Photo courtesy of the MSP Film Society
The ninth annual Cine Latino Film Festival begins this Friday, October 8, kicking off the next six days of film screenings from up-and-coming U.S. Latinx, Latin American, and Iberian filmmakers.
The festival, presented by the MSP Film Society, will show films at the St. Anthony Main Theatre. Cine Latino launches its 20-plus film screenings and conversations with filmmakers starting with Prayers for the Stolen (Noche de Fuego), a special mention in the Un Certain Regard category at the 2021 Cannes Film Festival.
Opening-night tickets include a screening of the animated short Rosa Rosae. A Spanish Civil War Elegy (Rosa rosae. La Guerra Civil) and an opening-night party at The Hideaway, with a special performance by folk singer Azul Barrientos.
This year, Cine Latino’s lineup will pay special honor to African heritage, impact, and contributions to Latin American and Iberian history, art, and community.
One of the highlights of the festival will be the U.S. premiere of the film Finlandia, directed by Horacio Alcala. The film explores themes of gender identity, cultural appropriation, and folk traditions. A moderated conversation will follow between Barrientos, whose music is featured in the film, and Jacobo and María Ángeles, who are participants in the Mexico in Minneapolis Folk Arts Residency.
On Friday, Cine Latino will screen Y Tu Mamá También, a Mexican road trip story which was a breakout hit for director Alfonso Cuarón (Gravity, Children of Men, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban). The Cine Latino screening will mark the 20th anniversary of this controversial film that depicted drug use and sexual exploration.
If you cannot make it to the in-person screenings, fear not. Cine Latino offers virtual screening options of all their films on the website. Tickets can be purchased at mspfilm.org/festivals/cine-latino for both in-person and virtual options.
