New York Latino Film Festival | September 15 to 22 2024
The New York Latino Film Festival (NYLFF), the nation’s premier Latino film festival, kicks off Latino Heritage Month from September 15 to 22, 2024, with an impressive roster of more than 13 films from nearly 20 countries, to be held, once again, at Regal Union Square (850 Broadway, NYC).
Opening Night will be held for the first time at Audible’s Minetta Lane Theatre (18 Minetta Lane, NYC), Audible’s creative home for live performances in New York. This year’s Festival opens with the World Premiere of Clemente (2024, 101 min., USA), directed by David Altrogge and executive-produced by LeBron James and Oscar-nominated director Richard Linklater. The feature-length documentary explores the life, career, and legacy of baseball great Roberto Clemente, who opened the door for future generations of Latino baseball players. The Festival closes with a free block party in Washington Heights featuring live music, food, games and more! For more information on NYLFF 2024, visit www.nylatinofilmfestival.com.
Making its World Premiere is PBS’ VOCES American Historia: The Untold History of Latinos (2024), co-created by actor and activist John Leguizamo and award-winning filmmaker Ben DeJesus. The three-part documentary chronicles Leguizamo’s journey throughout Mexico and the U.S. to shed light on the known and lesser-known stories of Latino history. ESPN proudly presents Las Amazonas de Yaxunah (2024, 52 min., Mexico), directed by Alfonso Algara and narrated by actress Yalitzia Aparicio. The compelling documentary shines a light on the remarkable spirit and determination of an extraordinary Mayan women’s softball team from the Yucatán region of Mexico as they shatter gender stereotypes and overcome immense challenges to pursue their passion for softball. Starring Melissa Barrera (In the Heights), NYLFF presents Your Monster (2024, 102 min., USA), a romantic-comedy-horror film about soft-spoken actress Laura Franco, who finds her voice again when she meets a terrifying, yet weirdly charming monster living in her closet.
“NYLFF returns once again to honor and present the enormous richness and diversity of the Latino community through cinema. A champion of diverse voices in storytelling, we invite everyone to be a part of this shared experience and emerge with a deeper understanding of our realities. ¡Asi somos!” said Calixto Chinchilla, Founder, New York Latino Film Festival.
“As we approach Latino Heritage Month, it is especially important to identify the ways in which our industry is working to preserve and express Latino culture, identities, and experiences,” said Dennis Williams, SVP and Head of Corporate Social Responsibility, Warner Bros. Discovery. “WBD is honored to return to NYLFF as the presenting sponsor and to celebrate Latino filmmaking with its audiences and community.”
“We are thrilled to support the New York Latino Film Festival, which showcases diverse storytelling for New Yorkers to enjoy during Latino Heritage Month,” said Commissioner of the Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment, Pat Swinney Kaufman. “From the opening night film about baseball’s Roberto Clemente to the world premiere of a film by NYC’s own John Leguizamo to the closing night block party in Washington Heights, there truly is something for everyone. Congratulations to Calixto Chinchilla and team on what is sure to be another terrific festival.”
Festival Highlights
This year, NYLFF will once again present an exciting line-up of feature films in various forms, including feature, documentary, and shorts from the United States and Latin America. Highlights include Amazon MGM Studios’ presents Pimpinero: Blood and Oil (2024, 132 min., Colombia), directed by Andrés Baiz (Griselda, Narcos) with the acting debut of artist and songwriter Juanes. Set in the early 2010s, this gripping thriller takes place in the treacherous desert bordering Colombia and Venezuela, where gasoline smugglers or pimpineros risk their lives transporting illegal fuel. The Studio will also present Unstoppable (2024, 116 min., USA), directed by William Goldenberg with a star-studded cast: Jharrel Jerome, Jennifer Lopez, Bobby Cannavale, Michael Peña, and Don Cheadle. The uplifting sports drama tackles the inspiring true story of one-legged wrestling champion Anthony Robles. Singer Luis Fonsi makes his acting debut in Say a Little Prayer (2024, 102 min., USA) about art gallery owner Adela, whose grandmother pressures her to say a prayer to St. Anthony- the patron saint of ‘all things lost’ to find her a husband. With a star-studded cast, including Ed Harris and Natalie Morales, My Dead Friend Zoe (2024, 101 min., USA) the dark comedy-drama follows the journey of a U.S. Army Afghanistan veteran who is at odds with her family thanks to the presence of Zoe (Natalie Morales), her dead best friend from the Army. For shorts, the Festival presents Contours (2024, 12 min., USA), executive produced by Issa Rae (Insecure), a story that is centered on a role-playing game that goes hopelessly awry as a deaf couple desperate to rekindle their spark finds the reconnection they seek in their shared experience over an abstract sculpture. From the Caribbean comes the SXSW 24 award-winner Bionico’s Bachata (2024, 80 min., Dominican Republic), the story of a hopeless romantic, addicted to crack, who must take control of his life if he wants to marry the woman he loves.
The FUTURO Digital Conference returns, presented by Max and produced by Deborah Renteria of Culturista, with a day-long forum spotlighting top content creators and distributors, mobile app companies, and mobile technology leaders targeting the market. To complement the Festival, FUTURO presents an exciting new roster of web series, including Latino Chronicles NYC (2024, 7 min., USA/Dominican Republic), centered on seven stories converging in different parts of New York City, highlighting the challenges faced by New Wave of Latin artists seeking to make their way in the city; Based on actual events, This Boy’s Vida (Made in America) (2024, 25 min., USA) an American Latino boy, with the help of his imaginary future self, dreams of being an actor turns “Robinhood” to feed his starving sisters, until the system catches up with him and forces him to choose between his family or dreams; and The LAnd (2024, 8 min., USA), is a response to the gentrification-fueled displacement of Black and brown people across Los Angeles that acts as a love letter to the city that raised many Angelenos.
