MEXICO: Iberoamerican Culture Summit opens in Mexico with Prince Felipe and Princess Letizia of Spain attending

Record ID: 303823

  • Title: MEXICO: Iberoamerican Culture Summit opens in Mexico with Prince Felipe and Princess Letizia of Spain attending
  • Date: 2nd October 2008
  • Summary: MEXICO CITY, MEXICO (OCTOBER 01, 2008) (REUTERS) SUMMIT BANNER (*** FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY ***) ACTORS ANTONIO BANDERAS AND PEDRO ARMENDARIZ POSING FOR PHOTOGRAPHERS DURING EVENT: "MEETING WITH PROMINENT ACTORS OF IBEROAMERICAN FILM" GENERAL VIEW OF MEETING (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) SPANISH ACTOR, ANTONIO BANDERAS, SAYING: "To try and make a common film industry. Film that is funded by all participating countries (in the summit)." ACTORS POSING FOR PHOTOGRAPHERS DURING EVENT: "MEETING WITH PROMINENT ACTORS OF IBEROAMERICAN FILM"
  • Embargoed: 17th October 2008 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Mexico
  • Country: Mexico
  • Topics: International Relations
  • Reuters ID: LVAF0GOTW1WLMH5QBS8MK2V8E0QA
  • Story Text: The first Iberoamerican Culture Summit was inaugurated in Mexico City by Mexican President Felipe Calderon and Royal Highnesses, the Prince and Princess of Asturias, Felipe of Bourboun and Greece and Letizia Ortiz on Wednesday (October 01).
    Film directors, writers, actors, producers, musicians and investigators will meet to discuss the present and future of film in the region, taking as a central point for discussion the contribution of Iberoamerican cinema to the world in the last 40 years.

    "They are human beings and also intelligent, charming and film lovers, an added merit," said Spanish Film Director, Carlos Saura, about Prince Felipe and Princess Letizia.
    Film will be analyzed in terms of social and economic development in terms of history in which different languages and cultures converge. The way music, literature and other visual arts intervene in film making will also be studied.
    Saura said Latin America offered imagination to the world.

    "In Latin America, what we are able to offer to the world is imagination which is sometimes forgotten by our writers, poets, painters and filmmakers," he said.
    Prince Felipe said the film industry brings people closer.

    "In effect, our audiovisual and film work brings our people closer. They allow us to get to know each other better, to better get to know the human and geographic landscape, personality, idiosyncrasy, customs, sensitivities of each country formed by our countries in Iberoamerica."
    Calderon said the summit would provide the opportunity for constructive dialogue.

    "I'm sure this summit will be a valuable opportunity to reflect in terms of culture and to generate a constructive and beneficial dialogue for the arts and film industry in our countries."
    In order to support the discussion and reflection of the above mentioned themes, the summit will host screenings at three locations. The National Cineteca will show 50 Iberoamerican films spanning 40 years. The National Centre for the Arts will show new and recent films from the Ibermedia Festival. A marathon of 42 short films from the region will also be on display. The Centre for the Training in Film will also show 13 documentaries produced for television in the Luis Buñuel theatre.
    The National Centre for the Arts will also stage an exhibition of Luis Buñuel films, an exhibition of film posters with the participation of 22 countries. Music concerts and exhibitions will also be presented.
    During a meeting with prominent actors of Iberoamerican film such as Antonio Banderas, Pedro Armendariz and Silvia Pinal, Banderas said funding by participating countries in the summit was important to promote the Iberoamerican film industry in order to compete with Hollywood.

    "To try and make a common film industry. Film that is funded by all participating countries (in the summit)," Banderas said.
    Countries taking part in the summit are: Andorra, Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Ecuador, El Salvador, Spain, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Portugal, Dominican Republic, Uruguay and Venezuela .
    The Congress will be held from October 01 to October 05 at the National Centre for the Arts, located in the south of Mexico City.
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