe On Demand™, the premium channels Movie City™, Movie City HD™, Cityvibe™, Citymix™ y Cinecanal Classics™ and the basic channels Cinecanal™ and The Film Zone™.  LAPTV is based in Atlanta, Georgia, with more offices in Argentina, Mexico and Venezuela.

About Fundación BBVA Bancomer
Fundación BBVA Bancomer is commited to the development of innovative social programs in the educational, cultural and productive areas. Fundación BBVA Bancomer aims to promote individual development as well as to strengthen the collective well-being among Mexican communities.