MGM+ has released a teaser trailer for the 1970s crime thriller Hotel Cocaine, starring the 49-year-old Cuban American actor.
The premiere of the eight-episode series will be available on June 16 on MGM+, with new episodes airing on Sundays until August 4.
In addition to Pino, the cast includes Michael Chiklis, Mark Feuerstein, Yul Vazquez, Tania Watson, Corina Bradley and Laura Gordon.
New cast additions include Don Mike, Pedro Giunti, Lola Claire, Matthew Del Negro, Victor Oliveira, Robert Beck, Sam Robards and Candy Santana.
From Chris Brancato and Guillermo Navarro, Hotel Cocaine tells the story of Roman Compte (Pino), a Cuban exile and general manager of the Mutiny Hotel, the glamorous epicenter of the Miami cocaine scene of the late ‘70s and early ‘80s.
The Mutiny Hotel was Casablanca on cocaine; a glitzy nightclub, restaurant, and hotel frequented by Florida businessmen and politicians, international narcos, CIA and FBI agents, models, sports stars and musicians. At the center of it all was Compte, who was doing his best to keep it all going and fulfill his American Dream.
Recurring cast: Don Mike plays “Omar,” the Mutiny Club maitre’d. Pedro Giunti plays “Guillermo,” Nestor’s henchman and driver. Claire plays “Trini,” a Mutiny Girl. Santana plays “Gale,” a Mutiny Girl and Janice’s right hand.
Guest cast: Del Negro plays “Phil Nolan,” Janice’s abusive ex-boyfriend. Oliveira plays “Alvaro Gomez,” an emissary of Henao and Yolanda’s cartel. Beck plays “Marty Owens,” a customs official on Henao’s payroll. Robards plays “Hal,” Nestor and Burton’s former CIA handler.
Prevously announced guest stars include Mayra Hermosillo, Juan Pablo Raba, Erniel Baez, Nick Barkla, Cale Ambrozic, Camila Valero and Maggie Lacey.
Brancato created the series and serves as executive producer and showrunner. Navarro directed the pilot and executive produces the series alongside Brancato, with Michael Panes and Alfredo Barrios Jr. also serving as executive producers.
Hotel Cocaine is produced by MGM+ Studios, in association with Stan in Australia and internationally distributed by Amazon MGM StudiosDistribution.
The 58-year-old Cuban-American actor and musician is set as a lead opposite Danny Pino and Michael Chiklis inHotel Cocaine,MGM+’s upcoming crime thriller from creator Chris Brancato.
Hotel Cocaine is the story of Roman Compte (Pino), a Cuban expatriate who fought against Fidel Castro in the Bay of Pigs invasion and re-made his life in Miami. He is general manager of the Mutiny Hotel, the glamorous epicenter of the Miami cocaine scene of late ‘70s and early ‘80s. The Mutiny Hotel was Casablanca on cocaine, a glitzy nightclub, restaurant and hotel frequented by Florida businessmen and politicians, international narcos, CIA and FBI agents, models, sports stars and musicians.
Vazquez will play Nestor Cabal, Roman Compte’s (Pino) brother and one of the biggest suppliers of cocaine to a coke-hungry Miami population. He’s dangerous, funny, wily, and seeking reunion with his long-lost brother.
Chiklis plays Agent Zulio who will stop at nothing to shut down the drug trade, even if it means using innocent civilians to accomplish his ends.
Brancato serves as executive producer and showrunner. Guillermo Navarro will direct the pilot episode and executive produce the series, with Michael Panes and Alfredo Barrios Jr. also serving as executive producers.
The eight-episode series from MGM+ Studios, in partnership with MGM Television, will begin production in May in the Dominican Republic, and is slated to premiere in early 2024.
Vazquez will next be seen in the HBO Max limited series White House Plumbers, opposite Woody Harrelson and Justin Theroux. He was most recently seen on season 3 of the MGM+ series Godfather of Harlemopposite Forest Whitaker and in the Emmy-nominated Apple TV+ series, Severance, directed by Ben Stiller.
His other credits include Jason Bateman’s HBO series The Outsider, ABC’sPromised Land, Netflix’s Russian Doll, TNT miniseriesI Am The Night and HBO’s Succession, among others.
His film work includesBooks of Blood, Last Flag Flying, Gringo, TrafficandThe Infiltrator.
Yul Vazquez is promised some upcoming screen time on television…
The 56-year-old Cuban actor and musician has joined the cast of ABC’s upcoming Latinx family drama Promised Land, starring John Ortiz and Christina Ochoa.
Vazquez joins a roster of new cast additions that includes Julio Macias, Ariana Guerra, Kerri Medders, Tom Amandes, Natalia del Riego and Miguel Angel Garcia in heavily recurring roles.
Created and written by Matt Lopez and directed by Michael Cuesta, Promised Land is an epic, generation-spanning drama about two Latinx families vying for wealth and power in California’s Sonoma Valley.
In addition to Ortiz and Ochoa, cast also includes Bellamy Young, Cecilia Suárez, Augusto Aguilera, Mariel Molino, Tonatiuh, Andres Velez, Katya Martín and Rolando Chusan.
Vazquez plays Father Ramos. A Catholic priest, Father Ramos has compassion and good humor tinged with a certain world-weariness. Apparently just another man of God, he knows quite a few secrets about the Sandoval family.
Garcia portrays Junior, the youngest child of the Sandoval family, and the most erratic. His siblings think he can be trusted with little or nothing, but his father Joe, the family patriarch, still holds out hope and a special affection for his troubled son.
Amandes is O.M. Honeycroft. An intimidating, all-powerful presence, he’s a successful businessman who isn’t afraid to get his hands dirty — after all, it’s the soil and its fruit that made him rich.
Guerra plays Rosa. Fueled by dreams of becoming a nurse in her new home of California, she doesn’t give up on her dreams even as her circumstances become increasingly grim.
Medders plays Young Margaret, the ambitious, beautiful daughter of O.M. Honeycroft, the wealthy owner of the Honeycroft Estate.
Del Riego portrays Daniela, a new employee at the home of the Sandoval family, and an undocumented immigrant.
Macias plays Javier, the newly hired General Manager at the Heritage House Vineyard, son of the vineyard’s now-retired foreman.
ABC Signature, a part of Disney Television Studios, is the studio.
Yul Vazquez is bringing the Blood to this year’s Screamfest…
The Screamfest Horror Film Festival has revealed the lineup of films that’ll be featured at this year’s drive-in edition, including the 55-year-old Cuban actor’s latest project Books of Blood.
Vazquez’s latest film, directed by Brannon Braga, will kick off the festival, which runs from October 6-15.
The Hulu original film, based on Clive Barker’s horror anthology, is slated to premiere on the streamer on October 7. Starring Vazquez, Britt Robertson, Anna Friel and Rafi Gavron, the film takes a journey into uncharted and forbidden territory through three tales tangled in space and time.
Meanwhile, Jon Huertas and Isabella Gomez’s social media teen slasher Initiationwill also be screened at Screamfest.
The film also stars Lindsay LaVanchy, Froy Gutierrez, Gattlin Griffth, Patrick Walker, James Berardo, Bart Johnson, Shireen Lai, Kent Faulcon, Yancy Butler and Lochlyn Munro.
Initiation, from Screamfest alum Berardo, was recently acquired by Saban Films.
Also among the list of screenings are Thirst, the first-ever Icelandic gay splatter vampire flick, and psychological horror film Sweet River (making its North American debut).
“2020 has been challenging for everyone and certainly not how we planned on celebrating Screamfest’s 20th edition, but we’re thrilled to be able to continue to serve the LA community and give our hardworking filmmakers the premieres they wholeheartedly deserve with our lineup of drive-in titles,” says festival founder Rachel Belofsky. “In this unprecedented, uncharted territory of hosting an entirely drive-in festival, we are honored that these wonderfully frightening films have entrusted Screamfest LA to be their festival home, and we’re excited for the opportunity to showcase the horror and sci-fi genre to LA audiences.”
Here’s the 2020 Screamfest Horror Film Festival lineup:
A Ghost Waits (US, 2020) – US Premiere Directed by Adam Stovall. Written by Adam Stovall, MacLeod Andrews. Produced by Adam Stovall, MacLeod Andrews. Cast: MacLeod Andrews, Natalie Walker.
Jack’s job is to fix up the house. Muriel’s job is to haunt it. They should be enemies, but they become fascinated by one another and eventually smitten, leading them to question everything about their work, lives, and decisions. But as the pressure mounts for them to fulfill their duties, something will have to give for them to have the time together they both so desperately want.
An Ideal Host (Australia, 2020) – US Premiere Directed by Robert Woods. Written by Tyler Jacob Jones. Produced by Robert Woods, Tyler Jacob Jones. Cast: Nadia Collins, Evan Williams, Naomi Brockwell, St John Cowcher.
Liz just wants to host the perfect dinner party but an unexpected guest sends the evening into chaos, with potentially apocalyptic consequences.
Anonymous Animals (France, 2020) – US Premiere Directed and written by Baptiste Rouveure. Produced by Anonymous Animals Films. Cast: Thierry Maros, Aurélien Chilarski, Pauline Guilpain, Emilien Lavaut.
The balance of power between man and animal is reversed. In a remote countryside, any encounter with the dominant can become hostile. At the crossroads of fantastic and suspense kind, Anonymous Animals questions the place of animals in our societies.
Books of Blood (US, 2020) – Opening Night Directed by Brannon Braga. Written by Brannon Braga & Adam Simon, based on the short story by Clive Barker with contributing original material. Cast: Britt Robertson, Rafi Gavron, Anna Friel, Yul Vazquez, and Freda Foh Shen. Executive Producers: Braga, Seth MacFarlane, Erica Huggins, Alana Kleiman, Brian Witten, Jeff Kwatinetz, Josh Barry, Clive Barker and Adam Simon/ Producers: Jason Clark and Joe Micucci.
Based on Clive Barker’s acclaimed and influential horror anthology Books Of Blood, this feature takes audiences on a journey into uncharted and forbidden territory through three uncanny tales tangled in space and time.
The Brain That Wouldn’t Die (US, 2019) – LA Premiere Directed by Derek Carl. Written by Hank Huffman. Produced by Molly Preston, Derek Carl, Hank Huffman, Daniel Timothy Treacy. Cast: Rachael Perrell Fosket, Patrick D. Green, Jason Reynolds, David Withers, Robert Blanche, Mia Allen
Set in the early sixties, The Brain That Wouldn’t Die follows the misadventures of Dr. Bill Cortner (Patrick Green), a brilliant surgeon, whose unorthodox practices produce fantastic results – the reanimation of dead tissue. Bill’s father and mentor, William, cautions his son against meddling with the forces of nature, but Bill insists that his work will bring an end to human mortality. Bill’s methods are put to the test when his fiancée, Jan Compton (Rachael Perrell Fosket), is decapitated in a car accident. Absconding with her remains to his secret laboratory, Bill successfully revives Jan’s head in a pan. She begs for death but Bill refuses to oblige, promising that he can make her whole again. Putting his assistant, Kurt (Jason Reynolds), in charge of the lab, Bill leaves to find Jan a new body, knowing full well that he will have to murder an innocent woman to do so. Bill’s quest takes him through the seedy underbelly of the city, from smoky cabarets to sleazy swimsuit competitions. Despite his efforts, Bill is foiled at every turn, narrowly avoiding the suspicions of Mancini (Robert Blanche), the hardboiled detective investigating the car accident. However, Bill’s luck changes when he chances upon an old flame, Doris Powell (Mia Allen), a vulnerable model with surgical needs. Meanwhile, Jan, determined to bring an end to the madness, uses her newly discovered psychic abilities to communicate with another of Bill’s hideously deformed experiments. Together, they plot their revenge…
Caveat (UK, 2020) – North American Premiere Directed and written by Damian Mc Carthy. Produced by Justin Hyne. Cast: Ben Caplan, Jonathan French, Leila Sykes
A lone drifter, Isaac suffering from partial memory loss accepts a job from his old landlord Barrett, to look after his niece Olga, a psychologically troubled woman living in an abandoned house on an isolated island. When Barrett convinces Isaac to confine his movements to the house and leaves the two of them alone, a game of cat and mouse ensues with Isaac fighting to survive amid the terrifying resurgence of his own memory.
Initiation (US, 2020) – US Premiere Directed by John Berardo. Written by John Berardo, Lindsay LaVanchy, Brian Frager. Produced by Brian Frager, John Berardo, JP Castel, Stephanie Stanziano, Lindsay LaVanchy, Jon Huertas. Cast: Jon Huertas, Isabella Gomez, Lindsay LaVanchy, Froy Gutierrez, Gattlin Griffth, Patrick Walker, James Berardo, Bart Johnson, Shireen Lai, Kent Faulcon, Yancy Butler, Lochlyn Munro
Teen horror is back with a vengeance in this edgy slasher about a cruel social media game that spins out of control. Whiton University unravels the night a star-athlete is murdered in the wake of a hidden assault allegation, kicking off a spree of social media-linked slayings. As a masked killer targets students across campus, a trio of sorority sisters race to uncover the truth behind the school’s hidden secrets – and the horrifying meaning of an exclamation point – before they become the killer’s next victims.
Sanzaru (US, 2019) – LA Premiere Directed and written by Xia Magnus. Produced by Alyssa Polk, Anthony Pedone, Nathan Hertz. Cast: Ania Dumlao, Justin Arnold, Jayne Taini, Jon Viktor Corpuz.
When a mild Filipina nurse is hired by an elderly woman declining into dementia, the walls between this world and the next crumble as she uncovers her employer’s shocking family secret.
Sweet River (Australia, 2020) – North American Premiere Directed by Justin McMillan. Written by Eddie Baroo, Marc Furmie. Produced by Ashley McLeod. Cast: Lisa Kay, Martin Sacks, Jack Ellis, Charlotte Stent
Hannah’s search for her son’s body leads her to sleepy Billins, where her investigations uncover more than she expected and threaten to expose the town’s dark secrets….secrets that both the living and the dead will fight to protect.
Thirst (Iceland, 2019) – LA Premiere Directed by Steinþór Hróar Steinþórsson, Gaukur Úlfarsson. Written by Björn Leó Brynjarsson. Produced by Haraldur Hrafn Thorlacius. Cast: Hjörtur Sævar Steinason, Hulda Lind Kristinsdóttir, Jens Jensson.
Hulda is a drug addict, arrested and accused of murdering her brother. After she is let go because of insufficient evidence, she meets Hjörtur, a thousand-year-old vampire. Together they have to fight a cult while being investigated by a rogue detective.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences has released its annual list of invitations to join the organization, with the 26-year-old Mexican actress and UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador for Indigenous Peoples among the 819 extended an invite.
Aparicio, one of Timemagazine’s100 most influential people in the world in 2019,earned an Oscar nod in the Best Actress category for her performance in Alfonso Cuarón‘s 2018 Spanish-language drama Roma. With the nomination for her actig debut, she became the first Indigenous American woman and the second Mexican woman to receive a Best Actress Oscar nomination.
But Aparcio isn’t the only Latino/a to make the list…
Other invitees in the Actors branch include Bobby Cannavale, who appeared in The Irishman, Overboard’s Eva Longoria, Knives Out star Ana de Armas and Gringo actor Yul Vazquez.
Invitees in the Music branch include Andrea Guerra (Hotel Rwanda) and Cuban-American jazz trumpeter Arturo Sandoval, who worked on the music for Clint Eastwood’s films Richard Jewell and The Mule.
The Directors branch sent out invitations to Latino filmmakers Icíar Bolláin (Spanish), Felipe Cazals (Mexican), Sebastián Cordero (Ecuadorian), Luis Estrada (Mexican), Alejandro Landes (Colombian-Ecuadorian),Jorge Alí Triana (Colombian) and Andrés Wood (Chilean).
This year’s new class demonstrates The Academy’s commitment to erasing the stigma of not being inclusive, particularly in terms of women, international members and underrepresented ethnic/racial communities.
The organization reports this year’s class breakdown is 49% international, 45% women, and 36% underrepresented ethnic/racial.
The overwhelming number of those invited to join the Academy end up accepting.
The total active membership in 2019 was 8,946, with 8,733 eligible to vote. Total membership including active, voting and retired was 9,794. Today’s additions will take the membership count past the 10,000 mark.
AMPAS says members can voluntarily disclose their race/ethnicity, sex or can choose “prefer not to.” So, demo stats may not be 100% accurate. AMPAS also “recognizes and respects” the personal choice in identification, but doesn’t track LGBTQ+ or differently abled, although a source says, while protecting privacy and not forcing answers, they are “working towards it.” In other words this is no longer your father’s Academy.
“We take great pride in the strides we have made in exceeding our initial inclusion goals set back in 2016, but acknowledge the road ahead is a long one,” said Academy CEO Dawn Hudson. “We are committed to staying the course.”
“The Academy is delighted to welcome these distinguished fellow travelers in the motion picture arts and sciences. We have always embraced extraordinary talent that reflects the rich variety of our global film community, and never more so than now,” said Academy President David Rubin.
Here’s a look at some of this year’s Latino invitees:
Actors Yalitza Aparicio – “Roma” Bobby Cannavale – “The Irishman,” “The Station Agent” Ana de Armas – “Knives Out,” “Blade Runner 2049” Eva Longoria – “Overboard,” “Harsh Times” Yul Vazquez – “Gringo,” “Last Flag Flying”
Casting Directors Libia Batista – “Eres Tú Papá?,” “Viva” Javier Braier – “The Two Popes,” “Wild Tales” Eva Leira – “Pain and Glory,” “Biutiful” Yesi Ramirez – “The Hate U Give,” “Moonlight” Yolanda Serrano – “Pain and Glory,” “Biutiful”
Directors Icíar Bolláin – “Even the Rain,” “Take My Eyes” Felipe Cazals – “El Año de la Peste,” “Canoa: A Shameful Memory” Sebastián Cordero – “Europa Report,” “Crónicas” Luis Estrada – “The Perfect Dictatorship,” “Herod’s Law” Alejandro Landes – “Monos,” “Porfirio” Jorge Alí Triana – “Bolívar Soy Yo,” “A Time to Die” Andrés Wood – “Araña,” “Violeta Went to Heaven”
Documentary Cristina Amaral – “Um Filme de Verão (A Summer Film),” “Person” Violeta Ayala – “Cocaine Prison,” “The Bolivian Case” Julia Bacha – “Naila and the Uprising,” “Budrus” Almudena Carracedo – “The Silence of Others,” “Made in L.A.” Paola Castillo – “Beyond My Grandfather Allende,” “Genoveva” Paz Encina – “Memory Exercises,” “Paraguayan Hammock” Mariana Oliva – “The Edge of Democracy,” “Piripkura” Iván Osnovikoff – “Los Reyes,” “La Muerte de Pinochet (The Death of Pinochet)” Tiago Pavan – “The Edge of Democracy,” “Olmo and the Seagull” Bettina Perut – “Los Reyes,” “La Muerte de Pinochet (The Death of Pinochet)” Marta Rodriguez – “Our Voice of Earth, Memory and Future,” “Campesinos (Peasants)”
Executives Ozzie Areu Barbara Peiro Frank Rodriguez Mimi Valdes
Film Editors Alejandro Carrillo Penovi – “Heroic Losers,” “The Clan” Alex Marquez – “Snowden,” “Savages”
Makeup Artists and Hairstylists Mari Paz Robles – “I Dream in Another Language,” “Cantinflas” David Ruiz Gameros – “Tear This Heart Out,” “Amores Perros” Susana Sánchez – “The Liberator,” “Goya’s Ghosts”
Marketing and Public Relations Inma Carbajal-Fogel Emmanuelle Castro Fernando Garcia Dustin M. Sandoval
Music Andrea Guerra – “The Pursuit of Happyness,” “Hotel Rwanda” Arturo Sandoval – “Richard Jewell,” “The Mule”
Producers Edher Campos – “Sonora, the Devil’s Highway,” “The Golden Dream” Nicolas Celis – “Roma,” “Tempestad” Alex Garcia – “Kong: Skull Island,” “Desierto” Enrique López Lavigne – “The Impossible,” “Sex and Lucia” Álvaro Longoria – “Everybody Knows,” “Finding Altamira” Mónica Lozano – “I Dream in Another Language,” “Instructions Not Included” Gabriela Maire – “Las Niñas Bien (The Good Girls),” “La Caridad (Charity)” Luis Manso – “Champions,” “Binta and the Great Gabriela Rodríguez – “Roma,” “Gravity” Mar Targarona – “Secuestro (Boy Missing),” “The Orphanage” Luis Urbano – “Letters from War,” “Tabu”
Production Design Sandra Cabriada – “Instructions Not Included,” “The Mexican” Estefanía Larraín – “A Fantastic Woman,” “Neruda”
Short Films and Feature Animation José David Figueroa García – “Perfidia,” “Ratitas” Oscar Grillo – “Monsters, Inc.,” “Monsieur Pett” Otto Guerra – “City of Pirates,” “Wood & Stock: Sexo, Orégano e Rock’n’Roll” Isabel Herguera – “Winter Love,” “Under the Pillow” Summer Joy Main-Muñoz – “Don’t Say No,” “La Cerca” Juan Pablo Zaramella – “Luminaris,” “The Glove”
Sound David Esparza – “The Magnificent Seven,” “The Equalizer”
Visual Effects Leandro Estebecorena – “The Irishman,” “Kong: Skull Island”
Members-at-Large Daniel Molina Carlos Morales Jesse Torres
The supernatural series, based on the book series from True Blood author Charlaine Harris, will now premiere on Monday, July 24, instead of Tuesday, July 25, in the same 10:00 pm ET time slot.
The move to Mondays allows the show to make its full run in the same time slot throughout the summer. Monday 10:00 pm also is historically a strong time slot for summer – CBS launched Under the Dome in that slot and the series ran for three seasons.
Additionally, the series premiere for Jennifer Lopez’s World of Dancehas moved to 10:00 pm ET on Tuesday, May 30 from its original May 8 slot, now piggybacking with the return of America’s Got Talent.
The move also allows the show to remain on Tuesdays throughout its run. It initially was scheduled to switch to Tuesdays after three weeks.
Hollywood Game Nighthas moved to June 22, from its original date of August 7. With that, The Walltime slot has shifted to 9:00 pm ET, and The Night Shift to 10:00 pm ET.
Here’s the revamped schedule:
TUESDAY, MAY 30 8 PM AMERICA’S GOT TALENT Premiere (previously announced)
10 PM WORLD OF DANCE Premiere (new date)
THURSDAY, JUNE 22 8 PM HOLLYWOOD GAME NIGHT Premiere (new date)
9 PM THE WALL Premiere (new time)
10 PM THE NIGHT SHIFT Premiere (new time)
MONDAY, JULY 24 10 PM MIDNIGHT, TEXAS Premiere (new date)
Yul Vazquez is preparing for a rendezvous at the witching hour…
NBC will premiere Midnight, Texas, starring the 52-year-old Cuban American actor, on Tuesday, July 25 at 10:00 pm ET.
One of the network’s new shows for the 2016-2017 season, the thriller is based on the book series from True Blood author Charlaine Harris.
In addition to Vazquez, who portrays Rev. Emilio Sheehan on the supernatural series, the cast also includes François Arnaud, Dylan Bruce, Parisa Fitz-Henley, Arielle Kebbel, Jason Lewis, Peter Mensah and Sarah Ramos.
Vazquez’s previous television credits include appearances on HBO’s Divorce, The Lottery, Person of Interest, The Good Wife and Magic City.
The 51-year-old Cuban actor and musician has been cast as a series regular in NBC’s supernatural drama pilotMidnight, Texas, based on the best-selling trilogy by Charlaine Harris.
Written by Monica Owusu-Breen and directed by Niels Arden Oplev, the project is described as “Twin Peaks meets True Blood” in Midnight, Texas, a remote town where your neighbor could be a vampire, a witch, a werewolf, or even an angel.
Vazquez will portray the Reverand, a grizzled Mexican cowboy who always wears his Stetson boots. He presides over the wedding chapel and cemetery.
Vazquez played the series regular role of President Westwood on The Lottery. His other credits include television appearances on Person of Interest, Magic Cityand The Good Wife.
The Cuban American actor’s latest film, Rob the Mob, will have its world premiere at the Miami International Film Festival in March.
Directed by Raymond De Felitta and starring Andy Garcia, the film also stars Michael Pitt, Ray Romano, Burt Young, Griffin Dunne, Frank Whaley, Cathy Moriarty, Aida Turturro and Nina Arianda.
Rob the Mob, which centers on acouple that targets the Mafia for heists and stumbles upon something big at an underground club, is one of nearly 100 films set to be screened at the Miami International Film Festival.
The North American premiere of the Shirley MacLaine–ChristopherPlummer pairing Elsa & Fredwill take place at the 10-day event, which runs March 7-16.
Directed by MichaelRadford, the film is a remake of the 2008 Argentine/Spanish film of the same name. Also in the cast are Marcia Gay Harden, George Segal, Chris Noth, James Brolin, Wendell Pierce, Jaime Camil and Osvaldo Rios.
In total, 92 feature films and 28 shorts representing 38 countries will premiere at this year’s festival, which marks its 31st edition.
“The programming team believes the selection of films showcased in the festival this year is a reflection of our passion for film, and we hope that it will strengthen our community’s love and appreciation for the art of filmmaking,” MIFF executive director Jaie Laplante said.
The festival will present actor-director John Turturro with its Career Achievement Tribute. Turturro will present his latest film, the Woody Allen starrer Fading Gigolo. The film, which debuted at the Toronto Film Festival, also stars Sharon Stone and Sofia Vergara.
Here’s the complete list of competition films:
Festival Competition Categories:
The Knight Competition, open to dramatic works from Latin America, Spain and Portugal as well as Latino-themed works produced in the United States:
All About The Feathers (Por las plumas) (Costa Rica, directed by Neto Villalobos) U.S. Premiere Asteroid (Asteroide) (Mexico, directed by Marcelo Tobar)World premiere Club Sandwich (Mexico, directed by Fernando Eimbcke) The Man of the Crowd (O homem das multidões) (Brazil, directed by Marcelo Gomes and Cao Guimarães) North American premiere Memories of the Desert (Romance policial) (Brazil/Chile, directed by Jorge Durán) World premiere Natural Sciences (Ciencias naturales) (Argentina, directed by Matias Lucchesi) North American premiere Séptimo (Spain/Argentina, directed by Patxi Amexcua) North American premiere To Kill A Man (Matar un hombre) (Chile/France, directed by Alejandro Fernández Almendras) We All Want What’s Best For Her (Tots volem el millor per a ella) (Spain, directed by Mar Coll) North American premiere A Wolf at the Door (O lobo atrás da porta) (Brazil, directed by Fernando Coimbra)
Knight Documentary Competition, open to engaging and thought-provoking feature-length documentaries created by international filmmakers that examine social issues, diverse cultures, icons and inspiring people:
The Art Rush (France, directed by Marianne Lamour) North American premiere The Dog (U.S.A., directed by Allison Berg and Frank Keraudren) Europe in 8 Bits (Spain, directed by Javier Polo) Finding Vivian Maier (U.S.A., directed by Charlie Siskel and John Maloof) Ivory Tower (USA, directed by Andrew Rossi) Locations: Looking For Rusty James (Locaciones: buscando a Rusty James) (Chile, directed by Alberto Fuguet) The Notorious Mr. Bout (U.S.A./Russia, directed by Tony Gerber and Maxim Pozdorovkin) The Overnighters (U.S.A., directed by Jesse Moss) Supermensch: The Legend of Shep Gordon (U.S.A., directed by Mike Myers) Whitey: United States of America v. James J. Bulger (U.S.A., directed by Joe Berlinger)
The Lexus Ibero-American Opera Prima Competition for first-time feature filmmakers emerging from Spain, Portugal and Latin America:
Here’s the Deal (Somos gente honrada) (Spain, directed by Alejandro Marzoa) U.S. premiere Mateo (Colombia/France, directed by Maria Gamboa)World premiere Stockholm (Estocolmo) (Spain, directed by Rodrigo Sorogoyen) U.S. premiere We Are Mari Pepa (Somos Mari Pepa) (Mexico, directed by Samuel Kishi Leopo)
Papi Shorts Competition:
A Big Deal (China, directed by Yoyo Yao) U.S. premiere Blue (U.S.A., directed by Justin Malone)World premiere Chub (U.S.A., directed by Samuel Albis)World premiere Flamingo (Venezuela, directed by Carl Zitelmann) Grace (Graça) (Brazil, directed by Anna Clara Peltier) North American premiere The Phone Call (United Kingdom, directed by Mat Kirkby) Skin (France, directed by Cédric Prévost) North American premiere Shirt Out, Game Over! (Switzerland, directed by Eric Paternot) World premiere Unicorn (Unicornio) (Bolivia, directed by Rodrigo Bellott) Xenos (United Kingdom/Greece/Denmark, directed by Mahdi Fleifel) North American premiere
Yul Vazquez will soon be hitting the high seas with Tom Hanks…
The Cuban American actor, who currently appears on Starz’s Magic City, is starring as Captain Frank Castellano in the Hanks-headlined film Captain Phillips, which has been named the opening-night film at the prestigious New York Film Festival next month.
Directed by Paul Greengrass, the Sony Pictures film tells the true story of Captain Richard Phillips (portrayed by Hanks) and the 2009 hijacking by Somali pirates of the US-flagged MV Maersk Alabama.
Phillips was eventually rescued in a dangerous mission by a Navy SEAL team.
Along with Hanks and Vazquez, the film also stars Catherine Keener, Max Martini, Michael Chernus, Chris Mulkey, John Magaro and Angus MacInnes.
Captain Phillips is set to hit theaters on October 11.
Vazquez’s other upcoming projects include Runner Runner with Ben Affleck and Justin Timberlake, Blood Ties with Mila Kunis, Clive Owen and Marion Cotillard and Kill The Messenger directed by Michael Cuesta opposite Jeremy Renner.
The premiere of the eight-episode series will be available on June 16 on MGM+, with new episodes airing on Sundays until August 4.
