By Judi Jordan

The American Film Market® staged a bold and forward-looking comeback this year, roaring back into Los Angeles with 6,132 attendees representing 83 countries and filling every corner of the Fairmont Century Plaza with energy, opportunity, and the unmistakable sense that global independent cinema is entering a new era. With 285 companies from 35 nations, the sold-out exhibition floor reaffirmed AFM’s reputation as the must-attend global marketplace — and Latin America, Spain, and U.S. Latino creators were unmistakably in the mix.

One of the biggest additions to AFM 2025 was the new Innovation Hub, produced in collaboration with Marché du Film / Cannes Next. The Hub brought together nine cutting-edge companies, anchoring AFM’s first-ever AI-driven programming series. These sessions tackled everything from ethical AI deployment to creative automation and distribution disruption — with panelists urging independent filmmakers, especially those from underrepresented communities, to stay ahead of the technology that’s reshaping global storytelling. For Latino creatives, this wasn’t a warning — it was a roadmap.

Another high-impact moment came with the spotlight on Navarra, Spain, presented by Arturo Cisneros and Beatriz Acinas. In one of the Market’s liveliest and most strategically important sessions, the duo introduced Navarra as Europe’s next breakout production hub, bolstered by muy generoso incentives, collaborative government support, and a streamlined co-production structure ideal for cross-border Spanish-language storytelling. With Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, and the U.S. Latino sector increasingly expanding into prestige TV, genre, and epic drama, Navarra’s pitch resonated as more than financial — it felt like a cultural bridge. The addition of the new Creators’ Lounge provided the perfect atmosphere for these conversations to turn into collaborations on the spot.

Latino presence wasn’t limited to the exhibitor floor — it made powerful waves onstage as well. Latino leadership also dominated the conversation onstage. The “Crafting the Narrative…” panel featured words of wisdom-getting greenlit from Lourdes Diaz (AGC Studios, former President of Entertainment at Univision). The session “Latinos Navigating Hollywood” assembled a powerhouse panel including Director Jay Torres, TV Writer/Author Rafael Agustín, Director Patricia Riggen (Miracles From Heaven), Producer Yolanda Macias (Terrifier 3), Robert Muñoz, Their discussion was frank, incisive, and deeply reflective of the moment: despite Latinos’ massive audience share and growing critical acclaim, greenlighting power and financing still lag far behind. But every panelist emphasized momentum — not deficit.

They spoke of rising transnational collaborations, an explosion of Latino genre and prestige storytelling, and the increasing refusal of Latino creators to wait for permission. The message was clear: the talent is here, the global Spanish-language audience is here, and Hollywood’s inaction is now costing it financially and creatively.

Buyers from Mexico, Brazil, Spain, Colombia, Chile, and the U.S. Latino sector fueled the marketplace, underscoring how Spanish-speaking regions are shaping global content demand across streaming, theatrical, and hybrid distribution. By the close of the Market, one truth resonated louder than any keynote: Latino creators are no longer an underserved sidebar — they are central to the future of the global indie landscape. AFM’s return to Los Angeles simply made it impossible to ignore.

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TO SUBMIT: www.mexicanamericancef.org/film-television-festival

Los Angeles, CA — The Mexican-American Cultural Education Foundation (MACEF) will celebrate its second annual Mexican-American Film and Television Festival & Awards at the historic Raleigh Studios in Hollywood. MACEF is now accepting submissions from filmmakers for the festival which takes place May 13-14, 2023. 

After last year’s inaugural film festival, the The two day festival will feature films and TV content made by Mexican-Americans, featuring Mexican-Americans and championed by Mexican-Americans. The filmmakers will have an  opportunity to network with industry professionals and audiences. The festival will be inviting trailblazing filmmakers whose film changed the course of independent filmmaking and will provide a learning experience aNd a screening of their films with couple of retrospective screening  

Fitting with this year’s theme of “changing the narrative, recognizing who we are”, MACEF’s mission is to change the negative narrative of Americans of Mexican descent by highlighting their stories and their positive contribution to the U.S.

The Mexican-American Cultural Education Foundation (MACEF) is a Non-Profit organization, with the mission of educating the community about the rich cultural contributions of the Mexican-American community to this country, which are often unrecognized.The MACEF Film Festival submission application is for those individuals who want to showcase their work to other film lovers, filmmakers, and Hollywood industry professional.

“For over 100 years, Hollywood has ignored the presence and contribution of Mexican-Americans and mainly represented them as maids, gardeners, and gangsters,” says Jose Luiz Ruiz, MACEF president, and founder. “This will not change unless we make it change. We at MACEF encourage our Mexican and Mexican-American filmmakers to submit their projects to the festival, the first of its kind in the nation”.

The festival will feature eight competition categories: Best TV Show, Best Short Film, Best Screenplay for Film, Best Screenplay for a TV Show, Best Film, Best Performance by an Actor, Best Performance by an Actress, and Best Director.  

All festival entries must be the applicants’ original works, not already in distribution and will be judged by noted industry professionals on the quality of the stories, production value, and submission guidelines. Stories that are culturally positive and non-stereotypical will have priority.

MACEF applicants can be of any background, but the production team must include at least one producer, writer, director, or lead actor who identifies as Mexican-American or Chicano of any generation or mixed ethnicity. Also, entrants will be responsible for obtaining all rights to third-party materials included in their submitted works, including trademarks, copyrights, and music. Furthermore, a digital link to the film or TV pilot is required.

The deadline for entries is January 15, 2023. 

This year’s MAF&TF will also feature retrospective screening of Latino filmmakers that changed the course of independent filmmaking throughout the years.

MACEF hopes to impact the TV and film industries in a period of extraordinary growth and relevance for the past few decades called a “new golden era of television,” which has only been strengthened by streaming platforms in recent years. “Welcome to the New Golden Era of Mexican-American Chicano television and film,” declares Ruiz. 

As the largest group of the U.S. Latino sector, Mexican-Americans have the power to make or break a film or TV show in release, as they are one of the largest filmgoing audiences. 

“There are 40 million Americans of Mexican descent, approximately 70 percent of the Latino demographic, a key group to the success of any film premiere,” says Ruiz. “Our festival will address a need for the increase in representation on the screen, as well as a change on how we are represented,” concluded Dr. Ruiz. “It will build community and provide support to the filmmakers coming from this creative, hard-working community.”

For more information, visit www.mexicanamericancef.org.

Follow us on social media:

Facebook: @MexAmCEF

Instagram: @MexAmCEF YouTube: Mexican-American Cultural Education Foundation

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Though Covid-19 has become responsible for canceling many of our favorite holiday events and traditions, such as the famous West Hollywood Halloween Carnival, local haunted houses, and trick-or-treating, Halloween is not canceled. Many venues in Southern California have created spooky and safe alternatives for adults and families alike. Highlighted either by county or at home programs are Covid-19 guideline-friendly Halloween events for a frightful good time. In fact, several programs are already underway, bringing the Halloween spirit early. (Featured photo above by Toni Cuenca from Pexels)

Prices and dates for events available in the title links.

LOS ANGELES:

LA Art Society

Dedicated to “Bringing people together through ART”, the LA Art Society is hosting a horror movie drive-in cinema experience at the Gardena Cinema in the city of Gardena. Each day has two separate themed screenings from the family-friendly horror films “Spooky Series”, to the rated-R horror films “Dark Series”.

Haunted Hayride

The favorite LA Halloween attraction is modifying its signature scares for a drive-through experience. At the end of the trail, enjoy a drive-in of scary short film festival, with scare performers in a live show.

LA Zoo

Hosting their first ever drive-in movies experiences, the LA Zoo is hosting three weekends of film, with unique themes which are predominately family orientated. The themes include: Week#1: Animal Adventures (Zootopia), Week #2: The Brilliant Betty White (The Lorax), and Week #3: Hair-Raising Halloween (The Addams Family (2019)).

ORANGE COUNTY

The Frida Cinema Drive In

Orange County’s only art house cinema theatre, The Frida Cinema, is hosting an array of pop-up drive-in experiences. Among their array of films for the season are the horror classics Evil Dead 2, Deep Red: 45^th Anniversary, and the Halloween classic The Nightmare Before Christmas.

Santa Ana Zoo

A COVID-safe Halloween family friendly trail through the zoo. Family friendly costumes are encouraged and goody bags are available for children.

OC Fair Food Drive-Thru

The tasty treats that are featured attractions of the fair, are now available by drive-thru. Drive-thru the OC fair grounds for a unique food experience, with food favorites from funnel cakes, to kettle popcorn, and Pink’s Hot Dogs.

Urban Legends Drive-Thru Haunt at OC Fair & Event Center

Enjoy three interactive scare zones at the OC fair grounds, filled with monsters and special effects. Each scare zone is filled with “immersive storytelling and terrifying scenes”. 

SAN DIEGO

Mr. Jack O’Lanterns Pumpkins

The family fun of a pumpkin patch can now be experienced at home, with Mr. Jack O’Lanterns Pumpkin’s newest features, curbside pickup or home delivery with Grubhub. Enjoy ordering online an array of pumpkin sizes and fun pumpkin decorating and carving kits. Mr. Jack O’Lanterns Pumpkins is available in both San Diego and Los Angeles.    

Birch Aquarium

The Haunted Aquarium Remix at the Birch Aquarium has created a mix of new outdoor activities as well as animal activities and encounters for families. Costumes are encouraged when enjoying their Haunted Kelp Maze and viewing the sea creatures of the deep and dark parts of the sea.

SPECIAL ONLINE EVENTS

The Frida Cinema: Camp Frida Blood Stream

While also hosting the pop-up drive ins, The Frida Cinema is also holding its traditional Camp Frida 12-hour movie marathon online, on October 24 from 8pm to 8am. This year’s films are 1980’s cult slasher horror films, such as Spookies, Zombi 3, and Terror Train, starring Jamie Lee Curtis.

STREAMING SERVICES

While most streaming service already proved horror movies year-round, some are highlighting horror films in either special Halloween sections, with original content. 

Netflix

With its featured Halloween section, Netflix is also expanding on its horror section new horror film premieres, in particular Vampires vs. the Bronx. 

Hulu

Featuring its highlighted horror films in Huluween, while also premiering new horror films, like Books of Blood.

Shudder

The year-round horror film streaming platforms, is featuring new film releases and highlighting horror cult classics.

Tubi

The free streaming service features an array of horror movies, including modern, classic and cult films.

TV:

TCM

Every Friday night in October, TCM (Turner Classic Movies) will play classic horror films, from the timeless Universal Monster films of Dracula and Frankenstein to the infamous The Wicker Man, and a full day of classic horror delights on Halloween.

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The 18th edition of the festival will present films in the following sections: Special Presentations, Feature Films, Cinema’s Legacy, Episodic and Short Film sections. AFI DOCS 2020 runs June 17–21, with films available to view on DOCS.AFI.com. The Washington Post and Meet the Press return as the Primary Media Partners.

AFI DOCS’ program of Special Presentations includes the previously announced Opening Night film Boys State and Closing Night film Jimmy Carter Rock & Roll President, as well as the Centerpiece Screening of The Fight. Additional titles include Portraits and Dreams and Ron Howard’s Rebuilding Paradise.

This year’s diverse Features section explores themes and subjects ranging from the intersectionality of race, gender and violence in the Minneapolis police department (Women in Blue); the devastating effects of immigration policies under the current administration (Blood on the Wall); the importance of reclaiming female sexuality (Dilemma of Desire); and Asian Americans’ experience gaining full participation in the American political process (First Vote).

Academy Award®-winners Julia Reichert and Steven Bognar return to AFI DOCS with their newest film, 9TO5: The Story of a Movement, which chronicles the 1970s movement for gender equality in the workplace.

Now in its second year at AFI DOCS, the Cinema’s Legacy program showcases three classic documentaries focusing on the fight for full participation and access to our country’s political system, and the importance of making sure all voices are heard. This year’s Cinema’s Legacy selections include Freedom of My Mind (1994), Nationtime – Gary (1972), and Sisters of ’77 (2005).

The Episodic section features multi-part documentaries following the past, present, and future of US politics, particularly women’s importance in it, from the Women’s Suffrage Movement of the early 20th century to the recent historic rise of women of color running for office, including And She Could Be Next, City So Real, and The Vote. 

The 2020 Guggenheim Symposium will honor Academy Award^®-winning actor and filmmaker Lee Grant. Each year, the AFI DOCS Charles Guggenheim Symposium honors a master of the nonfiction art form. This year’s virtual Symposium will include a screening of Grant’s Academy Award^®-winning documentary film Down and Out in America (1986) and an in-depth conversation with Grant on June 19, 2020, moderated by author and Washington Post chief film critic Ann Hornaday.

Passes to AFI DOCS 2020 are now available to AFI members and the public at docs.afi.com/passes. Tickets will be available on June 10. To become an AFI member, visit AFI.com/join.

AFI DOCS 2020 PROGRAM

OPENING NIGHT SCREENING – Wednesday, June 17

Boys State:  DIRS Jesse Moss and Amanda McBaine.  PRODS Amanda McBaine and Jesse Moss.  USA. 

Each year the American Legion hosts a “civics camp” for high school students (separated by gender) in states across the country, where attendees are tasked with creating a mock government and spend the week campaigning for leadership and party platforms.

Winner of the Sundance U.S. Documentary Grand Jury Prize.

CLOSING NIGHT SCREENING – Sunday, June 21

Jimmy Carter Rock & Roll President:  DIR Mary Wharton.  PRODS Chris Farrell and Dave Kirkpatrick.  USA.

This fascinating documentary charts the mostly forgotten story of how Carter, a lover of all types of music, forged a tight bond with musicians Willie Nelson, the Allman Brothers, Bob Dylan, Dolly Parton and others, and who this artist helped gave him a crucial boost in the Democratic primaries.

CENTERPIECE SCREENING – Friday, June 19

The Fright:  DIRS Elyse Steinberg, Josh Kriegman and Eli Despres.  PRODS Elyse Steinberg, Josh Kriegman, Eli Despres, Maya Seidler, Peggy Wexler and Kerry Washington.  USA.

Celebrating 100 years of the ACLU, THE FIGHT shows how this group of committed lawyers has made a huge difference in protecting our rights and in the daily lives of countless Americans. Winner of the Sundance U.S. Documentary Special Jury Award for Social Impact Filmmaking.

Rebuiliding Paradise:  DIR Ron Howard.  PRODS Brian Grazer, Ron Howard, Xan Parker, Sara Bernstein and Justin Wilkes.  USA.

In the aftermath of The Camp Fire, California’s deadliest and most destructive fire in history, displaced over 50,000 residents, Ron Howard’s documentary follows a group of residents as they struggle and work together to rebuild their lives and community.

2020 GUGGENHEIM SYMPOSIUM

HONORING LEE GRANT

For the 2020 Guggenheim Symposium, Academy Award®-winning actor and documentary director Lee Grant (Down and Out in America and Confronting the Crisis: Childcare in America) will be featured in an in-depth conversation with Washington Post Chief Film Critic Ann Hornaday.

FEATURE FILMS

Among the 18 diverse documentary films being featured in this festival, are three films of great interest to us.

Blood on the Wall:  DIRS Sebastian Junger and Nick Quested.  PRODS Sebastian Junger, Nick Quested and Peter Goetz.  USA.

Immigration under the current administration is indelibly marked by powerful media images of migrant caravans, thousands of Central American families walking hundreds of miles through Mexico desperate to attain asylum in the United States. Acclaimed filmmaker Sebastian Junger (Academy Award®-nominated RESTREPO and KORENGAL) reteams with Nick Quested (Hell on Earth: The Fall of Syria and the Rise of ISIS) and National Geographic to chronicle the course of events that would transform Acapulco from tourist destination to murder capital in less than a decade.

Mirachle Fishing:  DIR Miles Hargrove CODIR Christopher Birge.  PRODS Miles Hargrove, Christopher Birge and Eric F. Martin.  USA.

So, your dad has been kidnapped by a rebel group and you are forced to negotiate for his release… what do you do? Well, if you’re Miles Hargrove, you make a video diary. Twenty-five years later, with the gift of hindsight, he returned to these diaries to tell this incredible story. In 1994, the FARC (Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia) kidnapped journalist Tom Hargrove from the family home in Cali, Columbia, leaving his wife and two sons to pay the ransom. With the help of their friends, including a hostage negotiator, FBI agent, and their 18-year-old neighbor, the group navigated conditions for his expected release. Their story, impeccably captured by a then state-of-the-art Video8 camcorder, shows a family in crisis, yearning for normalcy and finding moments of hope and kindness amidst the horror.

A Thousand Cuts:  DIR Ramona S. Diaz.  PRODS Ramona S. Diaz, Leah Marino, Julie Goldman, Christopher Clements and Carolyn Hepburn.  USA.

Upon taking power in 2016, the newly elected populist president Rodrigo Duterte promised a relentless war on drugs. Brushing aside the rule of law and due process, his campaign resulted in thousands of deaths. Another constitutional casualty of Duterte’s rule has been freedom of the press.

Co-founded by journalist Maria Ressa in 2012, the online site Rappler is one of the Philippine’s most popular news outlets and a thorn in Duterte’s side. The stakes are raised when Rappler is cited as a fake news outlet and targeted for possible closure, followed by Ressa’s arrest on specious charges.

Set against the backdrop of the country’s 2019 midterm elections, this stirring documentary shows what happens when a strongman president threatens democratic norms. But Ressa, part of a group honored as Time’s Person of the Year 2018, is not backing down: “We, at Rappler, we will not duck. We will not hide. We will hold the line.”

Along with our films of interest, is a complete list of the featured festival films. For full summary and further information of films, please visit DOCS.AFI.com

9To5: The Story of a Movement:  DIRS Julia Reichert and Steven Bognar.  PRODS Julia Reichert and Steven Bognar.  USA.

Bully. Coward. Victom. The Story of Roy Cohn:  DIR Ivy Meeropol.  PRODS Julie Goldman, Christopher Clements and Ivy Meerpool.  USA.

Coded Bias:  DIR Shalini Kantayya.  PROD Shalini Kantayya.  USA, UK, China.

Dads:  DIR Bryce Dallas Howard.  PRODS: Ron Howard, Brian Grazer, Michael Rosenberg, Justin Wilkes, Bryce Dallas Howard and Walter Matteson.  USA.

Dilema of Desire:  DIR Maria Finitzo.  PRODS Maria Finitzo, Cynthia Kane and Diane Quon.  USA.

Down and Out in America (1986):  DIR Lee Grant.  PRODS Milton Justice and Joseph Feury.  USA.

First Vote:  DIR Yi Chen.  PROD Yi Chen.  USA.

Freedia Got a Gun:  DIR Chris McKim.  PRODS Fenton Bailey, Randy Barbato and Chris McKim.  USA.

The Letter:  DIRS Maia Lekow and Christopher King.  PRODS Maia Lekow and Christopher King.  Kenya.

One Life:  DIR Josh Turnbow.  PRODS Akshay M. Shah and Robert Dvoran.  USA.

The Reason I Jump:  DIR Jerry Rothwell.  PRODS Al Morrow, Stevie Lee and Jeremy Dear.  UK.

Saudi Runaway:  DIR Susanne Regina Meures.  PROD Christian Frei.  Switzerland.

Sine Me a Song:  DIR Thomas Balmès.  PROD Thomas Balmès.  France, Germany, Switzerland.

Stockon on My Mind:  DIR Marc Levin.  PRODS Cassius Michael Kim and Mike Marangu.  USA.

Through the Night:  DIR Loira Limbal.  PRODS Jameka Autry and Loira Limbal.  USA.

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Written by Roberto Leal

Since the election of our Hoax President, we certainly have been living in “interesting” times. When my kids were little, they were never allowed to criticize their mother’s cooking. It they didn’t like something that was served to them, they were only allowed to sardonically, but very politely observe:

“Oh, this is interesting.”

And so, it’s in interesting times we now find ourselves deeply mired in this worrisome pandemic. Regrettably, many of our favorite places for fun, leisure and recreation are being closed or cancelled: restaurants, bars, sporting events, and especially for a film fanatic like me, movie theaters.

Gracias a Dios for my 60-inch, flat screen TV and access to several streaming platforms. For semi-reclusive writers, like me, the internet has made it possible for me to never leave my little studio apartment. All my worldly needs; meds, food, clothes, porn, can be found on the InterWebs, and three of the four can be delivered directly to my home.

“May you live in interesting times”

Ancient Chinese Curse

Certainly, a prolonged, nation-wide, period of sheltering in place, as it’s being called, will inevitably result in extreme cases of cabin fever. Thanks to those ubiquitous streaming platforms, let me offer three Latino entertainment cures, now playing, to help alleviate those sheltering in place blues.

SIDEWALLS (Medianeras) – Hulu

There’s nothing like a good romantic comedy to lift the spirits and re-affirm the basic human need for meaningful relationships. Writer/director Gustavo Taretto’s Sidewalls tells us the story of two slightly deranged tekkies, web designer, Martín (Javier Drolas), and architect, Mariana (Pilar López de Ayala) who live right across the street from each other in high-rise apartments in Buenos Aires. Martín and Mariana are like the two proverbial ships that pass each other in the night. However, these two rudderless boats pass each other during the day, strolling down the sidewalk, swimming in the same pool and while sipping an espresso in the same coffee shop. Will these two lonely “ships” ever sail off together into the sunset? Watch this clever romantic comedy and find out. Sidewalls is currently streaming on HULU.

Extra to Stream: Trailer

GENTEFIED – Netflix

Family, food and tradition. Those are the three principal ingredients in any good Chicano comedy. Gentefied, offers all three ingredients, along with a generous side dish of laughs, served up in the usual huge portions you get in a family-owned, Mexican restaurant.

Inter-generational conflicts arise when two young cousins decide to modernize their grandfather’s Boyle Heights taco shop. It’s the age-old struggle between tradition versus trendy, igniting comedy sparks to fly in the process. Gentified, stars Kerrie Martin, Joaquín Cosío, J.J. Soría, and Carlos Santos, plus a supporting Latino cast of quirky characters adding to the fun. Gentefied is the right place to celebrate some good, old-fashioned Chicano family fun and upscale, gentrified tacos. But I’ll stick with the carne asada tacos with cilantro y cebolla and pass on the alfalfa sprouts and yogurt.

Extras to stream: Meet The Cast Behind The Season

SIX DREAMS – Amazon Prime

This pandemic has put the kibosh on all major sporting events. So now we’re stuck watching re-runs of pro basketball and football games from last year and beyond. I swear I saw Bronko Nagurski run for a touchdown the other day. I’ve even been reduced to watching the World Series of Poker and I don’t even play cards. I’m not even good with greeting cards.

But I love soccer, or more correctly fútbol. Professional soccer is the biggest international sport on the planet. It’s especially popular in all Latin America, Portugal and Spain. These Latin countries consistently produce the best teams and greatest players in the sport. It’s especially true of Spain, which won the 2010 World Cup and is always a contender.

Six Dreams, an Amazon Prime series, takes us behind the scenes to see the Spanish Football League (La Liga) through the lives of six individuals; team president, coach, sports director and athletes. From the board room, locker room, living room, to the pitch, Six Dreams is an intimate and detailed examination of the pressures and passions on and off the field of this greatest of world sports. Six Dreams scores a winning ¡GO-O-O-OL!

Six Dreams Stars: Carlos Carretero, Quinque Cárcel, Amaia Gorostiza

Extras to Stream: Trailer

Enjoy!

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