We’re getting close! The Georgia Latino Film Festival is excited to announce the award recipients for this year’s festival. Renowned Peruvian Latin American artist, Mimy Succar, will receive the prestigious GALFA Rising Star Award, and the honorable Consul General of Peru in Atlanta, Giancarlo Leon Collazos, will present proclamations to Mimy and her son, Tony Succar.
Adam Fisher from Shadow Box Studios in Atlanta, will receive the CEO of the Year award for his outreach to diverse communities, and the development of Backlot Academy.
The Consul General of Mexico in Atlanta, Javier Diaz de Leon will present the Pepe Serna Lifetime Award to actor and comedian, Paul Rodriguez. He has appeared in many television shows and feature films including, Blood Work with Clint Eastwood, King of the Hill, Tortilla Soup, A Million Little Things, Dora The Explorer, and many others.
The GALFA Visionary Director award will be presented to Ben DeJesus in recognition of his distinguished career as a director. With over a decade of experience in the U.S., multicultural, Latinx and youth markets, DeJesus has created over 100 hours of award-winning content including non-fiction, episodic, music videos and branded content.
French Stewart is being awarded the GALFA Ally Award. French is best known for his iconic role as Harry Solomon on the hit TV show, 3rd Rock from the Sun and inspector Gadget. With his unique comedic style, Stewart has starred in numerous television shows and films, earning a reputation for his memorable characters and versatility.
Legendary Latina actress Laura Patalano will be honored with the Pepe Serna Lifetime Achievement Actress Award for her remarkable contributions to cinema and her many award-winning films. Ms. Patalano starred in the Imagen Award-winning short You’re Dead To Me (2013) for which she also won the CMG Film Festival award for Best Dramatic Actress. This short film was accepted in over fifty film festivals around the world, winning several international awards.
Lastly, John Gibson, VP of external and multicultural affairs will receive the GALFA DEI Award for his transformative work at the Motion Picture Association. Since creating the MPA’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion program, John has cultivated key partnerships with more than 50 leading organizations, including the American Black Film Festival and the Georgia Latino International Film Festival,
“Our award recipients exemplify excellence in their field, consistently setting high standards and leading the way in their careers,” says Dr. José Marquez, CEO of the Georgia Latino Film Alliance. “They work tirelessly to promote gender equality, diversity, and authentic cultural representation in film and television, inspiring us all with their exceptional achievements.”
With less than two weeks away, the only Afro Latino film festival in the southeast country is setting the stage to welcome film aficionados, Georgia filmmakers, Latino creatives, celebrities, industry professionals, students and community members eager to celebrate Latino culture from around the world for Hispanic Heritage Month.
The excitement for the festival’s opening night VIP red carpet, film and reception is steadily building. The festival kicks off next Thursday, Sept. 26th at the Gas South District Theater located at 6400 Sugarloaf Pkwy, Duluth, GA 3009. In addition to the Gas South District Theater, the four-day festival’s lineup of panels, workshops, films, networking opportunities, music, and food, will take place at the Regal Atlantic Station cinema, Shadow Box Studios, and Silverspot Cinema at the Battery located at 960 Battery Ave, SE Suite 5000, Atlanta, GA 30339.
