La Mirada returns with a program in tune with the spirit of the festival, bringing once again the much celebrated section of classics programmed by Pedro Almodóvar.

This year we have the pleasure of welcoming two of the most prestigious artists of the time as guest curators: Woody Allen and Penélope Cruz.

La Mirada Argentina will offer a privileged perspective on the healthy, versatile and captivating Argentinean Cinema.

We are sure you will enjoy the section on Spanish Cuisine, with two wonderful films accompanied by culinary events, hosted by Abel Martin, one of the best Spanish chefs in Australia, who has worked along with masters like Ferran Adria. Abel will also be designing the food for the Opening Night Gala and the menu at La Mirada Lounge.

It is our belief that a festival should be more than the mere screening of films, which is why we provide further activities and celebrations.

La Mirada will have four international guests in Melbourne presenting their films, ready to offer our audiences a privileged insight into the creative process.

We are pleased to provide a quality cinema experience - importing 35 mm prints (new or restored when possible), and offering special video introductions by the artists whenever they cannot be present.

It is always our intention to serve as an industry platform for the promotion and launch of the films represented in our program. Our curating criteria aims to offer a diverse, well balanced program, covering a wide spectrum, from the most successful commercial quality cinema, to the work of artists that represent an untamed perspective, a reflexive, transcendent cinema practically invisible in the commercial circuit.

Once again I would like to thank our audience, whose passion for cinema makes delivering this program such a challenge yet such a pleasure.

Rocío García
Festival Director

La Mirada Inc.

La Mirada Inc. is a not for profit organisation. La Mirada 2009 would like to thank Pedro Almodóvar, Augustin Almodóvar, Woody Allen, Penélope Cruz, Alberto Alonso, Oscar Alonso, Ana Arrieta, Bernando Bergeret, Victoria Bernal, Victoria Bilogan, Fernando Brom, Mónica Brun, Kim Busch, Robbie Campo, Jesus Cano, Isidoro Castellanos, Mercedes Castro, Eric Cherry, Myke Christoffel, George Christopoulos, Ignacio Concha, Corzo, Jose Luis Cuerda, Marina Diaz, Verónica Echegui, Estitxu Elizasu, Guillermo Fesser, Javier Fesser, Michelle Fillery, Atika Fraval Yolanda Ferrer, Ana Gamboa, Ana García, Esther García, Lola García, Marino Garcîa, Ada Gesundheit, Cristina Gimenez, Fernando Gonzalez, María Gorriti, Aitor Ibañez de Pablo, María José Relaño, Su-Ann Khung, Dov Kornitz, Elena Lafuente, Fernando Lara, Karina Lechmere, Mathew Lees, Limelight PR, Damian Lipp, Manuel Llamas, Margarita Lobo, Ramón López Castellano, Luis Manso, Zaven Mardirossian, Abel Martin, Luis Martin, Marina Martin, Liliana Mazure, Salvador Maspoch, Graciela McNamara, Gabriel Medina, Tristan Meecham, Javier Mendez, Midnight Woolf, Raul Moreno, Zara Morris, Hernan Musaluppi, Sarah Napier, Andrew Narozny, George Christopoulos, Marian Novaro, Toni Novella, Flora Osorio, Deborah Palomo, Barry Peak, Pere Portabella, Alicia Potes, Alejandro Righini, Trinidad del Rio, Helen Robin, Jesus Robles, Covadonga Rodriguez, Tim Rogers, John Rouse, Antonio Rubial, Pablo Rubio, Rob Ruminsky, Massimo Saidel, D. Carlos Sanchez de Boado, Megan Simondson, Trinidad Solano, Sophia Sourris, Richard Sowada, Martin Stuart, Tania Stewart, Paz Sufrategui, Maria Sylveiro, Juan Taratuto, Pilar Torre Villaverde, Michael Weisler, Itziar Urbieta, Luis de Val, Pina Virtuoso, Lyla and Tom Weisler, El Deseo, Ye-Ye, the García Rodriguez family and specially Ruby Rogers-Garcia.

We would like to express our gratitude to all our partners and sponsors for their support. Thanks to all our volunteers.