The Los Angeles Latino International Film Festival Announces the Five Afro/Black Latino and Five Indigenous Latino Recipients of its LALIFF Inclusion Fellowship
LOS ANGELES, CA – November 16, 2022 –The Los Angeles Latino International Film Festival (LALIFF) announced today the ten Afro/Black Latino and Indigenous Latino directors that were selected for the 3rd annual LALIFF Inclusion Fellowship. With continued support from Netflix’s Fund for Creative Equity, ten self-identifying Indigenous Latino and Afro/Black Latino directors will each be awarded $30,000 for the production of short films.
The fellows selected for the Afro/Black Latino cohort are Asha Chai-Chang, Cynthia Garcia Williams, Glenís Hunter, María del Mar Rosario and Shenny De Los Angeles. The fellows selected for the Indigenous Latino cohort are Chloe Caudillo, Jalmer Caceres, Lauren Ballesteros, Miguel Angel Durán and Sofia Ayerdi.
“When we began this Fellowship, we knew how critical it was for LALIFF to create a program that championed underrepresented filmmakers within our own community. We are thrilled to announce the fellows of our third class,” said Academy Award®-nominated actor and co-founder of LALIFF, Edward James Olmos. “We are grateful that Netflix continues to support us in this work, and we are honored to uplift these emerging filmmakers in their careers.”
In addition to the $30,000 grant to produce a short, the fellows will receive individualized mentorship, as well as industry networking opportunities. Their completed films will premiere as part of the 2023 version of LALIFF, where the fellows will also participate in the festival’s industry programming to further develop their careers and gain industry access needed to succeed as working artists.
The Afro/Black Latino cohort’s short films include:
● Asha Chai-Chang’s “Marque Dos”: An aspiring tour manager gets her dream job, but turns out it’s a bilingual one and she has sworn off speaking Spanish.
● Cynthia Garcia Williams’ “Legend of el Cucuy”: A modern-day horror film about Laura, a permissive parent who refuses to discipline her misbehaved child, opening the door for a visit from “El Cucuy.”
● Glenís Hunter’s “Super Hair”: A young Afro Latina who is being bullied at her new middle school comes to realize that the hair she so deeply despises actually holds super powers.
● María del Mar Rosario’s “Punta Salinas”: A 16 year old questions her power and self-perception after having sex for the first time.
● Shenny De Los Angeles’s “Sisters by Water”: Two best friends heal generational wounds through the intimacy of sisterhood.
The Indigenous Latino cohort’s short films include:
● Chloe Caudillo’s “Development”: A Latina professional gets selected for a corporate leadership seminar with a “one-size-fits-all” approach to development.
● Jalmer Caceres’s “Worthy”: A mischievous Salvadoran boy gets wrapped up with the neighborhood dogfighter and makes a decision that changes his childhood forever.
● Lauren Ballesteros’s “Soy Yo”: An eccentric 70 year old artist with supernatural tendencies and her introverted Gen Z granddaughter discover what it means to be your authentic self.
● Miguel Angel Durán’s “Death in Training”: It’s the first day on the soul-collecting job for the 20 year old recently promoted grim reaper.
● Sofia Ayerdi’s “Na Savi”: A 14 year old girl forced into a child marriage has to choose between her community's traditions and her true desires.
Download Fellows Bios and Headshots
About LALIFF
The Los Angeles Latino International Film Festival (LALIFF) is a premiere international event dedicated to showcasing the entirety of human experience from the Latino perspective, whether through film, television, digital, music, art, or any other vehicle, regardless of platform. LALIFF is presented by the Latino Film Institute (LFI), a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization with the mission to showcase, strengthen, and celebrate the richness of Latino lives through the audio-visual event. LFI develops, activates, and supports artists, creators, and executives through pathways and platforms for the expression and appreciation of their work. For more information and updates on LALIFF visit www.laliff.org
For more information on the Youth Cinema Project visit www.youthcinemaproject.org. For more information on LFI www.latinofilm.org.
Follow LALIFF on social media:
● Instagram: @laliff_
● Twitter: @laliff
● Facebook: facebook.com/laliff
Media contact:
Shari Mesulam shari@themesulamgroup.com 310.663.0056
Johanna Calderón-Dakin johanna@themesulamgroup.com 310.699.8903
Download this Annoucement (pdf)
