London Film Festival Celebrates British-Latino Identity
The five-day event features 60 films from 27 countries, highlighting a growing need for representation.
London's only competitive Latino film festival is currently underway, showcasing 60 films from 27 countries across various venues including the Barbican, the ICA, Ciné Lumière, and BFI Stephen Street. The festival, which runs for five days, aims to celebrate British-Latino identity and provide a platform for filmmakers from Latin America.
Cuban actress Ketty Rodriguez founded the festival after noticing a lack of Latin representation in London. "We have received hundreds of entries from all over Latin America, and can't wait to support and showcase features, documentaries, animation, and shorts from these incredible filmmakers," Rodriguez stated. She added that the event is focused on community and connection, filling a void she experienced upon moving to the city.
Javier Torres, a Cuban dancer who collaborated on the festival's concept, emphasized its role in bringing the Latino community together and giving a voice to Latin American filmmakers. "This is a platform for diplomacy, for culture, to get together and this is what we are building here," he said.
The festival includes not only films from Latin America but also stories created in London by British-Latino filmmakers. Victor Rios, a British-Bolivian filmmaker whose short films are part of the selection, highlighted the event's importance in affirming the presence and contribution of Latino individuals within British society. "It's very crucial for people to understand that we are not just here passing by. We are part of society, and this festival is establishing that too," Rios explained. "We're very proud to be Colombians, Bolivians, Ecuadorians, Peruvians, Chileans, but we are also British. So we have a place, we have a say, and we want to be heard."
Notable guests attending the festival include Cuban dancer Carlos Acosta, Argentine actor Óscar Martínez, Cuban actor Jorge Perugorría, and Oscar-winning Chilean screenwriter Gonzalo Maza. The festival receives backing from the BFI through National Lottery funding and the City of London Corporation.