The 21st edition of LA Latino Int'l Film Festival

Oscar-nominated actor Edward James Olmos, founder of the Latino Film Institute, today announced full lineup for Los Angeles Latino International Film Festival (LALIFF) this year which will take place June 1-5 at the iconic TCL Chinese Theater and TCL Chinese 6 in Hollywood.

This year's edition will open with Mija from the original Disney documentary, directed by Isabel Castro, and will close with Warner Bros. Pictures' Father of the Bride and HBO Max, directed by Gaz Alazraki. The complete lineup includes 17 feature films from North America and Latin America; short films and animated and live-action episodes; masterclasses and musical performances. Cartoon fans will find even more fun with the second annual Animation Day, building on the success of the 2021 edition.

"You will find some of the boldest movies, TV series and music, with 50% of the program directed by women," said Diana Cadavid, Artistic Director of LALIFF. “One of our goals at LALIFF is to ensure that Latin storytellers have a place of excellence to present their works. We offer a platform for our artists to connect with a diverse and multicultural audience, as well as with important players in the industry ”.

animation day, curated with LFI's LatinX in Animation, will include the first of two animated series from Mexico: Frankelda's Book of Spooks, by Arturo Ambriz and Roy Ambriz, and Rey Mysterio vs. The Darkness by Los Hermanos Calavera.

This celebration of animation will also feature Cafecito Talks covering a broad spectrum of perspectives in the world of animation, with industry leaders and diverse talents and artists, as well as a special presentation and Q&A from Oscar-nominated Brazilian director Alê Abreu (The Boy and the World) in his upcoming animated feature, Perlimps. Invited speakers include:

• Octavio Rodríguez (Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse)
• Abe Audish (Bugs Bunny Builders)
• Louis Gadea (Bugs Bunny Builders)
• Karissa Valencia (Spirit Rangers)
• Aaron Davidson (Sr. Director, Original Programming, HBO Max)
• Rebbapragada tour (Chief Marketing Officer, Crunchyroll)
• André de Abreu (Sr. Director of International Business Operations, Crunchyroll)
• Rafael Chaidez (Marvel's Moon Girl & Devil Dinosaur)
• Janelle Martinez (Firebuds)
• Melinda Carillo (Alice's Wonderland Bakery)
• Christine Benitez (SVP Multicultural Marketing & Brand, Paramount Pictures)

The festival has three jury-based film competitions: the brand new Episodic Short, Live Action Short and Animated Short. The animation jury includes Guillermo Martinez (director, Sony Pictures Animation) and Nicole Rivera (VP, Original Series Development, Cartoon Network Studios).

LALIFF 2022 animated shorts:

• Marbles - Eduardo Altamirano (Mexico)
• Chilly and Milly - William D. Caballero (US)
• It Rains - Carolina Corral & Magali Rocha (Mexico)
• It Was Raining - Ignacio Lillini (Argentina)
• My Year of Dicks - Sara Gunnarsdóttir (US)
• Repairs - Wilson Borja (Colombia)
• Something in the garden - Marcos Sánchez (Chile)
• Tamgu - Isabel Loyer & Luis Paris (Argentina / France)
• The Girl Behind the Mirror - Iuri Moreno (Brazil)
• The Weight of It - Olivia Marie Valdez, Sandra Afonso Rodríguez, Einar Soler Fernández (Spain)
• Uninhabited - Camila Donoso Astudillo (Chile)
• We Are Here - Sunday & Constanza Castro (US)

Additional program highlights include the return of LALIFF Music, which amplifies outstanding and diverse Latin talent, community building through its music industry program, music panels and networking lounges. In partnership with AltaMed Health Services, LALIFF will celebrate the work of Harry Gamboa Jr., Chicano artist, author, educator and current Director of the Photo / Media Program at CalArts, with a showcase of his photographic and video artworks spanning over six decades. And in collaboration with TVCortos for its second year, the selection of the best of the festival “LALIFF en TVCortos” will reach a global audience, broadcast on TVCortos in Latin America and Spain and on the sister channel ShortsTV in the United States and Europe.

The event will also feature LALIFF's Industry Days, an exclusive program designed to connect directors, musicians and artists with industry professionals including sales agents, buyers, producers, production executives, artisans, financiers, festival programmers and publicists. In addition to individual meetings and networking events, the festival will feature a series of panels and talks, which will address relevant topics such as crowdfunding, career navigation as a screenwriter, the art of sound production and a panel of actors from the National Latino Committee. by SAG-AFTRA.

Legacy, LALIFF's student film festival, will return for this edition and will feature over 100 films shot and produced by the students of the Youth Cinema Project. YCP works in public school classrooms across California, implementing a rigorous directing curriculum that integrates socio-emotional learning and the arts of the English language. The two-day event (June 4-5) will include student film previews, panels, questions and answers, special events, workshops and special screenings and shows.

Find the complete program and buy your ticket for LALIFF 2022 at laliff.org.