NVISION Latino Festival Takes Over Palm Springs: A Full Recap
Courtesy of NVISION Latino Film and Music Festival
The NVISION Latino Film and Music Festival came to an end after a weekend featuring four feature-length films and 35 short films representing a diverse range of countries, including the United States, Cuba, Spain, the Dominican Republic, Colombia, Peru, Venezuela, Canada, Mexico, Argentina, and Costa Rica, as well as panels and special talks with stars such as Xolo Maridueña, Jessy Terrero, Allen Maldonado, and Val Vega.
The festival took place at the Palm Springs Art Museum.
An award ceremony closed out the festival, with top honors going to Ponyboi, which earned the Best U.S. Feature award and a $10,000 prize. Boca Chica, meanwhile, earned the Best International Feature Film award. In the short film categories, Shut Up & Fish received $5,000 for Best U.S. Short, and Andas Danzando por Ahí won the award for Best International Short.
The festival presented Latino filmmakers and artists with an opportunity to share their work with others, and also provide advice for the next generation. “If you’re distracted by your past, you’re not present enough to build your future,” artist Allen Maldonado said during the Becoming a Multi-Hypenate Panel, which was hosted by Remezcla’s Editor-in-Chief, Thatiana Diaz. “A lot of times we will dwell about stuff that has happened and forget about building on the present moment to be in the future that you decide,” he added, as he delved into the journey of transitioning between creative careers.
Additional winners from the festival include:
- Best Local Film: The Ranch, Directed by Aiden Gonzalez
- Best California Film: The Ballad of Tita and the Machines, Directed by Miguel Angel Caballero
- Best Drama: In the Fold, Directed by Manuel Del Valle
- Best Comedy: Dear Diablo, Directed by Ambar Navarro
- Best Documentary: En La Caliente: Tales of a Reggaeton Warrior, Directed by Fabien Pisani
- Best Sci-FI: Border Hopper, Directed by Nico Casavechia
- Best Horror: Ciguappa, Directed by Blaine Morris
- Best Animation: La Perra, Directed by Carla Melo Gampert
- Best Experimental: I Want to Violently Crash Into The Windshield’s of Love </3, Directed by Fernanda Tovar
- Best Ensemble Cast: The Low End Theory, Directed by Francisco Ordonez
“We are incredibly proud to celebrate the talent and creativity of Latino filmmakers and artists at this year’s NVISION Festival,” Lex Borrero, co-founder and CEO of NTERTAIN said. “Their stories reflect the diversity and richness of our culture and push the boundaries of what Latino representation can achieve in the global entertainment landscape. This festival is a testament to the power of our voices and the future of Latino storytelling.”
Attendees to the NVISION Latino Film and Music Festival were also treated to an exclusive live performance from Sofia Reyes, a Latin GRAMMY-nominated artist, and Alex Ponce, a rising star making waves in the Latin music scene.
