OKLAHOMA CITY – With a red carpet lining the entryway into the Stockyards’ historic Rodeo Cinema, a colorful, branded backdrop for Hollywood-style photo ops, and a packed house of moviegoers sat for the opening night film screenings, the first-ever Oklahoma Latin American Film Festival kicked off Saturday night.
A new, more encompassing and citywide film fest undertaking from the founders of the former Cine Latino Film Festival, the new Oklahoma Latin American – or OLA – Film Festival already felt like a more reverent event focused on viewing and appreciating the cinematic works of voices across the Latin world.
“There’s just been so many things happening today,” OLA co-founder Rogelio Almeida told OKC Free Press during the festival’s first night. “We’ve had so many people through already, and we have some of the filmmakers coming in from all over, and the Rodeo theater is just the best. We’re so happy to be here.”
In the midst of the opening night festivities, the first-ever OLA Film Festival awards were announced, featuring some powerful international voices, some student filmmakers recognized by the new OLA Film Institute, and OLA co-founder Victor Caballero himself being surprised with a win for Best Oklahoma Short.
Here are the winners for the inaugural Oklahoma Latin American Film Festival:
BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE: “Ayahuasca Now”
BEST NARRATIVE FEATURE: “Public Phone”
BEST DOCUMENTARY SHORT: “Grandchild 139”
BEST SHORT FILM: “New Service”
BEST OKLAHOMA SHORT “Until We Weren’t” (awarded to director and OLA co-founder Victor Caballero)
BEST COLLEGE STUDENT SHORT: “Non-Biological Mexican”
BEST HIGH SCHOOL SHORT: “Clandestine”
BEST DIRECTOR SHORT: Tales Ordakji – “New Service”
BEST SCREENPLAY SHORT: Alexis Galindo – “Green, White, and Blood”
BEST ACTOR SHORT: David Jofre – “Perennials”
BEST ACTRESS SHORT: Laura Aleman – “An Outfit”
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY SHORT: Easton Oliver – “Until We Weren’t”
BEST SOUND/MUSIC SHORT: Ricardo Nava, Alexis Galindo – “Green, White, and Blood”
BEST EDITING SHORT: E.T. Vazquez – “Encuentro Americano”
BEST DIRECTOR FEATURE: Carlos Bruno Cejas – “Ayahuasca Now”
BEST SCREENPLAY FEATURE: Mois Roditi Haydenblit – “Public Phone”
BEST ACTOR FEATURE: Iván Carbajal – “Public Phone”
BEST ACTRESS FEATURE: Fernanda Rivera – “Public Phone”
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY FEATURE: Carlos Bruno Cejas – “Ayahuasca Now”
BEST SOUND/MUSIC FEATURE: Gustavo Santaolalla – “Ayahuasca Now”
BEST EDITING SHORT FEATURE: Bruno López – “Ayahuasca Now”
For more, visit olafilm.org and follow @olafilmfest_new on Instagram.
Brett Fieldcamp is the owner and Editor in Chief of Oklahoma City Free Press. He has been covering arts, entertainment, news, housing, and culture in Oklahoma for nearly two decades and served as Arts & Entertainment Editor before purchasing the company from founder Brett Dickerson in 2026.
He is also a musician and songwriter and holds a certification as Specialist of Spirits from The Society of Wine Educators.
