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Short film Estilo Americano by Miriam Kruishoop at Cordillera International Film Festival & nominated for best director

Film Poster Estilo Americano

@ Miriam Kruishoop

Film Still Estilo Americano

@ Miriam Kruishoop

Thu, Jul 29 - Mon, Aug 2  2021

Estilo Americano screens at the Cordillera International Film Festival July 29 – August 2

 

Following its success at multiple renowned film festivals, including LALIFF in June 2021 and the Cleveland International Film Festival, Estilo Americano, the latest film by Dutch-American filmmaker Miriam Kruishoop and Dutch producer Ellen Utrecht (Mike Teevee) has been added to the official selection of the Cordillera International Film Festival.

The festival takes place in-person and offers virtual screening opportunities as well, inviting filmmakers and talent to represent their projects. Kruishoop has been nominated for the category Shorts – Best Director.

Click here for screening details and tickets to attend Estilo Americano during Cordillera International Film Festival.

Cordillera International Film Festival

As a champion of diverse voices and curator of independent stories for the screen, the Cordillera International Film Festival strives to showcase the best in film while providing an environment for emerging and established artists  to create and thrive.  Cordillera brings filmmakers together with diverse audiences to celebrate the power of storytelling through engaging exhibitions, panels, educational workshops & premieres that enrich and inspire the community.

Earlier in 2021, Kruishoop’s short was featured at the DC Independent Film Festival and the Oscar Qualifying, Cleveland International Film Festival where it was awarded Best Latinx Short.

Story

What is supposed to be a festive family gathering turns into an explosive showdown when siblings, with opposing political views, clash. Embroiled in the conflict, each family member reveals some painful truths. As everyone struggles with their own deeply ingrained beliefs, we wonder if the family can overcome their differences.

Screening details

June 2 – 6: Online –  click here for tickets.

Film Credits

Written & directed by Miriam Kruishoop
Produced by Ellen Utrecht
USA, 2020, 22.15 minutes
Follow this link to find the full credits via IMDB

Awards

Estilo Americano has won 5 awards so far, following its premiere in the fall of 2020. Most recently the film won the Best Latinx Short Award at Cleveland International Film Festival (CIFF45) and the Audience Award at the 2021 Wildsound Feedback Writing and Film Festival as well as the Best Film Award!

Portrait of Dutch-American filmmaker Miriam Kruishoop

Miriam Kruishoop, courtesy of the filmmaker

About Miriam Kruishoop

Miriam Kruishoop is a Dutch/American award-winning visual artist and filmmaker. She graduated with honors from the Gerrit Rietveld Academy in Amsterdam and won the “Citroen Award” at the Dutch Film Festival for “Best Graduation Film”, for her short Da Silva, despite the fact she was only in her 3rd year.

She wrote and directed her first feature film Vive Elle when she was in her 4th year, on an exchange program in Paris. While still in school she won multiple awards for her short films Sometimes it’s Hard to be a Woman and Da Silva. She was nominated for a “Tiger Award” at the International Film Festival Rotterdam and multiple “Gouden Kalf” Awards at the Dutch Film Festival for her second feature Unter Den Palmen, which was unprecedented.

Miriam Kruishoop’s work, from the stylized features Vive Elle and Unter Den Palmen, starring 70’s film icon Helmut Berger, to the politically conscious immigrant story Greencard Warriors, centers around individuals who struggle with their isolated, sometimes alienated existence. Fiction or reality, Miriam Kruishoop focuses on people and their stories, using their narrative to amplify the conversation about the ‘invisible’ people in our society. In her earlier work Miriam Kruishoop’s ‘stories’ evolved mainly around women addressing mental and physical abuse and isolation.

Having lived in the US for over a decade, Miriam Kruishoop has been strongly influenced by her surroundings and American society at large—the disparity and the deliberate suppression of minorities, police brutality, and racism. Miriam Kruishoop’s passion for exploring the cultural narratives in America spans a diverse set of creative genres. For example, in her feature film Greencard Warriors she focused on the issue of army recruitment of young undocumented Latinos.

In her newly created video installation Living in America, Miriam Kruishoop teamed up with teenager Niaya Jones, a prominent ‘krumping’ dancer from Nickerson Gardens, Watts. Through dance, the video helps us experience what it’s like being African American in today’s America and the pain Niaya feels growing up in the projects. Like a film script Miriam Kruishoop’s works are carefully choreographed and edited. She doesn’t use any special effects or computer manipulation.

Miriam Kruishoop works in different media, including film, video, neon, light, installation art and photography. Her work has been exhibited by Reflex Modern Art Gallery, by The Witzenhausen Gallery in New York and is currently represented by NL=US. Miriam Kruishoop has participated in numerous group shows and international art fairs and film festivals around the world. She lives and works in Los Angeles.

Focus Space at Pen + Brush, New York

Through July 31st, a selection of Miriam’s work including her Living in America video installation, can be seen in a Focus Space at Pen + Brush Gallery in New York. Click here for more details.

Recent screenings at renowned USA festivals:

LALIFF 2021 festival: The film screened as part of the Foretold Chronicles Short Program featuring: ÁGUILAS, AT LAST, ESTILO AMERICANO, NO THANK YOU, WATER, WITH HIS EYES CLOSED, WORRY DOLLS.

The Los Angeles Latino International Film Festival (LALIFF) is a premiere international event dedicated to showcasing the entirety of human experience from the Latino perspective, whether through film, television, digital, music, art, or any other vehicle, regardless of platform.

LALIFF was founded in 1997 when Edward James Olmos and co-founders Marlene Dermer (1997-2014), Kirk Whisler, and the late George Hernandez joined forces with the City of Los Angeles to form the first-ever Latino focused International film festival.

Recognized by The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for its discovery of emerging Latino talent, LALIFF has been home to first films by Academy-Award winning directors, Guillermo del Toro, Alfonso Cuaron, Alejandro G. Iñarritu, and Pablo Larrain, as well as home to the first films by Golden Globe-winning actresses, America Ferrera and Gina Rodriguez.

Cleveland International Film Festival – Shorts Program 5: April 7th – April 20.

DC Independent Film Festival – Narrative Shorts: March 30th – April 8.

This selection marked a return for Kruishoop to the oldest Independent Film Festival (DC) after winning an Audience Award for her feature film Greencard Warriors in 2014. Estilo Americano will be Kruishoop’s first film to be featured during the renowned, Oscar Qualifying, Cleveland International Film Festival.

 

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DutchCulture USA