2022 LOLA Award Nominees — Los Shorts
Congratulations to our 2022 LOLA Award Nominees in the Los Shorts category!
This year's LOLA-nominated films highlight experiences of African Descent (afrodescendientes) and/or the Afro Latino Diaspora. Read more about the nominees and watch their trailers below.
Fuego
Fuego
Canada // 2021 // Narrative // 16 minutes
USA Premiere
Director: Christine Rodriguez
Producer: Christine Rodriguez, Productions La Tigresse
Lonely, isolated and disconnected from his roots, Manolo is an Afro-Cuban man who has reached a low point in his life. But he'll find new hope after a chance meeting in the community centre where he works.
La Ciguapa Siempre
La Ciguapa Siempre
USA // 2021 // Narrative // 13 minutes
Philadelphia Premiere
Director: Monica Moore-Suriyage
Producer: Chelsey Colosimo
Fed up with her boyfriend's lying and cheating, Milagros lets out an earth shattering scream, eventually turning into something she was always meant to be.
Los Patines
Los Patines (The Roller Skates)
USA & Colombia // 2021 // Narrative // 8 minutes
Philadelphia Premiere
Director: Loren Escandon
Producer: Michelle Silver, Loren Escandon
Forced to be a servant to a white woman, an Afro-Colombian orphaned girl dreams of freedom, a normal childhood, and a pair of roller-skates. Based on a true story, the film opens up a dialogue around the issue of child labor and slavery in the present day.
Ni Aquí / Ni Allá
Ni Aquí / Ni Allá
USA, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic // 2020 // Documentary // 15 minutes
Philadelphia Premiere
Director: Ley Comas
Producer: Ley Comas
A personal documentary that centers a conversation between filmmaker Ley Comas and their mother about their gender identity. As the middle child of Christian pastors, Ley never imagined that transitioning was possible. Growing up in the Dominican Republic, Ley only witnessed trans people portrayed as evil characters, punchlines in movies and TV shows, or outcasts and victims. At home, anything that went against God’s word was an abomination. This documentary follows Ley’s physical and psychological journey to become themself, while struggling to find a middle ground with their family.
The Ritual to Beauty
The Ritual to Beauty (La belleza ritual)
USA // 2020 // Documentary // 14 minutes
Philadelphia Premiere
Director: Shenny De Los Angeles, Maria Marrone
Producer: Shenny De Los Angeles
Three generations of Dominican women explore their relationship to relaxing their hair. By conjuring the magic of water and the power of her ancestors, a daughter uses spoken word poetry as an incantation to break the generational curse that has blocked the women in her family from locating where joy lives inside the body.
Amyra Leon as the Voice of Yemaya and Composer of the film.
The LOLA Awards were established in 2014 to recognize and honor cinematic achievements in filmmaking in the Latine/x/a/o creative community. Films that receive the LOLA Award accordingly feature strong artistic direction, moving performances, and compelling storytelling. Winners will be announced during the eleventh annual Philadelphia Latino Film Festival, May 29 - June 5, 2022. Tickets and festival schedule will be announced during the month of May. To receive alerts when tickets go on sale, subscribe to our newsletter here.