The XVII edition of the National Audiovisual Festival “Por Primera Vez” begins this Wednesday, February 19 in the province of Holguin, dedicated on this occasion to the promotion and visualization of the creation of young Cuban filmmakers.
This contest, which invites people under 35 years of age, offers a unique platform to showcase talent in the categories of fiction, documentary, animation, music videos and video art, in addition to including a pitch competition.
The space, which will be open to the public until the 19th of this month, will be an opportunity to present the Cinema Factory, led by Sergio Benvenuto Solás, director of the Gibara International Cinema Festival, who will compile works for the next edition of the festival, which will take place in the month of April.
According to Enrique Betancour, communicator of the Provincial Film Center, during a press conference, the festival will have around 20 theoretical spaces that will take place at the Cine Martí and the Café Las Tres Lucias. These activities seek to enrich the dialogue and training of participants, offering tools for their professional growth.
Among the 35 works in competition, several will be screened at the Ateneo Cinematográfico, while the Casa Iberoamericana will join the event with the screening of feature films at night. This extensive program guarantees a diverse experience for the public and participants.
One of the most anticipated moments will be the presence of the renowned filmmaker Fernando Pérez, National Film Award winner, who will give a workshop on film direction. Furthermore, during the opening day, his feature film “El mundo de Nelsito” will be screened, a work that moves the emotions and sensitivity of the spectators.
Maylán Heredia, head of the promotion department of the Provincial Film Center, highlighted that the festival will also have the participation of other prominent film professionals. Among them, director Jorge Molina, who will offer a workshop on how to approach audiovisual production in contexts of scarce resources.
For his part, Hamlet Paredes will share his experience in directing actors, while Rubén Ricardo Infante and Rafael Grillo will address topics related to audiovisual production from their own professional experiences.
In this edition a new competing category emerges: video art. This decision was made by the organizing committee of the contest as a result of the presence of poetic visuality in works presented in previous editions, which have gained relevance within the current cinematographic panorama.
Betancour also highlighted that the program will include a posthumous tribute to the recently deceased Jorge Luis Sánchez, a prominent film director with a career that includes more than 30 audiovisual productions. Sánchez, who participated in the previous edition of the festival, will be remembered for his invaluable contribution to Cuban cinema.
The National Audiovisual Festival “Por Primera Vez” is consolidated as an essential space for the discovery and promotion of new talents in the Cuban cinematographic field.
With a diverse program and the participation of prominent figures of national cinema, this event promises to be an essential meeting point for lovers of the seventh art in Cuba.
By: Yudit Almeida Pérez / Translated by Radio Angulo
- Holguin proletariat gets ready for May First - 30 de April de 2025
- Housing Construction in Antilla Benefits Vulnerable Families - 29 de April de 2025
- Díaz-Canel Urges People to Show Unity This May 1st - 29 de April de 2025