The Miami International Film Festival (MIFF) and The Global Film Initiative are proud to present Global Lens 2005 October 6-15 at Miami Dade College’s Tower Theater in Little Havana.

MIFF is one of only fourteen institutions in the U.S. chosen to present Global Lens 2005.

Global Lens is a traveling film series that showcases ten dramatic feature films that represent the diversity and excellence of cinema from the developing world. The 2005 program includes new work from nine countries—each in its original language—Algeria, Vietnam, Bosnia, Angola, Mali, Argentina, China, Uruguay, and Turkey.

Among the other institutions chosen to present Global Lens 2005 are The Museum of Modern Art in New York, the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, The Gene Siskel Film Center in Chicago, and the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis.

The Global Film Initiative promotes cross-cultural understanding through cinema by supporting and presenting acclaimed, story-based films from Asia, Africa, Latin America, and the Middle East. The Global Film Initiative is dedicated to sharing stories told on film—familiar tales made exotic by their settings and the unexpected twists arising from very different human experiences.

Filmmakers scheduled to attend include Minh Nguyen-vo, director, Buffalo Boy (winner, New Director’s Competition at the 2004 Chicago International Film Festival); Mehdi Charef, director, Daughter of Keltoum (the director’s fifth film, Charef is both a successful novelist and filmmaker); and Mariano Galperin, director, Lili’s Apron (premiered at The International Film Festival in Rotterdam and is the director’s third feature film).

Tickets are $5 for Members of the Miami Film Society and Sponsors of the Miami International Film Festival and are available by Pre-Sale & Walk-Up. Tickets for students with an ID are $5 and are available by Walk-Up only. General Admission tickets are $7. Ticket order forms are available at www.miamifilmfestival.com.

All films will be shown at the Tower Theater, 1508 SW Eighth Street at 15th Avenue, Little Havana, Miami. For more information, call 305-237-FILM (3456).

The Miami International Film Festival presented by Miami Dade College (MDC) brings the best of world cinema to South Florida and plays a leading role in maintaining and further enriching its film culture. MIFF uses the unique geographical and cultural position of Miami to be a premiere venue for the exhibition of international and US films, with a special focus on Ibero-American cinema.

More than 60,000 people attended the Festival in 2005, a 275% increase since 2002. In addition, more than 220 filmmakers, producers, talent, and industry representatives from around the world attended the 2005 Festival to introduce their work to Miami audiences and industry professionals. During the last three years, under the direction of Nicole Guillemet, the Festival has presented films from more than 50 countries, including 125 East Coast, US, and world premieres, scores of Oscar winners and nominees, and many international prizewinners.

Miami Dade College has a long and rich history of involvement in the cultural arts, providing South Florida with a vast array of artistic and literary offerings, including The Miami Book Fair International, Cultura del Lobo, The Cuban Cinema Series, and the School of Entertainment and Design Technology. MDC is the largest institution of higher education in the country and is nationally recognized for its programs. With an enrollment of more than 163,000 students, MDC is the nation’s top producer of associate of arts and associate of science degrees. The college’s eight campuses and outreach centers offer more than 200 distinct degree programs.

For more information on this event contact: Miami International Film Festival at 305-237-FILM (3456) or visit www.miamifilmfestival.com. For more information on Miami Dade College, please visit www.mdc.edu.

Contact:

MDC: Beverly Counts Rodrigues (305)237-3949

MIFF: Lisa Ann Mikolai (305)237-7879