Cine Las Americas Film Festival Celebrates 28 Years of Storytelling in Austin
The film festival features global films, visiting filmmakers and a lineup of panels, screenings and free events across the city
For nearly three decades, Austin’s Cine Las Americas has uplifted Latinx, Indigenous and Latin American storytelling. Its 28th Annual International Film Festival is back this week from May 13–17, primarily at AFS Cinema, with additional events at venues including Violet Crown Cinema, bringing five days of international film, live events and community programming to the city.
Co-founder Celeste Quesada, who helped launch the organization in 1997, says the core mission has never shifted. “As one of the co-founders of the organization, it gives me great pride that over the years the words of the mission have evolved throughout the decades,” she says. “We didn’t have words like ‘Latinx’ in the 90s, nor did we have such new forms of digital media and platforms of distribution. The goal has remained the same — to showcase and celebrate the work of diverse voices from the Americas and the Latino diaspora,” she says. Associate Director Giselle De La Rosa frames the organization’s role as something larger than a festival. “We aim to be the ecosystem and liaison for these filmmakers and their films seeking local, national and international platforms, collaboration, recognition and a community of support,” she says.
Festival highlights
The festival opens Wednesday with a red carpet screening of “American Pachuco: The Legend of Luis Valdez,” David Alvarado’s documentary portrait of pioneering Chicano artist and playwright Luis Valdez. For Quesada, the film marks a full-circle moment. “Having the Valdez family here brought a real sense of cultural significance and artistic lineage,” she says, recalling their appearance at the festival in 2000. A 35mm screening of “La Bamba” follows later in the weekend. Thursday features a Q&A with Sonia Manzano, who famously played Maria on “Sesame Street” for more than four decades. Saturday evening, Lou Diamond Phillips joins director Vincent Grashaw for a post-screening conversation on “Keep Quiet,” moderated by the distinguished film producer Elizabeth Avellán.
Friday’s free Music Video Showcase at Lustre Pearl East, curated by Latin Grammy-nominated artist Gina Chavez, reflects a deliberate push this year toward broader community participation. “We’ve had the opportunity to get creative with how we can evolve,” De La Rosa says, noting her excitement for their upcoming panels: “Artivism – Not Going Quietly Into the Night,” “The Absolute Best Version of Your Pitch Deck – A Fundraising Workshop” and “Finding/Protecting Your Peace – A Mental Health Panel.”
Quesada says she most looks forward to seeing people gather to celebrate art they love and the connections it fosters. “We are human and we need connection, conversation and the exchange of ideas,” she says. “Independent film festivals have a unique power to bring communities together and pass traditions on to younger generations. From the staff and filmmakers to the cinephiles, everyone becomes part of something larger than themselves.”
A timely conversation
Quesada is candid about how the timing of this year’s film festival feels increasingly important. With humanities and cultural studies programs facing cuts and consolidation at universities nationwide, including the University of Texas at Austin, she says that community-built spaces for underrepresented voices have never been more critical.
“Personally, I find this deeply troubling and, frankly, dystopian,” she says. “I strongly believe unique communities need dedicated spaces to tell their own stories and share multidisciplinary art to prevent the distortion or erasure of diverse history.”
She adds that the responsibility to preserve those spaces extends beyond institutions. “That is why it is up to us as individuals and as a community to create, protect and enjoy events and spaces where people with unique backgrounds and lived experiences can be heard,” she continues. “We must continue educating both our youth and ourselves in joyous and uplifting gatherings. I firmly believe that film remains one of the most powerful mediums for telling stories, confronting hard truths and building a compassionate world.”
Looking ahead to the festival’s nearly three-decade milestone, she reflects on its continued relevance. “The work and mission of Cine Las Americas feels just as important, if not more so, than ever before,” she says. “I was recently reminded of a quote by Toni Cade Bambara: ‘The role of the artist is to make the revolution irresistible.’ I think you’ll find the films screening at Cine Las Americas this year exactly that.”
Tickets and badges are on sale now at Cine Las Americas.