The films will compete for $45,000 in prizes money at the 29th annual event, set to run from Mar 2–11.

“The Ibero-American films submitted to our competition this year are of exceptional quality,” the festival’s executive director Jaie Laplante said. “With an intriguing mix of thrillers, dramas, romances and cutting-edge work, the competing films are rich, impactful and brilliantly engaging.

“As of today, only one of the films in the competition has US distribution secured – Strand Releasing will be releasing Bonsai later in 2012,” Laplante added  “It is our hope that US buyers attending the festival will discover many more riches – and see through our MIFF audiences how US audiences respond to these amazing films.”

The MIFF Knight Ibero-American Competition films are:

The Porcelain Horse (Mejor No Hablar De Ciertas Cosas) (Ecuador), dir Javier Andrade
North American Premiere

I’d Receive The Worst News From Your Beautiful Lips(Eu Receberia As Piores Notícias De Seus Lindos Lábios) (Brazil), dir Beto Brant and Renato Ciasca
North American Premiere

Blood Of My Blood (Sangue Do Meu Sangue) (Portugal), dir João Canijo
East Coast Premiere

Pescador(Ecuador-Colombia), dir Sebastián Cordero
North American Premiere

Bonsái (Chile-Argentina-Portugal-France), dir Cristián Jiménez
Florida Premiere

Zoo (Zoológico) (Chile), dir Rodrigo Marín
North American Premiere

The Cat Vanishes (El Gato Desaparece) (Argentina), dir Carlos Sorin

Madrid, 1987 (Spain), dir David Trueba
East Coast Premiere

Violeta Went To Heaven (Violeta Se Fue A Los Cielos) (Chile), dir Andrés Wood
East Coast Premiere

The Sleeping Voice (La Voz Dormida) (Spain), dir Benito Zambrano
US Premiere

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