U.S. Luckman Latino Film/Video Festival

For immediate release:

Cal State L.A. Receives Gift from
Hollywood Foreign Press Association to
Support Inaugural U.S. Latino Film/Video Festival
-- Reel Rasquache

Los Angeles, CA -- The Hollywood Foreign Press Association has awarded California State University, Los Angeles a $10,000 gift to support the first U.S. Latino Film/Video Festival to be held at the Luckman Fine Arts Complex on the Cal State L.A. campus, April 17-18, 2004.

The U.S. Latino Film/Video Festival will showcase approximately 30 recent independent U.S. Latino-produced films and videos from across the nation. Together with guest filmmaker presentations and panels, the Festival will provide a unique West Coast celebration of films by, for, and about U.S. Latino communities and experiences.

“The U.S. Latino Film/Video Festival at Cal State L.A. is organized to build bridges/puentes between East and West Los Angeles, between community and the University, and between U.S. Latino independents and the Hollywood Industry,” explains Festival co-director Richard Rodriguez, Cal State L.A. assistant professor of Chicano Studies. “By linking the U.S. Latino Film community, the University’s academic programs, and a diverse audience from communities across from Los Angeles, the Festival will present a distinct forum, capable of developing and showcasing new talents. At the same time, students interested in all aspects of the film industry will be exposed to exciting new learning opportunities.”

According to Festival co-director John Ramirez, Cal State L.A. professor of media studies, the Festival is especially designed to involve the University’s neighboring communities of East Los Angeles and to bring a broad base of grassroots, professional and academic community members together with U.S. Latino film and video independents and industry representatives. This will be the only festival of its kind and scope in the Southern California area dedicated to Latino films and videos made in this country, says Ramirez.

Clifford Harper, executive director of the Luckman Fine Arts Complex, adds, “The Luckman is uniquely equipped and located to celebrate independent films of the U.S. Latino community. We are very proud to be part of this landmark festival.”

For more information on the U.S. Latino Film/Video Festival, call John Ramirez at (323) 343-4207 or Richard Rodriguez at (323) 343-2198.

California State University, Los Angeles, is a comprehensive university at the heart of a major metropolitan city. The 175-acre hilltop campus is located five miles east of Los Angeles’ civic and cultural center. Since 1947, Cal State L.A. has been a leader in providing quality higher education. Today, the campus comprises a faculty of internationally recognized scholars and artists, and more than 21,000 students with a wide variety of interests, ages and backgrounds that reflect the city’s dynamic mix of populations. The CSU: A leader in high-quality, accessible, student-focused higher education.