8 Movies to Catch at This Week’s Los Angeles Latino International Film Festival

The 22nd edition of the Los Angeles Latino International Film Festival (LALIFF) kicks off Wednesday with a special screening of Eva Longoria’s Flamin’ Hot—you know, the Hot Cheetos movie. While the festival promises plenty of big blockbuster hits —Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse and Julio Torres’ Problemista, plus TV shows Primo and With Love— there’s also more arthouse fare for those looking for something off the beaten path.

And that’s purposeful, says Diana Cadavid, artistic director of the Latino Film Institute, which hosts the annual festival. Cadavid tells Latino Rebels that programming LALIFF was “a very organic process,” with some rules, namely, “at least 50 percent of the films being directed by women, at least 50 percent of the films being directed by U.S. Latinos, (and) to have diversity of languages, diversity of cinematic approaches.”

The goal here is not just to have something for everyone but also to make a point about our community.

“There is not one type of filmmaker that identifies themselves as Latinos,” said Cadavid, who’s curated a festival to reflect that.

In addition to feature-length films, LALIFF boasts shorts, music, panels, and series. Still, the word “film” is in the festival’s name for a reason, so let’s take a look at eight indie titles you may not get to see anywhere else…

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