El Cine

Due to the immense popularity of film festivals like the Sundance Film Festival and Cannes International Film Festival I wanted to explore venues for filmmakers with a distinctive Latino or Hispanic flair; in hopes of finding some global film festivals that highlight directors who occasionally breach the topic of border issues.

Film festivals have been a way for aspiring and acclaimed directors, filmmakers, and artists to express their deepest desires and sentiments on film in hopes of touching something within every audience member. Many times the films showcased at smaller independent film festivals go on to win critical acclaim and popularity, similar to the film Juno. Most of the time, these films inspire people to think about issues in a new light or from a different angle.

International film festivals are gaining popularity as a viable means to showcase the talent of local artists. The Guadalajara International Film Festival in Mexico held each year in March is considered one of the most prestigious film festivals in Latin America and one of the most important Spanish language film festivals in the world. This year’s competition ended on the 27th and one of the University of Arizona graduate students entered a film for consideration.

Two other popular festivals are being outsourced, in a manner of speaking, to Australia. The Hola Mexico Film Festival and Spanish Film Festival are additional international outlets for aspiring artists. At this year's Hola Mexico Film Festival the opening film was Sangre de mi Sangre (Blood of my Blood) which had won attention at the Sundance Film Festival. It explores the darker side of the American Dream and the things illegal immigrants do to make it to America. Here is a clip:

Sangre de Mi Sangre Trailer
Uploaded by ifcfilms

Here in the states, there are opportunities for filmmakers to create works that inspire American audiences. The New York International Latino Film Festival is a yearly event that invites all who identify as Latino (whether Colombian, Blatino, Hispanic, Dominican, Nuyorican, Chicano, Spanish, or Jew-ban) to enter films. This year’s festival will be from July 28 – August 02 in New York City. This event is being hailed as the premier urban Latino film event in the country.

All of these festivals really help Latino/Hispanic directors gain prominence on the big screen and bring their ideas to the forefront of society. For example, Mexican director Guillermo Del Toro has become a popular director after his success with Pan’s Labyrinth and has since landed the lucrative directorship of the adaptation of The Hobbit. In the long run, these festivals also provide a venue for artists who desire to discuss border issues through the medium of film to have more visibility around the world.