ST. PETERSBURG - Best known as the organization that gives out a certain golden statuette during the Academy Awards each year, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences as an organization does much more.
One of their many programs provides grant funding to film festivals based in the United States.
The Sunscreen Film Festival is proud to announce that it is the recipient of one of only 23 grants awarded for 2013. The Academy’s funding will be used to support Sunscreen’s newly-established Spanish Language Filmmaker Showcase at the 2013 festival.
“It’s quite an honor and we’re thrilled and excited as an organization to be working with the Academy on this program. Twenty three percent of the St. Petersburg/Tampa Area’s population is Hispanic and there are no Spanish language film festivals in the area” commented Festival Director Tony Armer.
While Sunscreen each year does screen foreign language films, this new initiative fills a void in what is the 13th largest media market in the country. By partnering with local Hispanic organizations, media, schools and colleges Sunscreen will work to expose these films to a wider and underserved audience.
Additionally Sunscreen will bring in Filmmakers and Actors from select films to participate in Q&A’s, workshops and meet and greets. Filmmakers will interact with students, their families and the general public.
Sunscreen has already established partnerships with Univision, Tampa Hispanic Heritage and the Feathered Serpent Gallery as a part of the Spanish Language Filmmaker Showcase.
Sunscreen is currently accepting films for its 8th Annual festival held from April 18-21st, 2013 in St. Petersburg.
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