PROGRAMS
THE LOS ANGELES LATINO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
The Los Angeles Latino International Film Festival (LALIFF) is the premier international event dedicated to reveling in the Latino human experience through film, television, animation, music, gaming, technology arts, visual art, or any form of expression that defies category.
With five days of both in-person and virtual screenings, masterclasses, animation and tech-gaming day(s), panels, activations, showcases, networking events and performances, LALIFF is a garden of creativity and a celebration of Latino life.
Recognized by The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for its discovery of emerging Latino talent, LALIFF has been home to debut films by incredible Academy Award-winning directors such as Guillermo del Toro, Alfonso Cuaron, Alejandro G. Iñarritu, and Pablo Larrain, as well as home to the debut films of Golden Globe-winning actresses America Ferrera, Gina Rodriguez and the directorial debut of Eva Longoria. It has featured and launched the careers of filmmakers, artists, storytellers, animators, and producers alike.
OUR MISSION
The Los Angeles Latino International Film Festival (LALIFF) is a premiere international event dedicated to showcasing the entirety of human experience from the Latino perspective, whether through film, television, animation, tech arts, gaming, music, art, or any other vehicle, regardless of platform.
LALIFF also serves as both the culmination and the launching pad showcase for the year long work stemming out of LFI programs such as LFI Fellowships and Youth Cinema Project.
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.
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
Throughout its history, LALIFF has bestowed the Gabriel Figueroa Lifetime Achievement Award to such industry icons as, Raul Julia, Pedro Almodovar, Carlos Saura, 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 Academy Film Archive houses all of the past LALIFF Collection.
