Organizers for the first annual Baja International Film Festival – held November 14 through November 17 in Los Cabos, Mexico – told the Los Angeles Times this week that they want to present the region’s premier event for Latin American film. If that’s their goal, they will need to equip their event with leading indoor and outdoor movie screens as well as the industry’s top-quality production and projection equipment.
AIRSCREEN distributed by Outdoor Movies in North America was a sponsor for the event.
In comments to The Times, festival directors Sean and Scott Cross offered a specific comparison point for the lofty heights they seek to achieve: The Cannes Film Festival in France. Considered the foremost showcase for European film, Cannes is what Baja International would ideally be for Latin America, the organizers told the Times.
Their ambition is backed by an impressive slate of international films and events during the three-day spectacle. A number of indoor and outdoor venues were sought for screenings, including the Los Cabos Convention Center, the Wirikuta Cactus Garden and the Cabo San Lucas Cultural Outdoor Amphitheater, according to the event’s website.
Acclaimed actors Edward Norton, Virginia Madsen, Diego Luna, Melissa Leo and Matt Dillon appeared during the event to accept Tribute awards, while filmmakers Michael Apted and Nicolas Echevarria were also celebrated.
Eighty films, coming from 18 countries, were screened, including the Latin American premiere of “Ice Man,” starring Michael Shannon, on the first night. The drama/thriller tells the true story of the ruthless contract killer Richard Kuklinski, who claimed to have killed hundreds of men while working for the New York mafia. That film reaches the United States next spring.