For nearly 25 years, the Los Angeles Latino International Film Festival has been a showcase of Latino-focused cinema, and this summer, it will be a place where such films can find a distribution home as well.
The LALIFF Film Market will make its debut with the festival’s 2024 edition, which will take place May 29 to June 2. On offer to sales agents and buyers in attendance will be a catalog of U.S. Latino films in post-production available for acquisition and distribution.
The new market is in line with the mission of the Latino Film Institute (the Edward James Olmos-founded nonprofit behind the festival) to create ever-greater impact for Latinos in the entertainment industry and is part of a suite of new initiatives under CEO Axel Caballero, who joined from Warner Bros. Discovery’s OneFifty in October. The LFI leadership team also includes vice president of programs and innovation Erika Sabel Flores; director of industry programs Diana Cadavid; and director of education programs Hector Chaira as well as vp of people, culture and operations Jennifer Rios and vp of advancement and communications Loraine Valverde, who joined the organization recently.
LFI is also looking to extend the impact of its signature festival beyond one week a year with the LFI Spotlight Series (a screening series for Latino-centered films) and the LFI Industry Forum (previously LALIFF Industry Forum) of workshops, panels, masterclasses, networking events and other opportunities, both of which will run programming throughout the year.
“We’re excited to debut the film market at LALIFF 2024, offering Latino filmmakers a platform to showcase their incredible work and connect with distribution partners,” Caballero said in a statement. “This addition, alongside LFI Industry Forum, transforms LALIFF into a hub for celebrating Latino creativity, amplifying Latino leadership and forging key industry deals.”
LFI’s three main programs are LALIFF, the Youth Cinema Project and Latinx in Animation. The organization’s work of creating inroads for Latinos in Hollywood includes partnerships with Amazon Studios and Netflix.