Nosotros and NBCUniversal are signaling a decisive shift in how Latino talent is developed and presented for the industry. With Season 5 of Ya Tú Sabes, the long-running incubator has fully transitioned from a traditional showcase model into a cinematic short-form pipeline—culminating in the crowning of The Comedian as this year’s top winner and positioning the program as a serious launchpad for writers and actors ready for film and television.

What began in 2020 as a challenge from NBCUniversal Launch to rethink the traditional actor showcase has evolved into a fully realized creative pipeline. Initially launched as the Ya Tú Sabes Monologue Slam, the program emphasized original writing and live performance. Over time, it expanded into fully produced stand-alone scenes selected through a competitive process, under a new name, Ya Tú Sabes Monologue Shorts.

Nosotros and NBCUniversal have marked that evolution and raised the bar once again with the explosive fifth season of Ya Tú Sabes, unveiling a bold new evolution of the long-running Latino talent incubator—one that trades the traditional stage showcase for cinematic pieces designed to reflect the professional readiness of Latino talent when given meaningful resources and production value.

“In a year shaped by a difficult national climate for Latinos, support for arts programs like this was far from guaranteed,” said Joel M. Gonzales, President of Nosotros. “We’re deeply grateful to NBCUniversal and the NBC Launch program for standing with us when sponsorships were tight. What Season 5 represents is how much this program has grown over the past five years—and how Latino artists continue to create opportunity, break through, and tell our own stories on our own terms.”

Emerging as Season 5’s creative breakthrough and top winner with judges and audiences alike, is The Comedian, written by stand-up comic José Maestas and powerfully performed by actor Richard Eick. This piece amplifies the Ya Tú Sabes’ core mission: spotlighting Latino writers and actors through original work rooted in universal themes—while steadily expanding the scale and seriousness of the platform.

A sharply observed and emotionally layered piece, The Comedian draws directly from Maestas’ personal experience to explore the duality of life on and off the stage—the persona versus the person. Its resonance was immediate, quickly becoming one of the most talked-about monologue shorts of the season for its depth, honesty, and cinematic execution.

“Across a lineup of powerful shorts, one of the strongest examples was the winner, The Comedian,” said Gonazlez, adding “The writing and performance stood out immediately and reflect the level of depth and readiness that exists in our community when the opportunity is real.”

The Ya Tu Sabes Monolouge Shorts premiered live at the Ricardo Montalbán Theatre this past December, streaming simultaneously on the Nosotros YouTube channel, with Audience Choice voting closing on December 31 declaring writer Cristal González Ávila and actor Mariana Belén as the  Audience Choice winners for Ropa Sucia.

Industry-Level Execution

Season 5’s six monologue shorts were led creatively by Hector Felix, who served as director, editor, and cinematographer, establishing a cohesive visual language across the entire showcase. The project was produced by Gonzales and co-produced by Nosotros Creative Director Juan Munevar, with creative collaboration from Joaquin F. Palma, writer/director of the program’s first three seasons—bridging the initiative’s roots with its cinematic future.

This year’s highly noted celebrity ambassador judges underscored the program’s industry credibility, include Julian Works (The Long Game, Jimmy), actor/producer Nicholas Gonzalez (La Brea, The Good Doctor), producer/director Ben DeJesus (Leguizamo Does America), actor/director Jon Huertas (This Is Us), and Larry Laboe, Executive Director of NewFilmmakers LA. They were joined by NBCUniversal executives and a broad cross-section of casting directors, agents, managers, publicists, and industry professionals.

What’s Next?

Looking ahead, the Season 5 monologue shorts—led by The Comedian and Ropa Sucia—will be submitted as stand-alone short films to film festivals, extending their life well beyond the showcase and expanding visibility for the participating writers and actors across the festival and industry landscape.

Winners will receive cash prizes and sponsored access to key industry leaders, including NBCUniversal executives, casting directors, agencies, and senior writers and producers—solidifying Ya Tú Sabes not just as a showcase, but as a tangible bridge to career advancement.

With Season 5, Nosotros and NBCUniversal have made a clear statement: when Latino artists are given space, resources, and respect, the results are not just promising—they’re cinematic.

The post EXCLUSIVE: Nosotros and NBCUniversal Crown Season 5 ‘Ya Tú Sabes’ Winner as Program Goes Fully Cinematic first appeared on .

Crowdfunding:  A way of raising money to finance projects and businesses. It enables fundraisers to collect money from a large number of people via online platforms. Crowdfunding is most often used by startup companies or growing businesses as a way of accessing alternative funds.

Note: This is part of a listing service Latin Heat provides.  Any project listing in the LH Crowdfunding Listing is not endorsed by Latin Heat. Please do your own research before making any investment.

ENTITY: UNTOLD CONTENT GROUP

RAISING CAPITAL to support the production and distribution of this powerful film

Crowdfunding Campaign at https://www.supportourstory.com/burnpitsmovie

Untold Content Group, helmed by producer Joel M. Gonzales (The Long Game) have announced the launch of a crowdfunding campaign for their documentary, Thank You For Your Service: A Burn Pit Story. The campaign aims to raise capital to support the production and distribution of this powerful film, shedding light on the plight of veterans suffering from exposure to toxic burn pits during their service in Iraq and Afghanistan. The documentary is being produced Gonzales, CEO of Untold Content Group, and Hector Felix, who served as cinematographer. Co-Produced by Sovanna Mam and Kevin Flounlacker. The crowdfunding campaign will provide an opportunity for audiences to contribute directly to the production of the film and be a part of this groundbreaking project.

Thank You For Your Service: A Burn Pit Story delves into the devastating consequences faced by military members who have been exposed to burn pits, which have been used to dispose of waste materials, a common practice during the Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The inspiration behind the film comes from the founding of Burn Pits 360, a non-profit organization dedicated to advocating for the rights and well-being of veterans affected by burn pits. The organization was founded in honor of Army Captain Le Roy Torres, who served in the U.S. Army for 23 years, including a deployment to Balad, Iraq from 2007-2008, and his wife Rosie Torres, who are the driving force behind this initiative. Torres himself battles Constrictive Bronchiolitis and Toxic Brain Injury, both linked to exposure to burn pits during his service.

“The idea for Burn Pits 360 started on our kitchen table. We had not done anything like this before. We both wanted to be able to help military personnel so they could get the medical care they so desperately need and deserve. From our humble beginnings with a single file cabinet from Office Depot all the way to Congress and standing next to President Joe Biden took five challenging years” said Rosie Torres.

“At Untold Content Group, we strive to bring social justice through the stories we tell. None more deserving than Rosie and Captain Le Roy Torres’s story. We want to put a spotlight not only in their triumph in Congress but also on the hundreds of thousands of military personnel who will benefit from knowing they are not alone” added producer Joel M. Gonzales.

The film will shed light on the long-lasting physical and mental health challenges faced by these brave individuals, emphasizing the need for better support and medical care.

For more information about Burn Pits at www.burnpitts360.org. Learn more about the Crowdfunding Campaign at https://www.supportourstory.com/burnpitsmovie.

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