{"id":1182754,"date":"2025-12-09T12:49:13","date_gmt":"2025-12-09T20:49:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.moviemaker.com\/?p=1182754"},"modified":"2025-12-09T12:49:16","modified_gmt":"2025-12-09T20:49:16","slug":"nfmla-infocus-latin-hispanic-cinema-program-2025","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.moviemaker.com\/nfmla-infocus-latin-hispanic-cinema-program-2025\/","title":{"rendered":"A Missing Sister, Dancer in Decline and Cockatiel Seeking Freedom Highlight NFMLA’s InFocus: Latin & Hispanic Cinema Program"},"content":{"rendered":"

A search for a missing sister, a flamenco dancer’s decline and a cockatiel’s escape plan were among the stories shared as New Filmmakers Los Angeles (NFMLA) hosted its annual InFocus: Latin & Hispanic Cinema <\/em>program. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The September event showcased significant and thought-provoking independent films by emerging filmmakers from and working in Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Honduras, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Spain, Venezuela, Canada and the United States.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It kicked off with an opening reception where all-access pass holders enjoyed complimentary food from Pink\u2019s Hot Dogs<\/a> and specialty cocktails featuring handcrafted tequila and mezcal made in Oaxaca, Mexico, by The Lost Explorer<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The first film program of the day, InFocus: Latin & Hispanic Cinema I,<\/em> presented coming-of-age narrative shorts. The films covered familial relationships, embracing one\u2019s identity, and transcending time, space, and borders. In celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, opening remarks were delivered by Miguel Santana<\/a>, president and CEO of the California Community Foundation<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The program continued with InFocus: Latin & Hispanic Cinema II, a collection of stories about contending with injustice, inequality, systemic failures and colonialism. It explored battles for justice, finding strength, deconstructing limiting beliefs and seeking a better future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The night concluded with InFocus: Latin & Hispanic Cinema III,<\/em> a program about the importance of connections. It featured stories of loss, love, and letting go.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

NFMLA showcases films by filmmakers of all backgrounds throughout the year, across both our general and InFocus programming. All filmmakers are welcome and encouraged to submit their projects for consideration for upcoming NFMLA Festivals, regardless of the schedule for InFocus programming, which celebrates representation by spotlighting various communities of filmmakers as part of the NFMLA Monthly Film Festival. This project is made possible in part by grant support from the City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs (DCA), and the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here is more information about the NFMLA fillmmakers and their films, provided by NFMLA.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cPunta Salinas\u201d directed by Maria del Mar Rosario<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

About Maria: <\/strong>Mar\u00eda del Mar Rosario was born and lives in Puerto Rico. Her stories trigger a reflection on notions of the Caribbean under a decolonial lens, while stylistically exploring the perspective of the body. Her work has screened at Tribeca, SFFILM, HotDocs, IDFA, Metrograph NYC, and the Cin\u00e9math\u00e8que Fran\u00e7aise in Paris. With a BA in Creative Nonfiction and Film Studies from Columbia University, she later completed her postgraduate studies at the School of Film and Television in San Antonio de los Ba\u00f1os, Cuba (EICTV). Awarded with the LALIFF\/NETFLIX Inclusion Fellowship to direct the narrative short, Punta Salinas; and the Firelight Media Fellowship 2024 for the documentary short Escambr\u00f3n, Playa, currently streaming at PBS. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

About \u201cPunta Salinas\u201d: <\/strong>After having sex for the first time, Alba, a 16 year old, searches for a strength she had never exercised before.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Watch the NFMLA interview with Maria del Mar Rosario, director of \u201cPunta Salinas\u201d: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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