LALIFF 2025 DIGITAL GUIDE

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THANK YOU TO OUR 2025

SPONSORS & SUPPORTERS

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GRAND SPONSORS

LFI FELLOWSHIP SPONSORS

PRINCIPAL SPONSORS

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Welcome to LALIFF 2025.

For over two decades, this festival has been a home for Latino storytellers – an ongoing celebration

of the depth, talent, and creative power within our community. We are thrilled to return this year,

showcasing the intersection of film and art, and spotlighting work that challenges, uplifts, and

reflects who we are.

We’re proud that winners of two of our short film categories – Best U.S. Latino Live Action Short and

Best U.S. Latino Animated Short – are eligible for Academy Awards® consideration. This highlights

the extraordinary creativity and craft within our community.

This year’s highlights include the return of LALIFF Eastside programming at Regal L.A. Live, the

LALIFF Film Market, and the expanded LALIFF Industry Forum. We’re also excited to present a special

screening at the Egyptian Theatre featuring the LFI Inclusion and LFI Spark Animation Fellowship

films. In addition, we’ll be showcasing the latest film from our YCP Alumni Fellowship, continuing

our commitment to nurturing the next generation of filmmakers. And of course, we continue to

celebrate our youngest storytellers through our signature YCP@LALIFF student showcase and

awards ceremony.

To the filmmakers, partners, and audiences who make LALIFF what it is – thank you. We’re proud to

share this moment with you.

Edward James Olmos

Founder, Latino Film Institute

7

HOW TO

EXPERIENCE LALIFF

Below you will find some important information regarding tickets and access to all public LALIFF

2025 events. Please read them carefully to ensure you have the best experience. If you have any

questions you can contact us at boxoffice@latinofilm.org

Tickets are available for purchase online here and at the venue. If a screening appears as “sold out”,

don’t panic! We will have rush line access for last minute openings. (Subject to availability)!

TICKETS & PASSES

Tickets

Opening Night + Gala: $250

Closing Night Film + Reception: $150

Opening Night Film: $75

Single Screening Ticket: $15

ACCREDITATION PRICES:

All Access Passes: $750

Industry Pass: $300

Student Pass: $100

BOX OFFICES

TCL Chinese Theater 6

Ovation Hollywood

6801 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90028

Regal Cinema L.A. LIVE

Stadium 14

1000 W Olympic Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90015

Thursday, May 29

Friday, May 30

Saturday, May 31

Sunday, June 1

9:00AM - 5:00PM

9:00AM - 5:00PM

9:00AM - 5:00PM

11:00AM - 5:00PM

Friday, May 30

Saturday, May 31

6:00PM - 10:00PM

3:00PM - 10:00PM

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GO METRO TO LALIFF

Regal Cinema L.A. LIVE

Go Metro to the Los Angeles Latino International Film Festival at LA Live

by connecting to the A, B, E, or J Line and exiting at 7th St / Metro Center

Station OR the A, E or J Line to Pico Station.

TCL CHINESE THEATRE

Go Metro to the Los Angeles Latino International Film Festival at TCL

Chinese Theatre by connecting to the B Line and exiting Hollywood /

Highland Station.

PARKING

Parking at the Ovation Hollywood

Ovation Hollywood 6801 Hollywood Blvd

Hollywood, CA 90028

(323) 468-0720

$2.00 Every 20 Minutes

$20 Daily Maximum

$30 Valet

$20 Evening (Thursday-Saturday; In after 10pm)

$11 Early Bird (Monday-Friday; In between 7:00am-9:00am/Out by 4:30pm)

Cash, Debit, Credit, Pay by Phone

Monday-Sunday: 24 Hours

Enjoy up to 4 hours for $3 with validation from the TCL Chinese Theatre

and the TCL Chinese Theatre 6. Regular parking rates apply thereafter.

Parking at Regal Cinema L.A. LIVE

When attending a movie at Regal L.A. LIVE, we recommend parking in the West Garage (Lot W)

Gates E and F only, located south of Olympic Boulevard at Georgia Street and West Road.

Regal Cinemas will validate parking for ticketed guests for up to 4 hours for $8 (must show proof

of Regal L.A. LIVE movie ticket for the current day to receive validation and only one validation

per vehicle). Bring your parking ticket to guest services to get it validated and then pay at the pay

station. Please note that Regal L.A. Live validations are not accepted in the East Garage (Lot E).

WEST GARAGE (LOT W, GATES E & F ONLY) Regal Cinemas LA LIVE – Stadium 14

1000 W Olympic Blvd in Downtown, LA

• Lot W Parking Rates (with Regal L.A. LIVE validation only)

• $8 for the first 4 hours (or fraction thereof)

• $18 for the first 4 1/2 hours (or fraction thereof)

• $10 each additional 1/2 hour (or fraction thereof)

• $40 daily maximum Flat Rate

• $15 = Cars entering after 9PM and exiting before 4:30AM

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WEST COAST PREMIERE

ASCO: WITHOUT PERMISSION

TRAVIS GUTIÉRREZ SENGER USA 90 MIN. 2025

WEDNESDAY | MAY 28 | 7PM | TCL CHINESE IMAX THEATRE

ASCO: Without Permission profiles the extraordinary, Los Angeles-based, Chicano art

group ASCO and through a genre-defying approach, reimagines what is possible today in

art and cinema while celebrating an iconoclastic group that was far ahead of its time.

ABOUT THE DIRECTOR

Travis Gutiérrez Senger is a Mexican American director, writer and producer.

His most recent project, ASCO: Without Permission, premiered at SXSW 2025.

The film is executive produced by Gael García Bernal and Diego Luna. The

project has received support from the Ford Foundation, Film Independent,

NALIP, and the Dolby Institute. His prior projects, Desert Cathedral, White Lines

and The Fever, along with a number of shorts, have won awards at festivals

such as Tribeca, SXSW, and SIFF.

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WEST COAST PREMIERE

SERIOUS PEOPLE

PASQUAL GUTIERREZ & BEN MULLINKOSSON USA 84 MIN. 2025

SUNDAY | JUN 1 | 7PM | TCL CHINESE 1

A successful music video director and expectant father pushes his work/life balance to the

extreme when he can't pass up the job of a lifetime and hires a doppelgänger to work in his

stead. Serious People is a fresh and authentic comedy that explores what it means to be a

"director" and a parent — and the replaceability of people in clout-heavy Los Angeles.

ABOUT THE DIRECTORS

Pasqual Gutierrez is best known for his work in Cliqua, a Mexican American directing duo alongside Raul

Sanchez. Collectively, they have worked with artists Bad Bunny, Rosalia, J Balvin, Madonna, Travis Scott,

The Weeknd, amongst others. Gutierrez has accumulated various nominations and accolades in the music

video world, including one MTV VMA. As a fiction director, his debut short film ""Shut Up & Fish"" is currently

finishing its festival circuit. Serious People is Gutierrez’s first feature film as a writer and director.

Ben Mullinkosson was raised in the suburbs of Chicago and trained in observational documentary production

at Chapman University. After graduating he spent 11 years directing commercial work and documentary films

between Los Angeles and Shanghai. Ben recently released his second feature length film, The Last Year of

Darkness on MUBI. The film won the special jury mention at CPH:dox. His feature length film Don’t Be a Dick

About It won the Audience Award at the International Documentary Film Festival of Amsterdam in 2018.

11

Celebrando

the Storytellers

We are proud to support the

Los Angeles Latino International

Film Festival and their mission

to give Latino artists a platform

to tell their stories.

© 2025 Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc. or its subsidiaries and affiliates. All rights reserved.

FEATURES FEATURES FEATURES FEATURES FEATURES FEATURES FEATURES FEATURES FEATURES FEATURES FEATURES FEATURES FEATURES FEATURES FEAT

LOS ANGELES PREMIERE

42ND STREET [LA42]

JOSE MARIA CABRAL | DOMINICAN REPUBLIC | 91 MIN. | 2025

FRIDAY | MAY 30 | 7:30PM | TCL CHINESE 3

PRESENTED WITH RED SANDS | ROMINA CENISIO | UNITED STATES | 20 MIN. | 2025

A raw, electrifying dive into La 42, where fame-hungry artists clash with police repression in a counter-culture built to

provoke, disrupt, and celebrate life.


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BELOVED TROPIC [QUERIDO TRÓPICO]

ANA ENDARA | PANAMA, COLOMBIA | 108 MIN. | 2024

THURSDAY | MAY 29 | 7PM | TCL CHINESE 3

In a tropical garden, an upper-class woman with early-onset dementia and her caretaker, a lonely immigrant, find solace

in each other's company.

URES FEATURES FEATURES FEATURES FEATURES FEATURES FEATURES FEATURES FEATURES FEATURES FEATURES FEATURES FEATURES FEATURES FEATURES

WEST COAST PREMIERE

AMERICAN SONS

ANDREW JAMES GONZALES | UNITED STATES | 59 MIN. | 2025

SATURDAY | MAY 31 | 1:30PM | TCL CHINESE 3

A Marine brotherhood faces trauma and loss in Afghanistan, with Corporal JV Villarreal's first-person video diary serving

as a haunting glimpse into their past and a testament to unbreakable bonds.

WORLD PREMIERE

BROWNSVILLE BRED

ELAINE DEL VALLE | UNITED STATES | 94 MIN. | 2025


A Brooklyn girl grows resilient as she navigates the decline of the salsa musician father she once idolized and the notorious

neighborhood she calls home.

15



CARNIVAL IS OVER [OS ENFORCADOS]

FERNANDO COIMBRA | BRAZIL, PORTUGAL | 123 MIN. | 2025

SATURDAY | MAY 31 | 9PM | TCL CHINESE 4

Brazilian director Fernando Coimbra, known for Sand Castle and A Wolf at the Door, is back with a Mafia Comedy set in Rio,

filled with chaos and thrills.


16

ISLA FAMILIA

ABRAHAM JIMENEZ ENOA & CLAUDIA CALVIÑO | CUBA, SPAIN, FRANCE

85 MIN. | 2024

SUNDAY | JUNE 1 | 4:30PM | TCL CHINESE 3

This documentary follows independent journalist Abraham Jiménez Enoa during the last 3 years of his life, beginning with

the arrival of the Covid pandemic in Cuba through his political exile in Spain.


WEST COAST PREMIERE

ESPINA

DANIEL POLER | PANAMA, UNITED STATES | 89 MIN. | 2025

FRIDAY | MAY 30 | 9:15PM | TCL CHINESE 4

Jonathan, a wheelchair user, recruits two unlikely aides for a wild trip to Panama City to settle a long held grudge.


LINDA

MARIANA WAINSTEIN | ARGENTINA, SPAIN | 100 MIN. | 2024

THURSDAY | MAY 29 | 9:30PM | TCL CHINESE 3

A captivating housemaid unveils a family's dark secrets and erotic fantasies.

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MAD BILLS TO PAY (OR DESTINY, DILE QUE NO SOY MALO)

JOEL ALFONSO VARGAS | UNITED STATES | 100 MIN. | 2025


Rico’s summer is a wild mix of chasing girls and hustling homemade cocktails at the Bronx. But when Destiny, his teenage

girlfriend, crashes at his place with his family, it’s only a matter of time before his rowdy, carefree days come spiraling down.

WORLD PREMIERE

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PAPÁ MELISSA

SOPHIA STIEGLITZ | MEXICO | 77 MIN. | 2025


In the heart of Mexico City, a longtime married couple and parents of five navigate one partner’s evolving gender identity,

challenging binary norms through love, conflict, and resilience.



OLIVIA & THE CLOUDS [OLIVIA & LAS NUBES]

TOMÁS PICHARDO-ESPAILLAT | DOMINICAN REPUBLIC | 80 MIN. | 2024

SUNDAY | JUNE 1 | 1PM | TCL CHINESE 4

Olivia & The Clouds is a surreal exploration on love’s complexities. Following the stories of Olivia, Ramón, Bárbara and

Mauricio, as they relate to one another without understanding each other.


RAINS OVER BABEL [LLUEVE SOBRE BABEL]

GALA DEL SOL | COLOMBIA, SPAIN, UNITED STATES | 113 MIN. | 2025


In a tropical-punk twist on Dante’s Inferno, a group of misfits converges at Babel, a mythical club that doubles as purgatory,

where La Flaca—the city’s Grim Reaper—presides. Here, souls gamble years of their lives, daring to outwit Death Herself.

19


WEST COAST PREMIERE

SHAMAN

ANTONIO NEGRET | ECUADOR, UNITED STATES | 93 MIN. | 2025

FRIDAY | MAY 30 | 9PM | TCL CHINESE 6

PRESENTED WITH HOUR OF BLOOD | MARCELLA OCHOA | UNITED STATES | 17 MIN. | 2024

A missionary converting an Indigenous Community in a remote Ecuadorian volcano must come to terms with her own Faith

when her son is possessed by forces older than her religion.

US PREMIERE

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THE FREEDOM OF FIERRO [LA LIBERTAD DE FIERRO]

SANTIAGO ESTEINOU | MEXICO, CANADA, GREECE | 96 MIN. | 2024


César Fierro has just become a free man and he needs to rebuild his life after being wrongly sentenced to death in Texas.


US PREMIERE

STAY STILL [QUÉDATE QUIETO]

JOANNA LOMBARDI | PERU | 76 MIN. | 2024


PRESENTED WITH BEST EYES | KIRA POWELL | UNITED STATES | 17 MIN. | 2024

Hilton, an illegal gravedigger, strives to protect his territory from a new settlement led by two young women, Hilda and Cristina.


UVALDE MOM

ANAYANSI PRADO | UNITED STATES | 29 MIN. | 2025


Uvalde Mom follows the extraordinary story of Angeli Rose Gomez, a farm worker and single mother who risked everything

to save her two sons during the May 2022 mass shooting at Robb Elementary in Uvalde, TX.

21

EASTSIDE EASTSIDE EASTSIDE EASTSIDE EASTSIDE EASTSIDE EASTSIDE EASTSIDE EASTSIDE EASTSIDE EASTSIDE EASTSIDE EASTSIDE EAST

SIDE EASTSIDE EASTSIDE EASTSIDE EASTSIDE EASTSIDE EASTSIDE EASTSIDE EASTSIDE EASTSIDE EASTSIDE EASTSIDE EASTSIDE EASTSIDE

WORLD PREMIERE

20 POUNDS TO HAPPINESS

YELYNA DE LEÓN | UNITED STATES | 100 MIN. | 2025

SATURDAY | MAY 31 | 6:15PM | REGAL LA LIVE 13

20 Pounds to Happiness follows a full-figured Latina in a Real Women Have Curves Support Group who must decide between

staying loyal to her girlfriends and risk losing the man of her dreams.

INTERNATIONAL PREMIERE

LA RAYA

YOLANDA CRUZ | MEXICO | 80 MIN. | 2024

SATURDAY | MAY 31 | 8:45PM | REGAL LA LIVE 13

PRESENTED WITH 40+ | YOLANDA CRUZ | MEXICO | 7 MIN. | 2025

A coming of age tale set in a magical (realist) place, when a refrigerator magically appears out of nowhere in a small,

forgotten village in Mexico.

23


WORLD PREMIERE

LOS ANGELES CANVAS

AOT RIVERA | UNITED STATES | 86 MIN. | 2025

SATURDAY | MAY 31 | 4PM | REGAL LA LIVE 13

A unique and intimate exploration of Los Angeles' public murals, storytellers of omitted historical social affairs and ignored

cultural identities.


MANIFEST - SHORTS PROGRAM 1

AFTER ALMA

AMÉRICA

24

EN MEMORIA

MEAN GOALS


US PREMIERE

TRANS LOS ANGELES

KASE PEÑA | UNITED STATES | 82 MIN. | 2025

FRIDAY | MAY 30 | 7PM | REGAL LA LIVE 13

An anthology of three short films relating authentic transgender stories.


FRIDAY | MAY 30 | 9:30PM | REGAL LA LIVE 13

AZUL

BYE BYE BARBARITO

SUNDOWN

THUMP

25

EGEDA US

IS THE US-BASED

IBEROAMERICAN

PRODUCERS

ASSOCIATION.

EGEDA US, as a major link between the Spanish film industry and the

North American and Latino film industries is proud to bring the best

of Ibero-American cinema to audiences in the United States. As the

premier association dedicated to promoting and protecting the

interests of Ibero-American audiovisual producers, we are

committed to showcasing the talent and creativity of our

filmmakers on the global stage.

Join us in celebrating the vibrant world of Ibero-American cinema

at our upcoming events and screenings. Follow us on social media

and stay tuned for updates! With EGEDA US, you'll discover the best

of Spanish cinema and more.

We invite you to share the news about your projects with us

Email us to: garlene.mendez@egeda.com

egedaus

www.egeda-us.com

SHORTS SHORTS SHORTS SHORTS SHORTS SHORTS SHORTS SHORTS SHORTS SHORTS SHORTS SHORTS SHORTS SHORTS SHORTS SHO

• PRESENTED WITH A FEATURE •

WORLD PREMIERE

BEST EYES

KIRA POWELL | UNITED STATES | 17 MIN. | 2024

PRESENTED WITH STAY STILL | SATURDAY | MAY 31 | 3:30PM | TCL CHINESE 4

While commuting between her inner-city neighborhood and elite private school, a biracial teen forms a friendship that challenges the

version of herself her mother believes will keep her safe—leading her toward self-acceptance.


RED SANDS

ROMINA CENISIO | UNITED STATES | 20 MIN. | 2025

PRESENTED WITH 42ND STREET | FRIDAY | MAY 30 | 7:30PM | TCL CHINESE 3

In the red hued deserts of West Texas, an intergenerational Mexican-American off-roading community thrives in the bordertown of El

Paso—until a looming danger forces them to confront both their relationship to the land and their shared identity.

WORLD PREMIERE

28

AFTER ALMA

LORENA DURÁN | UNITED STATES | 9 MIN. | 2024

SHORTS PROGRAM 1 | FRIDAY | MAY 30 | 9:30PM | REGAL LA LIVE 13

In the Astoria housing projects of New York, a demanding single mother grapples with her daughter’s last day home, revealing her own fragility.

RTS SHORTS SHORTS SHORTS SHORTS SHORTS SHORTS SHORTS SHORTS SHORTS SHORTS SHORTS SHORTS SHORTS SHORTS SHORTS

WORLD PREMIERE

40+

YOLANDA CRUZ | MEXICO | 7 MIN. | 2025

PRESENTED WITH LA RAYA | SATURDAY | MAY 31 | 8:45PM | REGAL LA LIVE 13

"40+" follows a divorced indigenous woman who, following an old folktale, must sleep with seven men to chase away the jealous ghost of

her ex-husband.


HOUR OF BLOOD

MARCELLA OCHOA | UNITED STATES | 17 MIN. | 2024

PRESENTED WITH SHAMAN | FRIDAY | MAY 30 | 9PM | TCL CHINESE 6

In 1915 Texas, ranchers mysteriously start going missing. A young girl must defend her family ranch against the dark threat.

MANIFEST

SHORTS PROGRAM 1

FRIDAY | MAY 30 | 9:30PM | REGAL LA LIVE 13

WEST COAST PREMIERE

AMÉRICA

JAVIER ARIAS-STELLA | PERU | 16 MIN. | 2025


América, a 10-year-old girl from a remote Andean village, dreams of buying a bicycle so she’ll never be late to class again.

29


WORLD PREMIERE

AZUL

SANTOS ARRUÉ | UNITED STATES | 15 MIN. | 2024


Struggling to cope with her sister’s unexpected passing, 17-year-old Azul finds solace in an unexpected place: a lady lowrider car club.


EN MEMORIA

ROBERTO FATAL | UNITED STATES, MEXICO | 11 MIN. | 2024


In a dystopian future, a mother struggles to finish making her daughter’s Quinceañera dress.


SUNDOWN

RAFAEL AGUSTÍN | UNITED STATES | 10 MIN. | 2024


Tensions rise in a forgotten town, as the sun sets on a young couple who have clearly overstayed their welcome.

SPELLBOUND

SHORTS PROGRAM 2


30


WORLD PREMIERE

BYE BYE BARBARITO

MICHELLE SALCEDO | UNITED STATES | 15 MIN. | 2025


After losing her husband, a golden aged beauty counts on her one true love, her pet cockatiel, to celebrate her newly-found freedom, but

her beloved bird has escape plans of his own.


MEAN GOALS

AHUATL AMARO | UNITED STATES | 17 MIN. | 2025


An adorkable gay Latino joins an LGBTQ soccer team to bond with his father struggling with Alzheimer’s over their shared passion for the sport.


THUMP

ALEXAH ACUÑA | UNITED STATES | 11 MIN. | 2024


A teen girl prepares to leave for prom when she hears a thump. Inspired by true events.

WEST COAST PREMIERE

COTARD

DAVID CRUZ | UNITED STATES | 6 MIN. | 2019

SHORTS PROGRAM 2 | SATURDAY | MAY 31 | 3PM | TCL CHINESE 6

Trapped in Cotard's syndrome, Vera, believing herself and humanity dead, seeks in herself a reason to live despite her delusion.

31


WORLD PREMIERE

FLY ON THE WALL [LA MOSCA EN LA PARED]

MAR NOVO | MEXICO | 16 MIN. | 2024


A casting assistant endures the violence she experiences in, what seems to be, the callback of a porno movie.

WEST COAST PREMIERE

MAL CULO

ANNA SALINAS | UNITED STATES | 9 MIN. | 2024


As Annie gets ready for her date, a series of misfortunes befalls her butt.

WEST COAST PREMIERE

THE MOURNING OF

MERCED ELIZONDO | UNITED STATES, MEXICO | 16 MIN. | 2024


A woman grieves the tragic loss of her mother by secretly attending the funerals of strangers, but her inability to move on finally catches

up with her.

TERRA INCOGNITA

SHORTS PROGRAM 3


32



LA CUMBIA [LA CUMBIA (DE LO QUE PUDO SER)]

CARLOS CARLOS JR | UNITED STATES | 16 MIN. | 2024


In rural Oaxaca, a devoted Muxe woman caring for her aging mother has a long-buried desire quietly kindled by the arrival of a nomadic

documentarian.

WORLD PREMIERE

SAY YOU'RE SORRY

JUSTIN FLOYD | UNITED STATES | 13 MIN. | 2025


Two estranged sisters reunite in a desolate Texas ranch to confront their remorseless father.

WORLD PREMIERE

THERE'S A DEVIL INSIDE ME

KARINA LOMELIN RIPPER | UNITED STATES | 15 MIN. | 2025


After a Catholic confirmation class, a devilish teen, pretends to be a nun but things go sideways when she's mistaken for a real one and

given the church’s collection basket full of cash.

WEST COAST PREMIERE

AWAIT [LA ESPERA]

SAMARA PÉREZ SANTIAGO | PUERTO RICO | 13 MIN. | 2024


During her home birth in her parents' bathtub, Lili makes a series of phone calls to her doctor and loved ones—who, for absurd reasons,

are all absent during her labor.

33



BEYOND [MÁS ALLÁ]

BETTINA LÓPEZ MENDOZA | UNITED STATES, CANADA, COLOMBIA, VENEZUELA | 15 MIN. | 2025


A young girl, who’s given up her childhood to survive crossing the treacherous Darien Gap, discovers a portal to a magical world where she

learns to be a kid again.


BUSCANDO ALMA

MELISSA FISHER | UNITED STATES | 15 MIN. | 2024


A Honduran immigrant is given the chance reunite with her mother after nearly two decades. As she grapples with uncertainty, she is

confronted by tumultuous memories and the fact that she might not be what her mother is expecting.


COYOTE

EMANUEL SENA GALEANA | MEXICO | 13 MIN. | 2024


A cowboy allows himself to cry for the first time after losing a dear friend.

EIGHT STEP PROGRAM

SHORTS PROGRAM 4


34



BODIES

LUCA BUENO | UNITED STATES | 12 MIN. | 2024


When rookie officer Alvarez and his partner respond to a call about suspicious activity in a suburban home, Alvarez finds himself unraveling

a delicate and harrowing situation in which his duty and humanity will be tested.

WORLD PREMIERE

CIERVA

LUIS G. SANTOS | UNITED STATES | 14 MIN. | 2025


An emerging photographer is forced to make a crucial decision while on a career-defining job.


SOME OF US WATCH THE SUNSET, TOO

BRIGITTE MUÑOZ-LIEBOWITZ | UNITED STATES | 13 MIN. | 2024


After a couple great dates, Gina falls hard for Matt. But when Gina she meets his circle of friends, it becomes apparent why they never

crossed before: he's rich.


AIMEE COMES FIRST

AIMEE GARCIA | UNITED STATES | 16 MIN. | 2024

SHORTS PROGRAM 4 | SUNDAY | JUNE 1 | 4PM | TCL CHINESE 6

"Aimee Comes First" is a late coming-of-age story about a type-A Latina who lives with her overbearing Catholic family and races to have

her first orgasm before her fast-approaching 40th birthday.

35



ANA Y LA DISTANCIA

HANSEL PORRAS GARCIA | UNITED STATES | 10 MIN. | 2024


A Cuban mother exiled in Miami anxiously awaits the arrival of her son, who is crossing Central American borders to join her.


BEAUTIFULLY UGLY

ADALBERTO ANGULO | UNITED STATES | 8 MIN. | 2024


In this fantastical tale, a man is heartbroken after a sudden breakup and embarks on an extraordinary journey through the five stages of

grief. Finally, through surreal encounters, he finds peace and acceptance, emerging with a renewed sense of self.

WEST COAST PREMIERE

MARCEL'S PIÑATA [LA PIÑATA DE MARCEL]

MANUEL TROTTA | UNITED STATES, MEXICO, VENEZUELA | 15 MIN. | 2023


A highly imaginative 10-year-old boy befriends his superhero-themed piñata, leading to a heartfelt struggle as his birthday party approaches.

WEST COAST PREMIERE

36

THE PERFECT TOMATO [EL TOMATE PERFECTO]

CRISTOBAL ABUGABER | UNITED STATES, MEXICO | 18 MIN. | 2024


An aging farmer refuses to leave his longstanding way of life behind at the risk of losing what truly matters to him.


WORLD PREMIERE

AND USTED TAMBIÉN

EMILIA MENDIETA CÓRDOVA, ANDREA CAÑIZARES-FERNANDEZ | UNITED STATES | 4 MIN. | 2025


When a bilingual ginger Ecuadorian-American buys fruit from a frutero in Spanish, her identity insecurities spiral this “simple” interaction

into worst case scenarios.


GREGORIO

JUAN PABLO DE LUNA | MEXICO | 19 MIN. | 2024


Gregorio wants to be loved but his family doesn't understand his needs so they impose what thinks is good for him.

WORLD PREMIERE

MORENITA

GABRIELA ORTEGA, DIANA VALENCIA | UNITED STATES, MEXICO, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC | 9 MIN. | 2025


A poetic exploration of womanhood, friendship and migration through the intersecting stories of two Latin American women.

37


ANÍM

ANIMATED SHO

FRIDAY | MAY 30 | 6:3


AS IF THE EARTH HAD SWALLOWED THEM UP [COMO SI LA TIERRA SE LAS HUBIERA TRAGADO]

NATALIA LEÓN | FRANCE | 14 MIN. | 2025

ANIMATED SHORTS PROGRAM | FRIDAY | MAY 30 | 6:30PM | TCL CHINESE 6

Olivia, a young woman living abroad, returns to her hometown in Mexico in the hope of reconnecting with her past.


DORMILÓN

OLIVIA MARIE VALDEZ | UNITED STATES | 9 MIN. | 2025


In a quest to become the performer of his dreams, Dormilón, a starry-eyed and middle-aged janitor living in an abandoned theater, must

confront his nightmares face-to-face.

WORLD PREMIERE

38

K'UCHU: A CHILDHOOD PLACE [K'UCHU: RINCÓN DE LA INFANCIA]

ALESSIO DEL POZO TEMOCHE | PERU | 11 MIN. | 2025


Oscar does not want to leave behind his games to “be a man”. Suddenly, terrorism starts in his town and he has to leave his childhood all

of a sudden.


ATE

RTS PROGRAM

0PM | TCL CHINESE 6

WEST COAST PREMIERE

BROTHER SISTER [HERMANO HERMANA]

RODRIGO CUARTAS, JONATHAN CUARTAS, MICHAEL CUARTAS | UNITED STATES | 3 MIN. | 2025


Two siblings reconnect in a cemetery fifty years later, after sister unburies brother.


HOW DO YOU CAPTURE DESIRE?

SAUL PENA | UNITED STATES | 6 MIN. | 2024


College student Alex makes quick friends with his new classmate Jay. But when Alex's feelings grow to become something more than

platonic, how will his relationship with Jay evolve?


NO VACANCY

MIGUEL RODRICK | UNITED STATES, COLOMBIA | 7 MIN. | 2024


A journey through a crumbling motel becomes a collision of guilt, shame, and regret, as Jack struggles to hold everything together,

overshadowed by the burden of his past mistakes.

39


WEST COAST PREMIERE

SAQ NIKTÉ AND THE SPIRIT OF THE MASK [SAQ NIKTÉ Y EL ESPÍRITU DE LA MÁSCARA]

ESTER WEINER | GUATEMALA, URUGUAY | 5 MIN. | 2025


In a forgotten community, an artisan girl puts an old K'iche' invocation to the test and summons a curious spirit into our world.

US PREMIERE

THE BLACK STAIN [LA MANCHA NEGRA]

YARENI VELÁZQUEZ MENDOZA | MEXICO | 5 MIN. | 2024


A woman once embraced darkness as a true expression of her self and soul. However, the adversities she faced in life have allowed her to

grant new meaning to that darkness.

US PREMIERE

TODOS LOS FUTUROS

BÁRBARA CERRO | FRANCE, ARGENTINA | 12 MIN. | 2024


On the planet Somnum, night is eternal. Humans carry with them their dream of reproducing their past life, but their luggage also includes

ancestral fears and absurd rules. The sky is falling in.

EPISODICS

EPISODIC SHORTS PROGRAM


40



SCAVENGERS

ALIYAH PENELOPE CRUZ, ISABELLA MORENO | UNITED STATES | 5 MIN. | 2024


In a handicraft world, a tenacious tinkerer and a mischievous magpie vie for a shiny bottle cap they each have been searching for - but at

what cost?


THE GIRL AND THE POT [A MENINA E O POTE]

VALENTINA HOMEM & TATI BOND | BRAZIL | 13 MIN. | 2024


"The Girl and the Pot" is a paint on glass animation film that draws its inspiration from the Amerindian cosmogony. The main character

speaks Nheengatu - an indigenous language from the Amazon - and invites us to reforest our imaginaries by exploring a world inspired

by the Yanomami mythology.

WORLD PREMIERE

US [NOSOTROS]

HORACIO GARCÍA-ROJAS | MEXICO | 8 MIN. | 2024


"Nosotros (Us)" it's a short animated film that portrays the search for identity that many in Latin America face with a call for unity and

appreciation of indigenous heritage.


916

HECTOR D AGUILA | UNITED STATES | 22 MIN. | 2024

EPISODIC SHORTS PROGRAM | SUNDAY | JUNE 1 | 1PM | TCL CHINESE 6

Music video director, Daniel is trying to make it into the film industry while also trying to survive in the city of Sacramento. As everything

gets into his way on his journey, he still finds the motivation to keep going.

41

SHORTS SHORTS SHORTS SHORTS SHORTS SHORTS SHORTS SHORTS SHORTS SHORTS SHORTS SHORTS SHORTS SHORTS SHORTS

US PREMIERE

@LOVE [@AMOR]

ANNABELLE MULLEN PACHECO | PUERTO RICO | 25 MIN. | 2025


Yuliana, a stressed Caribbean film producer yearning for motherhood, escapes to Spain for wine, tapas and dating app misadventures,

only to realize the real journey is learning to love her wonderfully chaotic life (baby or not)!


BORN 2 LOSE

CARLOS CARDONA | UNITED STATES | 33 MIN. | 2024


Andrew, a sixteen-year-old Latino American punk rocker navigates the world famous Hamptons in the early 2000s. When his local punk

friends betray him, Andrew sets out to New York City in search of a place to fit in.

WORLD PREMIERE

SIRENS

MARIA VALDEZ | UNITED STATES | 15 MIN. | 2025


A single mother seeks justice for the murder of her son by a police officer. But before confronting the external battle, she must first

reconcile with her own past.

WEST COAST PREMIERE

42

STARS DINER

TYLER WALKER & FIDEL RUIZ-HEALY | UNITED STATES | 11 MIN. | 2025


Stars Diner isn't the best choice for a quick steak & eggs. Run by ex-party girl Wendy, unhinged chef Milius and odd busboy Willard, this

Fresno greasy spoon faces chaos from volcanoes, ghost pirates, debt collectors, and more.

EPISODICS

LEGUIZAMO DOES AMERICA

WORLD PREMIERE

BEN DEJESUS | UNITED STATES | 45 MIN. | 2024

SUNDAY | JUN 1 | 4PM | TCL CHINESE 4

In Leguizamo Does America, John Leguizamo travels across the country

to bring viewers inside America’s thriving Latino communities – all with

his characteristic edge, energy and wit.

43

SPECIAL SC

INCLUSION FELLOWSHIP

ALL THE WINDOWS ARE CLOSED

TODAS LAS VENTANAS ESTÂN CERRADAS

JORGE G. CAMARENA

THURSDAY | MAY 29 I 7:45PM I EGYPTIAN THEATER

An 11-year-old boy struggles to keep his sister close as her plans

to leave their isolated ranch threaten to tear apart the only family

bond he has ever known.

EFFLORESCENCE

SOFIA GARZA-BARBA


On the night she’s set to meet her vegan boyfriend’s friends, LaLa

finds herself transforming into a carnivorous human plant. As her

metamorphosis spirals out of control, she must find a way to keep

her instincts in check before dinner takes a deadly turn.

GRIS

LOREN ESCANDON

THURSDAY | MAY 29 I 5PM I EGYPTIAN THEATER

Sofía’s first week of school stirs unexpected questions about

race, family, and belonging. As she struggles to define herself,

her drawings spring to life and help her journey to understand

everything she is.

HIGH BEAM

KAILA GUTIERREZ


A nine-year-old gymnast spends a day at the gym with her mother,

a devoted gymnastics coach. Desperate to catch her mom’s eye,

Genna obsessively strives to make the gymnastics team.

I HAVE WINGS BUT I CANNOT FLY

VICTOR VELASCO


A resilient single mother secretly brings her son to her workplace

against the company policy in a society that has outlawed

shapeshifters. Tensions arise as she notices a strange pattern

changes in the boy’s behavior, forcing her to protect him before

others discover his true nature.

44

REENINGS

INCLUSION FELLOWSHIP

I F*CKING HATE YOU!

MICHELLE'S BIG DAY

GABRIELA PACIEL


After a flat tire leaves Michelle and her brother, David, stranded

on their way to her wedding, the two siblings must put their

differences aside if they want to survive.

LOVE ME TENDER, LOVE ME TRUE

COLBY BARRIOS


A middle-aged Latino man, struggling with self-esteem and caring

for his ailing mother, finds unexpected confidence and connection

as he prepares for an Elvis impersonation performance—only to

face his greatest fear when the impersonation isn't all it's cracked

up to be.

TIGUERONAS

IMANI CELESTE


After ending an abusive relationship with her narcissistic

boyfriend, Aaliyah and her friends hatch a bold plan for revenge

on a girls’ night out, igniting a journey of self-empowerment and

sisterhood.

TURN AWAY

NICOLAS JARA


Vid ut et hiliam, audit et exerum et quam voluptatem. Nem fuga.

Itatiat.

Sed molut ommolest a quo voloriberum unt est, simporro ex et

XOLO

MATTHEW SERRANO


After he finds her body, a little dog named Skippy must convince

Xolotl, the Aztec god of death, that his owner deserves a good

afterlife.

45

SPECIAL SC

SPARK ANIMATION FELLOWSHIP

AGUA DULCE

ANA RAMÍREZ GONZÁLEZ


A playful game of tag between a tiny water droplet and a spirited

firefly takes a turn when they reach the pond's edge and the

unknown stirs beneath.

THE APRICOT

ALEX Z. AVILA


"The Apricot" tells the story of a 10-year-old boy and his first

summer working on the family's apricot farm. This project is

inspired by childhood memories that the director holds dear to

his heart.

REMEMBER THE RATS

RECUERDA LAS RATAS

JUAN M. ABDO


While local people and rats learn to live together in culturally

changing 1920s Buenos Aires, the governor prefers the French

scene, so he brings pigeons to remove the rats. But it comes at

a price.

FEATURE FILM

ALL WE CARRY

CADY VOGE

THURSDAY | MAY 29 I 8PM I TCL CHINESE 4

After landing in a borrowed beachfront home, a family navigates

countless life-altering and every-day moments where memory, joy,

and grief collide while they wait three years for their asylum hearing.

46

REENINGS

LFI+150 FELLOWSHIP

¡WOW!

ESTEBAN PEDRAZA

FRIDAY | MAY 30 I 7PM I TCL CHINESE 4

A twentysomething divorcée and her abuelita need to get creative

to make some money. Abuela has thousands of dollars of protein

powder that she failed to sell for a marketing scheme, so they

decide to rebrand the supplements and sell them at a higher price

point to uppity suburbanites. What could go wrong?

BLOOD SUGAR

MARISSA DÍAZ


When an HMO-insured, Gen Z vampire is diagnosed with diabetes,

she has to make lifestyle changes– beginning with breaking into a

weight loss clinic, and bleeding them of their stash of “O.”

THE POWER OF ONE

ALEX VALDEZ AND PABLO DE LA FUENTE


A team of young and adventurous documentary filmmakers travel

to an ecological sanctuary in Colombia’s wilderness, where a

visionary conservationist is restoring an endangered ecosystem.

YCP ALUMNI FELLOWSHIP

PERFECT

SOPHIA RIOS


In a world where flawlessness is the norm, Emilia’s pictureperfect

life begins to crack as bizarre events expose the fragile

reality around her, forcing her to confront the pressures of false

perfection and reclaim her true identity.

47

JUNE 26 – 28, 2025

KAMASI WASHINGTON

SONIC

PREVIEW

INTRODUCING THE NEW DAVID GEFFEN GALLERIES

^

THE SERIES OF DAVID GEFFEN GALLERIES OPENING EVENTS IS PRESENTED BY

VISUAL STORYTELLING MASTERCLASS

Presented by Comcast NBCUniversal Telemundo

Interactive Webinar Experience

May 27th - May 28th | 9 am - 12 pm

Learn visual storytelling from your favorite Latino filmmakers! In this 2-part interactive workshop series,

you’ll uncover actionable techniques to create your own cinematic images..

NAVIGATING FILM DISTRIBUTION

MASTERCLASS

Presented by Comcast NBCUniversal Telemundo

Interactive Webinar Experience

May 27th - May 28th | 1 pm - 3 pm

Find strategic insights and hands-on tools to succeed in the complex distribution and marketing landscape.

50

THURSDAY | MAY 29

UNLOCKING THE VISION

FOCUSING ON LATINO CREATIVES AND EXECUTIVES,

AND THE POWER TO BRING STORIES TO LIFE.

LALIFF INDUSTRY FORUM AND LOUNGE | PRESENTED BY AUDIBLE

KOOKABURRA LOUNGE

10:00 am

Give Yourself the Greenlight!

Kickstart your filmmaking journey with independent filmmakers who’ve successfully self-produced

feature films. Learn how to bring your first feature to life with practical tools and actionable advice.

11:00 am

Unlock Hidden Income Presented by Egeda US

Want to make more money from your film? This panel reveals how collective rights management,

especially in non-traditional exhibition contexts, can help producers unlock new income streams. With

insights from EGEDA Mexico, you’ll discover overlooked opportunities to expand your reach and boost

your bottom line, all while increasing visibility and profitability in international markets.

12:00 pm

Spotlight: Christine Benitez and the World of Marketing

Presented by Paramount Pictures

Join us for a candid conversation with the women who know how to sell your film. Christine Benitez,

SVP of Multicultural Marketing at Paramount Pictures, and Lorenza Muñoz, CEO of Artemis Muse

Productions, break down how sharp strategy, smart storytelling, and bold representation can turn your

film into one audiences can’t ignore.

1:45 pm

Arte y Cine Presented by AltaMed

This panel explores the intersection of art and film, spotlighting bold, boundary-pushing filmmaking

focused on experimentation and innovation. We’ll also discuss how inventive storytelling helps express

our identities to broader audiences. Filmmakers will leave with insights on creating and sharing work

on their own artistic terms.

3:00 pm

Spotlight: The Art of Audio Storytelling Presented by Audible

Join Audible Director of Original Spanish Language Content, Manny Miravete, for a behind-the-scenes

look at how stories are transformed into immersive audio experiences, and how filmmakers can tap into

this creative medium to showcase their artistry and bring new narratives to life.

51

FRIDAY | MAY 30

UNLOCKING THE FUTURE

HIGHLIGHTING LATINO INNOVATORS SHAPING THE

FUTURE OF ANIMATION AND TECHNOLOGY.


KOOKABURRA LOUNGE

10:00 am

ESPN’s Commitment to Latino Filmmakers Presented by ESPN

Please join us for a captivating panel discussion on ESPN's support for Latino filmmakers. This event

is a unique opportunity to explore the impact of Latino filmmakers in shaping narratives within the

sports media landscape. Ultimately, the conversation underscores ESPN's unwavering commitment to

amplifying diverse voices and stories in sports storytelling.

11:00 am

Pa’rriba y Pa’lante: Storytelling on Digital Platforms

Go behind the scenes with creators to explore how micro-narratives on platforms like YouTube, Shorts,

and Reel Shorts are challenging industry gatekeepers and unlocking new opportunities for storytellers.

12:00 pm

Latin-XR and AI, Yai, Yai Presented by Murado Entertainment

XR and AI are revolutionizing storytelling, and Latino innovators are ensuring our filmmaking community

stays at the forefront. Hear from boundary-pushing creatives and decision-makers as they explore how

XR and AI are shaping entertainment today and how these tools will define the industry’s future.

1:45 pm

Breaking Into Video Games

Film, TV, and video games are more connected than ever. Good storytellers can jump between mediums

seamlessly, and more filmmakers are entering the video game space, as well as successfully adapting

them. Come learn the "cheat codes" from top executives and creators to unlock success in the world of

interactive storytelling.

3:00 pm

Los Creativos Presented by LatinX in Animation (LXiA)

Join the creators, writers, and producers behind this year’s groundbreaking and hit animated series for a

dynamic discussion about the shows they’ve brought to life and the creative journeys that got them there.

52

SATURDAY | MAY 31

UNLOCKING THE CRAFT

CELEBRATING THE LATINO ARTISTS DRIVING THE

WORK BEHIND THE SCENES.


KOOKABURRA LOUNGE

10:00 am

Storytelling with Disney Entertainment

Join professionals from Disney Entertainment Television as they share personal insights on their career

journeys — from getting their first industry opportunity to stepping into the roles they hold today. Get

a first-hand look at how they help shape the captivating, compelling and unique stories that define

Disney Entertainment.

11:00 am

Demystifying Sound:

Helping Filmmakers Unlock the Power of Sound

In filmmaking, sound is half the story — but for many new directors and producers, it remains the most

mysterious part of the process. Led by Re-recording Mixer and Supervising Sound Editor Sal Ojeda, and

joined by fellow Latino sound artists, this session pulls back the curtain on the sound process, from onset

recording to final mix.

12:00 pm

Latino Editors: Cutting Through the Industry

Join top Latino editors in film and television as they discuss their creative approaches, careers, and

unique editing styles, and share how they've broken into the industry.

1:45 pm

Masterclass: Building Worlds that Enhance Storytelling

Join Academy Award-winning production designer Eugenio Caballero (Pan's Labyrinth, Roma, Bardo)

for a masterclass on production design. From period pieces to magical realism, explore the techniques

for crafting authentic worlds that elevate storytelling.

3:00 pm

Spotlight: Pasqual Gutierrez and the Directing Journey

Presented by UTA

Join director Pasqual Gutierrez for an engaging conversation about his creative journey from music

videos and commercials to his feature film Serious People, in which he also stars. Led by director

Christine Yuan, his wife both on and off screen, this rare insider’s look explores his evolving visual

style, the leap to narrative filmmaking, and the path he’s carved as a filmmaker.

53

JA, JA, JA!

A NIGHT OF RISING LATINO COMEDIANS

Saturday | May 31 | 7 pm

Kookaburra Lounge

Featuring:

CARLOS SANTOS DANIELA INÉS CALVO LEXIE GRACE MARTIN URBANO

Get ready to laugh in two languages! Join us for a night of fearless fun with Latino comedians who perform

in English, Spanish, and everything in between. This bilingual variety show blends stand-up, improv, and

more, featuring LA’s funniest emerging Latino talent. Taking place in the intimate Kookaburra Lounge,

located in the heart of Hollywood, food and drinks will be available for purchase during the show. A night

of laughs, comunidad, and pura diversión!

54

OPENING NIGHT

GALA

Wednesday | May 28

CAMILO LARA (MEXICAN INSTITUTE OF SOUND)

ALTERNATIVE INDIE

This Mexico City-based producer is the force behind the Mexican Institute

of Sound, blending global beats with a prolific career in film, TV, and video

game music. An Emmy winner and Grammy-nominated composer, his work

spans scores for A Million Miles Away, Alexander and the Terrible..., Going

Varsity in Mariachi, and the Emmy-winning Home, as well as consulting and

composing for Coco, Narcos: Mexico, Thor: Love and Thunder, and Black

Panther: Wakanda Forever. He produced the Grammy-winning Y tu mamá

también. Camilo has also collaborated with artists from Beck and Damon

Albarn to Lila Downs and Santa Fe Klan, remixed tracks for Metallica and

Run the Jewels, and produced Mexico’s best-selling album in 25 years (Los

Ángeles Azules). His 2024 album Algo Ritmo celebrates 20 years of M.I.S.,

which has performed worldwide and recently headlined Vive Latino for

80,000 fans. Recognized by Time, El País, and Quien as a cultural leader,

Camilo continues to shape global music across borders and genres.

JUNGLE FIRE

TROPIFUNK

Powerhouse band known for its explosive, authentic blend of Afro-Caribbean,

West African rhythms and breakbeat funk, drawing influence from legends

like Fela Kuti, Ray Barretto, and James Brown. Originally formed as a oneoff

project in 2011, the band quickly gained traction in LA’s funk/soul scene.

Their critically acclaimed albums Tropicoso and Jambú (via Nacional Records)

have been featured in films, commercials, and TV shows including How to Be

a Latin Lover. With members hailing from diverse musical backgrounds and

boasting credits alongside artists like Stevie Wonder, Ozomatli, and Natalia

Lafourcade, Jungle Fire delivers fiery, mixtape-style live performances that

have lit up major festivals and venues worldwide, from Lincoln Center to

Colombia’s Mompox Jazz Festival.

DJ JOSÉ GALVÁN (KCRW)

CUMBIA / REGGAETON

Lifelong music devotee whose DJ career began in 2008 while working as

an on-air personality at the former Indie 103.1fm, where he also produced

The Crystal Method’s radio show. With a foundation in music theory and

years playing cello in a community orchestra, José has been immersed in

radio since his USC days, serving as Latin Music Director and Programming

Director at the campus station and later producing for KROQ’s Kevin &

Bean Show. He’s toured globally as a manager for Carla Morrison and DJ

Z-Trip, gaining firsthand exposure to world-class DJs, which helped shape

his style. Known for his sharp ear and deep music knowledge, he’s held

multiple DJ residencies in LA and opened the Sonora Tent at Coachella

in 2017. José currently hosts Sunday nights on KCRW and curates Pan

Caliente, a platform for premiering new Música Indie.

56

NETWORKING COCKTAIL | THURSDAY | MAY 29

GABRIEL DA ROSA (DJ SET)

BOSSA NOVA / BRAZILIAN JAZZ

After releasing his debut album ‘É o que a casa oferece’, Gabriel returned to Cruz Alta, his rural hometown in Southern Brazil, for the

first time in eight years. Now based in Los Angeles, Gabriel blends the warmth of bossa nova with influences from Brazilian icons

like Caetano Veloso and Gilberto Gil, as well as international artists such as David Byrne and Sam Evian. Cacofonia. Now immersed

in L.A.’s vibrant Brazilian music scene, Gabriel continues to explore his roots through DJing, painting, and community. For him,

home is wherever there’s connection, culture, and freedom to create.

LFI FELLOWSHIPS PARTY | THURSDAY | MAY 29

SUBSUELO CREW

LATIN FUSION

Subsuelo is a genre-blending global bass crew based in Los Angeles, known for turning up the heat at major festivals like Coachella

and Lightning in a Bottle. But their true home is Subsuelo Sundays — a sweaty, packed, open-air day party at Caña Rum Bar in

downtown L.A., where samba, cumbia, reggaeton, dancehall, and Mexican party anthems collide with live instrumentation and

DJ culture. Founded by El Canyonazo, for over almost a decade Subsuelo has curated an unpretentious and boundary-pushing

experience, bringing together everyone from local legends to global. One week you get samba and another week you get dancehall,

with a rotating lineup of musicians and surprise-filled sets, Subsuelo is all about connection, experimentation, and pure joy on

the dance floor.

57

NETWORKING COCKTAIL | FRIDAY | MAY 30

LINDA NUVES AND QUE MADRE (CHULITA VINYL CLUB)

CHICANO OLDIES

Chulita Vinyl Club is made up of women, gender-non-conforming, non-binary, LGBTQ+ and self-identifying people of color. CVC

launched in 2014, with the context of providing a safe space for empowerment, togetherness and to utilize music and vinyl as a

form of resistance against the erasure of culture. Each Chulita identifies with their own identity. They are not to be classified as

one nationality or culture. Within CVC they individually identify with the following: Latinxs, Tejanxs, Chicanxs, Xicanx, Afro-Latinx

and many more. The unifying denominator is that they come together over the belief that EL DISCO ES CULTURA and they believe

that it’s worth preserving and perpetuating.

YCP ALUMNI COCKTAIL | FRIDAY | MAY 30

DJ SOL + DJ ANI

TROPICAL & LATIN

Father and son duo DJ Sol and DJ Ani transform the craft of DJing and mixing rhythms as their family tradition and a form of

sharing with the community. Representing Comunidad Semillitas, an indigenous-centered, Spanish immersion learning space on

Tongva Land/Long Beach honoring holistic education, cultural experiences and community through their Spanish immersion class

offerings, community workshops, cultural events, and a collective artisanal retail space, your favorite duo turn the dance floor into

an extension on how they celebrate family and everyone is welcome to celebrate comUNIDAD, música y amor.

58

WBD ROOFTOP PARTY | FRIDAY | MAY 30

ZZK RECORDS & MISTERPSHYCHEDELIA

PRESENT:

EL G | MADRUGADA | EL KEAMO | QUILO

EL G

Grant C. Dull aka El G is the Founder & Creative Director of ZZK Records and just like

every genre needs a trailblazer — for digital cumbia and digital folklore, that’s ZZK

Records. Born out of Buenos Aires and now based in Los Angeles, the indie label has

launched the careers of Chancha Via Circuito, La Yegros, Nicola Cruz, Son Rompe Pera,

and others, becoming a global hub for genre-defying Latin sounds. As a DJ, Grant

has performed as El G in more than 100 cities around the world including stops at

Coachella, Roskilde, Berghain in Berlin and the Modern Arts Center in St. Petersburg,

Russia.

MADRUGADA

Matthew Himes aka madrugada, is a seasoned professional with an almost 20-year

career entrenched in Southern California's vibrant music and art scenes. His diverse

expertise spans across genres, having successfully booked both international and

local talent in jazz, rock, hip-hop, funk, alternative-latin, and more. Currently Coowner

and General Manager/Talent Buyer of a new venue concept slated to open in

2026 in Los Angeles as well as Talent Buyer and Tour Director, North America for ZZK

Records and Producer for La Selva, a multi-media project focused on capturing Global

talent through cinematic storytelling.

EL KEAMO

Alias of Alfredo González-Martínez, a first-generation Mexican-American multimedia

artist from Reseda, California. With an innovative blend of cumbia sonidera, tribal,

house, and acid genres, El Keamo's Neocumbia project is a modern interpretation of

traditional Latin rhythms fused with electronic synthesis, creating a unique sound

that is both familiar and boldly avant-garde.

QUILO

Quilo spins from migration and memory — rhythms that travel, roots that move. Based

in the IE and shaped by the Latin diaspora, his sets hit with raw percussion, deep cuts,

and border beats. Every drop is a crossing. Every set sparks movement, lifting energy

and comunidad wherever it lands.

59

NETWORKING COCKTAIL | SATURDAY | MAY 31

TURBO SONIDERO

CUMBIA SONIDERA

East Side San Jose producer with Puebla roots, Turbo Sonidero is

a pioneering force in global cumbia. He's forged a unique sound

by blending Cumbia Sonidera with Rap and electronic music.

Since 2008, this dedicated record collector and innovative

producer co-founded Grupo Jejeje and spearheaded Kumbia

Net/Kumbia Obscura and Discos Piramide, championing new

cumbia talent. An international ambassador, Turbo Sonidero (aka

Román Zepeda) has toured extensively and earned recognition

in publications like Vogue MX and The New Yorker, solidifying

his influence with collaborations on labels worldwide and a 2024

inclusion in Quantic's DJ Kicks compilation.

COMEDY NIGHT PARTY | SATURDAY | MAY 31

NOLOVES

AFROLATIN, RARE GROOVE, ELECTRONIC, FUNK

Noloves (aka Álvaro G) has been working the audiovisual field in

different capacities for years, either as a Dj/selector in his native

Cali, Colombia or his adoptive town of Toronto, Canada, or doing

sound design for experimental animation team MBBM. Always on

the look for the unsung and the unheard, his sets are eclectic and

surprising.

T-KAY

SALSA & WORLD MUSIC

t-kay is an archivist / librarian at UCLA and her musical curation

reflects her experience record digging while preserving cultural

heritage around the world. She brings over twenty years of

experience working in community radio and is currently a

resident DJ at dublab where she plays her deep crates of

worldwide diasporic sounds on her monthly program, The

Archive of Feelings.

DJ MARVELOUZ

CUMBIA ROMÁNTICA

Mar Velez was born and raised in South Central Los Angeles. She

grew up listening to Mexican romanticas and cumbias that her

mom played in the mornings while cleaning the house and 90s

pop and hip hop that she heard on tv and in the streets of LA. Mar

has collected vinyl since her high school days where she explored

genres like salsa, punk, and others. She is part of Chulita Vinyl

Club where she is known as DJ Marvelouz.

60

CLOSING NIGHT

GALA

Saturday | May 31

QUITAPENAS

AFRO-LATINO

QUITAPENAS — one word, all caps, four syllables, all claps — delivers a rhythmic contagion you can feel in your bones. Born

under the warm California sun, this tropical Afro-Latin combo channels the spirit of liberation through music, drawing

inspiration from the radical aesthetics of the ’60s, ’70s, and ’80s. Each song is a remix of history, inviting listeners to

immerse themselves in the celebratory nights of Angola, Peru, Colombia, Brazil, and beyond. The name QUITAPENAS

translates to “remove worries,” and the mission is simple: to make you dance and leave your troubles behind.

SUELTA

REGGAETON, DEMBOW BAILE FUNK AND LATIN CLUB

Suelta is an LA-based party and DJ crew made up of Bianca Maieli, Chaboi, and Helikonia—three friends who’ve been

sharing decks for years and decided to build something of their own. What started with a love for Latin riddims has

grown into a celebration of global sounds, where the energy is free, the music hits, and everyone’s welcome to let loose

and be themselves.

61

WE ARE PROUD TO SUPPORT,

CELEBRATE, AND WELCOME

THE LOS ANGELES LATINO

INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

ENTERTAINMENT

NEWS BRAND

78M

TOTAL DIGITAL REACH

READ NOW

SOURCE: COMSCORE MEDIA METRIX MULTI-PLATFORM

JAN 2024 — SOCIAL INCREMENTAL (DESKTOP + MOBILE + SOCIAL)

CELEBRATE

CINEMA

Winning films at this festival may be eligible to enter for Oscars ® consideration.

Year-round, the Academy celebrates artistry and innovation

in filmmaking, inspires new generations to share our love of

cinema and storytelling, preserves and creates our global film

industry, and connects film fans from around the world.

JOIN US AT THE ACADEMY MUSEUM OF MOTION PICTURES

academymuseum.org

AWARDS

In 2025 LALIFF

brings the following awards:

BEST U.S. LATINO LIVE ACTION SHORT

PRESENTED BY COMCAST NBCUNIVERSAL TELEMUNDO

This award will be decided by a Jury panel, and granted to the director and the

producer (based on the Produced By credit). It comes with a $4,000 USD cash price.

BEST U.S. LATINA DIRECTOR OF A LIVE ACTION SHORT

PRESENTED BY NBCUNIVERSAL TELEMUNDO

This award will be decided by a Jury panel and granted to the director. It comes with

a $4,000 USD cash price.

BEST U.S. LATINO ANIMATED SHORT

This award will be decided by a Jury panel, and granted to the director and the

producer (based on the Produced By credit). It comes with a $4,000 USD cash price.

BEST U.S. EPISODIC SHORT

PRESENTED BY DISNEY ENTERTAINMENT

This award will be decided by a Jury panel and granted to the creator. It comes with

a $4,000 USD cash price.

Winners of the Best US Latino Live Action Short and the Best US Latino Animated Short Award become Oscar-qualified.

64

JURY

LIVE ACTION SHORTS

Joanna Lombardi

Director

Stay Still

Kantu Lentz

Director

Chicago Fire, Fire Country

ANIMATED SHORTS

Pedro Paulo Araújo

Director

Blur, The Hidden

Angélica Lares

Director, Centro Internacional de

Animación “Taller del Chucho”

Jeanette Moreno King

Director and

Storyboard Artist

EPISODIC SHORTS

Jennifer del Rey

Director of Creative,

Sony Pictures Animation

Adriana Garcia

Director, Development,

National Geographic

Aurelio Lopez

Manager, Scripted Series,

Onyx Collective

Julio Castro

Manager, Drama Development,

Hulu

Rafael Garcia

VP, Original Series Development,

Disney Branded Television

Samantha Militante

Director, Current Series,

FX

65

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