2017 Binational Independent Film Festival Press Release

The only truly bi-national festival in the world is upon us: from April 23 to 27 we will have a week of films, documentaries, filmmakers, and celebrities from both sides of the border: on both sides of the border!

And, once more, this 2017 we celebrate Supporting Actors with Lifetime Achievement Awards.
Supporting Actors and Actresses are the backbone of any film. It is the supporting actor’s task to create the believability around the main actors, and to maintain our suspension of disbelief. To their, sometimes, unsung work, one more year is dedicated.

From the American side we have Cindy Pickett, who with her countless supporting roles, but also some starring roles has brought: first the beautiful young American girl next door (Guiding Light), and then many tough as nails characters (Saint Elsewhere, Call to Glory, Deep Star Six, etc.), and finally the Quintessential American Mother (Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, Son in Law, Sleepwalkers, etc.), and all of those different phases with not only talent and beauty but with a beautiful charisma that has set her apart from many others.

From México we have Otto Sirgo. He was born in Cuba, but is an Actor made in Mexico. No less supporting roles and starring roles in Movies, Television, and Theater, where he also has directed: in other words, a whole life in the limelight. We celebrate all that he has given us with this well-deserved award.

We are also bringing wonderful documentaries Dolores, Sunu, Disturbing the Peace, and El Paso – two from each side of the border, and for the first time in the festival A Work in Progress. We are going to have the privilege of showing for the first time Jesse Borrego’s directorial debut Closer to Bottom, with Alex Avila the Producer and Writer of the piece present to talk to our audiences: quite a cinematic treat.