Inside the Latino Film Institute’s Youth Cinema Project program that’s empowering young filmmakers

LOS ANGELES (KABC) — The Latino Film Institute, a nonprofit founded by actor Edward James Olmos, believes that every student has a story to tell.

Issac Flores was just 16 years old when he was selected to be part of the Latino Film Institute’s Youth Cinema Project, a program that gives underrepresented students the resources they need to succeed in the entertainment industry.

It was perfect for Flores.

“It opened so many opportunities and so many doors that I didn’t even know existed,” he said. “Not only does the program promote filmmaking within the Latino community, but it shows you the possibilities of the film industry in general.”

The program exposes students to different career paths in the industry, pairing them with mentors for an inside look at all the various aspects of filmmaking.

Thanks to the Youth Cinema Project, Flores has been able to bring his own film to life and is more determined than ever to keep writing Latino films and growing the number of Latinos working in the film industry.

“I like to think that the stories have always been there, and now it’s our job, my generation and the next generation, to pluck those stories out and bring light to them,” he said.

The Youth Cinema Project has four program options, which include YCP Signature, YCP AfterSchool, YCP Summer, and the CTE Film Production Pathway, a two-course sequence aligned to CTE Arts, Media, and Entertainment (AME) standards.

To learn more about the Latino Film Institute and the Youth Cinema Project, click here.