Tenth Annual Cine Latino Film Festival, October 13-20, to Include Inaugural Bright New Voices Jury Competition

Article by Becky Fillinger

The 10th Anniversary Cine Latino Film Festival will be held October 13-20 at the MSP Film at The Main. The event is the Midwest’s largest showcase of the best new films from the U.S LatinX, Latin American and Iberian cinema. 

Hebe TabachnikWe talked to Hebe Tabachnik, Artistic Director for the festival, about what we can expect to see and experience at the festival, and her favorites from the twenty-five films to be screened. 

Q:  Please give us an overview of the Cine Latino Film Festival at MSP Film.

A:  This is the 10th Anniversary of the festival and we think it will ‘blow the roof off’ in terms of lively films featured, engaging filmmaker conversations and exciting parties to engage the Twin Cities’ growing Spanish-speaking populations and vast community of global cinephiles. This year's selection reflects that wealth of creativity, diversity and imagination that continues to make the region one of the richest filmmaking traditions in the world. We invite you to celebrate this milestone year with us as together, we continue fostering avenues of understanding, empathy, and respect through a shared love of film.

Q:  What is new this year?

A:  The festival will host for the first time the Bright New Voices Jury Competition, reflecting Cine Latino’s commitment to supporting and helping in the development of emerging voices of the region. This inaugural edition will feature eight debut features from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Ecuador and Spain. This year’s members of the jury will be: Juan Carlos Arciniegas - anchor and movie critic for CNN en Español's Ojo Crítico, Effie Brown - multi-award winning producer of Real Women Have Curves, Dear White People, and many others and Jayro Bustamante - Guatemalan director of the Oscar-nominated film Ixcanul, La Llorona, and many others.

Q:  Do you have favorite films from the line-up?

A:  This is a hard question to answer, but yes. Here are my picks:

ARGENTINA, 1985 Directed by Santiago Mitre, Argentina/USA, Fiction, 2022

Argentina, 1985 is inspired by the true story of Julio Strassera, Luis Moreno Ocampo and their young legal team of unlikely heroes in their David-vs-Goliath battle in which, under constant threat, they dared to prosecute Argentina’s bloodiest military dictatorship against all odds and in a race against time to bring justice to the victims of the Military Junta. It won the FIPRESCI Prize, 2022 Venice Film Festival and Audience Award at the recent San Sebastián Film Festival, and has been selected to represent Argentina at the Oscars.

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MY EMPTINESS AND I (Mi vacío y yo) - Directed by Adrián Silvestre, Spain, Fiction, 2022

French millennial Raphi (Raphaëlle Perez) struggles to find love, acceptance, and her place in a world not ready for the reality of being trans in this searingly honest, emotionally raw feature from writer/director Adrián Silvestre. Winner of the Maguey Award at FICG 2022 and the Outfest Grand Jury Special Mention Award for Performance in an International Feature. Raphaëlle Perez is scheduled to attend and present this film.

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SEDIMENTS (Sedimentos) - Spain 2021

This is a documentary about a group of six lively trans women who enjoy a scenic vacation in the Spanish countryside. It was during the shooting of this documentary that Adrián Silvestre, met Raphaëlle Perez and got inspired to do My Emptiness and I.

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THE PREACHER (El Rezador) - Directed by Tito Jara H., Ecuador/Colombia/Spain, Fiction, 2021

Veteran con artist Antancio di Felice meets his match when he befriends a girl with special gifts - as well as her equally unscrupulous parents - in this sharp new thriller from writer/director Tito Jara H. This is the film’s North American premiere! Tito Jara H. is scheduled to attend the festival to present the film.

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MIÚCHA, THE VOICE OF BOSSA NOVA - Directed by Liliane Mutti & Daniel Zarvos, Brazil/USA, Documentary, 2022

This is a lively, buoyant portrait of legendary singer/songwriter Heloïsa Buarque de Hollanda, a.k.a. Miúcha, who was taught to sing by the legendary Vinicius de Moraes, who was Chico Buarque’s sister, the longtime partner of fellow legend João Gilberto, and forever the self-made Voice of Bossa Nova. You’ll enjoy this one!

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FLY SO FAR - Directed by Celina Escher, El Salvador/Switzerland, Documentary, 2021

After serving ten years behind bars for her miscarriage, considered by her government to be an act of aggravated murder, Teodora Vásquez becomes a spokesperson for the other 16 Salvadoran women behind bars for the same “crime” in this story of sorority, resilience, and solidarity. Winner of the Ibero-American Grand Jury Prize, 2021 Seattle Int’l Film Festival. Director Celina Escher is scheduled to attend the festival to present the film.

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WALLS CAN TALK (Las paredes hablan) - Directed by Carlos Saura, Spain, Documentary, 2022

From the cave paintings of Altamira and Lascaux to the graffiti-covered walls of Barcelona, the new documentary from legendary director Carlos Saura (Cria Cuervos, Flamenco, Blood Wedding), takes us on a vivid and colorful trip through humankind’s timeless desire for expression and the massive stone canvases that make it possible. This is the film’s North American premiere! 

Q:  These films sound so wonderful. How do we purchase tickets and stay current on news about the festival?

A:  Purchase tickets here. We look forward to seeing you at the festival! Follow news on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.