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Los Angeles—The organization NewFilmmakers Los Angeles (NFMLA) will celebrate a new edition of "InFocus: Latinx & Hispanic Cinema" on September 14th, an event that, with the support of partners and institutions such as the Academy of Hollywood, will showcase the emerging talent of young Latino filmmakers.

The Linwood Dunn Theater in the Californian city, an auditorium of the Academy of Hollywood, will host this festival on Saturday, consisting of three different programs of short films directed by Latino filmmakers and produced in countries such as Mexico, the United States, Canada, Brazil, Peru, Spain, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Puerto Rico, Cuba, or Australia.

"Promoting global voices and artists from all backgrounds is essential to unite people and cultures," said NFMLA's Executive Director, Larry Laboe, in statements to Efe.

Laboe, NFMLA's CEO, pointed out that the organization monthly schedules a festival in Los Angeles with a specific theme, and this time it is the turn of Latin cinema, taking advantage of the fact that the Hispanic Heritage Month is celebrated in the country from September 15 to October 15 each year. "We believe that cinema is a window to another world, to other points of view, and to another experience beyond your own," Laboe said about the special relevance of programming Latin short films given the current political context regarding Hispanic immigration. "Sharing our stories and listening to the differences in the other person's story provides an opportunity to create meaningful dialogues and connections. We hope that cinema can continue to be a bridge," he added.

The first program of "InFocus: Latinx & Hispanic Cinema" will feature short films such as "Argemira" by Bosco da Costa (Brazil/Canada); "Taylor and Vanessa" by Cristina Santa Cruz (USA); "Insomniac" by Anna Victoria Salinas (USA); "We Vanish" by Astrid Dominguez (Mexico/Australia); and "Something to Believe In" by Fany de la Chica (USA/Spain).

"Thank You for Calling" by Priscila Torres (USA); "La casita rosa" by Elvin Herrera (Mexico/USA); "?Did This Happen to You?" by Ana María Estrada (Peru); "Finding Shelter" by Marissa Chibas (USA); and "Processing Station" by Rodrigo Espinosa (USA) will form the second program of shorts for this event.

Finally, the third set of short films will include "Kiss Me Malibu" by Mikel Arraiz (Spain); "And The Brave Shall Rise" by Adam Schlachter (USA); "Caminante: La leyenda del Huay Chivo" by Luis Quijano (Mexico/USA); "Until Dawn Comes" by Aaron Acuña (Costa Rica); and "A Low-Budget Film" by Paulo Leierer (Brazil).

Laboe emphasized that the programming department of "InFocus: Latinx & Hispanic Cinema," led by Bojana Sandic, selects filmmakers "above all" with "unique voices, innovative storytelling skills, and the ability to build robust characters." "Additionally, we seek gender equality and diversity whenever possible and make a strong effort to include both international and local directors," he added.

On the other hand, NFMLA pointed out that one of its most important goals as an organization is to facilitate the path for new filmmakers to advance and progress in the audiovisual industry. "We can better support artists who are ready to move to the next phase of their careers by providing them with access to connections, resources, and professional opportunities such as representation, distribution, financing, and more," Laboe said.

In this regard, NFMLA's Executive Director emphasized the importance of the collaboration of the Academy of Hollywood, the institution that organizes the Oscars every year, in this type of festivals. "The Academy's participation helps expand the visibility of artists due to its reach and brand recognition," Laboe argued."