Latino Public Broadcasting Announces Newly-Funded Film & Digital Projects

Latino Public Broadcasting (LPB) today announced its latest funding recipients, including three projects funded through the Current Issues Content Fund, made possible by a generous grant from the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation. The remaining Eleven projects were funded through LPB's 2020 Public Media Content Fund.

This year's awardees tell particularly timely stories, from North Carolina to Texas to California from Puerto Rico to Mexico to Venezuela, and many reflect the enormous impact that the past year has had on the Latino community. From the COVID-19 pandemic to a renewed focus on the devastation wrought by poverty and inequality, these films offer an on-the-ground look at the diversity of experience of Latinos here and abroad.

"In a year when the concept of 'home' has had more resonance than ever, one of the themes that unites these projects is an exploration of the yearning for home, whether it's the immigrant's complex connection to their native land (Lo Que Dejamos Atras, Los Desobedientes, Traces of Home) or the struggle of a community fighting to stand its ground in the midst of change (Bartolo, Slumlord Millionaire)," says LPB Executive Director Sandie Viquez Pedlow. "This year's projects tell stories that explore complex and timely issues through a moving, personal lens."

More digital projects were funded during this cycle than ever before in an effort to continue nurturing emerging filmmakers, many of whom have been hit particularly hard during the pandemic. Says Pedlow, "We wanted to keep fueling the creativity of all Latino makers and enable them to create in a variety of formats, especially in a year where much of traditional filmmaking was shut down. We're proud to support all of our passionate mediamakers and look forward to bringing their work to a wide audience on PBS's broadcast and digital platforms."

Every year LPB invites independent filmmakers to submit proposals for production, post-production and digital support. All submissions are reviewed by a group of public media professionals, including journalists, independent filmmakers, and executives from national funding organizations.