The 22nd Annual Cine Las Americas International Film Festival (CLAIFF) is scheduled for May 1 – 5, 2019 with events taking place at venues around the Austin, Texas during the five-day festival. As a new program for May’s festival, CLAIFF will present a VR 360º showcase, hosted and sponsored by Originator Studios.

Cine Las Americas is committed to offering a diverse program of national and international feature and short films as well as music videos, experimental, animation selections, and this year a VR 360º video program. The festival showcases films and videos from all the Americas (US, Canada, North Central, South America, and the Caribbean) and the Iberian Peninsula. Selected works screen in competitive and non-competitive sections. There are eleven award categories, including the annual Hecho en Tejas Awards. This year, the coordinating committee is pleased to offer cash awards to prize categories, including for Audience Awards for Best First or Second Dramatic Feature, Best Documentary Feature, Best Hecho en Tejas Film, and Best Music Video.

As an extension of its mission to support Latinx and Indigenous artists across media arts, Cine Las Americas announced the expansion of our VR 360º video program for the 22nd festival. In 2017 CLAIFF presented Tracy Rector’s 360º video Eagle Bone (Ch’aak’ S’aagi), one of the first VR pieces ever by a Native American filmmaker, hosted by Originator Studios. In  2018, also thanks to Originator Studios’ sponsorship, youth from the Austin-based Latinitas’ organization shared their 360º Latinx Culture in East Austin documentary experience with attendees.

In 2019, Originator Studios will team up with CLAIFF to present an official selection of VR 360º videos at their facilities. Filmmakers are invited to submit their VR 360º videos as part of the festival’s annual call for entries.