Festival attendees to include Deepa Mehta, Guy Édoin, Monica Bellucci, Anne Émond, Ron Chapman and Andrew Currie

MONTRÉAL, Feb. 1, 2016 /CNW Telbec/ - Six recent Canadian films will bring a touch of "Canadian cool" to Miami Dade College's Miami International Film Festival to be held March 4 to 13, 2016, in Miami, Florida. Notably Deepa Mehta's Beepa Boys and Guy Édoin's Ville-Marie will be presented in the prestigious Marquee section and Andrew Currie's The Steps will be the Festival's Closing Night Gala film.

Celebrating its 33rd anniversary, the Miami International Film Festival is considered a major launch pad for all international and documentary cinema in the U.S. and the preeminent film festival for showcasing Ibero-American cinema. For the past four years, Telefilm and the Consulate General of Canada in Miami have partnered with the Festival to support the Canadian presence. The festival's Executive Director and Director of Programming, Jaie Laplante, is a Canadian.

"It's only the beginning of 2016, but already Canadian cinema is making its mark—at Palm Springs, Sundance and Miami as well as in the lead-up to the Oscars," said Carolle Brabant, Executive Director of Telefilm Canada. "This promises to be an extraordinary year for our film industry. We should all applaud our hugely talented filmmakers, who do us proud!"

Adds Jaie Laplante, the festival's Executive Director and Director of Programming: "Each year, selecting Canadian films for screening means having to choose from an incredible variety of films, cultures and talent. I'm especially proud of the films we're presenting in Miami this year. These are witty, brilliant films—daring, heartfelt and appealing."

The Canadian selection at Miami Film Festival 2016

Marquee section
Beeba Boys, by Deepa Mehta
The director, along with producer David Hamilton, will be present.

Ville-Marie, by Guy Édoin
The director, along with actress Monica Bellucci, will be present.

Cinema 360° section
Les Êtres chers, by Anne Émond
U.S. premiere. The director will be present.

Short Competition section
Si j'étais le bon Dieu, by Cordell Barker

Reel Music section
The Forbidden Shore, by Ron Chapman
World premiere. The director will be present.

Gala (closing evening)
The Steps, by Andrew Currie
U.S. premiere. The director, along with writer Robyn Harding, will be present.

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SOURCE Telefilm Canada