The Newly Renamed and Expanded Philadelphia Latino Arts & Film Festival Returns May 26 to July 7

For its 2024 edition, PHLAFF is expanding—in scope and size—to celebrate Latine voices, storytelling, and culture over six weeks of programming, including live music, dance, theatre, poetry, spoken word, community, and more than 140 films.

Philadelphia, PA — The Philadelphia Latino Arts & Film Festival (PHLAFF) kicks off Memorial Day weekend for its 13th edition with an ambitious six-week program that will run from May 26 to July 7 and feature over 140 Latine/x/a/o films alongside an outstanding array of Latine cultural experiences and activations at venues around the city.

“Twelve years ago, PHLAFF was founded to showcase the extraordinary and innovative work of emerging and established Latine filmmakers. Now, entering the 2024 season as the Philadelphia Latino Arts & Film Festival, we are preparing for a new era celebrating Latine creatives from around the world, expanding into other disciplines, extending our timeline, and integrating with other offerings. More than ever, we are committed to fostering a new generation of talent, building community, providing increased access to our programming and a space for creatives and audiences to connect,” said festival director Marángeli Mejía-Rabell.

The festival lineup and full calendar of events will be announced in the coming weeks. Festival highlights include:

• This is the first season for PHLAFF as a newly renamed and expanded arts and culture festival. It marks the beginning of a three-year strategic plan to diversify the genres, disciplines, and forms of artistic work showcased, made possible thanks to a grant from Philadelphia’s Cultural Treasures project.

• In collaboration with PhillyCAM, PHLAFF is welcoming an inaugural cohort of emerging artists who will develop projects to showcase their creativity and contribute to advancing Latine/x/a/o arts and culture in Philadelphia and beyond. PHLAFF 2024 Los Fellows are Alejandro Ceballos Jimenez, Iliana Pagán Teitelbaum, and Erik Alfredo Martínez.

• In addition, the festival is launching a program for cultural producers to nurture creative talent, promote cultural diversity, and foster meaningful connections between artists and the community. Wilfredo Hernandez and Jennifer Mota are PHLAFF 2024 Cultural Producers in Residence.

• The festival will host a 72-hour filmmaking competition in partnership with ReelTalk. Following PHLAFF’s First Friday event at the Barnes Foundation on Friday, May 31st, teams of filmmakers who sign up online or at the event will have three days to concept, create, and complete a short film using a genre and line of dialogue provided by us. The resulting films will be screened and judged on Friday, June 7th.

• The LOLA Awards, which present and recognize Latine films on a specific genre or topic, will focus on essence—the intrinsic nature or indispensable quality that defines a filmmaker’s true intention.

• The 9th annual Youth Salon will feature workshops and a showcase celebrating the work of young Latine/x/a/o filmmakers under 22 years of age during the festival. Submissions for the Youth Salon will remain open until May 5.

For more information and upcoming announcements, visit www.phlaff.org, sign up for the festival newsletter, follow us @phlatinfilmfest on Instagram and Facebook, and be sure to use the hashtag #PHLAFF2024.

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About PHLAFF: The Philadelphia Latino Arts & Film Festival (PHLAFF) was established in 2012 and has become the Greater Philadelphia region’s only festival showcasing the extraordinary and innovative work of emerging and established Latino and Latinx filmmakers. Each year, the Festival includes film screenings of groundbreaking works of all genres. Festival programs attract a diverse audience, developing a new space in the Philadelphia region where filmmakers, actors, and producers can meet with other artists, engage with audiences, and present and discuss innovative work. PHLAFF’s mission is to nurture emerging and established Latine/x/a/o creatives and filmmakers by celebrating the richness and diversity of our cultures and experiences while fostering cross-cultural understanding and dialogue.