The Aruba International Film Festival (AIFF) has quickly become the international film community’s newest “must-attend” summer event. The festival offers a pleasurable and inviting atmosphere for filmmakers, press and film lovers. It serves to not only develop an understanding and appreciation of the art of cinema and filmmaking, but also to inspire, educate and promote emerging local and regional filmmaking talent. This in turn has helped position Aruba as a center of art, culture and creativity, and as a viable destination for international film and commercial productions.

The AIFF was founded in 2010 by film producers Jonathan Vieira and Giuseppe Cioccarelli, with artistic direction by 30-year industry veteran Claudio Masenza. Previous editions of the festival have showcased a diverse array of critically acclaimed fiction films and documentaries from every corner of the globe, and have attracted such notable industry names as:

• Hollywood leading man Richard Gere (Pretty Woman, An Officer and a Gentleman)
• Multi Oscar-winning editor Thelma Schoonmaker (Raging Bull, The Aviator)
• Mexican writer/director Guillermo Arriaga (The Burning Plain, Babel)
• Oscar-winning director Jonathan Demme (Silence of the Lambs, Philadelphia)
• Rapper, producer and actor Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson (Things Fall Apart)
• Dutch director/cinematographer Sander Snoep (Curaçao, 900 Days)
• Actress and television star Kim Cattrall (Sex and the City, Meet Monica Velour)
• Costume designer Michael Kaplan (Fight Club, Star Trek Into Darkness)
• Venezuelan television and film actress Ruddy Rodríguez (Venezzia)
• Artist, filmmaker, and poet Lech Majewski (The Mill and the Cross)
• Puerto Rican writer/director Sonia Fritz (The Kiss You Gave Me, América)
• Uruguayan-Mexican actress and model Babara Mori (Kites)
• Dutch-Surinamese film pioneer Pim de la Parra (Wan Pipel, Odyssée d’Amour)
• Indian choreographer Longinus Fernandes (Slumdog Millionaire)
• Cuban-American actor Steven Bauer (Scarface, Traffic)
• Oscar-nominated actress Virginia Madsen (Candyman, Sideways)
• International award-winning filmmaker Milcho Manchevski (Before the Rain)
• Two-time Oscar-winning editor Pietro Scalia (Prometheus, JFK)
• Acclaimed Hollywood actor Ray Liotta (Goodfellas, Hannibal)
• Korean-Dutch film producer/director In-Soo Radstake (Parradox, Made in Korea)
• Oscar-nominated actress Patricia Clarkson (Pieces of April, Shutter Island)
• Australian actor Xavier Samuel (A Few Best Men, The Twilight Saga: Eclipse)

The festival has also created an environment where local and Caribbean filmmakers can learn from and network with one another, while gaining a truly unique and exclusive festival experience.  The AIFF’s popular Caribbean Spotlight Series (CSS) and Aruba Flavor Shorts (AF) competitions have drawn some of the finest regional films to Aruba, and continue to provide a platform for local filmmakers to feature their latest works.  Films premiering in the CSS and AF such as 10 Ave Maria (Aruba), Muhe Frida (Aruba), Boys of Summer (Curaçao), Children of the Wind (Bonaire), and Peace: Memories of Anton de Kom (Netherlands/Suriname) have screened and won awards at international film festivals in the Caribbean, USA, Canada, Europe, and South America.

The fourth edition of the AIFF will feature nearly 40 films from over 25 countries having their world, international, or regional premieres in Aruba.  In addition, cutting-edge master classes, in-depth discussions, and “In Conversation With” sessions with top industry professionals will cover various aspects of the filmmaking process.

Click here to view the complete AIFF 2013 Film Program and Industry Events line-up.