SUNDANCE SPOTLIGHT

The 2026 Sundance Film Festival will shine a long-overdue national spotlight on one of the most influential cultural architects in American history: Luis Valdez. With the world premiere of American Pachuco: The Legend of Luis Valdez, Latino Public Broadcasting (LPB) cements Valdez’s towering legacy as a revolutionary artist who transformed theater, film, and the visibility of the Mexican-American experience—while also affirming the vital role of public broadcasting in preserving Latino cultural memory.

Directed, written, and produced by David Alvarado, American Pachuco is far more than a biographical documentary. It is a cultural reckoning—charting how Valdez reshaped the American stage and screen by insisting that Chicano stories were not peripheral, but central to the national narrative.

From the Fields to the Forefront of American Theater

Valdez’s story is inseparable from the Chicano Movement itself. In 1965, alongside the United Farm Workers, he founded El Teatro Campesino, a theater company born not in traditional playhouses but in the fields—using satire, music, and performance as tools of protest, education, and empowerment for farmworkers demanding dignity and justice.

That radical foundation led to one of the most consequential theatrical moments in U.S. history. Zoot Suit originated at the Mark Taper Forum in Los Angeles, where it became an undeniable hit, electrifying audiences with its bold fusion of American Latino music, movement, history, and political urgency. The production was so successful that it made history—transferring to Broadway in 1979, marking the first time a Chicano playwright’s work appeared on the Great White Way.

In a rare and telling testament to its cultural impact, Zoot Suit didn’t simply move east. While one company made its groundbreaking Broadway run, a second cast remained in Los Angeles, where the show continued at the Aquarius Theatre, running for nearly a full year. The dual productions underscored something unprecedented: Chicano theater was no longer a niche movement—it was a mainstream cultural force commanding audiences on both coasts.

Edward James Olmos: A Full-Circle Cultural Moment

Central to Zoot Suit’s legacy—and to American Pachuco—is Edward James Olmos, whose star-making role as El Pachuco was written by Valdez and became one of the most iconic performances in American theater. The role launched Olmos’s career and redefined the possibilities for Latino actors at a time when such opportunities were nearly nonexistent.

Decades later, Olmos narrates American Pachuco not only as a collaborator and witness, but as co-founder and Chairman of the Board of Latino Public Broadcasting, the organization that partially funded the documentary. The symmetry is profound: a playwright who opened doors for an actor, and an actor who now ensures those doors remain open for future generations of Latino storytellers.

“Now more than ever, it’s crucial that we give a voice to our Latino filmmakers and make sure that our stories are heard,” Olmos said. “While these two films are very different, both of them celebrate how art can lift individuals and communities and bring about real transformative change.”

A Definitive Portrait of a Cultural Revolutionary

Winner of the Library of Congress Lavine/Ken Burns Prize for Film, American Pachuco: The Legend of Luis Valdez features extensive interviews with Valdez, offering rare insight into his artistic philosophy, political consciousness, and lifelong commitment to cultural truth-telling. The film positions Valdez not only as a playwright and filmmaker, but as a cultural architect whose influence reshaped the American artistic landscape.

The documentary is a co-production of Insignia Films, ITVS, Latino Public Broadcasting, and Firelight Media, in association with American Masters Pictures and PBS, with funding provided by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. It will premiere nationally in Fall 2026 as a co-presentation of VOCES and AMERICAN MASTERS, placing Valdez among the most essential artists ever profiled in the series.

LPB at Sundance: Expanding the Latino Story

Latino stories are foundational to American culture, not footnotes. And at the center of that truth stands Luis Valdez—a visionary who proved that telling our own stories is an act of resistance, celebration, and transformation.With American Pachuco: The Legend of Luis Valdez, Sundance 2026 does more than honor a filmmaker. It honors a movement—and a legacy that continues to shape every Latino story told on stage and screen today.

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Inclusive Excellence. The IMAGEN Awards are a four-decade-long Latino awards tradition.  transcending borders to honor excellence in entertainment both in English and Spanish.  They are a bridge that reaches across the cultural board of Chicano, Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, Venezuelan, Dominican, Chilean, Colombian, Spanish, Brazilian, Argentine…and those who collaborate creatively with the Latino community. 

Twenty-seven categories embrace the creative contributions of the individuals whose extraordinary work alternately brings joy, understanding, hilarity, clarity, and hope to audiences of all ages.    

The Imagen Foundation’s beginning dates back to a 1983 meeting between Television Producer Norman Lear and Helen Hernandez, Vice President of Public Affairs for his company, Embassy Communications. Out of this meeting emerged the Imagen Awards competition, which aimed at recognizing and celebrating the positive portrayals of Latinos in film and television.

 “As we celebrate 40 years of the Imagen Awards, I am filled with pride for how far we’ve come in elevating Latino voices in Hollywood, Hernandez said.  “What began as a vision to create greater opportunity and representation has become a steadfast movement that continues to showcase the extraordinary talent and cultural richness of our creative community.” 

The complete list of Honorees and Winners is as follows: Gustavo Dudamel [Presidents’ Award, Dailyn Rodriguez [Norman Lear Writer’s Award] top acting honors went to: John Leguizamo, Barbie Ferreira, Sofia Carson, Benjamín Bratt, Sasha Calle, Manuel Garcia-Rulfo, Gabriel Luna, Rafael Cebrián, Brian Jordan Alvarez, Camila Perez, London Garcia, Liza Colón-Zayas, Brice Gonzalez, Natalia del Riego, Danny Trejo. Directors Alonso Ruizpalacios, Andor and Fede Álvarez Alien: Romulus.  Composers Gustavo Santaolalla, Javier Nuño & Joe Rodríguez. 

Winning Shows: The Last of Us, Land of Women tied with Y Llegaron de Noche, Documentary Voces: American Historia: The Untold History of Latinos, Dora won for Animation.  Best Documentary Las Amazonas de Yaxunah (ESPN) Best Informational Program ABC News Studios – “Latinos in Hollywood: Owning Our Destiny” (ABC News; ABC News Studios) Short Film Remember Us.

The Imagen Awards are scheduled to air on PBS during Hispanic Heritage Month on Wednesday, October 1, 2025, at 9:00 p.m. (PST). Check your local listings.

*Interviews with Nominees and Guests to Follow.  LINKS: Full list of nominees: Imagen Awards Nominees 2025; More information: imagen.org; Follow on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok: @imagenfoundation

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Five years in the making this inspiring story of cultural pride and resilience was brought to life by co-directors David E. Valdez and Enrique Castillo, with renowned actor/activist and Edward James Olmos as one of the executive producer.

The evening’s star-studded guest list included Rudy Ramos (Yellowstone), Benito Martinez (With Love), Nicholas Gonzalez (La Brea), Jesse Garcia (Flamin’ Hot), Laura Patalano (This Fool), Victor Rivers (Blood In, Blood Out), writer/producer/director Rick Najera; and notable actors Alejandro Patiño (Papi Chulo), Karina Noelle Castillo (NCIS, The Good Doctor), Sol Castillo (Confessions of a Gangster), Raul Cardona (Babylon), and Kikey Castillo (Mayans MC. Multi-GRAMMY Award-Winning Mariachi Divas members Cindy Shea, Daniela Gutierrez, and Julissa Dominguez; singer-songwriter Dan Navarro (We Belong).

The night celebrated the film’s LA premiere and the impact of mariachi on Mexican-American identity, with a Q&A following the screening that deepened the audience’s appreciation for this legacy. In attendance were five original members of Los Changuitos Feos, Wilfred Arvizu, David Ruiz, Gilbert Velez, Francisco Escobar, and Cosme Barcelo, who received a standing ovation from the crowd. Their presence brought an added layer of significance, allowing attendees to connect personally with the legacy captured in the film.

With Ugly Little Monkeys, the filmmakers have succeeded in not only preserving but celebrating an essential piece of American Latino history. The documentary is an unforgettable tribute to the unifying power of music and cultural heritage, sparking pride and inspiration for generations to come.

The Ugly Little Monkeys filmmakers have also been partnering with organizations nationwide to bring this powerful documentary to communities across the country. Community groups, cultural institutions, and educational organizations interested in hosting a screening in their city are encouraged to reach out to coordinate a local event. To bring Ugly Little Monkeys to your area, please contact: info@uglylittlemonkeys.com.

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The life of legendary Hollywood actor and internationally renowned artist Pepe Serna is revealed in Pepe Serna: Life Is Art, a one-hour documentary film directed by Luis Reyes will be available for streaming on Apple TV, Amazon, Google Play, and Vudu on February 21, 2024. Told by Serna himself, the documentary follows his lengthy acting career and artistic life and provides viewers with a rare opportunity to discover previously unseen and unknown sides of the actor’s journey. 

With over 100 film and television credits, Serna is most recognized for his iconic role opposite Al Pacino in the classic film Scarface as Ángel Fernández, whose grisly demise is one of the most memorable in cinema history. Born in Corpus Christi, Texas in 1944, Serna built a career from the ground up and appeared in films such as Car Wash with Richard Pryor, Postcards from the Edge with Meryl Streep, The Jerk with Steve Martin, and Academy Award-winning director Alexander Payne’s Downsizing with Matt Damon. 

Eva Longoria and Edward James Olmos, both longtime friends of Serna, provide personal insight and perspective on his versatility and longevity as an actor and artist alongside Cheech Marin, Gloria Calderón Kellett, Luis Valdez and many others.

Throughout his journey, he has inspired countless Latino artists to follow in his footsteps by delivering powerful performances for filmmakers such as Brian De Palma, Clint Eastwood, John Schlesinger, Dalton Trumbo, Roger Corman, Henry Hathaway, William Friedkin and Dick Donner. 

Serna’s career is a testament to how far Latinos have come in Hollywood. He has indisputably claimed a reputable place in one of the world’s most competitive industries for his story-telling abilities and unique drive to empower not just Latinos but also other underserved communities. 

His recent memoir “Life is Art” recounts his motivational story from humble beginnings and offers life-changing lessons to overcoming adversity. “Life is Art” is available now for purchase here.

In addition to Hollywood success, Pepe is a visual artist whose paintings have been exhibited in galleries around the world. He also conducts motivational and improvisational workshops in high schools nationwide.

The documentary received awards in 2022 including Best Documentary at the Official Latino Film and Arts Festival, and the Poppy Jasper International Film Festival, Audience Award at the San Diego Latino Film Festival, and Festival Prize at the South Texas International Film Festival.

Most recently, Serna can be seen in Eva Longoria’s feature directorial debut Flamin’ Hot and on Amazon’s TV series With Love.

For additional information on Pepe Serna: Life Is Art, please visit: 

Website: https://www.pepeserna.net

Facebook: @https://www.facebook.com/pepesernanews/

Instagram: @https://www.instagram.com/pepefied11/

Purchase the book today Here

Cast: Luis Valdez (Playwright, director Zoot Suit, La Bamba), Edward James Olmos (Oscar-nominated actor & director), Eva Longoria (actor, producer & director), Gloria Calderón Kellet (showrunner on “One Day at a Time,” “With Love”), David Ansen (former Newsweek film critic), Cheech Marin (of the comedy duo Cheech and Chong, actor & art collector) and Robert Beltran (actor, Cmdr. Chakotay in Star Trek: Voyager TV series)

Produced By: Kayvon Derak Shanian, David Méndez and Isaac Artenstein 

Executive Produced by: David Damian Figueroa 

Directed By: Luis Reyes

Run Time: 1 hour and 2 minutes

Rating: Not rated

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Individual directors and independent production companies are invited to submit a picture locked cut of their feature length scripted or documentary film. A jury of post-production professionals will divide the funds among the three top projects, based on their post-production needs. Funds recipients will be announced at this year’s LALIFF, which is presented by the Latino Film Institute (LFI) and takes place in Los Angeles May 31-June 4.

Throughout its history, LALIFF has bestowed the Gabriel Figueroa Lifetime Achievement Award to such industry icons as, Raul Julia, Pedro Almodovar, Carlos Saura, Maria Felix, Anthony Quinn, Nelson Pereira dos Santos, Federico Luppi, Rita Moreno, Ricardo Montalban, Antonio Banderas, Ignacio Lopez Tarso, Gustavo Santaolalla and, of course, Gabriel Figueroa himself.

“We are very excited to announce the expansion of our collaboration with Amazon Studios through the inaugural LALIFF Works in Progress initiative. By supporting this program, Amazon is supporting our work as we continue to elevate Latino voices in a landscape where it’s difficult for filmmakers from our community to secure post-productions funds”, said Academy Award® nominated actor, founder of the Latino Film Institute and co-founder of LALIFF, Edward James Olmos.

“At Amazon Studios we strive to remove barriers to success in the creative process. It is part of the equity work we are committed to doing” said Latasha Gillespie, global head of DEIA for Amazon Studios and Prime Video. “LALIFF Works in Progress is a compelling example of our Inclusion Policy and Playbook in action.”

LALIFF Works in Progress is an expansion of Amazon Studios and LFI’s current relationship; Amazon Studios is the exclusive sponsor of LFI’s Youth Cinema Project (YCP) Alumni program for the 2022-2023 school year.  The program connects over 300 students to hands-on access and learning opportunities across the industry, including mentoring and assistance with college applications. The sponsorship also includes the inaugural YCP Fellowship initiative, which provides 19 college bound students with resources to make a high-quality short film to strengthen their film school applications and scholarship opportunities. The finished film will screen at LALIFF in June. 

The LALIFF Youth Program, a screen education program that took place at the festival, set the groundwork for what would eventually become the statewide, public school educational film program known as, the Youth Cinema Project.

Visit here for more details on the LALIFF Works in Progress program and how to submit.

Amazon Studios is the home for talent, creating and producing Original films and television series for a global audienceAmazon Studios also produces and acquires Original movies for theatrical release and exclusively for Prime Video, in addition to producing Original content for Freevee, Amazon’s premium free streaming service.

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The YCP/Amazon Fellowship provides young filmmakers with mentorship and funding to create short films; this particular short film, created by the cohort, will premiere at the Los Angeles Latino International Film Festival (LALIFF) 2023. More info on this festival below.
https://laliff.org

The are currently are looking for Latinas and Afro Latinas between the ages of 18 and 22, to play brave and edgy non conforming punk rock musicians. No need to know how to play anything or sing, just give us the aesthetic and speak some Spanish.

Shoot Dates are April 14th – 16th in Los Angeles, CA. 

TALENT MUST BE LOS ANGELES LOCAL. The project is SAG-AFTRA and is a paid gig.
Send your submission materials (picture, resume, phone number and email) to solsupernovacasting@cris-franco

Casting for the following roles

[V] To Play 18 to 22; Latina; female. Brave and reckless. A nonconformist who uses anger to cover up her emotional sensitivity. 

[ANDY] To Play 18 to 22, Afro-Latina; female. V’s girlfriend. She is almost always calm and collected. The voice of reason. She mostly defers to her partner V, who is a lot more assertive. 

[BELLA] To Play 18 to 22, Latina, female. Bella has a strong urge to express herself and is very passionate. She plays drums in a rock band with her roommates.

If you fit these roles. Submit as soon as possible

Creative team includes:

Producing Mentor: Gabriela Gonzalez, Directing Mentor: Anthony Nardolillo , Writers: Kimberly Mediola Leon and Alyssa Rodriguez, Casting Director: Candido Cornejo, CSA, Casting Assistant: Michael Padilla

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Carla Hayden, the Librarian of Congress recently announced the annual selection of 25 influential films to be inducted into the National Film Registry of the Library of Congress. Selected for their cultural, historic or aesthetic importance to preserve the nation’s film heritage, the newest selections include a vibrant diversity of American filmmakers, as well as landmark works in key genres and numerous documentaries.

The Ballad of Gregorio Cortez (1982) is the solo Latino film included this year.
Acknowledged as one of the key feature films from the burgeoning 1980s Chicano film movement, The Ballad of Gregorio Cortez was based on folklorist Américo Paredes’ acclaimed account of El Corrido de Gregorio Cortez, a key work of the Chicano Studies movement. The ballad from the borderlands of Texas and Mexico, explored the creation through song of the folk hero Gregorio Cortez, a poor Tejano farmer accused in 1901 of killing a sheriff who had shot Cortez’s brother during a poorly translated interrogation. A posse of some 600 Texas Rangers pursued Cortez for 11 days before his capture, as widespread newspaper accounts of the chase and subsequent trial spurred the creation of the ballad. Relying on the prodigious talents of director Robert M. Young, lead actor and co-producer Edward James Olmos, cinematographer Ray Villalobos and producer Moctesuma Esparza, The Ballad of Gregorio Cortez employed narrative devices common to such classic films as Citizen Kane, Rashomon and The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance to tell its complicated story in a nonlinear fashion. While some characters speak in Spanish and others in English, the filmmakers decided not to use subtitles to replicate in audiences the experience of borderland characters caught up in the unfolding tragedy. The film has been preserved by the Academy Film Archive.

The 2022 selections date back 124 years in filmmaking to an 1898 film of the Mardi Gras Carnival parade in New Orleans. The latest film to be added this year is 2011’s Pariah, directed by Dee Rees. This year’s selections include at least 15 films directed or co-directed by filmmakers of color, women or LGBTQ+ filmmakers. The selections bring the number of films in the registry to 850, many of which are among the 1.7 million films in the Library’s collections.

Turner Classic Movies (TCM) will host a television special Tuesday, Dec. 27, starting at 8 p.m. ET to screen a selection of motion pictures named to the registry this year. Hayden will join TCM host, film historian and Academy Museum of Motion Pictures Director and President Jacqueline Stewart, who is chair of the National Film Preservation Board, to discuss the films. 

The public can submit nominations throughout the year on the library’s web site Nominations for next year will be accepted until Aug. 15, 2023. Cast your vote at loc.gov/film.

Films Selected for the 2022 National Film Registry
(chronological order)

• Mardi Gras Carnival (1898)
• Cab Calloway Home Movies (1948-1951)
• Cyrano de Bergerac (1950)
• Charade (1963)             
• Scorpio Rising (1963)
• Behind Every Good Man (1967)
• Titicut Follies (1967)
• Mingus (1968)    
• Manzanar (1971)
• Betty Tells Her Story (1972)
• Super Fly (1972)
• Attica (1974)
• Carrie (1976)
• Union Maids (1976)
• Word is Out: Stories of Our Lives (1977)
• Bush Mama (1979)
• The Ballad of Gregorio Cortez (1982)
• Itam Hakim, Hopiit (1984)
• Hairspray (1988)
• The Little Mermaid (1989)
• Tongues Untied (1989)
• When Harry Met Sally (1989) 
• House Party (1990)
• Iron Man (2008)
• Pariah (2011)     

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It made big news when it premiered in August and is coming back with more of the irreverent comedy that audiences loved.  This Fool, the Hulu Original comedy series, produced by ABC Signature has been renewed for ten more episodes of creator and star Chris Estrada’s comedy series.

Season one of This Fool premiered this year on August 12 streaming on Hulu with 10 episodes. You can still watch it if you have not seen it and want to get up to speed for season two.  The series is written and executive produced by Chris Estrada, Pat Bishop (Corporate), Jake Weisman (Corporate) and Matt Ingebretson (Corporate). Jonathan Groff (Black-ish) and Fred Armisen (Los Espookys) also serve as executive producers on the series. 

This Fool is a half-hour comedy about a working class ordinary (very ordinary) “Joe”.  Julio Lopez is a 30 year-old man who still lives at home, a prim and proper, self-righteous man with an on-and-off girlfriend who, the worse she treats him the more he pursues her.  She is his high school sweetheart…who is not very sweet to him.  Julio works at a non-profit gang rehabilitation where he takes his cousin, recently released from jail, in hopes of rehabilitating him.  Which is easier said than done.  

At Hugs Not Thugs, the non-profit works for, Julio takes his job of reforming his ex-gang member cousin seriously, but it proves to be harder than he imagined.

The supporting cast is stellar.  In addition to Estrada who plays the lead, Frankie Quiñones who plays Julio’s cousin,  Laura Patalano plays his mom Esperanza; Michelle Ortiz plays his girlfriend Maggie, veteran actress Julia Vera plays Maria his grandmother and Michael Imerioli plays Minister Payne.  

This cast of characters quickly endeared themselves to a ready audience who have been waiting for season two!

Chris Estrada is repped by United Talent Agency

Cowboys Movies Back in The Saddle Again

Not sure how much Kevin Costner’s western series Yellowstone has had a hand in raising the profile of the western genre, but Indie filmmaker Mario Van Peebles (Power Book III: Raising Kanan) just wrapped production on a new western called Outlaws which he directed and stars in.   His cast includes Whoopie Goldberg (Till), Cedric the Entertainer (The Neighborhood) and Edward James Olmos (Mayans M.C.) 

Van Peebles plays a renegade cowboy who assembles a team of multicultural friends to help him retrieve gold from an abandoned mine. It sounds like the feature Oceans 11, western style!  We are glad they included Olmos as one of the main characters because how can you make a movie about cowboys without them, when Mexicans invented the iconic cowboy genre.  Words like Buckaroo is an Anglicized form of the word in Spanish “vaquero” and “la reata” became lariat.  

Westerns are making a comeback and stories of Mexican “Vaqueros” are currently in development.  More on that in next week’s Hollywood Talks!

Edward James Olmos is repped by Ben Dey of Creative Artists Agency

Get Ready for Anna Garcia

You may not know Anna Garcia (Hacks) but soon you will.  She is a graduated of  the University of Michigan with a B.A. in Film and moved to L.A. in 2017..  She was a stand out in the 2022 CBS Comedy Showcase and after making appearances on TV shows like Hacks, Superstore and It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, she is now ready for her film close up.

Garcia landed a much sought-after role in what will be her feature film debut in Project Artemis where she will work alongside Jim Rash (Harely Quinn), Ray Romano (Parenthood), Scarlett Johansson (Avengers: End Game) and Channing Tatum (The Lost City). 

The film, whose plot line is listed on IMDB as “under wraps” is rumoured to be a 1960s space race film.  It is being directed by Greg Berlanti for Apple Studios and produced by Johansson, Jonathan Lia and Keenan Flynn of These Pictures.  Rose Gilroy and Sarah Schechter wrote the script.

Anna is repped by Valerie Champeau at Paradigm Talent Agency 

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Multi-platinum-selling recording artist/songwriter Luis Fonsi is taking a major career leap into the acting realm.  Last week he signed on as the romantic lead in Nancy De Los Santos‘ romantic comedy The Answer to my Prayer, which is scheduled to begin shooting later in 2022.

Answer to My Prayers follows the romance travails of three Latina friends whose destinies are changed by an ancient prayer given to them by one of their abuelita. The prayer to St. Anthony promises to help them find true love. Fonsi plays the character of Rafael Reza in this romantic comedy with a Latina heart.  Casting is currently underway.

Back in the early 90’s putting together a project like this was what Latino indie filmmakers dreamt about — a day when they had enough industry clout to come together and tell the stories Hollywood still refuses to tell. The accomplished production team for The Answer to my Prayer, collectively have produced projects that include some of Hollywood’s biggest hits like Selena, Stand and Deliver, Mi Familia My Familia, American Me, Filly Brown, and The Bronze Screen:100 Years of the Latino Image in Hollywood Cinema.  

Actor/producer Edward James Olmos who is currently starring on FX’s Mayans M.C. and whose credits both as an actor and producer are legendary, is on board as executive producer, with award-winning director Patrick Perez Vidauri whose last three films have been romantic comedies (Divorce Bait, Townhouse Confidential and In Other Words) will direct from de Los Santos’s script. Cristina Nava who has worked alongside Vidauri as producer on two of his films will lead the production with Texas-based Roberto Treviño and Eileen Kret (Selena) as co-producers. 

Vidaurri and Nava are fast becoming the go-to duo specializing in romantic comedies with Latinos in the lead.  Producing under their banner of Migrant Filmworks this husband and wife team have produced In Other Words which starred Edy Ganam, Natasha Esca, Byran McClure and streamed on HBO.  Their most recent film Divorce Bait stars Vannessa Vasquez and Justin Berti, has been acquired by Samuel Goldwyn Films and is set for a 2022 fall release. 

“The mission of our company is to tell stories with universal themes and to promote Latinx roles in front and behind the camera,” said Nava. I can’t wait to share this fun rom com full of comedy of errors, love triangles, and heart!”

The story is set in San Antonio, Texas where the city’s natural beauty, eclectic collection of public art, and historic architecture will add to the richness of the story making it a great setting for romance. 

“Nancy’s script has exactly the elements I look for when I take on a new project,” Perez told us. “With a warm, humanity-filled, and gut-busting hilarity that goes along with a unique look of our beautiful Texican and Latinx culture.

Fonsi’s casting as the lead character was inspired by his leading man looks and his numerous music videos performances as well as some television credits. That and the fact that he is known the world over for his 2017 record-breaking song Despacito played a major part. In 2020 his song broke six Guinness World Records by selling more than 11 million records and the music video was the most-watched YouTube video of all time until November 2020, with over 7 billion views.  

The casting also follows the template of the recent boxoffice hit Father of the Bride which cast singer/songrwriter Gloria Estefan in the lead role of Andy Garcia‘s wife in Father of the Bride which attracted the largest audience of any HBO Max movie that has streamed exclusively on the platform thanks in part to being among the top 5 movies in Mexico, Colombia, Brazil, Chile and Argentina according to box office stats.

The possibility of an acting career was something Fonsi had thought of in the past.  Back in 2011 in an on-camera interview with Acceso Total he was asked if he ever considered an acting career, “If tomorrow, I’m asked to do a role in an interesting TV show or a movie, of course, I’m not going to turn it down if I feel I can do it”.  And just like that, eleven years later, Fonsi has found “the” interesting project that could launch his acting career.

“This is my dream team. Cristina, Patrick, and Mr. Olmos are filmmakers dedicated to elevating the Latina and Latino images by presenting realistic images of our community,” said de Los Santos.  “Patrick brings his extensive experience as a rom-com director. His incredible ability to tell a story visually, adding insight and imagery to the script, is a gift.”

Fonsi and Olmos are represented by CAA; Nava and Vidauri are both repped by Citizen Skull Productions. 

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Los Angeles, CA – Founder of the Latino Film Institute, Academy Award®-nominated actor Edward James Olmos recently announce the Los Angeles Latino International Film Festival (LALIFF) return for its 21st edition and with it the lineup of films and events that will take place June 1 – 5 at the iconic TCL Chinese Theater and TCL Chinese 6 in Hollywood, CA.

This year’s festival will open with the Disney Original Documentary Mija directed by Isabel Castro.  The documentary follows Doris Muñoz, who began a career in music talent management and met Jacks Haupt, an auspicious young singer, both share the ever-present guilt of being the first American-born members of their undocumented families.  

The closing night film will be Warner Bros. Pictures and HBO Max’s Father of the Bride directed by Gaz Alazraki with an ensemble cast led by Oscar nominee Andy Garcia alongside Gloria Estefan, Adria Arjona, Diego Boneta, Isabela Merced, and Chloe Fineman.

The full lineup includes feature films, short films, episodic, animation, master classes, and musical performances. 

“LALIFF Is proud to present a diverse line-up of Latino storytellers,” said Edward James Olmos, co-founder of LALIFF. “The festival has seen tremendous growth, with support from both the film industry and our audience, allowing us to showcase and nurture important voices that the world needs to hear.”

The festival program comprises 17 feature films from the US, Latin America and Canada. Every film and episodic will have an in-person screening, and a selection will be available online, on-demand, from 12:00 AM to 11:59 PM on Sunday, June 5th.

Other noted films screening during the festival are A Place in the Field directed by Nicole Mejia (currently a fellow of the LALIFF Inclusion Fellowship), All Sorts directed by J. Rick Castañeda (who was part of LALIFF’s Official Selection in 2016 with Cement Suitcase), and Blood Red Ox directed by Rodrigo Bellot (his previous feature, Tu Me Manques, was Bolivia’s submission for the Goyas and the Academy Awards in 2019).

The documentary program includes My Two Voices directed by Lina Rodriguez (which premiered at this year’s Berlinale as part of the Forum section); Comala, directed by Gian Cassini (an official selection by the Toronto, Morelia and Guadalajara Film Festivals), Pepe Serna: Life is Art directed by Luis Reyes, about the groundbreaking Mexican-American character actor Pepe Serna and whose body of work proves the lasting power and importance of character actors; and What We Leave Behind directed by Iliana Sosa, that tells the story of her grandfather’s lifetime of bus rides across the border to visit his children in the U.S. 

“You will find some of the boldest films, TV series and music, with 50% of the program directed by women,” said Diana Cadavid, LALIFF’s Festival Director. “We offer a platform for our artists to connect with a diverse and multicultural audience, as well as with important players in the industry,” said Diana Cadavid, LALIFF’s Festival Director. 

The Latinx inclusion Fellowship Series, sponsored by Netflix, will include five Afro Latino and five Indigenous Latino filmmakers. All ten filmmakers will be premiering their short films at LALIFF 2022.

Celebration animation this year the festival includes the Latino Film Institute’s premiere of two animated series from Mexico and the Cafecito Talks, conversations that cover a broad spectrum of perspectives in the animation world, featuring industry leaders and diverse talent and artists.

The festival has three juried competitions in the Live Action Short, Animated Short and Short Episodic categories.

The LALIFF Music 5th edition will highlight exceptional and diverse Latino/a talent, music panels, networking lounges, and celebrate the art and sound. 

LALIFF this year will collaborate with AltaMed Health Services to celebrate the work of Harry Gamboa Jr., Chicano artist (photographer, performance artist, director), author, educator, and currently the Director of the Photo/Media Program at the California Institute of the Arts (CalArts). The festival will showcase a selection of his photography and video artwork, spanning over six decades.

LALIFF’s Industry Days includes one on one meetings and networking events, a series of panels of industry talks covering a wide variety of topics. 

The two-day Legacy event, LALIFF’s student film festival, returns with over 100 films shot and produced by students of the Youth Cinema Project and will include student film premieres, panels, Q&As, special events and workshops, and screenings.

For more information and listing of sponsors for the festival For the LALIFF full programming slate, schedule and sponsor listing please visit www.laliff.org.Tickets are now available to purchase through the festival’s site here.

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