Media Arts Center San Diego’s 15th Anniversary San Diego Latino Film Festival 2008 closed this past Sunday, March 15th to record-breaking crowds; attended by 18,833 people, premiered 166 films and hosted over 100 special guest actors and directors for its’ 2008 edition”, announced Ethan van Thillo, Executive Director and Founder of Media Arts Center San Diego.

Media Arts Center San Diego’s 15th Anniversary San Diego Latino Film Festival is proud to announce this year’s Premio Corazon winners: State Farm Insurance Best Narrative Feature: "La Zona" (Dir. Rodrigo Pla, Mexico), Best Documentary Feature: "Calavera Highway" (Dir. Renee Tajima-Pena, U.S.A.), Best Narrative Short: "La Quela" (Dir. Liz Lobato, Spain), Best Documentary Short: "Fuego de Angel" (Dir. Marcelo Bukin, U.S.A./Peru), Best Local Work: Sleep (Dir. Omar de Leon, U.S.A.), Best Student Work: "La Quinceanera" (Dir. Adam Taub, U.S.A.), Best Experimental Work: "Magnavoz" (Dir. Jesse Lerner, U.S.A./Mexico), Nickelodeon Best Animation Short: "Tyger" (Dir. Guilherme Marcondes, Brazil), Best Animation Feature: "Nocturna" (Dir. Adrian Garcia, Spain), Best Youth Work: "America’s Invisible Backbone – Rights vs. Limitations" (Educational Video Center , U.S.A.), Audience Award: "El Brindis" (Dir. Shai Agosin, Chile).

Jury members for the Best Narrative Feature and Best Documentary Feature categories included: Federico Luppi, Gaston Pauls, Leo Ricciardi, Jose Yenque, Almudena Carrecedo, Paul Espinosa, Sal Lopez, and Sonia Gonzalez.

Descriptions on the award-winning films and all of the participating special guests and films can be found at www.sdlatinofilm.com.

* Free Films Every Wednesday in September 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. (Sept. 5, 12, 19, 26)

(Chula Vista, California) Media Arts Center San Diego's San Diego Latino Film Festival and Otay Ranch Town Center bring the best of short and feature family films from Mexico for all ages to enjoy this September at Que Viva! Cine Mexicano 2007. In Celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month and Mexico's Independence, once per week for the entire month of September, Otay Ranch Town Center shoppers and residents of San Diego County will experience great Latino art, live music, and a collection of Mexican family features and shorts. Screenings and events will take place Wednesdays from 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM September 5, 12, 19 and 26. All screenings, live music and art to take place at the Food Pavilion at Otay Ranch Town Center.

"We are delighted to present Que Viva! Cine Mexicano to our shoppers," says Tim Colby, GM, Otay Ranch Town Center. "The film series celebrates Hispanic culture and heritage and will be accessible for both Spanish and English speaking patrons."

The schedule for each evening will include the following: 6:30PM - Arte Latino Exhibition local and nationally recognized Latino artists & Live Music of local Latino musical groups; and then, 7:30PM - Screening of Mexican short films or a Mexican feature film for the entire family. Feature and short films to be screened include: Atletico San Pancho, Jai, Tiro de Gracia, Al Otro Lado, Magos y Gigantes, Mi Radio, and many more!

Media Arts Center San Diego Founder and Executive Director is excited about reaching new audiences in the City of Chula Vista via the upcoming Que Viva! Cine Mexicano film series. Mr. van Thillo states, "As our festival prepares for our upcoming 15th Annual San Diego Latino Film Festival in March 2008, the opportunity to partner with Otay Ranch Town Center in presenting great Mexican films for the entire family will hopefully allow residents and shoppers to experience a taste of what our annual festival is all about."

All film screenings and events are free and open to the general public. Visit the Otay Ranch Town Center web site for more event information: www.otayranchtowncenter.com or visit

Media Arts Center San Diego's San Diego Latino Film Festival website at: www.sdlatinofilm.com. Additional information can be found by calling Media Arts Center San Diego at 619-230-1938.

About Otay Ranch Center: With more than 100 of the country's top specialty stores, Otay Ranch Town Center is San Diego's newest and most exciting outdoor shopping and entertainment destination. Eclectic tastes are served by Macy's, REI, Barnes & Noble, Apple, Sephora and White House Black Market, to name just a few. On the center's east side is a specialty fashion and service village featuring Chico's, Forth & Towne, Coldwater Creek and other unique fashions and services. To the north, AMC Theatres' 12 screens will soon delight film buffs. Diners can choose from P. F. Chang's China Bistro, The Cheesecake Factory, Frida's Mexican Cuisine, Sushi-Ya, California Pizza Kitchen or many on-the-go dining options. This urbane, bustling, open-air center features a wide variety of amenities including outdoor cafes, grand fountains, a pet-friendly setting and adjacent dog park, food pavilion, party space, a fireplace and a "chalk garden" and popper fountain for children.

Otay Ranch Town Center is conveniently located 4 1⁄2 miles east off the 805 Freeway in Chula Vista at Eastlake Parkway and Olympic Parkway. Otay Ranch Town Center is open Monday - Saturday from 10:00 AM to 9:00 PM and Sunday from 11:00 AM to 7:00 PM. For more information about Otay Ranch Town Center, call (619) 656-9100 or visit www.otayranchtowncenter.com.

Dedicated to supporting student and independent filmmakers, SDLFF continues to assist independent filmmakers reach their goals. The festival is proud to announce workshops and panels for local independent filmmakers interested in gaining first-hand experience in art of film and video production from top professionals.

REEL TALKS Panel (March 10)
"Online Cinema: Film in the Age of You Tube and Vlogs" - Sponsored by DivX, Inc.

Special BORDERS ON FILM "Meet & Greet" (March 10)
"Filmando en Mexico/ Filming in Mexico"

REEL TALKS Workshop (March 11)
"How to Promote Your Independent Film"

Special Animation Workshop (March 14)
From Paper to Screen: Getting Comics Produced for Both the Small and Big Screen"

REEL TALKS Case Study (March 17)
"Producing the Doc - A Case Study: La Lupe Queen of Latin Soul"

San Diego Latino Film Festival Screened some of the best international animation this year during its inaugural Latino Animation Showcase. The program included experimental and comic-themed, animatics, 2D, 3D and stop-motion films, alongside more traditional family films.

The festival has collected some of the brightest Latino illustrators in the field of Comic Strips and Comic Books as well as international animators and has bringing them to San Diego! You can currently see their works exhibited as this year's ARTE LATINO at the San Diego Art Institute: Museum of the Living Artist in Balboa Park. Don't miss the chance to see the works of one of Mexico's Greatest Cartoonists, EL CHANGO.

An especially interesting part of ther Cien’mation Showcase was the Professional Workshop where audiences had the opportunity to hear how the creators of BALDO and EL MUERTO were able to bring their characters to life on TV and on the Big Screen!

PREMIO CORAZON WINNERS FOR 2007

Media Arts Center San Diego’s 14th Annual San Diego Latino Film Festival is proud to announce the following Premio Corazon Award winners for the 2007 festival. On Saturday, March 17th, the San Diego Latino Film Festival announced the following winners:

Best Narrative Feature: “Una Estrella y Dos Cafes”
Directed by: Alberto Lecchi (Argentina, 2005)

Honorable Mention Best Narrative Feature: “Que Tan Lejos”
Directed by: Tania Hermida (Ecuador, 2006)

Best Documentary Feature: “Bajo Juarez”
Directed by: Alejandra Sánchez and José Antonio Cordero (Mexico, 2006)

Best Narrative Short: “DVD”
Directed by: Ciro Altabas (Spain, 2006)

Best Documentary Short: “Camino”
Directed by: Berenice Manjarrez (Mexico, 2006)

Best Experimental Work: “Alguna Tristeza”
Directed by: Juan Alejandro Ramirez (Peru, 2006)

Best Local Work: “The Yardsale”
Directed by: Frank Nuñez (USA, 2007)

Best Youth Work: “Dodger Blues”
Directed by: Gabriel Perez (USA, 2007)

Best Student Work: “6 A.M.”
Directed by: Carmen Vidal (USA, 2006)

AT&T Audience Award (popular ballot): “Elsa y Fred”
Directed by: Marcos Carnevale (Argentina/Spain, 2006)

Nickelodeon Best Animation Short: “Pocoyo”
Directed by: David Cantolla, Guillermo Garcia (Spain, 2006)

Best Animation Feature: “El Raton Perez”
Directed by: Juan Pablo Buscarini (Argentina/Spain, 2006)

Fox Azteca Borders on Film Award: “The Short Life of Jose Antonio Gutierrez”
Directed by: Heidi Specogna (Germany / Switzerland, 2005)