LOS ANGELES, CA—The Consulate General of Mexico in Los Angeles, in collaboration with the Friends of the National Museum of the American Latino, organized the event “Hollywood and Mexico: Made for the Big Screen” on May 21 at the official Residence of Mexico in this city.

The event celebrated the broad cultural exchange between Mexico and Hollywood, exploring the vibrant history of Mexican influence on the film industry and its significant impact on American cinema, from iconic film productions to the contributions of Mexican talent both behind and in front of the camera. He also explored opportunities to nurture this valuable partnership in the future.

With this goal, the Consulate General of Mexico and the National Chamber of the Film Industry (CANACINE) signed a letter of intent on this date to strengthen ties between the Mexican audiovisual industry and the Los Angeles ecosystem. This will be achieved by promoting Mexico as a film destination, as well as promoting Mexican and Mexican-American talent in Los Angeles and companies in the Mexican audiovisual industry. Likewise, it seeks to promote the exchange of knowledge, best practices and cooperation opportunities for the benefit of both parties.

“The film industry in Mexico is one of the most important in Latin America. In Mexico, as in many other countries, the entertainment and media sector contributes substantially to economic activity, providing employment, generating income and contributing to cultural exports. We want to work closely with CANACINE and be a bridge between Hollywood and Mexico. We also want to support more capacity building in Mexico, including training and certification for people in the industry,”

Carlos González Gutiérrez, Consul General of Mexico in Los Angeles.

“This is a historic moment in the global and Mexican film industry. Spanish speakers are one of the largest audiences in the world, and the proximity of Mexico and Los Angeles goes far beyond geography, since culturally we are also very similar. This consulate initiative will undoubtedly contribute to building and reinforcing the commercial and cultural bridges of our community and industry. At CANACINE we celebrate and embrace the initiative, and we are very honored to be co-hosts and members of the working group that will accompany the consulate."

Avelino Rodríguez, President of CANACINE

An important delegation from Mexico's audiovisual and film industry attended the reception, including film commissioners from the states of Baja California, Jalisco and Mexico City, as well as a representative of the Mexican Academy of Cinematographic Arts and Sciences. It is important to highlight the participation of the Motion Picture Association (MPA), represented by Carlos Monroy, Director for Mexico.

The event also served as an opportunity to announce the following initiatives:

• Organize a familiarization trip to Mexico in the second half of 2024, visiting 2-3 states to explore filming locations, as well as to learn about the professional infrastructure and capabilities of Mexican film production talent and the industry as a whole.
• Create a Working Group that meets periodically with representatives of the film and audiovisual industries of Mexico and the United States, to discuss policy initiatives that promote high quality products, improve systems that lead to greater opportunities for film production in Mexico and also help promote an increase in Latin representation throughout the industry, in addition to contributing to skills development via training and certifications.
• Designate a focal point within the Consulate General of Mexico in Los Angeles to be a liaison with Hollywood, as well as to promote the film industry.

“At the heart of our campaign to create The National Museum of the American Latino is the need to highlight the untold stories at the center of our great nation. There is no better way to do this than through film," said Estuardo Rodríguez, president and CEO of the Friends of the National Museum of the American Latino. "We welcome this opportunity to help promote the power of storytelling through film talent from film allies in Mexico and Hollywood. The diversity in our American history is what has truly defined the success of our nation and the Latino community as a driving force of that success is a story that is hundreds of years old and that must be told “Today’s meeting is a significant step in that effort.”

“I thank the Consul General, Amb. González because he has seen not only the cultural importance of our industry, but also its economic impact for Mexico and the Latino community. The MPA will be in the best position to work closely with the Consulate General of Mexico in Los Angeles to promote the audiovisual industry in Mexico,”

Carlos Monroy, Director for Mexico of the MPA

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About Friends of the American Latino Museum (FRIENDS):

Friends of the American Latino Museum has been working to create a museum on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. to educate, inspire and foster respect and understanding of the richness and diversity of the American Latino experience in the US and its territories. It does this by highlighting the contributions of Latino leaders and pioneers and the Latino community in general to the American way of life. FRIENDS is not affiliated in any way with the Smithsonian Institution.

About CANACINE:

The National Chamber of Cinematography of Mexico is an institution that offers its members a complete range of services to collaborate in the improvement and competitiveness of their companies. The members are companies in the film industry, in fields such as film and advertisement production, distribution, film exhibition, dubbing studios, laboratories, among others.

About Motion Picture Association of Mexico:

The Motion Picture Association (MPA) is the more than 100-year-old association representing the six major Hollywood studios in the United States and around the world. The association seeks to promote policies and best practices to promote the audiovisual industry locally and internationally. Its member studios are Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures; Netflix Studios, LLC; Paramount Pictures Corporation; Sony Pictures Entertainment Inc.; Universal City Studios LLC; and Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.

*Press release from the Mexican Consulate in Los Angeles.