Animated films had an important presence in the recently concluded Caracas International Film Festival. The 15 animated films from Latin American submitted to the selection panel were marked by their experimental character and a diversity in techniques and themes. Given the high quality of the submissions, the panel participants were hard pressed to decide which were the best selections. Fifty shorts -37 fiction and 13 documentaries- were also presented, with the selection panel focusing on aesthetic and narrative criterion. Film directors and members of the selection panel discuss Latin American cinema today and the role of the Caracas International Film Festival.