THIRD ANNUAL TURKS & CAICOS INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL OPENS OCTOBER 16, 2007 WITH EL CANTANTE

El Cantante (USA) will open the Festival on October 16, 2007 with an outdoor screening on the beach.  The screening of the film will be preceded by the short film Radiance (USA) directed by Rooth Tang.  El Cantante directed by Leon Ichaso tells the dramatic life story of Hector Lavoe, who started the salsa movement in 1975.  The film stars Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony. 

The event will be followed by an Opening Night VIP Reception at Grace Bay Club.  El Cantante producer Julio Caro will attend the event.

This year’s Festival will feature 6 features, 12 documentaries and 11 shorts, which includes 14 premieres (4 World, 8 Caribbean and 2 International).  Day screenings will take place at the Palms Theatre, while evening screenings will take place on the beach at the Alexandra Resort.  Features screening at the Festival include the World Premiere of Lora (Hungary) directed by Gábor Herendi and the Caribbean Premieres of Guru (India) directed by Mani Ratnam, who will be receiving the Festival’s Sal Del Mar Director’s Excellence Award; The Hottest State (USA) directed by Ethan Hawke; Something the Lord Made (USA) and Summer Scars (UK) directed by Julian Richards.

Documentaries screening include the World Premiere of Respect Yourself: The Stax Records Story (USA) and Jonathan Butler: Live in South Africa (South Africa); and the Caribbean Premieres of From Mambo to Hip Hop: A Bronx Tale (USA), Lalo Guerrero: The Original Chicano (USA), Screamers (UK) and War/Dance (USA/Uganda). 

Finding Kraftland (USA), Jamesie King of Scratch (US Virgin Islands); Los Lonely Boys Cottonfields and Crossroads (USA), Roots of Reggae: The Ernest Ranglin Story (USA), Sweet Honey in the Rock (USA) and The Godfather of Disco (USA) will also screen in the documentary category.

Shorts screening include the World Premiere of actress Victoria Rowell’s short The Mentor; the International Premieres of Keys (USA) and P.N.O.K. (USA); and the Caribbean Premiere of The World’s Most Dangerous Polka Band (USA).  Hazel’s Hips (USA), Spin (USA), Stone Mansion (USA), The Little Gorilla (USA), The Price of Acorn (Canada) and Validation (USA) will also screen in the shorts category.

Filmmakers scheduled to attend include director Dan Guerrero, director of Lalo Guerrero; Carolyn McDonald, director of P.N.O.K. and Richard Kraft, director of Finding Kraftland.

Festival passes are currently available online with Day Passes starting at $45, which includes four regular films per day and one panel discussion.  Additional passes are available.  For more information on passes, travel and a complete schedule of events, visit www.tciff.com.