FEATURES & HIGHLIGHTS

For Liliana Hueso, storytelling is about creating connection, building community, and helping people feel seen. In this Staff Spotlight, Liliana shares the experiences that shaped her creative journey, the lessons she’s learned from young storytellers, and why she believes nuestras historias importan.

Ahead of LALIFF, we spoke with Diana Cadavid, who oversees the festival’s programming and leads LFI’s Industry Programs, about her path from Colombia to the international festival circuit and what continues to shape her approach to film.

Filmmaker Marcella Ochoa, founder of 8A Entertainment, has built a career telling stories that center Latino voices and explore bold social themes through genre. From co-writing the Blumhouse feature Madres to mentoring emerging storytellers through LALIFF and the Youth Cinema Project, Ochoa is as committed to the next generation as she is to her own craft.

For nearly two decades, Dr. David Nieto has shaped a culture across Hacienda La Puente Unified School District. In his three years as principal at Sparks Middle School, he has built a community where students are seen, heard, and empowered to lift others. Through hands-on mentorship and programs like the Youth Cinema Project that connect students with their community, his leadership is rooted in guiding, listening, and giving back.

For the past couple of years, producer Simone Kirlew has been a steady creative force behind the Youth Cinema Project Alumni Fellowship films, serving as producer mentor for the program’s last two alumni productions while acting as a vital link between the Latino Film Institute and each production team. Beyond nurturing the fellows’ creative vision, she oversaw the coordination that allowed each film to come to life, managing logistics, schedules, and on-the-ground production needs with precision and care.