U.S. HISPANIC
Killer Piñata: Mario Garza Elevates Mexican Talent at the Hola México Film Festival in Partnership with Toyota
19 de septiembre de 2025
Mario Garza, Founder and Director, KoolShiit Productions
The 2025 Hola México Film Festival, the largest Mexican film event in the United States, returns to Los Angeles with a powerful lineup celebrating the best of Latin talent and its growing influence in the global audiovisual industry. Mexican director and creative Mario Garza, Founder and Director of KoolShiit Productions, created the official promotional video “Killer Piñata” for this year’s festival, in collaboration with Toyota.
The spot will be screened ahead of every festival showing from September 12–29, positioning it as a central visual piece of the event and further cementing the festival’s role as a premier platform for Latin talent in film and media.
The “Killer Piñata” spot, developed for Toyota, stands out for its cinematic storytelling—a short horror-inspired tale featuring a menacing piñata as the central character, specially designed and built for the shoot in just one week.
“We wanted it to feel like a mini movie, not a traditional commercial. It plays with horror clichés but adds a unique twist—something I’m passionate about: avoiding the obvious and elevating the narrative,” said Garza.
KoolShiit Productions’ participation in the Hola México Film Festival reinforces the company’s commitment to creating culturally connected content that bridges cinema, storytelling, and brand partnerships. For Garza, the project represents an opportunity to spotlight Mexican and Latin creativity for a global audience.
“This festival is a unique space to showcase Latin creativity and build bridges with the international industry,” he added.
In addition to the Toyota project, Garza is preparing the U.S. festival premiere of his first feature film, shot in Spain, and is currently working on the script for his next production, which he plans to shoot in Mexico.
Originally from Mexico and now based in Los Angeles, Garza has built his career at the intersection of advertising and cinema. After more than a decade working with major U.S. agencies, he founded KoolShiit Productions with fellow Mexican Mauricio Arrioja, Head of Production & Partner. The duo is known for crafting disruptive projects with a distinctive creative signature.
“We’re always looking for brave clients who want to do something different—bold, creative, and high quality—even with limited budgets,” said Garza.
