

Our Mission
The Latino Film Institute (LFI) showcases, strengthens, and celebrates the richness of Latino lives by providing a pipeline, platform, and launching pad from our community into the entertainment industry.
The Los Angeles Latino International Film Festival (LALIFF) is a premier international event dedicated to showcasing the entirety of human experience from the Latino perspective, whether through film, television, digital, music, art, or any other vehicle, regardless of platform.

Get to know our History
LALIFF was founded in 1997 when Edward James Olmos and co-founders Marlene Dermer (1997-2014), Kirk Whisler and the late George Hernandez joined forces with the City of Los Angeles to form the first-ever Latino focused International film festival. Recognized for its discovery of emerging Latino talent, LALIFF has been home to first films by Academy-Award winning directors, Guillermo del Toro, Alfonso Cuaron, Alejandro G. Iñarritu, and Pablo Larrain, as well as home to the first films by Golden Globe-winning actresses, Gina Rodriguez and America Ferrera.
Throughout its history, LALIFF has bestowed the Gabriel Figueroa Lifetime Achievement Award to such industry icons as,


Raul Julia, Pedro Almodovar, Carlos Sauza, Maria Felix, Anthony Quinn, Nelson Pereira dos Santos, Federico Luppi, Rita Moreno, Ricardo Montalban, Antonio Banderas, Ignacio Lopez Tarso, Gustavo Santaolalla and, of course, Gabriel Figueroa himself.
The LALIFF Youth Program, a screen education program that took place at the festival, set the groundwork for what would eventually become the statewide, public school educational film program known as, the Youth Cinema Project.
The Academy Film Archive houses all of the past LALIFF Collection.
Latino Film Institute (LFI)Board of Directors
Edward James Olmos
FOUNDER & BOARD CHAIRMAN
Bonifacio Garcia
BOARD PRESIDENT
Dr. Judith F. Baca
BOARD MEMBER
Jay Nomura
BOARD MEMBER
Pilar Flynn
BOARD MEMBER
Dr. Ana-Christina Ramon
BOARD MEMBER
Dr. Richard L. Miller
BOARD MEMBER
Steven Zubkoff
BOARD MEMBER
LALIFF Team
RAFAEL AGUSTÍN
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
DIANA CADAVID
Artistic DIRECTOR
ALEXIS DE LA ROCHA
MANAGING DIRECTOR
BODIE OLMOS
DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR
ANA SOUZA
INDUSTRY PROGRAMMER
JORGE MOLINA
Programming coordinator
BENJAMIN-SHALOM
RODRIGUEZ
VOLUNTEER COORDINATOR
SIERRA SANTANA
SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER
EDOARDO CHAVARIN
CREATIVE & GRAPHIC DESIGNER
SHARI MESULAM
JOHANNA CALDERON-DAKIN
PRESS
MAGDIELA DUHAMEL
BRYAN DIMAS
LATINX IN ANIMATION
SERGIO MONSERRATE
ERIKA SABEL FLORES
MONIQUE AVILA
OSVALDO REYES
YOUTH CINEMA PROJECT
LFI Industry Advisory Board
Ruben Garcia
Chair
CAA Foundation
PETE CORONA
Netflix
JOSE CHOTO
Netflix
MONIQUE CLIFTON
Caa
CHRISTINE DAVILA
WARNERMEDIA
JOHN ESTRADA
Nbc Universal
ELIANA MURILLO
Google
JOLENE RODRIGUEZ
SONY SCREEN GEMS
PATTY RODRIGUEZ
ON AIR WITH RYAN SEACREST