La Vida Es Cortos / Life Is Shorts
A unique festival that presents short plays and short films to celebrate and showcase the Latinx community, its artists, and its stories. Short films and short plays are seldom seen by the general public but even more rare is seeing Latinx artists in Houston's prominent theatre and film scene. Our annual short play and short film festival celebrates its 6th year with an inspiring lineup of award-winning Latinx playwrights and filmmakers. PLUS, two performances for young audiences ages 5 and up!
2023 Festival
The Plays
Following a nationwide search TEATRX chose 7 plays to be produced at LVEC 2023!
Congratulations to the playwrights!
Arpilleras by Justin P. Lopez
Cafecito by Marielle Vizcarra
Jarabe by Adriana Domínguez (Postponed until 2024)
La Ley De La Vida by Valeria Pacheco
Like a Jet-Feuled Mariposa by Mabelle Reynosa and Alvaro Saar Rios
The Hummingbirds Wedding Ramón Esquivel
The Films
As summer comes to a close, kung-fu obsessed Ursula discovers she’s not the only outcast at an exclusive country club summer camp. With the kids’ golf tournament looming, Ursula hopes to win and prove her worth with the help of Chef Cormac, the transmasculine former ladies golf pro.
2022 Festival
The Plays
Three Triple Six Four oh Five Three by Franky D. Gonzalez
Panzonas
by Sylvia Chavez
The Films
Mystified by her first period, Ceci calmly concludes she's dying. Yet she doesn't want to bother Dad with it, so she prepares a bucket list (including her first real kiss) and her funeral, because death should be an art.
Directed by Maria Victoria Ponce
La Vida Es Cortos 2021
The Plays
Adrienne Dawes - "The Future is F******"
Ángela Estela - "Breaking the Binary"
Josie Nericcio - "Carlotta Learns to Whistle"
Rebecca Dominguez - "Don't Quit"
The Films
Aster has two goals: hike the Appalachian Trail and eat. These seem like possible goals until you realize Aster has never been camping before and has struggled for years with an eating disorder.
La Vida Es Cortos 2019
The Plays
Photos by Melissa Taylor
The Films
WINNER
LVEC Audience
Favorite
An American woman flies to a small town in Mexico to visit her estranged auntie. She is a traveling saleswoman. What she sells shocks the culture and vibrates the town, but it also brings women together. Written and directed by Priscilla Alvarez.
Inaugural Festival
The first annual La Vida Es Cortos / Life Is Shorts Festival took place on November 9, 2018. The first festival of its kind, we presented six short films from all over the world and five plays by local Latinx theatre. Furthermore, we reached a demographic that has long been missing from houston's theatre audiences.60% of our audiences had a latinx surname and 62% spoke Spanish as their primary language.
"El Problema Que Se Plantea Es Que..." by Antonin Artaud. Performed by Gremio de Actores. Photo by Pin Lim. Lighting Design by Matt Hall
"The History of Mexicans in 10 Minutes" by Alvaro Saar Rios. Performed by TEATRX. Photo by Pin Lim. Lighting Design by Matt Hall.
"La Vida Es Corta" by Alejandro X Martinez. Performed by Chillakill Entertainment. Photo by Pin Lim. Lighting Design by Matt Hall.
"El Problema Que Se Plantea Es Que..." by Antonin Artaud. Performed by Gremio de Actores. Photo by Pin Lim. Lighting Design by Matt Hall