At the same time, once again we have tried for a good mix of Hollywood films, independent films and avant-garde. Ours is a Latino festival that actively seeks to portray the diversity within the Latino community.

This festival enjoys the largest selection of films produced or distributed by Hollywood studios than we have ever had before. It shows the importance of having Latino filmmakers working in the mainstream.

It's an honor to close the festival with a feature-length film made by a participant in the Student Film Festival. A circle is closed. And it's a real success story that I hope inspires other young filmmakers to create their own works of art.

There are more Latino movies, made by Latino filmmakers and more people interested in Latino cinema.

I wouldn't say we're the most important Latino film festival in the country, but we have improved our quality year after year.

Sometimes the media bombard us with hair-raising news that turn the border into something distant, even when we live in a border city like San Diego.