Tampa Film Fan

The Gasparilla Film Festival is partnering with the Global Film Initiative (GFI) to host Global Lens 2008, a GFI-sponsored traveling film series. GFI promotes cross-cultural understanding and diversity by presenting developing world feature films in over forty major U.S. Cities, with their prestigious film series entitled Global Lens. GFI is considered one of the foremost leaders in funding and distributing world cinema. Its film board is comprised of well known, accomplished international filmmakers, such as Pedro Almodóvar, Lars von Trier, Mira Nair and Lucy Barreto, to name a few.

Past and present partners of the Global Lens Series include:

The Museum of Modern Art in New York
The American Film Institute
The Chicago International Film Festival
Gene Siskel Film Center
Miami International Film Festival
Boston Museum of Fine Arts
San Francisco Art Institute
Sarasota Film Society and The Seattle International Film Festival
Walker Art Center
Museum of Fine Arts Houston
Denver Film Society
Salt Lake Film Society

Visiting Assistant Professor of Communication Tom Garrett at University of Tampa states: “It’s a wonderful international experience for University of Tampa’s Film Media Arts Program and its students to be involved - to have first-look exposure to the Global Lens series along with the Gasparilla Film Festival.”

Studio(at)620’s co-Artistic Director, G. David Ellis: “The Studio(at)620 is very pleased and excited to be a part of Global Lens 2008 and host these films through October. The Global Lens series will be a wonderful compliment to our evenings at the International Film Cafe. You can travel the world in the comfort of the Studio(at)620 and enjoy free popcorn too!”

John Rosser, Executive Director of the Gasparilla Film Festival: “The Gasparilla Film Festival is proud to hold the 2008 Tampa Bay exclusive rights for a world-class film series such as Global Lens 2008. We are particularly thrilled to be working with such high-quality local partners as the University of Tampa and Studio(at)620 on screening these important films. Our organization continues to grow, and we look forward to continuing to support such worthwhile endeavors as Global Lens.”

CONSOLIDATED SCREENING SCHEDULE:

Friday, May 23 — Bunny Chow (South Africa), Studio(at)620, St. Petersburg
Friday, June 6 — movie title TBD, U of Tampa, Reeves Theater
Friday, June 27 — The Kite (Lebanon), Studio(at)620, St. Petersburg
Friday, July 11 — All For Free (Croatia), Studio(at)620, St. Petersburg
Friday, July 25 — movie title TBD, U of Tampa, Reeves Theater
Friday, August 22 — The Fish Fall in Love (Iran), Studio(at)620, St. Petersburg
Friday, August 29 — movie title TBD, U of Tampa, Reeves Theater
Friday, September 26 — The Bet Collector, Studio(at)620, St. Petersburg

MINI-FESTIVAL #1, University of Tampa, Reeves Theater
Fall 2008, TBD, 7 screenings