Oct. 9 though Oct. 16. Festival to Feature Top Ten Independent Short Films Streamed Exclusively on CineYouthFest.org and HITN GO App.

The ¡Tú Cuentas! Cine Youth Fest, announced its slate of talented finalists for this year’s short film competition. The online film festival, powered by HITN-TV, the nation’s leading Spanish-language public broadcaster, will run from Oct. 9 through Oct. 16 and will feature short films created by young Latino creatives.

2024 marks the fourth edition of the film festival, which received hundreds of submissions from Latino filmmakers nationwide. Filmmakers explored a range of topics including mental health, identity, self-discovery, and the immigrant experience. Participants shared personal stories that explored self-reflection, cultural connections, and the challenges of navigating social media and digital life. Many works also focused on destigmatizing mental health issues within Latino communities and examining the complex dynamics of family relationships.

According to Film Festival Director L. Alejandro Molina, the award-winning film festival is unique in the opportunities it provides for young Latinos. “Every year, the ¡Tú Cuentas! Cine Youth Fest brings fresh new perspectives on what it means to be Latino in the United States. Through the ¡Tú Cuentas! Cine Youth Fest, we are honored to highlight the talent of young Latino filmmakers, directors, producers, writers, and actors,” Molina said.

Film Festival Co-Director Cynthia Rivera added, “Once again, this year, the festival features an outstanding top 10 lineup, with six of the short films directed by talented female directors. This significant representation highlights the growing presence of women in filmmaking and underscores our commitment to celebrating diverse voices in Latino cinema. We are proud to share their stories across HITN’s nationwide media network and give a voice to the unique struggles, challenges, and triumphs of these young artists.”

This year’s top ten finalists include:

• “Aquí” by Anabella Gonzalez
• “Build Me Through the Image/Constrúyanme a través de la imagen” by Paula Hung
• “Don’t be Scared” by Saul Espinoza
• “Fight for a Dream” by Jiovana Arteaga
• “Grieving the Girl” by Victorya Cintra
• “Hot Latin Nights at the Granada!” by Franco Gabriel Vidal
• “My dad, is my hero” by Alexis Coindreau
• “Power Play” by Camila Florez
• “Sombras Del Pasado” by Samuel Correa and Juan Martinez
• “Stop Doubting Yourself” by Valerie Flores

The short films will be featured on cineyouthfest.org and will also be available to HITN viewers through the HITN GO app. Winners will be selected from the finalist pool by an independent jury based on subject matter, creativity, technical work, storytelling and inspirational impact. The top award winners will be announced on Oct. 16, the final day of the festival, and will receive a $4,000 grand prize, $2,000 second prize and $1,000 third prize.

In addition to the top three prizes, the festival will honor exceptional talent with the ¡Tú Cuentas! Spotlight Award, given to the fourth-place film in recognition of its artistic merit and unique voice. Project Casting is also providing all four winners with a free one-year membership to their platform, offering valuable resources for emerging filmmakers.

The film festival supports HITN’s initiative to increase the reach and visibility of independent Latino filmmakers. According to the USC Annenberg Inclusion Initiative, Latinos continue to be underrepresented in media. A study of 1,300 top-grossing films between 2007 and 2022 found that 43.6 percent of the top-grossing movies in the time period did not feature a single Hispanic/Latino character. Latina women held less than 2 percent of the total lead/co-lead roles, even though Latinos make up 19 percent of the U.S. population. “When the numbers show such a big gap in Latino representation in media, it's time for a change,” Rivera said. “We are proud to elevate all these young Latino storytellers, with a special acknowledgment of the growing influence of Latina women in the film and creative industry.”

For more information about the ¡Tú Cuentas! Cine Youth Fest, visit https://cineyouthfest.org/.

About HITN

HITN-TV is a leading Spanish-language media company that offers educational and cultural programming for the whole family. It reaches more than 40 million homes in the United States and Puerto Rico through DIRECTV, AT&T U-verse, AT&T TV, DISH Network, Verizon FiOS TV, Comcast Xfinity, Charter Spectrum, Mediacom, CenturyLink, Prism and Altice, Liberty Cable & Claro (Puerto Rico). Download the HITN GO app available on Apple, Android, Apple TV, and Roku® with a subscription. For more information, visit: www.hitn.org and follow @HITNtv on social platforms.

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