2023 Film Festival | Mexican-American Cultural Education Foundation

Mexican-American Film & Television | Festival & Awards

2023 Theme: “Changing the Narrative, Recognizing Who We Are”

In 2023, the Mexican-American Cultural Education Foundation (MACEF), a 501(c)3, will celebrate the second annual Mexican-American Film and Television Festival & Awards at Harmony Gold Theater in Los Angeles.

The mission of the Mexican-American Film and Television Festival & Awards is to provide Mexican-American and Chicano filmmakers, who represent 40 million Americans of Mexican descent, a venue to showcase, promote and celebrate their beautiful art. A place for the Mexican-American and Chicano filmmaking community to network, honor each other, show support and promote each other. A place for Hollywood to see our best filmmakers, as well as talented newcomers, and learn how we Mexican-Americans want our unique culture and people to be represented: as an important part of the American fabric rather than the old stereotypical images.

On May 20 and 21, from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. at Harmony Gold, we will screen amazing new films, short films and TV pilots produced and performed by Mexican-American filmmakers and actors. The screenings will be live both in-person and virtually.

Full Schedule and Ticket Information

Saturday, May 20, 2023, Schedule

11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Festival Submission Screenings
1:00 p.m. 15-Minute Break
1:15 p.m. – 3:15 p.m. Festival Submission Screenings
3:15 p.m. 15-Minute Break
3:30 p.m. – 5:15 p.m. Festival Submission Screenings
5:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. Red Carpet, Drinks and Food
6:00 p.m. Screening of “The Cisco Kid” + Q&A With Cast & Crew
8:00 p.m. After-Party

On Saturday, we will be screening “The Cisco Kid,” which was directed by the extraordinary Luis Valdez. In this film, the Mexican hero and his trusty sidekick, Cheech Marin, ride on horseback and work together to thwart the schemes of crooks, officials and agents of Napoleon.

Sunday, May 21, 2023, Schedule

11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Festival Submission Screenings
1:00 p.m. 15-Minute Break
1:15 p.m. – 3:15 p.m. Festival Submission Screenings
3:00 p.m. – 3:45 p.m. Red Carpet
3:45 p.m. – 6:15 p.m. Screening of “Zoot Suit” + Q&A With Cast & Crew
6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. Red Carpet, Drinks and Food
7:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. Illustrious Awards!
8:30 p.m. After-Party

In accordance with our theme, we will screen “Zoot Suit” on Sunday. Directed by Luis Valdez, “Zoot Suit” follows Henry Reyna, a leader in the barrio, and his companions, who are wrongly found guilty of a crime based on circumstantial evidence. In a fight against a racially motivated miscarriage of justice, Alice Bloomfield and George Shearer, two activist lawyers, work tirelessly to secure their release.

The Mexican-American Film and Television Festival & Awards will be a first-class, star-studded, red carpet event to celebrate and promote Mexican-American and Chicano films, television, celebrities and filmmakers by giving them a place to be seen by some of the major players in the industry and influential leaders. The capstone of the festival will be the award ceremony with twelve categories receiving the Mexican-American Illustrious Awards in honor of our illustrious Mexican cultural heritage.

One notoriously stereotypical scene in a movie or TV show will also receive the La Chancla Award, which denounces tired old stereotypical depictions of Mexican-Americans.