2011 Binational Independent Film Festival Press Release

The eleventh edition of the Binational Independent Film Festival is here from January 7 to January 15, 2011, and this year bringing movies from Ireland, Chile, Norway, Argentina, Canada, The United States, and Mexico. Once more, the ticket prices make our festival the most affordable in the world:

$2.00 for Students, Seniors, and Military. $4.00 for the general public.

The only festival in the world that happens in two countries, two cities, at the same time and with the same importance, and that dedicates uniquely and exclusively to “true” independent cinema from all over the world is proud to bestow the lifetime achievement this year to Seymour Cassell one of the original cast members of John Cassavettes’s troup, and the first actor from that famous group to be nominated for an Oscar, precisely for the movie Faces, that we will be watching and enjoying with him present at UTEP’s Union Cinema, Friday, January 7, at 7:00 p.m.

On the other side of the border we are also very proud to bestow the lifetime achievement to Xavier Lopez “Chabelo.” A comic phenom that stormed into movies at a very young age, and was able to work with just about everybody in the Comedic-Mexican firmament: Cantinflas, Tin-Tán, Antonio Aguilar, Kitty de Hoyos, Chespirito, Viruta y Capulina, Luis Aguilar, Ricardo Montalbán, etc. But that has also made an iconic mark with his still popular TV program En Familia, on the air for over 50 years!

By bringing Chabelo we are opening a new door within our festival and finally we have a couple of films for the whole Family (FREE OF CHARGE). First Dog (PG) on Saturday, January 8, at 4:00 p.m., and Chabelo y Pepito Contra los Monstruos on Friday, January 14, at 4:00 p.m., both at the Union Cinema.

This time the Documentaries are going to be shown, again FREE OF CHARGE at the El Paso Main Library Auditorium at 5:15 p.m. every day starting on January 7 and finishing on January 15. For four of those presentations we’re going to have the directors present and will have a Q&A with the audience at the end of the Documentary.

Additionally, we are including a new section at the Union Cinema for first time directors Friday, Saturday, and Sunday on the first week, and Thursday, Friday, and Saturday on the second week, at 4:00 p.m., Union Cinema, and also FREE OF CHARGE. The Directors will be on hand at the end of the movie to talk to the audience.

And finally, the festival is a festival made by filmmakers for filmmakers, and we are proud to introduce four more names to our Boards: Robert M. Young (Roosters, The Ballad of Gregorio Cortez, Extremities, Dominic and Eugene, Caught, etc), Eric del Castillo (Los de Abajo, Tunco Maclovio, Emboscada, etc.), Michael Paszt, VP Raven Banner, and Arturo Chavez, VP of Acquisitions for Olympusat Satellite, both of them veterans of video and cinema distribution for over 15 years.

Our Schedule of events is available on this website, so please come and enjoy the festival, since it is YOUR FESTIVAL!

For more Information call at: (915)585-4566 and (915)491-3030