Welcome to the June 2007 issue our newsletter. In this issue we cover new titles recently acquired by Las Américas Films, Favela Rising and AfroReggae’s Summer Tour, current films screening around the country, our summer sale and the immigration film series.

Please read more below.

Best regards,

Brian Knighten
Director, Las Américas Film Network

Section links:

• Summer Sale
• New Titles Available
• AfroReggae and Favela Rising US Tour
• Current LAFN films on tour
• Immigration Film Series

SUMMER SALE
In order to keep our staff busy this summe, we are offering a very special summer sale. Purchase two titles and receive 15% off your order; purchase three or more titles and receive 20% off! Receive these discounts PLUS free shipping on all orders placed between now and June 30!!! Please note: For all PayPal/Credit Card orders, the pre-discount purchase amount will be charged to your card. The discount and shipping credit will be applied by Las Américas staff to your credit card after the purchase.

NEW TITLES

These new titles will be available in July from Las Américas Films. Click the links to visit their websites and learn more about these new films.

• Hartos Evos Aqui Hay
• La Otro Copa

Available Now:

	Apaga y vamonos (Switch Off) Manel Mayol Chile, 2005, 87 minutes Apaga y vamonos is a tale about a usurped nation, about a forgotten genocide, about globalization, about one river.In 1997 the Spanish hydro-electric company ENDESA decided to build a dam in the Biobío River to form the Ralco hydroelectric power station. From the beginning...
	Seres extravagantes (Odd People Out) Manuel Zayas Cuba, 2006, 54 minutes Seres extravagantesis a documentary about the process of marginalization, repression and denial of the gay community during the first two decades of the Cuban Revolution, through the eyes and voice of Cuban writer Reinaldo Arenas.

FAVELA RISING AND AFROREGGAE US TOUR

-Photos courtesy of Favela to the World

AfroReggae is a cultural group that was established in the favela of Vigário Geral in 1993. They work within the poorest and most violent communities in Rio de Janeiro and have one clear aim: to take young people out of the drug trade through arts-based activities.

AfroReggae's success as artists has been extraordinary. The main band tours extensively throughout Brazil and abroad. In 2006 they played alongside The Rolling Stones on Copacabana beach, at New York's Carnegie Hall and the Rock in Rio Festival in Lisbon.

AfroReggae Mission
AfroReggae's mission is to promote social inclusion and social justice using art, Afro-Brazilian culture and education to bridge differences and create the foundations with which to build sustainability and exercise citizenship.

AfroReggae Vision
AfroReggae aims to be perceived as an organisation that fights for social transformation, realising dreams, awaking potential and raising the self-esteem of society's more vulnerable groups. - From Favela to the World.com

Listen to AfroReggae music: http://www.myspace.com/afroreggae

Las Américas Film Network is pleased to partner with the Mondo Mundo Agency on the promotion of the North American Favela Rising/AfroReggae tour, August 1-31, 2007. This film screening and performance is more than an event – it’s presentation of hope and accomplishment by one of Brazil’s most influential social organizations. The multi-award winning film Favela Rising (Brazil, 2005) documents the founding and explosive growth of Grupo Cultural AfroReggae and it’s co-founder Anderson Sá through stunning images of the favelas and the AfroReggae movement. Touring the US for the first time since the release of Favela Rising, this dual presentation is sure to be deacon of inspiration for all seeking to find ways to unite and encourage positive change throughout the world.

There are a limited number of dates available for this tour, particularly in the mid-west between August 20-25.

More info about AfroReggae:

• http://www.favelatotheworld.org/index.html
• http://www.myspace.com/afroreggae
• http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=AfroReggae&search=Search
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=snusWz0pIUU&mode=related&search=
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Im63vM6IEkc
• http://zmagsite.zmag.org/Jun2004/ballve0604.html
• http://www.afroreggae.org.br/
• http://noise.amnesty.org/site/c.adKIIVNsEkG/b.1808663/k.5214/

This tour is being managed by Mondo Mundo <www.mondomundo.biz>. For more information, please contact Brian Knighten at <brian@lasamericasfilms.org> or Phil Ballman <phil@mondomundo.biz>.

UPCOMING LAS AMÉRICAS FILM SCREENINGS

Favela Rising:
Queens Museum of Art (NYC), July 12, 2007
Sambarchitecture exhibition (Sweden) July 15, 2007
People in Peril (Slovakia), July 21, 2007
Hanover Festival (Germany), July 22, 2007
Global Visions Film Festival (Edmonton, Alberta), August 1-4, 2007
Columbia University Outdoor Screening (NYC), August, 2007
Kansas State University (Kansas, US) August 26, 2007
Perspektive Festival (Germany), October 1-10, 2007

El Inmigrante:
Hollywood Theater, Film In Action (Oregon, US), June 23-24 and 30-31, 2007

IMMIGRATION FILM SERIES

With the current debate and precarious situation of immigrants in the US, there has never been a more critical time to engage your community in this discussion. Las Américas Film Network is pleased to present a four-part, feature-length documentary film series on immigration, exposing sides of the immigration debate you may have never seen. These films go beyond the rhetoric of policy and take an in-depth look at what it means to be migrate and to be an immigrant – whether legal or illegal. Titles include: El Inmigrante, De Nadie, Wetback and Guestworker. Collectively these films have won awards at Sundance, CineQuest, Chicago Latino Film Fest, Amnesty International Human Rights Film Festival, and many more..

Rental of the festival includes posters and postcards advertising the festival, as well as a curriculum guide for each movie. Each festival sponsor will be given space on the website <www.immigrationfilmfest.org> to post information about their screenings. This URL will be printed on all promotional materials. The festival can be screened for audiences as free and open to the public or with a requested donation as a fund raiser. Directors may also be available for screenings at your site. Special discounts for K12 schools are available.

How the festival works:

• Rental of the festival includes donation of each DVD to your organization.

• Each festival comes with posters and postcards advertising the event at your location, as well as 26 page discussion guide developed by Breakthrough (a New York based human rights organization).

• Each rental is given web space at www.immigrationfilmfest.org in order to advertise the details of your particular screening.

• Once the festival is rented, the films can be shown whenever you wish, as many times as you wish.

• Each screening can be free and open to the public. No tickets can be sold, but donations can be requested.

• In some cases, the directors may be available for a visit, but this is not included in the rental and negotiations with the directors will be your sole responsibility.

Upcoming series screenings:
Tulane University, (Louisiana, US) July 12-16, 2007
Ohio State University (Ohio, US), Fall 2007
Johns Hopkins University (Maryland, US), Fall 2007

Organizations in DC, Dallas and New York are currently looking for co-sponsors to present this series. If your organization is based in these areas and are interested in a partnership, please contact us.