2024 Mexican-American Film and Television Festival & Awards

MAFTF is more than just the premier festival representing the 40 million Americans of Mexican descent; it's a two-day celebration of our culture and artists. It's where Mexican-American and Latino film & television makers come together to interact, collaborate, network, and find like-minded partners. It's a platform where industry leaders connect with authentic storytellers.

On April 20th and 21st, 2024, the Mexican-American Cultural Education Foundation (MACEF), a 501(c)3, held its third annual Mexican-American Film and Television Festival & Awards at the Harmony Gold Theater in Los Angeles.

The Mexican-American Film & Television Festival MAFTF has grown to become the premier Los Angeles Festival which represents the 40 million Americans of Mexican descent. In 2023 it was a sold-out event with over 1000 tickets sold, and an impressive list of talent including Paul Rodriguez, Annie Gonzales, Pepe Serna, Luis Valdez, Moctesuma Esparza and many more. Its focus is projects which depict the Mexican-American community, not with the usual Hollywood stereotype, but the more real-to-life depiction of a community of hardworking Americans who contribute and have contributed endlessly to this country. Astronauts, lawyers, teachers, nurses, doctors, accountants, builders, war heroes and people of every sort whose stories go untold, because a demeaning stereotypical narrative is preferred by Hollywood.

Hollywood has been notorious for erasing Mexican-Americans/Chicanx out of American life for over 100 years. Even stories where Mexican-Americans war heroes are featured e.g; “Hell To Eternity” (1960), Anglo-American actors have portrayed their bravery and never mentioned their Mexican heritage. The perception of Mexicans and Mexican-Americans in the US is distorted and the media has played a large part in this. Largely portrayed in media through degrading stereotypes such as “bandidos” “criminals”, “the help”, “lazy”, “illegal invaders”, and “uneducated”. Recently, those in political power, including the former president, have legitimized these Mexican-American stereotypes into the American consciousness, with disastrous consequences see throughout the news. No other Latino group has endured such abuse.