Jennifer Lopez will be recognized with the inaugural Adelante Award for Industry at the opening night of the Los Angeles Latino International Film Festival, celebrating its 25th year.
The honor will be presented on May 27 at the TCL Chinese Theatre IMAX in Hollywood, celebrating industry leaders whose work has expanded opportunities and left a lasting impact across the entertainment industry.
A global Puerto Rican artist and entrepreneur who has a career that spans music, film, television and business, Jennifer Lopez is being recognized for her contributions to Latino representation. Festival co-founder Edward James Olmos reflected on their long professional history, citing collaborations on “Mi Familia” and Lopez’s Golden Globe-nominated turn in “Selena,” as well as their upcoming Netflix project “Office Romance.”
“Jennifer Lopez is part of a generation of artists who have helped define what was possible for Latino
representation across film and television,” Olmos said in a statement. “Honoring her at this milestone edition of LALIFF carries particular meaning.”
In addition, young Latina up-and-comer Paulina Chávez will also be honored during the ceremony, receiving the Next Gen Award. The accolade recognizes emerging talent shaping the industry’s future. Chávez is known for roles in “The Long Game,” “Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Road Trip” and the Paramount+ television series “Landman.”
The festival’s opening night will include a screening of “Valentina,” directed by Tatti Ribeiro and starring Keyla Monterroso Mejia, with Jessica Alba serving as executive producer. Ribeiro, a Film Independent Spirit Award winner for “Someone to Watch,” will participate in a post-screening conversation. The evening will conclude with an afterparty at the Hollywood Roosevelt.
Axel Caballero, CEO of the Latino Film Institute, said the anniversary edition highlights both established voices and rising talent. “Honoring Jennifer Lopez and Paulina Chávez speaks to that continuum,” Caballero shares. “One has built a global platform that dismantled barriers, while the other represents a new generation of artists stepping forward with momentum.”
LALIFF is a flagship program of the Latino Film Institute, a nonprofit dedicated to advancing Latino storytellers across film, television and media. The festival runs from May 27-31.
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