David Jofré Shines at OLA Film Festival with Award-Winning Performance in Perennials.

Chilean-American actor David Jofré has won the Best Lead Actor award this past weekend at the inaugural Oklahoma Latin American Film Festival (held November 8–10) for his compelling performance in the bilingual drama Perennials, directed by Jesse Werkman.

The festival, launched to amplify Latin American voices and stories, took place at the Rodeo Cinema in Oklahoma City and at the University of Central Oklahoma. It featured a curated selection of films from across the U.S., Latin America and beyond, offering a dynamic platform for independent voices and bilingual storytelling.

In the film, Jofré plays Claudio, a man navigating profound loss and the complex threads of memory, family and renewal. His nuanced performance, marked by a subdued power and emotional authenticity, resonated deeply with the festival jury and helped the film stand out in a strong lineup.

This recognition not only celebrates Jofré’s craft but also highlights the growing space for Spanish-English narratives in independent cinema, especially those rooted in Latinx experience and cultural nuance.