The Hola Mexico Film Festival will return this fall to Los Angeles for its 18th edition, featuring more than 20 Mexican feature films and 20 short films during a nine-day celebration of Mexican cinema, organizers announced Tuesday.<\/p>\n
The festival will run Sept. 25 to Oct. 3, with opening night at the Montalban Theatre in Hollywood, according to organizers. Most screenings, along with the closing-night film screening, concert and audience awards presentation, will be held at venues in downtown Los Angeles, including Regal LA LIVE and LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes.<\/p>\n
Festival organizers said the event will feature dramas, comedies, documentaries and horror films, with many selections making their U.S. or West Coast premieres.<\/p>\n
\u201cEighteen years of celebrating Mexican cinema in LA is a strong statement about the community and their love for Mexican films,\u201d festival founder and director Samuel Douek said in a statement. \u201cAt the same time, we\u2019re happy to continue celebrating Mexico\u2019s cinematic achievements worldwide. Los Angeles and Mexico are connected in many ways, but cinema holds the strongest bond.\u201d<\/p>\n
Organizers said the festival annually attracts more than 10,000 attendees and will again include Wednesday\u2019s Filmmakers Tuesday, a professional development program that provides mentorship and networking opportunities for emerging Latino filmmakers.<\/p>\n