Our programs are designed for Latinxs to empower each other, and bridge the gaps of inequality within the Latinx community.
Led by director and producer Olga Segura, this groundbreaking program, developed in partnership with
the Sundance Institute’s Women at Sundance, Netflix, and Shondaland, supports up-and-coming Latina and
non-binary Latinx directors, providing a grant, shadowing opportunities on TV series and mentorship by industry leaders.
Past fellows include the talented directors Cecilia Aldarondo, Nicole Mejia, and Yulene Olaizola.
Year 3 of the program will come in 2025.
The Proof of Concept Grant is a program created by The Latinx House and Adobe Foundation to support advanced Latinx filmmakers.
Many filmmakers face the significant hurdle of transitioning from a successful film festival premiere to making their next film. We believe it is extremely important to create a visible proof of concept for studios, streamers, and investors to see and understand the filmmaker’s vision, so they can get to know the movie’s potential, take the risk, and invest.
A team of five high-level producers and executives, curated by The Latinx House, will pick the top two projects from a group of twenty advanced filmmakers. The chosen projects will receive a grant to help develop the idea into a more elaborate proof of concept.
Yolanda Cruz is a Mexican American indigenous independent filmmaker from Oaxaca, Mexico. A member of the Chatino community of Oaxaca’s Sierra Sur region, she grew up speaking chatino, before migrating to Oaxaca City with her family, where she learned Spanish. As a teenager she migrated to study and work in the USA. In her films she draws from the tradition of oral storytelling to create narratives about art, migration, and indigenous cultures. Her two most recent feature films, “Hope,” and “Soledad and La Raya,” are the first films to be produced in the Chatino region and the first in the Chatino language. Cruz holds an MFA from the UCLA film school, a BA in Liberal Arts from The Evergreen State College, and is a Sundance Institute Fellow.
@petatefilmsIsabel Castro is a five time Emmy-nominated, Mexican-American filmmaker. Her first feature, "Mija" (Sundance 2022) was a NYT Critics' Pick, nominated for an Independent Spirit Award, won a Cinema Eye Honor, and won the Grand Jury Prize at Champs-Élysées. She directed, produced and filmed "USA v Scott" (Tribeca 2020, The New Yorker), Emmy-nominated "Darlin" (Tribeca 2019, NYT OpDocs) and GLAAD award-winning "Crossing Over" (Univision/Participant Media). She’s worked as a producer, cinematographer and journalist for The New York Times, as an Edward R. Murrow-award winning producer at The Marshall Project, at VICE on HBO and on Netflix's series "Pandemic". Castro was named one of Filmmaker Magazine’s “25 New Faces of Film”. She is currently in post-production on her second feature.
@isabelcastropicsThis program was created to support intermediate bilingual (Spanish and English) editors in the industry to hone their craft, and give them a platform to get to the next level of their careers through mentorship opportunities, industry connections, and exposure.
Three editors will be selected from a list of invited applicants to attend a series of targeted masterclasses with both experienced Adobe professionals, and some of the best editors and directors in the industry. Editors will also get the chance to practice on raw footage from recent films and get feedback from recognized directors and mentors.
Editors will be highlighted in the press and amplified through social media platforms.
This can be invaluable for Latinx editors who might otherwise struggle to access these networks, which are crucial for career advancement in the film industry.
Alejandra Armijo is a Bolivian film editor based in Los Angeles, whose background is shaped by Latinx culture and a passion for storytelling that reflects her heritage and experiences. Holding a bachelor’s degree from The Los Angeles Film School and a master’s in Editing from the American Film Institute, Alejandra has edited acclaimed projects like SKIN (2023), THE BULLFIGHTER (2023), and BAJO LA TIERRA (2024), which have showcased her talent at international and LGBTQ+ film festivals. Her work centers on layered, human stories that bridge cultural gaps. Committed to expanding Latin American representation in global cinema, Alejandra supports emerging filmmakers and is dedicated to bringing meaningful, inspiring stories to the screen.
@alearmiijoMaria Gabriela Torres is a Venezuelan documentary editor and filmmaker with a background in journalism and TV production. She has a BA in journalism and began her career on TV as a content producer for NTN24, a free-to-air news channel in Colombia. In 2017 she graduated from The New School’s Documentary Studies Graduate Program and honed in on her editing skills at The Edit Center. Maria Gabriela has been an assistant editor for several Emmy-winning films like True Justice: Bryan Stevenson's Fight for Equality (2019) and The Rescue (2021). Her debut as a feature film editor was Endless Calls for Fame (2024), and she's currently editing a feature film to be broadcast by PBS in Fall 2025.
@mgtorresmMario Fierro is a Mexican American film editor who earned his MFA from the American Film Institute Conservatory in 2020. He was born in Veracruz, Mexico and raised in Denver, Colorado. Not one to wait for chance opportunities, he took matters into his own hands and began his journey as a videographer, primarily so he could keep generating work to edit constantly. This dedication ultimately led to a role as Cardi B’s personal videographer. After turning 30, Mario decided to focus exclusively on editing. Since then, he has edited several feature films, including A Place in the Field, which was acquired for distribution by Lionsgate, and Party People, which recently premiered at the 2024 Austin Film Festival.
@marioandrewfierro