Panama International Film Festival 2015

Coming Soon:
4th Annual Panama International Film Festival

April 9 - 12
Panama City

It sounds like fun.  I wish I could go.  But I have other obligations in Puerto that week.

Festival Line Up

The 2015 IFF Panama will show more than 60 films from around the world.

Films that have won awards at prestigious festivals such as Cannes, Toronto, Sundance and San Sebastian.

The Festival has one award.   Audience award for best 1st time director.

The line up looks good.

There are a few films that are in English as well as other non-Spanish languages.

To get a pdf of the program guide, go here.

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Traffic Snarls - Or Metro

At the same time, Panama City is also hosting the Summit of the Americas.

US President Barack Obama and 34 other heads of state will be there, so security will be tight.

This means from April 9 - 12th, Panama City will be a traffic snarl due to many road closures.  The closures will occur near the Altlapa Convention Center, as well as near Calle 50, Panama Viejo, and Corredor Sur.

Of course, this means the metro will also be more crowded, but at least it will be moving.

Click to read my post on using Panama City's Metro.

Screen Locations & Tickets

Films will be shown at these venues

Prices are $4.50 to $50 depending upon event and location

• Cinépolis (Multiplaza, Metromall, Westland Mall): $6.50
• Teatro Nacional Opening and Closing Night Galas: $50.00
• Teatro Nacional Regular Screenings: $6.50
• Anita Villalaz: $4.50
• You can buy them now.   They sell them in many locations.

Mastercard or cash purchases only.
10% discount if you buy with a master card

- For more ticket info, go here.

To find out the what, where, and whens, go here.

Panama & Film

Panama is fully embracing the film industry.
It has come a long way.

• pre- 2012 - Panama produced maybe 1 film a year.
• 2009 - 1st major-caliber Panamanian fiction film since 1948 (Abner Benaim's film Chance)
• 2012 - New pro-movie-making laws passed creating:
  • $3 million dollars in annual grants
  • Financial incentives including tax exemptions & rebates
  • Fast track work visas for foriegn talent & crew members
• 2012 - 1st Panama International Film Festival
• 2013 - 2nd Annual Panama International Film Festival
• 2014 - 2nd Annual Panama International Film Festival
• 2014 - 1st time Panama selected a film for Oscar consideration (Abner Benaim's award-winning Invasion)

Promoting Film-making In Panama

Panama even has a film commissioner, Arianne Benedetti.  She is a film industry director too.

Ms. Benedetti actively markets to international production companies.
She tries to entice them to come make films in Panama. Given all the dramatically different settings only a short difference apart must make it an easy sell.

I hope to make it to the Festival next year.

If you go, please comment on how it was.

Thanks.