“Each year we strive to expand our programming slate to expose stories, themes and characters that have been underrepresented in our world. This year is no exception,” said Gabrielle Glore, Festival Director & Head of Programming, Urbanworld Film Festival. “What is most exciting to see is the continued elevation of quality manifested across our content creators’ work, as we celebrate their creativity and craft.”

Latinx focused films of the festival include:

The East Coast Premiere of Vandal (USA), directed by Jose Daniel Freixas (Friday, September 20^th at 8:15 PM). “Nick, better known as “Damage” in the streets of Miami, is the young leader of an infamous graffiti crew that leaves its mark wherever it goes. As they grow larger in fame and number, problems start arising–Nick’s personal life goes on a downward spiral; the illegal nature of his passion is bound to get him in trouble with the authorities, and, on top of that, he has to learn to fend off the local rival crew.” 

The World Premiere of Release (USA), directed by Adel L. Morales (Thursday, September 19^th at 8:45 PM). “Maverick” comes home to the Bronx, after twenty-one years. Suffering from the traumas of abuse and neglect that go hand-in-hand with our American prison systems, he’s become a loner, hardened over his lengthy sentence. Layers of frustration and fear, lie underneath his heavy penetrating stare. He’s a changed man figuring out his place in a family he barely remembers while dealing with the pressures of a changing world and a twenty-one-year-old daughter he doesn’t know.” 

The East Coast Premiere of By The Name of Tania (Peru), directed by Bénédicte Liénard & Mary Jiménez (Friday, September 20^th at 5:00 PM). “The Amazon flows lazily through the goldmine-gashed landscape of northern Peru. Using real eyewitness accounts, directors Bénédicte Liénard and Mary Jiménez tell the story of a young woman who winds up forced into prostitution when her initially hopeful attempt to escape the stifling limitations of village life goes wrong. Step by step, she is robbed of her moral and physical integrity. The film reconstitutes a space of dignity and returns voice and identity to that which has been formally rendered name¬less. With its powerful imagery, the girl’s traumatic odyssey embodies the horrific devastation visited upon the natural world by contemporary industrial society.” 

The New York Premiere of Bakoso: AfroBeats of Cuba (Cuba), directed by Eli Jacobs-Fantauzzi (Saturday, September 21^st at 9:30 PM). “What does “Está Rico” by Marc Anthony, Will Smith & Bad Bunny have in common with “Made For Now” by Janet Jackson x Daddy Yankee? They both high-jacked AfroBeats and did not give the genre’s origin props. Bakosó is a film that does the opposite, following DJ Jigüe to his hometown of Santiago de Cuba to find inspiration from the new sounds. He finds Afrobeats has helped create a new genre called Bakosó, which itself is beautiful proof that the exchange between Cuba and Africa did not end with the Transatlantic slave trade.” Jacobs-Fantauzzi will also participate on the ‘A League of Their Own: Creating Beyond The White Gaze’ panel at this year’s Urbanworld Digital on Thursday, September 19th. Urbanworld’s Closing Night Party will feature a set by DJ Jigüe on Saturday, September 21st. 

Short films include: Maria (Zoe Salicrup Junco), Message Erased (Alain Alfaro), Wonder (Javier Molina), Ruda (Maria Victoria Ponce), What Bitch? (Julian Acosta), The Night, Unsheltered (Iñaki Velásquez ). 

The Music Video category includes: Who Are We Now? By Synacure (Vagabond) and Convencete by Princesa Alba (Marialy Rivas). Princesa Alba will also perform at Urbanworld Live Music Showcase on Thursday, September 19th. 

Founding partner HBO is joined by key supporters including BET Networks as prestige partner and NBCUniversal, WarnerMedia, Warner Bros. and Screen Gems as premiere partners. Industry partners include ARRAY, MPAA, ABC Studios, UMC: Urban Movie Channel, Directors Guild of America, Producers Guild of America and Writers Guild of America East. The Root, Essence, WNYC and Power 105 are media partners. 

For more info: www.urbanworld.org

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