Local filmmaker Valeria Contreras has been selected to join Netflix’s fifth cohort of its Director Incubator, a highly competitive program run in partnership with the National Association of Latino Independent Producers. As part of the program, Contreras will receive a $35,000 production grant to create a short film, along with direct mentorship from Netflix and NALIP executives. An award-winning filmmaker, Contreras has built an impressive body of work centered on stories from the U.S.–Mexico border. Her short film Homesick screened at festivals around the world, including the Oscar-qualifying Atlanta Film Festival. Gallery Credit: Courtesy: Krystall PoppinMeet The El Paso Girls Who Took Over the 2026 “I Voted" Sticker Contest Three talented El Paso students swept the 2025 Sticker Design Contest, taking first, second, and third place with designs that set a new bar for creativity.