ASIFA WEEKLY - TOY STORY 5 / LIGHTBOX EXPO / SHORT FILM OF THE MONTH: THE BOOT / AMPLIFYING VOICE: ERIKA SALAZAR & MORE

[Sara Martin]

This Week at ASIFA . . .  TOY STORY 5 / LIGHTBOX EXPO  / SHORT FILM OF THE MONTH: THE BOOT / AMPLIFYING VOICE: ERIKA SALAZAR /  AEF STUDENT ANIMATION SHOWCASE & STUDENT SCHOLARSHIP / UPCOMING EVENTS  Disney and Pixar invite ASIFA-Hollywood Members (+ 3 Guests) to an In-Person Screening of TOY STORY 5 Rated PG, Runtime: 96 Minutes   The toys are back in Disney and Pixar’s “Toy Story 5,” and this time it’s Toy meets Tech. Woody, Buzz Lightyear, Jessie and the rest of the gang's jobs are challenged when they come face-to-face with Lilypad, a brand-new tablet device that arrives with her own disruptive ideas about what is best for their kid, Bonnie. Will playtime ever be the same?   Saturday, June 13 at 7pm PT Los Angeles RSVP DEADLINE: Friday, June 12th at 5pm PT WATCH THE TRAILER HERE To RSVP for future screenings, please visit https://www.asifa-hollywood.org/membership to become a member. Please note that membership must be activated at least one week in order to receive future RSVP information. LightBox Expo 2026 CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE SHORT FILM OF THE MONTH: THE BOOT Rated PG   Iran nurtured me as an artist and gave me the voice to express my deepest, wordless emotions through animation. Yet the same country branded me a traitor simply because I succeeded independently on the international stage, as a Student Academy Awards Finalist. The Boot is rooted in this painful, unresolved contradiction: the eternal struggle between staying and leaving, between love for my homeland and being rejected by it. A contradiction that, ironically, grows even stronger with time. An intimate visual journey through one artist’s inner exile. To view this screener, please visit https://www.asifa-hollywood.org/membership to become a member and receive screener details. Please note that membership must be activated at least one week in order to receive the screener information. 2026 AEF Student Animation Showcase We invite students to participate in the 2026 Student Animation Showcase—an exciting celebration of the next generation of storytellers, artists, and innovators in animation! The last day to submit your film is June 16th, 2026. We are seeking the best final student short films of the year—projects that demonstrate creativity, originality, and a bold vision for the future of animation. From emotional storytelling to groundbreaking visual design, we want to showcase the work that defines this new wave of talent. The Showcase connects student filmmakers with a wide audience of fans, peers, educators, and industry professionals, offering a powerful platform for recognition, exposure, and opportunity.   CLICK HERE TO SUBMIT YOUR FILM AEF Student Scholarship ASIFA-Hollywood's Animation Educators Forum (AEF) is pleased to announce that this year's Student Scholarship program is now open! This is an international opportunity designed to help students complete their education in accredited college-level animation programs. Applications are accepted from undergraduate students entering the sophomore year or higher and from graduate students working toward degree completion. The awards of up to $5,000 USD may be applied to tuition, books and supplies, animation equipment (including computer hardware or software), formal academic research (including travel), and senior or graduate thesis work. Submissions are now open and close at 11:59 PM PDT on August 1st, 2026. To apply, go to http://scholarships.animationeducatorsforum.org For specific questions, please contact us by email at: scholars...@gmail.com   CLICK HERE TO APPLY AMPLIFYING VOICES INTRODUCES  ERIKA SALAZAR As a recent CalArts graduate in the Character Animation program, I focus on everything storytelling; I am a storyboarder, character designer, independent creator, and filmmaker. Exploring fantasy and sci-fi worlds from my point of view is my thing. I was born in Mexico City, so I feel I have a very unique point of view of the world. Celebrating sensible, kind-hearted characters overcoming the adversities of life is what I do best. I'm excited about creating new worlds and characters inspired by underrepresented people I grew up with, especially Hispanic women and their surroundings. CLICK HERE TO VIEW ERIKA'S WORK SUBMIT YOUR FILM TO THE SHORT FILM OF THE MONTH PROGRAM!   Please click the button below to submit your short or student film. If your film is selected, you will receive a one-year complimentary membership. Your film will also be featured on ASIFA-Hollywood's e-newsletter!   If you have any questions, please email in...@asifa-hollywood.org.   CLICK HERE TO SUBMIT YOUR FILM AMPLIFYING VOICES INITIATIVE Interested in being featured on an ASIFA-Hollywood's eblast and social media via the Amplifying Voices Initiative? To learn more, email membe...@asifa-hollywood.org. 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