Mitú x Walmart Filmmaker Mentorship Program Empowers Latino Filmmakers to Realize Their Dreams (2024)

Most up-and-coming filmmakers know success is all about being prepared for the right opportunity — a chance to secure funding, connect with mentors and get their work on the big screen. But in an industry where Latinos are underrepresented, those opportunities are troublingly rare.

In Hollywood, Latinos account for less than 6% of on-screen speaking roles. Behind-the-camera, there is less than 5% Latino representation. Mitú and Walmart are working to change that through their Filmmaker Mentorship Program, an initiative to empower Latino creatives and to build a more inclusive entertainment landscape.

Building on the success of last year’s inaugural program, mitú and Walmart teamed up with the Latino Film Institute (LFI) for a second season to give four Latine filmmakers — Matthew Serrano, Kaila Gutierrez, Sofia Ayerdi and Manuel Villarreal — funding, equipment stipends and the opportunity to create and market their short films.

The talented Season 2 cohort also received support from actor and filmmaker Justina Machado and director Oz Rodriguez before premiering their films at festivals.

Serrano and Gutierrez each found inspiration from their upbringing when writing their films. In “Pick One,” Serrano draws on the struggles he faced growing up with mixed heritage through an elementary student, who grapples with having to “pick one” ethnicity on a standardized test. In “Nana Carmen,” Gutierrez revisits a childhood memory of dealing with a language barrier while being babysat by her grandmother, who spoke only Spanish.

Serrano and Gutierrez spoke with Variety about the support they received through the mitú x Walmart Filmmaker Mentorship Program and the importance of representation.

Program Experience

Serrano: It was so exciting to finally have funding and resources, and to not have to make a film with toothpicks — to actually say, “This was my vision, and nothing was limited at all.” Everything that you see on screen is everything that I wanted. It’s one of the first times I’ve ever had a film where I’ve been able to proudly say that. I’m always just working with nothing. That for me was the greatest part of this program by far.

Gutierrez: This is my first film out of film school, and this program helped me learn how to get into the professional landscape. Getting the experience of making a film, meeting people and having our work seen is the biggest thing. I can make something, but I want people to see it, to connect with people and expand my network. This was a great opportunity for that.

Taking Action Overthe Lack of Latino Directors

Serrano: It’s upsetting, especially when you look up the audience statistics, because they’re the opposite. [Latinos] are the ones that are filling seats. This program is really exciting, because if it continues, this will open the doors to so many more Latinos. I’ve already gotten to meet so many other Salvadoran filmmakers who have reached out to me because they found out that a Salvadoran got picked for this program.

Gutierrez: Hearing that statistic is crazy, because even fewer [Latino directors] are women. I had a conversation back in undergrad with one of my professors. She sat me down and said, “Look, I’m going to tell you: It’s hard. I know it’s going to be intimidating. You might be the only one in a room, but it’s needed.” Being in a program like this, it helps expose you to other Latino filmmakers, so it makes you feel like you’re not alone. There’s strength in community because you’re cheering for each other. It’s really nice to know that there are people who genuinely want to see you succeed.

Short Films

Gutierrez: “Nana Carmen” is based off the one and only time my nana babysat me. She passed away years ago, and I always thought we were so different. She was a lot more traditional. She would tell me, “You have to have your hair like this,” “You have to wear earrings,” and she wanted me to be very feminine, and I always said no. Making this film made me realize that, looking back, we’re a lot more similar than I thought.

Serrano: When I first started writing “Pick One,” I wasn’t going to write it about me. And then I got to the line where the dad talks about pupusas, and I was like, “Oh, no, this is about me. There’s no denying it.” I made the film that I wish I had seen when I was a kid. Growing up mixed isn’t hard, but it’s super confusing. You’re just kind of thrown into this black or white world, and you have to pick one. I never felt like I fit in anywhere, and I never watched a movie and was like, “That character is me,” so I’m really glad that I had the opportunity to make this movie. It’s a huge blessing.

Season 2 Mentors

Serrano: I felt the pressure of representing Salvadorans in my film, because I knew the amount of eyeballs we were going to get with this program. That was something I talked to [Justina and Oz] about, and they were super encouraging. They said, “Just make it authentic, just make it you. Whatever is true to you, just represent that in the movie.” So that’s what we did.

Gutierrez: One of my favorite conversations with Oz was about stunts, and it was really nice to hear that I had the freedom to experiment. You don’t necessarily have to have this super insane background; you can make the movie you want to make, and just try things, see what you can do and learn.

Remixing Cultures and Traditions

Gutierrez: You can make a movie that people are like, “Oh, that’s not Latino enough,” or “That’s too Latino.” You can’t please everyone, so you have to tell the stories that you want to tell. I am second-gen [Mexican American], so my experiences are different from my parents’ and my grandparents’. I don’t think there’s one way to be Latino. We can only be true to our experiences, and I think the best we can do is just be ourselves.

Serrano: Because we’re making stories based on our experiences, there’s just that added level of detail and authenticity that you can’t really get if you just pulled the story out of a hat. It was also exciting to share that there’s more than just Mexican culture. The Latin world is so huge. It’s so diverse. There are so many different styles of music, of cuisine, of art, of storytelling. There’s just so much that the world has not been exposed to. It’s exciting to be able to take my Central American identity and share it with people. With this opportunity and with future opportunities, hopefully, I can spread more Salvadoran art.