The Georgia Latino International Film Festival (GALIFF), presented by the Georgia Latino Film Alliance (GALFA), has announced its 2026 honorees as it prepares to mark its 15th anniversary with a special event at Atlanta's Fox Theatre on Wednesday, September 30, 2026, at 6 p.m.
Academy Award nominee Yalitza Aparicio will receive the Pepe Serna GALFA Icon Award. Aparicio gained international recognition for her debut performance as Cleo in Alfonso Cuarón's Roma, which earned her an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress. Her recognition carries additional significance as Mexico serves as the festival's 2026 Guest Country of Honor, connecting the anniversary celebration in Atlanta with Mexican cinema and storytelling.
Actor, filmmaker, and producer Roberto Sanchez will receive the Pepe Serna Excellence in Filmmaking Award, recognizing his multifaceted career spanning acting, filmmaking, and production. Leonard Najar will receive the Revelation of the Year Award, which highlights emerging talent, while Sandy Hernandez will receive the Rising Star Award, recognizing an emerging artist and the promise of a new generation of Latino talent.
GALIFF will also recognize actor, artist, mentor, and humanitarian Pepe Serna, whose career and commitment to supporting Latino artists inspired the awards that bear his name. "Pepe Serna represents the kind of excellence we want these awards to stand for," said Dr. José Márquez, CEO and founder of the Georgia Latino Film Alliance and Georgia Latino International Film Festival. "He was a trailblazer when there was barely a road to follow. But his legacy is about more than an extraordinary career. It is about using success to create opportunity for others."
Márquez continued, "That is what we want every recipient of a Pepe Serna Award to understand. Excellence comes with purpose and with a responsibility to leave the door wider open for the generation that follows."
The 2026 honorees represent different stages of the Latino entertainment journey: established artists whose careers helped expand representation, working filmmakers continuing that progress, and emerging voices preparing to shape what comes next.
The Georgia Latino International Film Festival marks its 15th anniversary in 2026. Presented by the Georgia Latino Film Alliance, GALIFF provides a platform for Latino filmmakers and storytellers to showcase their work, connect with audiences, and develop relationships within the entertainment industry. Through its annual festival and year-round programming, GALFA works to expand professional and creative opportunities for Latino artists while strengthening their participation in Georgia's film and entertainment community.
The 15th anniversary celebration will take place on September 30, 2026, at 6 p.m. at the Fox Theatre in Atlanta, Georgia. The festival itself, Georgia Latino International Film Festival XV, will run from September 30 to October 4, 2026, in Atlanta, with Mexico as the 2026 Guest Country of Honor.
Sponsors and partners include Presenting Sponsor The Fox Theatre, Olé Mexican Foods, Fulton Films, VensureHR, 222Creative, Women in Film and Television Atlanta (WIFTA), Georgia Films, the DeKalb Entertainment Commission, HispAtlanta, Dr. Erick Pagan, ADCO Tax Services, Dr. Peirluigi Mancini, Cinefi, and the Georgia Latino Film Alliance.
For more information about the Georgia Latino Film Alliance, visit https://www.galaff.org.
