London's only competitive Latino film festival is now taking place, featuring 60 films from 27 countries. The event, which runs for five days, is being held at various venues across the capital, including the Barbican, the ICA, Ciné Lumière, and BFI Stephen Street.
The festival was founded by Cuban actress Ketty Rodriguez, who noted a lack of Latin representation in London after moving to the city. Rodriguez stated it is the first competitive Latino film festival of its size in London, aiming to support and showcase features, documentaries, animation, and shorts from filmmakers across Latin America.
Cuban dancer Javier Torres, who helped develop the festival, described it as a platform for diplomacy and culture, addressing a need for the Latino community to unite and provide a voice for Latin American filmmakers. British-Bolivian filmmaker Victor Rios, who has two short films in the selection, highlighted the festival's role in celebrating British-Latino identity and establishing the community's place in society.
Notable guests at the festival include Cuban dancer Carlos Acosta, Argentine actor Óscar Martínez, Cuban actor Jorge Perugorría, and Oscar-winning Chilean screenwriter Gonzalo Maza. The event receives backing from the BFI through National Lottery funding and the City of London Corporation.