Mexico City, May 6 (EFE).- Mexico’s Riviera Maya is preparing to play host for the second straight year to the Platino Awards for Ibero-American Cinema, with Mexican film “Roma” contending in nine different categories.
Streaming into the southeast state of Quintana Roo ahead of next Sunday’s gala will be a crowd of nominees, including Mexico’s own Yalitza Aparicio and Spanish Oscar-winner Penelope Cruz, and other celebrities.
The event, now in its sixth year, will take place again at the Gran Tlachco Theater of Xcaret Park, on the outskirts of the resort town of Playa del Carmen.
This year will be the first time the Platino Awards have been held in a previous location after being hosted by Panama in 2014, Marbella in 2015, Punta del Este in 2016 and Madrid in 2017.
Mexican actress Cecilia Suarez and Spanish filmmaker Santiago Segura will share MC duties at the gala.
Colombian production “Pajaros de verano” (Birds of Passage) and the Oscar-winning “Roma,” directed by Mexico’s Alfonso Cuaron, are among the pictures nominated for the top prize at this year’s Platinos – Best Ibero-American Film.
Cuaron will vie for best director honors and novice Aparicio is among the nominees for best actress.
“Campeones” (Champions), “La noche de 12 años” (A Twelve-Year Night) and “Pajaros de verano” are also nominated for Best Picture and their respective directors – Javier Fesser, Alvaro Brechner and Cristina Gallego, and Ciro Guerra – will be in the run for Best Director.
Spanish singer Raphael will receive the Honor Award at the 6th Platino Awards on May 12 in Playa del Carmen, in recognition of his work promoting and disseminating Ibero-American culture.
The 75-year-old Raphael is being honored for his contributions as “a unique, unequaled and extraordinary artist,” Platino organizers said in a statement.
The Platino Awards are promoted by the Spain-based Audiovisual Producers’ Rights Management Entity (EGEDA) and the Ibero-American Federation of Film and Audiovisual Producers (FIPCA), with support from the Latin American Artists’ Federation (Latin Artist) and the AISGE (Performers’ Management Company) Foundation.
The goal of the Platino Awards has been to promote and disseminate Ibero-American cinema and help ensure that the films’ success at the most prestigious festivals is translated into outstanding results in commercial theaters.