WHEN: August 10, 2024
WHERE: LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes
501 N Main St.
Los Angeles, CA 90012
Multiracial Americans and La Plaza de Cultura y Artes are proud of the second season of the LOMA Film Festival. With several hundred in attendance, we screened independent films of all genres and subjects, bestowed awards, conversed with the filmmakers, and enjoyed some delicious food. Filmmakers were treated to a VIP reception and tokens of appreciation. See above for memories of this past season and see below for more information about the films we screened. In addition, the SAG-AFTRA en Espanol podcast was on-site at the festival to record interviews with our filmmakers and crew. To hear the podcast visit any of the links below:
TuneIn
Apple podcasts
Spotify
The Latinas & Latinos of Mixed Ancestry (LOMA) Film Festival shares stories of people that embody the intersection of Latinos and non-Latinos. Latino culture was built on the interaction between diverse communities from all over the world. This festival shares how this tradition continues creating a new diverse Latino community.
“Our hope is to inspire the Latinos of Mixed Ancestry community by showcasing our stories on screen, raising awareness of their unique presence, and emphasizing our shared experiences.”— Thomas Lopez, Founder of Latinos of Mixed Ancestry
“Knowing that LOMA represents Latinas and Latinos of “mixed ancestry” has really touched us, since Alessandro [director, Razon de Ser: Luis C. Garza] and I are both of mixed ancestry. The support and acknowledgment of diversity in our community is one to be celebrated.” -Heather Flores, Producer, Radium 88 Productions
LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes is a community hub where people gather to celebrate Latinx culture through transformative exhibitions, music, dance, culinary arts, and multigenerational artmaking and storytelling experiences. An anchor cultural institution in Los Angeles County, LA Plaza centers the Latino experience and provides a space to uplift, share, and preserve the stories of Mexicans, Mexican Americans, and Latinx people in Southern California. Established in 2011, LA Plaza is a non-profit organization and a Smithsonian affiliate museum.
To learn more about the inaugural festival including the award winners and selected films CLICK HERE.
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Thank you, LA This Week, for producing this video:
FILM PROGRAM
LA CUMBRE BEST IN SHOW AWARD WINNER
Razón de Ser: Luis C. Garza – is a documentary that chronicles the story of this rare Chicano photographer who uniquely documented activist movements on both coasts, and internationally, during the 1960s and 1970s. (13:00 mins.)
Director’s Statement/Bio – Alessandro Gentile. My love for photography drew me to Luis C. Garza. As I got to know Luis, I began to realize how influential his photography has been and will be in the future. I believe our Latino youth needs photographer roll models like Luis, and his photos will educate scholars about the history of Los Angeles and New York.
Alessandro Gentile is an award-winning director and cinematographer. His short film “Lodo” had its World Premiere at the Santa Barbara Int’l Film Festival in 2022 and has won five awards to date, including the Tim Burton Visionary Award for directing at the Burbank Int’l Film Festival. Most recently, Gentile participated as a cinematographer on the award-winning feature film, “Moon Garden” now screening in select theaters in New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles. “Razon De Ser: Luis C. Garza” has already received a Remi Award for Best Short Documentary at Houston World Film Festival and a nomination for Best Short Documentary at San Diego Latino Film Festival. Gentile’s current narrative short film “Della” has reached it’s completion and will be premiering in 2025. In 2012, Gentile shot the television pilot for the Emmy Award-winning series “Schitt’s Creek.” In 2014, he co-founded the Highland Park Independent Film Festival. In 2020, Gentile was acknowledged at the Brazil Int’l Independent Film Festival by receiving a Best Cinematography award for his cinematography work on the feature film “Trade” and has garnered two Telly Awards for innovation in youth education.
In the commercial world, Gentile has provided services to corporate clients such as Microsoft, BMW and Acura. He has a bachelor’s degree in Film Studies from UC Santa Barbara and studied cinematography at UCLA.
Producers– Heather Flores & Melissa Richardson Banks
Website – R88productions.com
Social Media – @r88prod @alessandro_dop
@heatherflores_la
@downtownmuse
@lcvgarza
TALENT AWARD WINNER
The Unbroken Sky – California, 1957…the true story of an undocumented Mexican teenager working in the fields and struggling to attend school; a close-knit family surviving in constant fear of deportation. Based on the beloved books by Francisco Jiménez. (24:06 mins.)
Director Statement/Bio – Berkeley-based filmmaker Josh Peterson writes, directs, edits, produces, and occasionally acts. As a freelancer, he has edited major documentaries (The Rape of Europa, Born This Way, Skin of Glass) since the early 1990s. His first feature film, Like Reply Share, won awards at festivals around the world. He has also written and directed several narrative shorts, including the award-winning Forest Born, Thirsty, and The Night of My Death.
Website – theunbrokensky.com
Facebook – www.facebook.com/TheUnbrokenSky
Instagram – www.instagram.com/theunbrokensky_movie/
LinkedIn – www.linkedin.com/company/unbroken-sky
Trailer – www.youtube.com/watch?v=sXmEmqt5h_s
Director – sweepshutter.com
THEME AWARD CO-WINNER
Legend of El Cucuy – A mother who refuses to discipline her misbehaved child, opens the door for a visit from El Cucuy. (14:10 mins.)
Director Statement/Bio – Cynthia Garcia Williams. I built El Cucuy using parts of his legend, then added my own take on how the man became the monster such as making him an alcoholic. Being 21 years sober, I know all to well that alcoholism can make event the most loving parent into a monster. We do the best we can as parents and we can only hope we make the best choices for our family, but what if we actually hurt our children? What if our children are taken by a monster, and we can blame only ourselves.
Cynthia Garcia Williams is a California native born to a mother from Matanzas, Cuba, and a father from Guadalajara Mexico. Three years ago Cynthia discovered her deep passion for storytelling in teh form of screenwriting and ever since, her stories have been written to empower and celebrate the human experience and spirit. Cynthia weaves magic into her stories and characters by using he rich, familial heritage, ancestral faith, and generational resilience.
In 2021 Cynthia made her directorial debut with her award-winning film, “Dukkha,” a film she created a mentee in the Women of Color Filmmakers Directors Lab. Dukkha is based on her journey to sobriety. Six months later Cynthia wrote and directed, another award-winning film , ”Bilongo,” a Afro-Cuban Folk story. Throughout 2022 worked on over a dozen sets. She also wrote and directed, “The Bible Thumper and The Bruja,” a comedy that ignites the imagination and revels the power and the vulnerabilities of human kind. Her most current film, ca“Legend of El Cucuy” was developed as part of the LALIFF Inclusion Fellowship. Cynthia was also chosen as a mentee with Unlock Her Potential. She is in preproduction to co-direct her first feature film, a comedy, “We’re Not Married,” set to begin filming in October.
IG – @cynthiagwilliams
Website – https://cynrgentertainment.com/legend-of-el-cucuy
THEME AWARD CO-WINNER
Los Courage Camps: Creando Olas – One wave can change it all. For the past 7 years, a courage revolution has risen in LA – from East Los Angeles to South Central. Meet the families reconnecting with the ocean through Los Courage Camps, a homegrown organization offering free summer surf lessons, introducing children to a sport they never thought possible. Follow the stories of the founder, community, and young surfers as they witness healing and courage after generations of fearing the ocean. Join us for the virtual viewing of the first surf documentary made by Latinos about Latinos in the ocean (9:17 mins.)
Director’s Statement/Bio – Yesenia De Casas. Yesenia De Casas is a first-generation Mexican American director and multi-medium artist, born and raised in Los Angeles. Her relationship with nature is central and sacred to her life, as her roots, being an outdoor athlete and holistic medicine practitioner, all foster a deeper desire to connect with the natural world. When storytelling, Yesenia’s directorial style encourages understanding and empathy for those often overlooked or misunderstood. She uses film to build bonds between different worlds that wouldn’t typically meet.
Director | Yesenia De Casas: web, insta: @rhythm.me.this
DP+Editor | Fernando Ponce: web, insta: @fernponce
OFFICIAL SELECTION
The Blue Stag – A Wixárika boy inadvertently causes the death of a noble stag after trying to spare it, but after being guided by its spirit outside a cave, he finds solace in caring for its now orphaned fawn. (3:12 mins.)
Director Statement/Bio – “The Blue Stag” celebrates the Wixárika culture, highlighting redemption, responsibility, and life’s interconnectedness. My goal was to portray this culture with authenticity, honoring its profound teachings.
Pablo Diaz De Leon Hicks is a CG Artist and Animator from Mexico. He holds a BA in Animation and is pursuing an MFA in Animation at USC – SCA. His works include “Juntos en la Distancia” (2020 Cartoon Network TV Spot), “A Battle’s Toll” (2021), “MIGO” (2021), “The Blue Stag” (2023), and “Rooster & Terry” (2023). He is a recipient of the Jenkins-Del Toro Award, AFPE 2022, as well as a USC SCA’s Annenberg Fellow. Pablo is also a Previs Artist at Proof Inc. on Disney’s “TRON: Ares” and Netflix’s “Stranger Things 5”.
Instagram: @pdlh1998art
TikTok: @pdlh1998
X/Twitter: @pdlh1998
ArtStation: artstation.com/pdlh1998
Website: linktr.ee/pdlh1998
OFFICIAL SELECTION
Fancy Florez’s Summer Staycation – Fancy Florez, a resourceful ten-year-old without friends or funds, sets out to enjoy a luxurious summer in her neighbor’s abandoned pool when her game plan is thwarted by her archenemy, sparking an epic Mexican standoff. (8:28 mins.)
Director Statement/Bio – Marissa Díaz is a Tejana filmmaker currently writing on LOPEZ VS. LOPEZ. Recently, she was named the grand prize winner of McDonald’s Spotlight Dorado short film competition. Her work has been supported by a number of industry fellowships including the Sundance Episodic Lab, the FX Imaginar TV Incubator, Shondaland Women Directing Mentorship, Rideback Rise, the PGA Create Lab, and Film Independent’s Episodic Lab and their CNN Docuseries Intensive. Marissa holds a BFA in Film & TV Production from New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts, and an MFA from the Peter Stark Producing Program at the University of Southern California.
Website – diazdemuertos.com
Film Instagram – @fancyflorezfilm
Filmmaker Instagram/X (Twitter) – @marissaconqueso
OFFICIAL SELECTION
The First Christmas – For this Christmas Lisa wants to give a special gift to her daughter Bianca. On her way back home things get complicated and she must walk across a snowy forest in order to get to Bianca. (5:53 mins.)
Director Statement/Bio – Alejandra Morales, When writing this story, I wanted to focus on the bond between mother and daughter and how it can help going through one of life’s roughest moments.
Working on this project as a team, we thought using 2d animation was the best way we could showcase all the emotions of our characters, and working on their expressions and mannerisms was our priority since we wanted to tell this story without dialogue.
I hope anyone can enjoy our story and relate to the feeling of having someone always by your side.
OFFICIAL SELECTION
GO DANI GO – When the biggest soccer tryout of her life lands on the same day she must help her mother pick fruits in the fields, a spunky young athlete has to choose between chasing her dreams or staying stuck in the strawberry fields. (10:46 mins.)
Director Statement/Bio – “GO DANI GO” is a heartfelt tribute to Southern California and immigrant families across the US. It champions the idea that immigrant dreams are attainable through passion and community. Though the journey may have obstacles, the future belongs to the bold. Our team aimed to uplift an underrepresented community, portraying them not as victims but as heroes of our generation. These characters build their dreams while supporting their families, and inspire us all. We hope this film encourages audiences to pursue their dreams with the same courage and determination that Dani embodies.
Chelsea Patricia Ramirez is an American filmmaker who explores resiliency, trust, and transformative justice in her filmmaking. An LA-born, Inland Empire-raised artist, her projects portray outliers and flawed heroes navigating obstacles with audacity and humor. A CBS Women in Media Fellow and George Lucas Fellow, she has directed award-winning shorts including “CityGrassroots” (2021) and “GO DANI GO” (2023). The proud daughter of Guatemalan immigrants, she shines light on migrant stories and BIPOC narratives, living by Kobe Bryant’s mantra: “”The most important thing is to try and inspire people so that they can be great in whatever they want to do.”
Links – @grumpykidpics : Official film and production company account
@chelsea_rami : Director’s personal account
@mattybeavs : Director of Photography’s account
@ten20productions: Co-production’s account
@usccinema : Co-production’s account
@yazi_nay : Co-film composer’s account
OFFICIAL SELECTION
La Ida Y Vuelta – Despite choosing to leave several years prior, Sosa returns to his childhood neighborhood with the hopes of mending the relationships he abandoned. (19:55 mins.)
Director Statement/Bio – Shan Shaikh. Since establishing Retrospective Cinema in 2015, Shan has produced 2 feature films and 6 shorts, directing 4 of the 8 projects. He has freelanced for several years, lending his skills to organizations like SMUGGLER, Center Theatre Group, and Koreatown Youth + Community Center. Under the alias thebikewriter, he has filmed a number of music videos and short documentary pieces with a focus on individuals and organizations dedicated to serving the community in his childhood neighborhood of Koreatown. LA IDA Y VUELTA is the result of his years of filmmaking experience and love for Los Angeles.
Film IG – @laidayvueltamovie
Director IG – @thebikewriter
OFFICIAL SELECTION
To Have and To Hold – In efforts to put an end to habitual rape, gaslighting, and violence, victim of domestic abuse takes matters into her own hands. (7:07 minutes)
Director Statement/Bio – Javo Aguirre has taught special education for the past 18 years and has pursued his passion for filmmaking since 2019. His mission is to write and direct short films that explore sensitive subjects, aiming to evoke deep emotional responses from his audiences. In ‘To Have and To Hold,’ Javo highlights the theme of domestic abuse, encompassing issues such as rape, physical violence, and gaslighting. He believes it is crucial to amplify these sensitive and oftentimes disturbing narratives, in order to offer a voice to survivors through filmmaking.
Javo Aguirre – https://www.instagram.com/javijavo78/
Noemy Clara – https://www.instagram.com/noemy.clara/#
EMCEE
The festival shall be emceed, and the question-and-answer session moderated by JUAN ESCOBEDO.
Juan Escobedo, a San Diego-born actor, photographer, and filmmaker, is dedicated to amplifying the voices of the unheard, the unseen, the survivors, and the forgotten through his artistry. His work passionately explores the lives of marginalized individuals affected by immigration status, gender, or race. In his 2022 documentary “Sobrevivir,” Escobedo sheds light on the harrowing experiences of women involuntarily sterilized in the 1970s at Los Angeles General Medical Center. This powerful film also chronicles the creation and installation of Phung Huynh’s sculpture, commissioned as an apology to these women.
Escobedo’s current project, “Las Promotoras Against Violence,” funded by the California Arts Council CA Creative Corps Fellowship, documents the inspiring efforts of women in East Los Angeles who support victims of domestic and sexual violence through peer-to-peer education. These resilient women, having overcome their own traumas, volunteer with various nonprofits to educate and empower their communities. The film weaves together interviews, art animation, and the traditional Oaxacan Dance of el Diablo, symbolizing the eternal balance of good and evil.
In addition to his impactful documentaries, Escobedo has garnered acclaim for his narrative work. His 2018 short film “Marisol,” which confronts the horrors of domestic violence and child abuse, earned accolades including Best Dramatic Short at the Hollywood Reel Independent Film Festival and multiple Best Actress awards. In 2022, “Marisol” swept the San Diego Movie Awards, winning Best Director, Best Short Film, and Best Child Actress categories. Marisol was OSCAR qualified and the script acquired by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) Margaret Herrick Library’s permanent collection for future research.
Juan Escobedo’s multifaceted career is a testament to his commitment to storytelling that challenges perspectives, fosters empathy, and champions social justice. His photography and filmmaking not only capture moments in time but also provoke thought and ignite change within communities and beyond.
For more visit: www.juanescobedo.com
IG @juanescobedo
SUPPORTERS
Afro-Latino Education and Arts Collective
www.afrolatinoeducation.org
Instagram: @afrolatinoeducation
Elizabeth Liang (aka Lisa) is an actress, writer, producer, speaker, and facilitator. Her one-woman show, Alien Citizen: An Earth Odyssey, toured internationally and is now an award-winning film on DVD and streamable. She grew up in Guatemala, Costa Rica, Panama, Morocco, Egypt, and Connecticut as a Guatemalan-American business brat of Chinese-Irish-Spanish-French-German-Indigenous descent. She graduated from Wesleyan University. https://elizabethliang.com/HapaLis-Prods
Josef Manuel Liles is a board member of Somos El Poder, a fundraising institute that helps Latinx-led and/or Latinx-serving nonprofits build and grow their fundraising programs. He teaches courses on the fundamentals of prospect research. For more information on Somos El Poder, please visit https://www.somoselpoder.org/.