10 Latino Short Films Set to Premiere at Sundance 2025

The Sundance Film Festival has unveiled its 2025 short film program. Among the 57 selections, 10 Latino short films represent nearly 20% of the festival’s lineup. This highlights a growing appetite for bold and innovative Latino stories in independent cinema.

A Bold New Era of Latino Storytelling

These Latino short films showcase a bold evolution in Latino storytelling. In the past, Latino shorts often focused on border issues and family dramas. The 2025 lineup, however, reveals a shift toward experimental storytelling with deep social consciousness. For example, En Memoria explores a quinceañera in a dystopian future, while Como Si La Tierra Se Las Hubiera Tragado is an animated tale of a young woman reconnecting with her Mexican roots.

Latino filmmakers are becoming bolder with their artistic choices, and more than in any other sector of Hollywood, the short film industry is where Latino creativity and storytelling are thriving right now. It’s a glimpse into the future of Latino cinema.

Complete List of Latino Short Films at Sundance 2025

These Latino short films span categories like U.S. fiction, international fiction, animation, and nonfiction.

U.S. Fiction

En Memoria
Imagine a dystopian future where a Latina mother fiercely protects her cultural heritage. This sci-fi short offers a fresh twist on the traditional quinceañera story.
Country: U.S.A.
Director: Roberto Fatal
Writers: Roberto Fatal, Ali Meyers-Ohki
Producers: Roberto Fatal, Ali Meyers-Ohki, Leah Dubuc
Cast: Leslie Martinez

SUSANA
Follow an American tourist’s journey through Mexico City in this exploration of cross-cultural encounters and self-discovery.
Country: Mexico/U.S.A.
Directors: Gerardo Coello Escalante, Amandine Thomas
Writers: Gerardo Coello Escalante, Amandine Thomas
Producers: Mariana Tames, Fernanda Preciado, Hannah Swayze
Cast: Andrea Raggio, Richard Laite

The Things We Keep
Delve into family secrets in this moving drama about a woman confronting her mother’s hoarding habits, uncovering buried truths along the way.
Country: U.S.A.
Director/Writer: Joanna Fernandez
Producers: Tim Truesdell, Lilith Mo, Yaxing Lin, Sofia Riba, Andrea Riba, Thomas Fernandez

Trokas Duras
Experience the dreamlike world of Los Angeles Latino day laborers in this visually captivating film.
Country: U.S.A.
Director: Jazmin Garcia
Writers: Jazmin Garcia, Benjamin Benji Moreno
Producers: Sally Su Jin Oh, Mayte Avina, Scott O’Donnell
Cast: Benjamin Benji Moreno, La Chapis, El Barrio, Luis Valentan, Elmer Mayorga, Tricia Sarmento

International Fiction

Pasta Negra
Venezuelan women embark on a poignant quest for pasta, a simple yet powerful reflection of the struggles faced by many in Venezuela.
Country: Canada/Venezuela/Italy/Colombia
Director/Writer/Producer: Jorge Thielen Armand
Writer: Mo Scarpelli
Cast: Lesbia López, Grieber Acosta, Mónica Zabaleta

Platanero
The bond between two Haitian brothers in the Dominican Republic is tested by desperate circumstances.
Country: Canada
Director: Juan Frank Hernandez
Writers: Juan Frank Hernandez, Vincent Labelle
Producers: Laurence Ly, Béatrice Moukhaiber
Cast: Ramón Emilio Candelario

Animation

Como Si La Tierra Se Las Hubiera Tragado
An animated journey of a young woman rediscovering her Mexican roots, exploring identity and belonging.
Country: France (yes, France)
Director/Writer: Natalia León
Producer: Luc Camilli
Cast: Natalia León, Rebeca Magdely Gonzalez Alfaro

Luz Diabla
This surreal animated short, set in the Argentine Pampas, promises a wild and original ride.
Country: Argentina/Canada
Directors/Writers/Producers: Gervasio Canda, Paula Boffo, Patricio Plaza
Producer: Courtney Wolfson
Cast: Mario Alarcón

Nonfiction

The Long Valley
A documentary exploring the lives of Latino residents in California’s Salinas Valley.
Country: U.S.A.
Directors/Producers: Robert Machoian, Rodrigo Ojeda-Beck

Miss You Perdularia
Gain an intimate look at Cuban teens navigating life in a nation undergoing transition.
Country: Cuba
Director: Manu Zilveti
Writer: Stefano Lopes
Producer: Cynthia Deus

The 10 Latino short films selected represent filmmakers from the U.S., Mexico, Venezuela, Argentina, and Cuba. You can watch these short films on screen at the festival in Park City, Utah, from January 23 to February 2, 2025, or online from January 30 to February 2.

For complete festival information and tickets, visit festival.sundance.org.

FAQ

1. How many Latino short films are in the Sundance 2025 program?
There are 10 Latino short films in the Sundance 2025 program, making up nearly 20% of the short film lineup.

2. Which Latino short films should I watch at Sundance 2025?
Some standout titles include En Memoria, a dystopian quinceañera story; Como Si La Tierra Se Las Hubiera Tragado, an animated exploration of identity; and The Long Valley, a documentary about Latino residents in California’s Salinas Valley.

3. What countries are represented in the Latino short films at Sundance 2025?
Filmmakers from the U.S., Mexico, Venezuela, Argentina, and Cuba contributed to the Latino short films featured in the program.