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Filmmakers Gallery Presents Down Syndrome International Film Festival; Seeks Support and Outreach Opportunities
Summary
The Filmmakers Gallery and the Coachella Valley Down Syndrome Foundation described a festival that screens films featuring people with developmental disabilities and asked about eligibility for the city's community arts grant program; organizers said they partner with the Mary Pickford and want to engage local students.
The Filmmakers Gallery briefed the Cathedral City Public Arts Commission on its role in hosting the Down Syndrome International Film Festival and asked about eligibility for the city's community arts grant program.
Alan Carvallo, a former Public Arts commissioner and board member of the Filmmakers Gallery, said the nonprofit produces public screenings and Q&A events and is "looking to make the public arts commission aware of our presence here in the city and also to see how we qualify for funding in the arts grant program." He said the group works closely with Ted Hain at the Mary Pickford and that the festival attracts films from the United States and several foreign countries.
Yadira Regla, founder and president of Ezekiel's Gift of Love (Coachella Valley Down Syndrome Foundation), described the festival's impact on families: screening representation, she said, "brings hope" and has helped families access broader visibility and opportunities. Regla said the group serves families across the Coachella Valley and beyond and credited the film festival with expanding the foundation's platform.
Organizers showed a roughly 90‑second clip illustrating past festival programming and discussed plans, including confirmed international entries. Filmmakers Gallery cofounders Steven Roche and Paul Balsido said they plan a juried awards program and are still finalizing the schedule; Roche said they have already secured at least one film from Bosnia and that the festival will include entries from the U.S., Canada, Mexico and Europe.
Carvallo and the Filmmakers Gallery representatives asked about the city's grant process and whether the group could qualify. Anne, city staff, told them the city council had approved a $20,000 community arts grant program for the fiscal year and that the application cycle and award schedule would be discussed later in the meeting. Carvallo also asked to arrange outreach with local high‑school students; he and the Filmmakers Gallery said they would volunteer to speak to students about filmmaking and participation in the gallery's programs.
Ending: City staff told the presenters the grant application cycle would start soon and to watch for application release information; commissioners encouraged the group to apply and noted staff would share application links when available.
