Eva Longoria’s feature directorial debut “Flamin’ Hot” starring Jesse Garcia will open the 2023 Los Angeles Latino International Film Festival, announced Wednesday as part of the full festival lineup. This year, the festival will feature over 80 films, 19 world premieres and 100 student films. LALIFF will take place May 31-June 4 at the TCL Chinese Theatre in Hollywood.
Longoria’s film is based on the true story of Richard Montañez (Garcia), the Frito Lay janitor who used his Mexican American heritage to turn one snack into a global sensation. Closing the festival is the Los Angeles premiere of Julio Torres’s A24 feature film “Problemista” starring Torres and Tilda Swinton, which tells the story of an aspiring Salvadorian toy maker in New York City and the race against his work visa as he tries to realize his dreams.
Edward James Olmos, co-founder of LALIFF, said, “We kick off our 22nd edition of LALIFF convinced, now more than ever, of the importance of our mission. We are doubling our efforts to build infrastructure for the Latino community in the entertainment industry, while remaining focused on excellence.”
“At a time when our industry is faced with the responsibility of evaluating our commitment to fair practices, LALIFF is proud to offer a safe space for dialogue and the enjoyment of the work by the filmmakers and artists of our community.”
Other highlights include “The Other Shape” by Diego Guzmán, “Charcoal” by Carolina Markowitz, documentary “Patria y Vida: The Power of Music” from Beatriz Lungo and “The Shadow of the Sun” by Miguel Angel Ferrer.
The lineup is divided into features, live-action and animated shorts, episodic works, musical performances, panel discussions and networking sessions. The full program can be found at the festival’s website.
