Recent TFTV grads Stephanie Silva (’19) and Roxanna Denise Stevens Ibarra (’20) were awarded Emerging Content Creators Scholarships to be part of the 2020 Latino Media Fest, presented by the National Association of Latino Independent Producers (NALIP) earlier this month.
Celebrating the best of Latinx content and content creators, and working to broaden the reach of inclusive narratives, this year’s Latino Media Fest featured over 30 sessions, including an Official Selection showcase, conversations with industry experts, panels with creative professionals from across multiple verticals, such as Isabela Merced and Alice Braga, and a special screening of the Sundance award-winning feature Charm City Kings followed by a conversation with the director Angel Manuel Soto.
Placing special emphasis on building the next generation of industry decision-makers, the Latino Media Fest awarded scholarships and financial assistance to ensure the event was made available to emerging creatives and professionals.
After graduating from the School of Theatre, Film & Television last year, Stephanie Silva moved to Los Angeles where she is a runner at the multimedia production studio Whitehouse Post, and works as a freelance editor and production assistant. “The Latino Media Fest was a wonderful experience,” said Stephanie. “I got to hear about the industry from diverse filmmakers that really inspired me. I participated in the mentorship program where I got very helpful advice as I navigate my way into my career as a filmmaker. I received the Emerging Content Creators scholarship and had my mentorship session with Christine Davila who has worked at numerous film festivals and talked about the importance of inclusion both behind and in front of the screen. My favorite panel was about NBC’s Superstore and tackling social issues with NBC executive producers and executive story editor. I want to work in comedy and it was very inspiring to learn about their creative process when talking about social issues and how that can be translated in a comedy.”
Roxanna Denise Stevens Ibarra, now a production crew member at Arizona Public Media, said “The Latino Media Fest exposed me to the amazing art in our community and really raised the question as to why we aren’t seeing more of these films in popular streaming platforms like Netflix or Hulu. My favorite panel was the NALIP Latino Media Fest Official Selection Q&A. The filmmakers discussed significant topics in the Latinx community that most shy away from, like colorismo, indigenous marginalism, religion and sexism. I also really liked their films!”
The School of Theatre, Film and Television’s Hanson FilmTV Institute provides a bridge from the School to the industry through its career advising and professional development opportunities. Over the past several years, by connecting FTV students to NALIP (National Association of Latino Independent Producers) many students and graduates have received internships, program scholarships, and jobs from NALIP.