The Latino Movie Institute (LFI) introduced the 2025 award winners of the Los Angeles Latino Worldwide Movie Pageant (LALIFF) on Saturday, honoring excellence throughout U.S. Latino movie, animation and episodic storytelling. The accolades have been revealed throughout a closing evening cocktail reception held at The Kookaburra Lounge in Ovation Hollywood, wrapping the five-day pageant that spotlighted over 90 movies, together with 18 world premieres.
LALIFF 2025 opened with the documentary “ASCO: With out Permission” and closed with the narrative characteristic “Severe Individuals.” Along with its skilled programming, almost 300 pupil movies have been showcased by the Youth Cinema Undertaking.
As a part of its continued efforts to raise Latino storytellers, the pageant launched the Adelante Award, recognizing trailblazers in Latino schooling and mentorship. Raul Maldonado, superintendent of the Palmdale College District, was the inaugural recipient for his work supporting future filmmakers.
Los Angeles muralist and cultural icon Robert Vargas created a dwell portray throughout opening evening, celebrating the town’s Latino heritage. Vargas, whose work consists of “Shohei Ohtani / LA Rising” and the large mural “Angelus,” added an inventive flourish that underscored the pageant’s dedication to neighborhood and identification.
“This 12 months’s pageant has been a testomony to the colourful creativity and storytelling prowess inside our neighborhood,” stated Axel Caballero, CEO of the Latino Movie Institute. “The varied array of movies and the passionate voices behind them not solely entertained but in addition sparked significant conversations.”
Now in its twenty fourth 12 months, LALIFF continues to function a premiere platform for showcasing Latino artistic voices. The 2025 pageant featured screenings on the TCL Chinese language Theatres, the Egyptian Theatre Hollywood and Regal L.A. Stay, together with musical performances, comedy showcases and an expanded Trade Discussion board with networking occasions and masterclasses.
The complete checklist of winners are beneath.
LALIFF 2025 Award Winners:
LFI 2025 Spark Animation Fellowship
Sponsored by the Netflix Fund for Artistic Fairness
5 U.S.-based Latino animators obtained $30,000 every to help their authentic animated brief movies:
- Angel Ruvalcaba, “¿Necesitas Ayuda?”
- Angela Sánchez, “Spin Cycle”
- Chevez Sanchez, “The Resilient Coquí”
- Guillermo Casarin, “The Mariachi Masks”
- Sandra Powers, “Bestias De La Muerte”
LFI Works in Progress
Sponsored by Amazon MGM Studios
Two filmmakers have been awarded $20,000 every for post-production help:
- “Cancúncito,” written and directed by Carlos Alejandro Marulanda and Isael Gutierrez
Greatest U.S. Episodic Quick
Introduced by Disney Leisure
- Winner: “Born 2 Lose,” directed by Carlos Cardona — $4,000 money prize
Jury members included executives from Nationwide Geographic, Onyx Collective, Hulu, FX and Disney Branded Tv.
Greatest U.S. Latino Animated Quick Movie
Introduced by the Latino Movie Institute
- Winner: “No Emptiness,” directed by Miguel Rodrick — $4,000 money prize
- Particular Jury Point out: “As If the Earth Had Swallowed Them Up,” directed by Natalia León
The jury featured creatives from Taller del Chucho, Sony Footage Animation and main storyboard artists.
Greatest U.S. Latino Stay Motion Quick
Introduced by Comcast NBCUniversal Telemundo
- Winner: “Past (Más Allá),” directed by Bettina López Mendoza — $4,000 money prize
Greatest U.S. Latina Director of a Stay Motion Quick
Introduced by Comcast NBCUniversal Telemundo
- Winner: “There’s a Satan Inside Me,” directed by Karina Lomelin Ripper — $4,000 money prize
Achievement in Unique Music Pushed Movie
- Winner: “Brownsville Bred,” directed by Elaine del Valle
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