The first annual Baja International Film Festival, to be held November 14-17 in Los Cabos, Mexico, has announced the membership of its 2012 advisory board, along with the breakdown of this year’s award categories and prizes.

The inaugural board includes such esteemed industry members as acclaimed actor/filmmaker Edward Norton, filmmaker Carlos Reygadas, recent winner of Best Director at Cannes, actor/producer Kuno Becker, producer Lucas Akoskin, The Creative Coalition CEO Robin Bronk, producer Scott Budnick, John Burk, Chief Creative Officer of Concord Music Group and President of Concord-Telarc labels, filmmaker/journalist Godfrey Cheshire, Cinema Collet president Nancy Collet, producer Kerry David, Mark Goldfarb, President of Golden Green Productions, Kevin Green, Chairman and CEO of Golden Green Productions, producer Gill Holland, Lightstream Pictures’ President of Production Lawrence Inglee, producer/director Adam Kassen, filmmaker/actor Mark Kassen, Distrimax President Alejandro Lebrija, actor/SAG National Director William Mapother, producer Iliana Nikolic, filmmaker Roberto Rochin, Producer/Owner of Black Label Events Carl Rumbaugh, and Indomina Media’s Vice President of acquisitions Rob Williams.

The board is also comprised of key representatives from Mexico’s Cultural and Tourism Bureaus, including Rodolfo Lopez Negrete, Director General of the Mexico Tourism Board, Isaac Masri, promoter of the arts, Alfonso de María y Campos Castello, Director General of INAH: National Institute of History and Anthropology, Ruben Reachi, Secretary of Tourism of Baja California Sur and Jacobo Turquie, Municipal Secretary of Los Cabos Tourism.

The Baja International Film Festival will include Special Presentations, as well as competition screenings of Feature Films, Documentaries, and Short Films, as well as nightly galas, panel discussions, filmmaker receptions, and award ceremonies. The following awards and cash prizes will be given for best film in each screening category, honoring the work of this year's outstanding filmmakers at the 2012 Baja International Film Festival.

Best International Feature / $10,000

Best Mexican Feature / $10,000

Best International Documentary / $5,000

Best Mexican Documentary / $5,000

Best International Short Film / $2,500

Best Mexican Short Film / $2,500

Baja International Film Festival Co-Founders and Festival Directors Scott Cross and Sean Cross also founded the Colorado Film Institute and the Vail Film Festival. The Baja International Film Festival is run by a bi-national team of experienced film and business managers who share a passion for bringing Mexican and U.S. cultures together through film. The Festival’s artistic directors are Scott Cross, Sean Cross, and Jorge Sanchez Sosa, former director of the Guadalajara Film Festival. The Baja International Film Festival is supported by the Mexico Tourism Board and endorsed by the State of Baja California Sur and the Los Cabos Tourism Bureau as the Official Festival of Cabo, Mexico.

For more information on the Baja International Film Festival, please visit www.bajainternationalfilmfestival.com or email info@bajafilmfest.com.