New gift will support the use of archival footage in student films for CinemaSlam next year
Miami, March 10, 2018 – Florida’s rich history will be a focus of the film school competition, CinemaSlam, at Miami Dade College’s 2019 Miami Film Festival thanks to a new gift from the Lynn and Louis Wolfson II Family Foundation that supports the use of archival footage from the renowned Lynn and Louis Wolfson II Florida Moving Image Archives at MDC. The announcement was made today at the CinemaSlam awards ceremony at MDC’s Tower Theater.
The gift of $127,500 will provide general program and sponsorship support for CinemaSlam and establish several awards for the 2019 and 2020 competitions, including a category for Best Film Featuring Archival Material. Student filmmakers will be encouraged to make use of archived material from MDC’s Lynn and Louis Wolfson II Florida Moving Image Archives, which is one of the largest institutions of its kind in the U.S. showcasing Florida’s history with more than 35,000 hours of video tape and 23 million feet of film.
“This generous gift by the Lynn and Louis Wolfson II Family Foundation is a testament to our mission of supporting emerging new voices and encouraging artistic development among our students,” says Jaie Laplante, Executive Director of MDC’s Film Festival. “Through the Wolfson CinemaSlam competition, next year’s Miami Film Festival will celebrate original locally-produced films and support works-in-progress by Miami-based aspiring filmmakers. We are excited to have more students make use of the incredible and invaluable library of material archived in the Lynn and Louis Wolfson II Media Center.”
“We believe it’s important for the community to remember and celebrate our rich history,” says Louis Wolfson III, a board member of Miami Dade College Foundation and one of the College’s greatest benefactors. “We are proud to support the next generation of influencers and changemakers through Miami Film Festival’s CinemaSlam. From politics to social change, art and culture, students will have new opportunities to share with the world the great stories of the Sunshine State.”
Learn more about the Wolfson Archives at www.wolfsonarchives.info.
About Miami Dade College’s Miami Film Festival
Celebrating cinema in two annual events, Miami GEMS Festival in October and its 35th annual edition March 9 – 18, 2018, Miami Dade College’s Miami Film Festival is considered the preeminent film festival for showcasing Ibero-American cinema in the U.S., and a major launch pad for all international and documentary cinema. The annual Festival more than 60,000 audience members and more than 400 filmmakers, producers, talent and industry professionals. It is the only major festival housed within a college or university. In the last five years, the Festival has screened films from more than 60 countries, including 300 World, International, North American, U.S. and East Coast Premieres. Miami Film Festival’s special focus on Ibero-American cinema has made the Festival a natural gateway for the discovery of new talent from this diverse territory. The Festival also offers unparalleled educational opportunities to film students and the community at large. Major sponsors of the 2017-18 Festival season include Knight Foundation, American Airlines and Miami-Dade County. For more information, visit miamifilmfestival.com or call 305-237-FILM (3456).
About Miami Dade College Foundation
Founded in 1965, the Miami Dade College Foundation raises essential private funds for Miami Dade College to pay for student scholarships, STEM education, arts and culture, entrepreneurship, work force training, and other programs that elevate our community and nation. In 2016-2017, the MDC Foundation distributed more than $10.3 million to benefit the students, programs and operations of MDC. The College has a long history of responding to the needs of the community with degree programs and special events, both preparing the work force required by local businesses and offering the broader community access to world-class cultural and educational programming. Visit MDCFoundation.com.
MDC’s Miami Film Festival Media Relations Contacts:
NEW YORK / LOS ANGELES / TRADE
Adam Kersh, Brigade | +1 917-580-6785 | adam@brigademarketing.com
Guillermo Restrepo, Brigade | +1 917-580-6785 | guillermo@brigademarketing.com
MIAMI
Salazar PR, Andrea Salazar | Tel: +1 954-756-0652 | asalazarpr@gmail.com
Clique PR, Dina Allende | Tel: +1 305-205-1058 | dina@makeitclique.com
MDC Foundation contact: Alyssa Zamora, director of communications and digital engagement, 305-237-3331, azamora@mdc.edu.