Inaugural Chicano Hollywood Film Festival to Launch as a Cultural Beacon and Protest Platform

The Chicano Hollywood Film Festival is set to premiere from July 17–20, 2025, in Pomona, CA, marking a pivotal moment for Chicano and Latino storytelling. Against the backdrop of ICE raids targeting undocumented farm laborers in Southern California, the festival emerges as both a celebration of culture and a form of protest. It aims to highlight the narratives, challenges, and resilience of the Chicano and Latino communities through film.

Opening the festival is "The Last Brown Beret," a feature film by Del Zamora, inspired by Alfredo Ramos's book, which revisits the legacy of the Brown Berets and their fight for civil rights. The festival's lineup includes over 90 short films, television pilots, and digital projects from emerging filmmakers, covering themes of identity, resistance, and healing. Notable films include "Ugly Little Monkey," "Horchata With Oat Milk," "A Little Family Drama," "Cholita Takes LA," and "Lost in the Barrio."

Beyond screenings, the festival will feature live DJ sets, Q&A panels, and networking events, alongside the introduction of the Chicano Hollywood Academy. This initiative is designed to nurture the next generation of Latino creatives in various aspects of filmmaking and content creation. Festival Director Francisco Roel emphasizes the festival's role in building a movement for Chicanos and Latinos to own their narratives and futures in entertainment.