The initiative invests in Latino storytellers at a time when Latino audiences fueled 7 of the top 10 films in 2024
MIAMI, Oct. 2, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The mitú | Walmart Filmmaker Mentorship Program is proud to announce the launch of its third season, welcoming a new generation of Latino filmmakers whose stories showcase the richness, resilience, and creativity of the Latino community. Since its inception, the award-winning program has empowered a dozen rising filmmakers to bring their short films to life, from script to screen. For the first time, all four original short films will debut in November at the 24th edition of the Miami short Film Festival — a celebration of culture, creativity, and stories that move us all.
Guiding and inspiring this new class is returning mentor Oz Rodriguez, the Emmy Award-winning director, producer, and writer best known for his groundbreaking work on Saturday Night Live.
This year, the mitú | Walmart Filmmaker Mentorship Program continues to make an impact with an enhanced 11-week accelerated format, providing emerging filmmakers with the tools, resources, and support needed to bring their visions to life. Participants gain full access to mitú Studios in Los Angeles, receive everything they need to produce their own 5–10 minute short films, and are gifted a $10,000 equipment kit to fuel their future creative projects. Guiding and inspiring this new class is returning mentor Oz Rodriguez, the Emmy Award-winning director, producer, and writer best known for his groundbreaking work on Saturday Night Live.
This year, four filmmakers were selected from a nationwide open call that drew over 120 applications. Each will debut original short films exploring themes of identity, culture, and transformation: Sophia Costanzo (Cups), Glenís Hunter (15), Eric Ibarra (Two Step), and Stephanie Osuna-Hernandez (Spill The Frijoles).
Latino voices remain vastly unrepresented in Hollywood, even as Latino audiences prove to be among the industry's most powerful drivers. According to the UCLA Hollywood Diversity Report 2025, Latino actors held only 1% of lead roles in last year's top theatrical films, while Latino directors accounted for just 4.3% and writers 2.1%. Yet, audiences of color (including Latinos) purchased most opening-weekend tickets for seven of the top 10 and 12 of the top 20 films in 2024. This imbalance underscores the urgent need for efforts like the mitú | Walmart Filmmaker Mentorship Program, which creates opportunities for Latino filmmakers to tell their stories and meet the demand for authentic representation.
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