The Havana Film Festival NY has been awarding the Havana Star Prize for Best Film, Best Director, and Best Screenplay since 2010, for Best Documentary since 2011, and for Best Actor/Actress since 2014. The winners of the 26th HFFNY will be announced on May 7 during its Closing Night Ceremony. The jury is made up of prominent figures from the film industry.
Desde 2010, Havana Film Festival NY ha entregado el Havana Star Prize a la Mejor Película, Mejor Director y Mejor Guión; desde el 2011 a Mejor Documental, y desde el 2014 a Mejor Actriz/ Actor. En la 26a edición de nuestro festival, los premios se anunciarán el 7 de Mayo durante la ceremonia de clausura del festival. El jurado lo integran personajes prominentes de la industria del cine.
HAVANA STAR PRIZE WINNERS
BEST ACTRESS
VALENTINA SHEN WU
"For her moving portrayal of a woman whose knowledge of the natural world is second only to her exquisite ability to see with the heart, and for skillfully inhabiting the life of an immigrant who weaves a strong yet delicate thread of power in the male-dominated colonial Caribbean, The Havana Star Prize for Best Actress goes to VALENTINA SHEN WU for BAJO EL MISMO SOL."
BEST SCREENPLAY
UN CABO SUELTO
"For surprising the audience with a narrative structure in which, on the surface, little seems to happen -- yet beneath it all, unforgettable characters are brought to life -- and for its imaginative dialogue full of humor and tenderness, the Havana Star prize for BEST SCREENPLAY goes to UN CABO SUELTO by Daniel Hendler."
BEST DIRECTOR
LA HIJA CONDOR
"For a direction that demonstrates precise and intuitive control, shaping a film where performance, space, and rhythm unfold with intention and flow. through a carefully observed mise-en-scène, the relationship between body and territory remains inseparable, creating a world that feels lived rather than constructed."
SPECIAL JURY MENTION FICTION
LA MISTERIOSA MIRADA DEL FLAMENCO
"For a film that embraces risk with conviction, creating a world that exists on its own terms. Moving between fable and magical realism, it approaches identity, community, and illness through a poetic and symbolic lens. For its originality, emotional honesty, and the emergence of a filmmaker with a singular authorial vision, The Special Jury Mention goes to LA MISTERIOSA MIRADA DEL FLAMENCO."
BEST ACTOR
JULIO HERVIS LÓPEZ
"Tender, hilarious, sensual, and bold, the performance of this actor carries a timely message. For his truly natural and colorful performance of an artist who journey is not so much a return home, as a return, again and again, to the liberty within, The Havana Star Prize for Best Actor goes to JULIO HERVIS LÓPEZ for EL REGRESADO."
BEST FILM
HIEDRA
"For its masterful presentation of the art of storytelling in film, with a superb direction of actors, an original mise-en-scène, and an excellent cinematography, and, more importantly, for its critical and lyrical approach to the devastatingly reality of sexual abuse in Latin America, the Havana Star Prize for Best Fiction Film goes to HIEDRA by Ana Cristina Barragán."
SPECIAL JURY MENTION FICTION
VIDAS EN LA ORILLA
"For its thorough portrayal of the judicial system, its advocacy for human rights, and its insightful characterization of women and imprisoned migrants."
BEST DOCUMENTARY
PARA VIVIR: EL IMPLACABLE TIEMPO DE PABLO MILANÉS
"For its profound exploration of the global impact and enduring significance of the Canción protesta genre, alongside a nuanced portrayal of paternity and a compelling depiction of the artistic personal trajectory of Pablos Milanés, the Havana Star Prize for Best Documentary goes to PARA VIVIR: EL IMPLACABLE TIEMPO DE PABLO MILANÉS."
