MINNEAPOLIS —
While Hispanic Heritage Month might be over, the Minneapolis-St. Paul Film Society's 10th-annual Cine Latino Film Festival began on Thursday with a kick-off party at La Doña Cervecería in Minneapolis.
On Friday, the celebration continued with a morning film screening of curated short films for hundreds of students from Southwest High School.
“To start a festival with a screening for kids is the epitome of what we are building, said artistic director of Cine Latino Hebe Tabachnik. "It’s the audience of today but we are building the audiences of tomorrow too.”
The festival features new films from around the LatinX, Latin American and Iberian communities. Actors, directors and other special guests are set to attend the event at the 115 SE Main Street location.
This is something MSP Film Society programmer Craig Laurence Rice believes is once in a lifetime.
"You have an experience here at the Film Society to experience all these places in the world you may not have a chance to travel to," said Rice.
The slogan for this year's event is ¡tiremos la casa por la ventana! or "let's blow the roof off!" which Tabachnik says represents the hard work it took to put into the festival.
"We are really happy to achieve this milestone. Ten years of a festival is a big deal. We are already thinking about 15, 20 years down the line," said Tabachnik.
Rice describes the longevity of the event as a reflection of Minnesota's diverse population.
"There's been a long-standing Latino community here – primarily in St. Paul – and it's about really understanding and embracing them as part of our community,” said Rice.
Showings for regular attendees begin Thursday, Oct. 14 with a 3 p.m. screening of "La Civil," a Mexican film about a single mother navigating through the horrors of drug trafficking in Northern Mexico. Other selected films throughout the week include the Ecuadorian drama "El Rezador," Chilean documentary "Mi país imaginario," Spanish drama "Mi vacío y yo" and more.
First-time Cine Latino contributor and "El Rezador" director Tito Jara called the festival "una gran oportunidad," or a great opportunity.
"There are so many great elements being showcased here in this one festival," Jara added.
The festival ends on Oct. 20 with a closing night party at Jefe Urban Cocina in Minneapolis with live music, food and drinks. The party is free for those with any Cine Latino ticket.
Interested in taking part in the festivities but don't speak Spanish? Not a problem! English subtitles are available for every film for Minnesotan cinephiles of all backgrounds to enjoy.
“Cine Latino es la casa – Cine Latino is home for everybody,” said Tabachnik.
You can view the full list of Cine Latino's film showings here.
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