María Daniela Alarcón (second from left), actress in the award-winning music video “Permanecer”, produced by the Chacao Adventist Church, expresses her gratitude alongside other winners of the event [Photo: Elías Ledezma]
Fourth edition of the annual event shows higher quality and shares messages of hope, organizers say.

August 28, 2025 | Caracas, Venezuela | Anays Zerpa, Gabriela Becerra and Inter-American Division News Staff

On Saturday, August 16, more than 1,300 people gathered at Las Acacias Seventh-day Adventist Church in Caracas for the fourth edition of the 2025 UVOFilms Christian Film Festival. The event was organized by the communication department of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in the East Venezuela Union Mission (UVO).

Transformed Lives and Minds

Under the guiding topic “Mental Health”, the festival welcomed 28 productions, with 22 production teams from across the country. Audiovisual productions included drama, short films, documentaries, video clips, and animations. There was also a podcast category.

More than 1,300 gathered to be part of the UVOFilms Festival in Caracas, Venzuela, Aug. 16, 2025. [Photo: East Venezuela Union]
The festival sought to offer a message of comfort and hope, showing how faith can be a source of help for those who suffer, organizer said.

Prominent figures in the field of communication and cinema attended. Abel Márquez, executive director of Hope Channel Inter-America (HCIA), congratulated the organizers and participants, highlighting the evolution of the festival over the years. “We have observed how UVOFilms has evolved in quantity and quality and has become the most important film festival in the territory of the Inter-American Division,” Márquez said. “The most important thing, however, is its goal, which is to bring hope to thousands of people.”

Luis Rodriguez (left), a cinematography expert, praises UVOFilms for addressing the theme of mental health on stage during the event on August 16, 2025, alongside Ruben Serrano (right), a film expert from Venezuela. [Photo: Elias Ledezma]
In a special presentation, HCIA filmmaker and producer Jorge Andrés Díaz highlighted the power of narratives to transform lives, using Jesus as an example for his use of parables to communicate profound messages. Also, the day before the festival, production teams attended a special training session led by Juan Eleazar Figallo, a renowned journalist in Venezuela for more than 30 years.

The 2025 UVOFilms Film Festival captured the interest of the country’s major outlets. “Their coverage was key to bringing the details of the event to a wider audience,” church leaders said. The event was also broadcast live on the UVO’s YouTube channel.

The Winners

The jury, made up of experts such as filmmakers Luis Rodríguez and Rubén Serrano, celebrated the growth in technique and quality of the productions. “I’ve seen a development and growth in cinematic technique and in the formal aspect of cinematic language,” said Rodríguez. The event is self-supporting, so the organizers thanked the key support of the sponsors.

UVOFilms award granted to the top winners of the festival this year. {Photo: East Venezuela Union]

The winners of UVOFilms 2025 were:

Best Drama: “Patadas de ahogado” (Clutching at Straws), by Jonathan and Sara Viajan. It tells the story of Santiago, a young man abandoned by his father since he was a child. His mother had to work excessively to meet their needs, and he pressured himself to perform in school and at work. Over time, Santiago began to suffer from irritability, exhaustion, and a breakdown that led to anxiety.

Best Video Clip: “Permanecer” (Permanence), produced by the Chacao Adventist Church in Caracas. It showcases the many failures of life, but affirms that abiding in Jesus is the solution to every problem.

Best Podcast: “Antídoto” (The Antidote), a production from Santa Elena de Uairén. It features a dialogue with a psychologist that explores how mental health issues affect young people, some of the red flags to look out for, and the differences between anxiety and depression.

Best Documentary: “Las sombras de una sonrisa” (“Shadows of a Smile”), produced in the city of Maracay. An audiovisual investigation that unveils, through real testimonies, how people who appear to be happy, who are smart and energetic may be actually waging an invisible battle against depression.

Best Animation: “Ansiedad y paz” (“Anxiety and Peace”), by the Chacao Adventist Church. An animated short film that focuses on Felix, a 12-year-old pre-teen who is on the autism spectrum. It calls for showing compassion and empathy when coming across people who need help.\

Felix Pacheco (left), winner of Best Animated Short Film for Ansiedad y Paz en Color Azul, smiles widely after receiving the award, as Pastor Luis Paredes (right), president of the East Venezuela Union, stands beside him during the presentation on August 16, 2025. [Photo: Elias Ledezma]
Acknowledgements and Plans

“We thank God for this fourth edition, and each of you for your presence,” said UVO president Luis Paredes. “UVOFilms reminded us of the importance of helping those in need, of being friends with those who are suffering.”

The festival recognized Félix Pacheco, a young man from the Chacao Adventist  Church and winner of the best animated short film. “I am excited. It was a project full of passion,” he said.

At the same time, the winner of best short film said he was moved to witness how good God had been. “He allowed us to go up a notch and do teamwork as one.” He added, “Everyone has been a winner to God’s glory and honor. Let us continue working on creating these messages until the coming of our Lord.”

Pastor Lenny Hernández, Communication Director of the East Venezuela Union and main organizer of the film festival, speaks during an interview with Venezolana de Televisión (VTV), a national television station, on Saturday, August 16, 2025. [Photo: Gilbert Páez]
Pastor Lenny Hernández, communication director and Hope Media Venezuela director, thanked the production teams and shared a special message. “The world is dark, blind, and hopelessly lost. There is a great void in the human heart, but in that context, in the mind of God, a program was born whose purpose is to show the hope that it is in Jesus.” He also affirmed the emphasis of the festival. “At UVOFilms, the main focus is not on technique but on the message. The technique serves the message,” he said.

“During the four years of UVOFilms, we have laid the foundation for larger productions, such as series and programs for Hope Channel Inter-America,” said Hernández. The festival not only educates but also serves as a training ground for future productions, whether series or feature films, he explained.

The group of 22 producers from across Venezuela stand on stage during the 2025 UVOFilms event on in Caracas, Venezuela, on Aug. 16, 2025. [Photo: Jonathan Lanza]
“Each year we train producers with the goal of improving the quality of their work, enabling them to reach national and international film standards that can be shown in cinemas and on Hope Channel Inter-America,” Hernández said.

At the close of the event, organizers announced the fifth edition of the festival for 2026 under the theme “The Second Coming of Christ.” In that edition, the first feature film produced by Hope Media Venezuela is expected to be shown.