Mexico's Guadalajara FilmFestival is expanding its reach to all of Iberoamerican cinema, beyond itstraditional Mexican film focus, in time for next year's 20thanniversary edition (March 11-18, 2005).

Under the new name theInternational Film Festival of Guadalajara, the event will add a competitivesection with a hefty US $50,000 award for best Iberoamerican fiction feature,on top of a list of other prizes.

The festival will alsolaunch a new Iberoamerican Co-Production Encounter (March 13-14) as part of thethird annual Iberoamerican Film Market (March 11-16), organised together withthe national film institute IMCINE.

"Thanks to its location andexperience, Guadalajara should be a world reference for Latin cinema," saidRaul Padilla, president of the festival's governing board.

"The cash prize of theGolden Mayahuel will make Guadalajara a key stop for producers from LatinAmerica, Spain and Portugal," added festival director Kenya Marquez.