Latino Film Institute Announces 2026 LFI Inclusion Fellows

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Latino Film Institute Announces 2026 LFI Inclusion Fellows

2026 LFI Inclusion Fellows

Social Impact

14 October 2025

United States

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The Latino Film Institute (LFI) today announced the 6th annual cohort of directors selected for the LFI Inclusion Fellowship, an initiative supported by Netflix. The program provides ten emerging filmmakers with the resources to produce live-action narrative short films through $50,000 production grants, mentorship, and curated opportunities for industry engagement. Fellows participate in a studio-style environment designed to strengthen their creative vision, technical skills, and professional networks, preparing them for long-term success in the entertainment industry.

Over the past five years, the LFI Inclusion Fellowship has helped launch the careers of 45 alumni whose films have premiered at major festivals, secured distribution, and advanced them into both television and feature development. With each new class, the program continues to expand representation and amplify diverse voices that are shaping the future of storytelling.

Our mission with the LFI Inclusion Fellowship is to empower talented filmmakers to tell bold, original stories that resonate with audiences, said Diana Cadavid, Director of Industry Programs at LFI. This year's cohort spans magical realism, intimate family dramas, and socially conscious narratives, with each film offering a distinct perspective. By providing mentorship, resources, and industry connections, we're supporting these emerging filmmakers to bring their visions to life and open doors for the next generation of Latino storytellers.

The completed films from the 2026 LFI Inclusion Fellowship will be screened for an audience of industry professionals at the 25th edition of the Los Angeles Latino International Film Festival (LALIFF), taking place May 27 - 31, 2026. Fellows will also take part in LALIFF Connect, the festival's professional development and networking section, further connecting them to the broader industry.

The 2026 LFI Inclusion Fellows and their films are:

Alejandro Marquez Vela - Methuselah

When a boy and his father go camping in search of Methuselah, the oldest living tree on Earth, their quest becomes a magical journey of love, loss, and legacy.

Anna Victoria Salinas - I Don't Hate Her

A struggling Latina writer tries to befriend her nemesis, only to discover she's hiding a dark secret.

Anthony Rojas - Sweet Plantains (or Los Pl tano' Maduro No Vuelve a Verde)

Santi, a guarded young man grappling with his mother's addiction, is drawn into a ragtag community theatre group, where fragile bonds challenge his ideas of trust, belonging, and home.

Elizabeth Taide Vazquez - Ruedas

After a brutal assault, a struggling aging ice cream vendor in South L.A. is guided by a trickster spirit through a surreal Los Angeles where grief, magic, and resilience intertwine.

Fiorella Vescovi - Four Visitors

In 1970s Uruguay, an 18-year-old becomes the driver for his imprisoned brother's family and is forced to navigate dictatorship, prison walls, and the fragile survival of love and resistance under fear.

Karina Lomelin Ripper - Silver Blankets

In this wildly imaginative escapist film, two sisters must help each other to see beyond the walls of a child detention center.

Karolina Esqueda - Hooperella

With the help of her best friend, lab mice, and a pair of golden hoops, Gabriela Quiroz, a burnt-out PhD student, musters the courage to defy her advisor and lazy lab partner to secure funding for her research.

Merced Elizondo - And Then Everything Turned Itself Inside Out

Birthmarks reveal past lives, and today L zaro must decide whether to uncover the origin of the mark on the back of his neck.

Ricardo A. Martinez - The Drop Off

When desperate young mom Samantha leaves her 7-year-old unsupervised at a family restaurant arcade to attend a job interview, the girl must outwit suspicious adults and find a way out before the truth catches up to them both.

Sofia Rovaletti - Game of Chance

A couple's future hinges on a high-stakes poker game to save their marriage or say goodbye forever.

Download the 2026 LFI Inclusion Fellows' headshots and bios here.

About Latino Film Institute (LFI)

The Latino Film Institute (LFI) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization committed to empowering storytellers and creators and advancing innovation in the entertainment, tech, arts, and media industries. Through its signature programs, including the Youth Cinema Project (YCP), the Los Angeles Latino International Film Festival (LALIFF), LFI Scholar, LFI Spotlight Series, and LFI Fellowships, LFI provides transformative opportunities and resources to foster Latino talent and voices in media.

For more information on LFI, visit www.latinofilm.org.

About Los Angeles Latino International Film Festival (LALIFF)

The Los Angeles Latino International Film Festival (LALIFF) is an international event dedicated to excellence in filmmaking. Through film, television, music, and education, LALIFF offers a vibrant stage to celebrate the richness and diversity of Latino cinema through distinct directorial voices and culturally significant narratives.

For more information and updates on LALIFF visit www.laliff.org

Follow LALIFF and LFI on social media:

Instagram: @laliff_ and @lfi

Facebook: facebook.com/laliff

LinkedIn: Latino Film Institute

Media Contact:

Loraine Valverde - Latino Film Institute loraine@latinofilm.org

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