Mayagüez film fanatics would be extinct if not for Netflix, Internet downloads and- Cinémathèque, the association of film students at the University of Puerto Rico-Mayagüez.
When Professor Mary Leonard arrived in Mayagüez she discovered- to her great disappointment- that there was not much to see for film fanatics. That is why she teamed up with other film enthusiasts from the UPRM community to present international and independent films on our campus each week.
That initiative has evolved incredibly- in 2006, Leonard created the Certificate in Film Studies here at UPRM. This program gives students who are interested in film the opportunity to take courses in film history, film theory, and film production. She also leads Cinémathèque – working with students who are interested in promoting film at UPRM; the members of Cinémathèque organize festivals, talks, showings and just about anything related to film. Their next event will be the film festival Hecho en Europa, which will be held in Mayagüez on April 1st and 2nd.
Hecho en Europa is a festival that was created five years ago as an initiative of the Alliance Française and is held annually in San Juan, but this year, it will be making its debut on the west coast of Puerto Rico, with two days of film showings and other activities at UPRM and at the Yagüez Theater in the center of Mayagüez. As part of the activities, the association has coordinated two talks for students who have created films and are interested in distributing them or submitting them to film festivals. You can find more information in our events calendar.
They have also teamed up with an organization with a similar mission, the Rincón International Film Festival which seeks to inspire students and filmmakers and to enhance your experience with films.
Lucky for us, Rincón is our backyard; the week from April 7th to 13th will be full of international and Puerto Rican films. Seven students from the UPRM Certificate in Film Studies submitted their projects and were accepted at this recognized festival.
The screenings will be in beachfront resorts where you will have a chance to enjoy the salty breeze and mingle with locals and filmmakers from all over Puerto Rico and from other countries. If you want to buy tickets or learn more about this outstanding event you can just visit their page.