Puerto Vallarta, Mexico - The first Puerto Vallarta Short Film Festival, held Friday, June 26th at the Cuale Cultural Center, was a great success. The Vallarta Institute of Culture sponsored the initiative created by local film makers, Sebastian Hernandez and Cesar Ramos, who staged the presentation of original short films by young local artists.

A simple but moving official ceremony led by the acting mayor, Javier Mendez Pelayo, marked the beginning of the evening, which showcased the creativity, ability and talent of a new generation of Vallartenses.

During his opening speech, the mayor welcomed the event's "Godmother," Jalisco's own Rita Basulto, who wrote, directed and produced Lluvia en los Ojos ("Rain in the Eyes"), an animated short film that won the 2013 Ariel award.

Once the ribbon had been cut and recognitions were made, the guests entered the Cuale Cultural Center's recently renovated auditorium, which was outfitted with a new projector, sound equipment and air-conditioning for the screening of the eight short films whose main theme, and star, was Puerto Vallarta.

The film makers who participated in the short film festival were: Alberto Sosa, Carlos Humberto López Salvador, Felipe Caldera Flores, Iván Robles Solís, Arturo Alejandro Aréchiga, Alexis Mañón Arias, Diego Rubalcaba Cejas and Jesús Andrés González Arias.

Rita Basulto gave a talk in which she spoke about her experience as a director in animated film; the landscape of the film industry in Mexico; and the technical and creative options that new film makers have to develop their artistic expression.

Event organizer, Sebastian Hernandez, was pleased with the results of the city's first short film festival. "We learned a lot and made our mark... this city was born by the cinema, the international release of movies filmed here...this [festival] is a tribute to the cinema, [a chance to] give back what has been given to our city," Hernandez said.

"The original purpose [of the festival] is fulfilled, this event will be the first of many that promote the expressions of young Vallartenses," Cesar Ramos added.