Official Selections: 7th Latinx Film Festival
Congratulations to our accepted filmmakers!
Films are listed in alphabetical order, index to the left.
Scroll Down to learn more about each film
S.P.I.C.
Short (narrative film) / Drama (loosely inspired by true events)
Director: Heidi Miami Marshall
Producer: Mathia Vargas, Carlos Ibarra, Johnny Sánchez
Writer: Johnny Sánchez
Cast: Gavin Guerrero, Johnny Sánchez, Carter Jones, Izzabella Timonera, Alexis Cruz, Jennah Roman, Andres Santiago Piña
Cinematographer: Jamal Solomon
Editor: Franck Méndez
Website: www.SpicFilm.com
Instagram: @SpicFilm
Twitter: @SpicFilm
Facebook: @SpicFilm
Synopsis (Plot Summary): JOHNNY is a 12-year-old Latino boy whose mom, an undocumented immigrant, has been arrested by I.C.E. She needs an immigration lawyer, but a good lawyer costs $5K.
EMILIO, Johnny's dad, asks ÁLVARO, a drug dealer, for a loan. But Álvaro knows Emilio can't repay $5K. So Álvaro offers Emilio a job instead - work for his illegal drug enterprise and Álvaro will give him the money he needs. Emilio hesitates at this dangerous offer. Having overheard the adult conversation, and with the clock ticking, Johnny decides to do the job on his own. He sneaks off to work for Álvaro. When Emilio discovers what Johnny is doing, he rushes to get his son back. On this fateful day, both father and son learn the realities before them and the choices they must make to survive.
A little about our film and the awards its won: The story is inspired by true experiences from the writer's childhood. His family arrived undocumented into the USA, and the film touches on all these themes. The film team (cast and crew) was extremely talented and diverse. The 3 lead producers are all Latino (aka Latiné). The remainder of the producer team is composed of 50% female and 50% male -- of all races and colors — and LGBTQ+. The director is female, and everyone on this film collaborated brilliantly together. Below are the awards S.P.I.C. has won to date.
Awards Won
THE BEST OF FEST / BlackBird Film Festival (2024)
CINEMA WRITING AWARD / BlackBird Film Festival (2024)
BEST LEAD ACTOR / SoCal Int'l Film Festival (2024)
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR / SoCal Int'l Film Festival (2024)
BEST ENSEMBLE CAST / SoCal Int'l Film Festival (2024)
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY ON A SHORT / Chain NYC Film Festival (2024)
BEST FEMALE FILMMAKER / FOLCS Short Film Festival (2024)
AUDIENCE CHOICE AWARD / Phoenixville Film Festival (2024)
BEST MULTICULTURAL FILM / SPE Media Festival (2024)
BEST STORY / Long Island Int'l Festival (2024)
BEST FILMMAKER AWARD / BareBones International Film Festival (2023)
BEST COMING-OF-AGE SHORT / Manhattan Film Festival (2023).
AUDIENCE AWARD / BlackBird Film Festival (2024)
HONORABLE MENTION - DRAMATIC SHORT / Philadelphia Latino Film Festival (2023)
HONORABLE MENTION / BareBones International Film Festival (2023)
AUDIENCE AWARD (highest audience rated of all shorts, in all screenings) / SOHO Int'l Film Fest (2023)
Additional Nominations
OUTSTANDING ACTION-SUSPENSE SHORT / Micheaux Film Festival (2024)
OUTSTANDING DRAMATIC ACTOR IN A SHORT / Micheaux Film Festival (2024)
BEST DIRECTOR / SoCal Int'l Film Festival (2024)
SOCIAL JUSTICE AWARD, Donald E. Lacy, Jr / Studio City Film Festival (2024)
OUTSTANDING CASTING IN A SHORT FILM - ARTIOS AWARD NOMINEE / Casting Society of America (CSA) / Hollywood Reporter, article LINK: hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/2024-artios-casting-society-awards-nominations-tv-theater-1235625835/
BEST SHORT FILM / Shawna Shea Film Festival (2023)
LOLA AWARD, BEST SHORT / Philadelphia Latino Film Festival (2023)
BEST FICTION SHORT FILM / Red Rock Film Festival (2023)
Fun Fact: During the development stages, the script won various awards at many screenwriting competitions. Including:
First Place at Diverse Voices/We Screenplay Competition
Finalist at the Blue Cat Screenplay Competition
Semifinalist at the ScreenCraft Film Fund
Quarterfinalist at the PAGE Awards International Screenwriting Competition
Second Rounder at Austin Film Festival
Third Place at Vail Film Festival Screenplay Contest
Starlight Cantina
Short Short.
An 80’s fast food safety training video that gets aliens ready for their first day on the job, where each deadly task prepares the worker for the mortal dangers of the workplace, with the final task being to defeat the monster in the fridge.
Director: Monica Lagrange
Producer: Ringling College of Art and Design
Writer: Monica Lagrange
Cast: Chris Slinker, Steve Mckenzie.
Editor: Monica Lagrange
Any awards, accolades or additional details: All visuals of the film (modeling, texturing, rigging, animation, lighting, compositing) were made by just one person!
Website: https://www.monicalagrange.com/thesisfilm
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/monicaca.caca