Welcome! Bienvenidos! Bem-⁠vindo!

The AFI Latin American Film Festival is one of North America’s largest and longest-running showcases of Latin American cinema. Now in its 35th year, the Festival is one of Washington’s top cultural events and features award-winning films, in-person conversations with filmmaker guests and exciting Embassy-hosted parties.

With the inclusion of films from Spain and Portugal, the festival celebrates Ibero-American cultural connections during National Hispanic Heritage Month.

Early announcements for this year’s Latin American Film Festival program include the following standout titles: Sundance Grand Jury Prize winners SUJO from Mexican filmmaking duo Astrid Rondero and Fernanda Valadez (IDENTIFYING FEATURES) and IN THE SUMMERS, starring Puerto Rican musician Residente; Berlin-premiered MEMORIES OF A BURNING BODY, the latest from Costa Rican filmmaker Antonella Sudasassi Furniss (THE AWAKENING OF THE ANTS); RITA, a searing fantasy fable from Jayro Bustamante (IXCANUL, LA LLORONA) exploring deplorable conditions in a Guatemalan orphanage; the U.S. premiere of Spanish thriller ELLIPSIS, featuring Latin American superstars Diego Peretti and Cecilia Suárez; Tribeca-premiered THE DOG THIEF, a Bolivian drama starring Pablo Larraín regular Alfredo Castro; and buzzy Sundance favorites REINAS, a ’90s-set coming-of-age tale from Peruvian filmmaker Klaudia Reynicke and MALU, a potent family drama from Brazilian filmmaker Pedro Freire.

Twenty early announcements appear below. The complete lineup and schedule will be announced in late August. Don’t miss your chance to see film-festival favorites, local box-office hits and debut works by promising new talents. Join a diverse audience of film lovers!