Festivales De Cine (EN INGLES)

1. (Cannes, France)

The "masterpiece" of festivals, most years it attracts the latest from the world's top directors and emerging filmmakers. The relatively highly curated festival debuts important work that will eventually make their local premieres around the world. The number of industry, talent and press that regularly descend on Cannes is unparalleled. While Cannes has long been a place that has embraced new creative movements in cinema, its rules and traditions may prove to be both a hinderance and an advantage. The marquis "Cannes" name cannot be easily replicated. People all over the world are aware of it as a "brand." But like any institution at the pinnacle of its field, the festival is often slow to adopt change and even jealously guards its traditions and that could very well pose a challenge in a world hell-bent on the fast lane of change.

2. Sundance Film Festival (Park City, U.S.)

Still the United States' most important film festival, Sundance is the cradle of the American indie movement. While the combination of economic downturn and massive restructuring within the industry have meant that deals made at the fest are not where they were five or more years ago, it is still an important place to do business and even its detractors would not dare miss it. The festival continues to showcase the most anticipated titles in new American cinema.

3. (Toronto, Canada)

Toronto is an early must-stop in the long lead up to awards season with Fall titles using the event as a crucial launching pad for their release. Considered by many as North America's most important film festival, Toronto premieres first-rate titles from established and emerging filmmakers alike, many only days (or even hours) after their world premieres in Venice. While Italy's (and one of the world's) biggest film events may still corner the glamour factor, it's Toronto that attracts the brunt of North America's film industry (still the world's most important) and it is TIFF's agenda that establishes the early course of regional critics awards leading up to the Oscars.

4. (Austin, TX, U.S.)

This may be a controversial choice, but we're going for it. We believe that unlike any other festival, SXSW is uniquely establishing itself as the event on the cusp of technological innovation. while redefining what a festival is. SXSW made its name as a center showcasing new music. Later it established its film and interactive events, which have themselves rivaled the music component for attention. In 2010, the interactive program grew exponentially and among the most popular offerings were gatherings showcasing the convergence of technology and film. With innovators in both technology and film under one very large roof, the energy is palpable and SXSW may be taking a lead in showing how festivals may look in the future.

5. (The Netherlands)

Outside of the working documentary community, IDFA is still shockingly off the radar for North American audiences. Despite obvious hiccups, documentary has exploded in the past decade and while many important docs have reached people's radar at Sundance, Hot Docs, SilverDocs, Full Frame and others, there is a good chance that in any given year, a good number of the non-fiction film world's most important titles started out at the world's biggest doc fest, held annually in Amsterdam. Its Forum is Europe's

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