Get ready to vote for the latest short films from emerging Latino and Hispanic filmmakers in the Spotlight Dorado lineup. Starting today, you can check out three diverse projects from the latest edition of the short film contest at SpotlightDorado.com. The films include Marissa Díaz‘s action-packed “Fancy Florez’s Summer Staycation,” Kryzz Gautier‘s virtual reality romance, “Chimera,” and Pablo Riesgo‘s satire sci-fi, “Cuando Volvimos A La Tierra.” Voting for your favorite film is open until February 11 to help determine the grand prize winner.

The short films are launching at a time when there’s a notable lack of representation for Latinos and Hispanics in the entertainment and film industry. Recent research from the USC Annenberg Inclusion Initiative, supported by McDonald’s Spotlight Dorado, reveals that less than 5% of directors of major motion pictures from 2007 to 2022 were Hispanic/Latino. Among them, only five were women.

This inequality extends beyond directors, with a mere 4.4% of lead or co-lead roles featuring Hispanic/Latino actors. This research underscores the pressing need for a more inclusive film landscape.

McDonald’s is addressing this issue by supporting important research and upcoming storytellers, contributing to inclusivity and demonstrating its commitment to diverse communities.

Ryan Worthy, Content and Culture Director at McDonald’s USA, stated, “As part of our commitment to giving back to the diverse communities we call home, we are proud to support opportunities that help drive inclusivity and change. With Spotlight Dorado, McDonald’s has been able to use its scale to amplify pivotal research and create opportunities for Latino and Hispanic storytellers. We’re proud of the outstanding talent showcased by this year’s Spotlight Dorado finalists, and we look forward to seeing what else is in store for them.”

After being selected as the top three finalists last summer, McDonald’s provided the filmmakers with a combined budget of $225,000 to produce their short films. Each filmmaker also received personalized mentorship from industry leaders, including Grammy®-winning artist, Golden Globe® and Emmy® nominated actor Anthony Ramos, actress Danay Garcia, comedian, writer, actor, and producer Al Madrigal, director Carlos López Estrada, and writer-director Nancy Mejía.

The grand prize winner of this year’s program will be announced in March. For more information on the program, and to cast your vote visit www.spotlightdorado.com.

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