Aruba International Film Festival

Program details for the inaugural Aruba International Film Festival (AIFF), which takes place June 4-11, 2010, have been revealed.

The Festival will showcase 25 films from 16 different countries, featuring several international premieres and many Caribbean/South American premieres. The lineup was announced by AIFF Artistic Director Claudio Masenza along with Festival founders Giuseppe Ciocarrelli and Jonathan Vieira.

Films having their international premiere at the Festival include the Dutch drama “Amsterdam,” directed by Ivo van Hove; the Italian dark comedy “Questione di Cuore,” directed by Francesca Archibugi; the Susanna White directed English family comedy “Nanny McPhee and the Big Bang” starring Emma Thompson, Ralph Fiennes, Ewan McGregor, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Maggie Smith and Rhys Ifans; and the English horror/drama “Black Death” starring Sean Bean, diected by Christopher Smith.

AIFF will open with “Hachiko” starring Richard Gere, who will open the Festival as its official host. In addition to opening the Festival, Gere will be bestowed with a special humanitarian award and participate in the Festival’s “In Conversations With” series engaging the Festival audience.

Fox Searchlight’s comedy “Cyrus,” directed by Jay and Mark Duplass and starring John C. Reilly, Jonah Hill, Marisa Tomei and Catherine Keener, has been selected as the closing night film.

Commented Masenza, “The first year of a Festival is a double test: the director is testing the reactions of his  audience, knowing that the audience is testing him. I believe that this program presents elements to please and interest everybody, balancing amusement with more engaging stories. I chose films coming from almost all of the Latin nations because the Aruba culture is very close to theirs. I also chose several American movies, mainly independent, and included a special ‘window’ on Italy, my home country, that could give an idea of the contemporary industry there.”

Masenza added, “My wish is to introduce the public attending the Festival to the films and the culture of a different European country every year. Often movies that are normally unable to be seen inspire young filmmakers and resonate in their imagination for years to come.”