‘The Apostate.’

This week at the 40th anniversary of North America’s largest film event, Toronto International Film Festival, a Knight-supported feature film will make its highly anticipated world premiere. “The Apostate” (“El apóstata”), a Spanish production directed by Uruguayan director Federico Veiroj, won the $10,000 Encuentros prize, sponsored by Knight Foundation, at the 2015 Miami Dade College’s Miami International Film Festival this past March, where it was screened as a work-in-progress for industry personnel.

“The Apostate” is a comedic drama about philosophy graduate student Gonzalo Tamayo, living in Madrid and facing an identity crisis. Determined to make a bold statement to break free of what he feels was imposed upon him before he was able to make a personal choice, Gonzalo decides to formally renounce his Catholic faith. However, trying to navigate the Byzantine-like bureaucracy of the church – not to mention the moral guilt trips – proves to be an adventure like nothing Gonzalo had ever anticipated. 

Just one of many diverse Knight-supported programs at Miami International Film Festival, the Encuentros program facilitates completion of feature films produced partially or entirely by Latin American-based production companies, or from U.S. and Miami-based Hispanic filmmakers, while they are in a post-production stage. Connecting with Miami’s large Latin American communities via support for vital, strong work from cultures of origin, the festival contributes to a rich sense of cultural connection.

‘Apostate’ director Federico Veiroj, center, with Encuentros programmer Diana Sanchez and Miami International Film Festival Director Jaie Laplante.

Another film supported by the 2015 Encuentros program, Julio Hernández Cordón’s “Te prometo anarquia” (Mexico/Germany), will also be at the Toronto festival, making its North American premiere. Last month, the film made its world premiere at the prestigious Locarno Film Festival. 

Jaie Laplante is the executive director and director of programming for the Miami International Film Festival.