Also on tap is the world premiere of 's "." The film follows the story of an aspiring young danc... "Dios" and "

Also on tap is the world premiere of 's "." The film follows the story of an aspiring young dancer () who despite all odds, succeeds in New York City. "" (Republic of Baseball: The Dominican Giants), meanwhile, will screen in conjunction with NYILFF's Dominican Night, spotlighting Dominican culture. Directed by , the film is a "passionate" tale of the first generation of players from the Dominican Republic, who overcome poverty, government brutality and racism in America to achieve their dreams.

Other programs include a Cinema Under the Stars screening of the classic "" (1961) by and co-presented with as well as NYILFF Family Weekend, co-presented with the .

Additional film highlights include 's "" about a petty thief who kidnaps an orphan he has been mentoring and drives him cross-country to his sister's home in Texas, and 's thriller "." NYLIFF international titles include 's "," 's "" and and 's "."

Closing the fest July 30th is and 's Sundance 2006 jury and audience award-winner "." Starring and , the film explores issues of tradition, teenage sexuality and neighborhood gentrification in Los Angeles.

"It has always been our mission to provide opportunity and a supportive atmosphere for Latino filmmakers from around the world to showcase their work," commented NYILFF executive director in a statement. "This year's offerings address major issues affecting Latinos today and help to spread awareness of Latino culture and contributions to American society."

Launched in 1999, NYILFF has grown into one of the largest urban Latino film events in the country. Its mission is to support Latino filmmakers and "offer expansive images of the Latino experience and celebrate the diversity and spirit of the Latino community." NYILFF's current annual programming line-up includes the flagship weeklong film festival in New York, a touring arm, an annual screenwriters' lab, a new music showcase, special one-off screening events, a short film competition in partnership with HBO, and a high school scholarship program sponsored by Time Warner.

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