PROGRAMS
LFI SPARK ANIMATION FELLOWSHIP
The second cohort of the LFI Spark Animation Fellowship have been chosen to receive the grant based on the artistic merit of their submissions and the originality of their voice and vision.
The LFI Spark Animation Fellowship, presented by the Latino Film Institute and sponsored by Netflix, is a program that supports emerging and independent animation filmmakers and artists towards the production of animated short films told from the Latino perspective.
This year the program will award five visionary artists a grant of $30,000 each. Fellows receive mentorship and strategic industry connections while working within a studio-like system that supports skill development and career advancement.
The completed films will have a special screening at the 2027 Los Angeles Latino International Film Festival (LALIFF).
2025– 2026
Introducing our 5 selected fellows. Learn more about them and their upcoming projects.
MORE NEWS
The Latino Film Institute (LFI) today announced the launch of the LFI Futuro XR: 360° Video Lab, a five-month fellowship designed to train storytellers in the art and technology of immersive 360° filmmaking while amplifying stories rooted in the Latino experience.
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.
For Miguel Angel Caballero, storytelling has always been about community, both the one he comes from and the one he is helping build. As producer mentor for the 2026 YCP Alumni Fellowship, he brings more than 15 years of experience producing, writing, and directing films that move audiences while opening doors for others to step behind the camera.
