AWAKENING/art & culture, is proud to announce the 7th Annual Orlando Latin American Film & Heritage Festival (OLA Fest), a celebration of artistry, heritage, imagination and the public interest. OLA Fest 2011 is sponsored by the Premiere Cinema 14 at Fashion Square, Orlando’s Downtown Development Board, Orlando Magic, The Colombian Consulate in Miami, Uceda Institute, Oh, Que Bueno! Restaurant, GCN Media Corporation, Ana G. Mendez University, DAVE School, among others. 

Over 15 feature films plus local short films by local filmmakers, will be presented at the Premiere Cinema 14 in Fashion Square and at the Ana G. Mendez University campus on Hoffner and Semoran Blvd. All film presentations are $5 dollars.

Special Events:

1. The City of Orlando’s Mayor Buddy Dyer will sign the Mayors for Peace initiative, “Cities Are Not Targets”, calling for the abolition of nuclear weapons by the year 2020. U.S. Conference of Mayors Resolution may be viewed on our website: www.olafest.org (Free)

2. Tad Daley, former speechwriter for Congressman Dennis Kucinich and Senator Alan Cranston, will make a presentation of his book, “Apocalypse Never: Forging a Path to a Nuclear Weapon-Free World” followed by the viewing of the award winning film, “Countdown to Zero” and a community conversation on nuclear weapons and cities. (Free)

3. A film retrospective with Colombia’s most revered and celebrated film director, Sergio Cabrera. On Friday, February 11, Sergio Cabrera will hold a community conversation after the presentation of one of his most popular films, The Snail’s Strategy (La Estrategia Del Caracol.) Three of his films will be shown at the festival and  Mr. Cabrera will be present throughout the festival for other discussions.

4. A local “homecoming” for two local filmmakers, director/producer Aaron Hose and composer extraordinaire and head of the UCF Music Department, Dr. Stella Sung, will present their film, “Voices in the Clouds” and winner of three film awards to be presented for the first time at OLA Fest. 

5. Kitty Feld, award-winning playwright will hold a stage reading of her play, A Touch of Earth. The play is based on the war crimes and genocide in Bosnia in the 1990′s told not from the victims’ point of view but the perpetrators. She will hold a talk-back following the reading. The stage reading will be directed by notable local actor/director John DiDonna and a cast of 9 actors. (Free)

6. Culture in the Park: Music, folk dance, tango, poetry and capoera in the Farmers Market, February 13, from 10 to 2 p.m. (Free) 

 AWAKENING /art & culture, a 501(C) 3, non-profit organization, develops, integrates and promotes initiatives in the arts, sustainability, and civic culture. We promote a vision of society based on economic self-reliance, environmental preservation, cultural promotion, and good governance. The 7th Annual OLA FEST will showcase the best of Colombian films in 2011 and continue to celebrate the City of Orlando’s three Latin American Sister Cities—Curitiba, Monterrey and Valladolid– through films from Brazil, Mexico and Spain.  www.olafest.org