Award-winning offerings headlined Cine Con Cultura’s Latinx American Film Festival.

A Cultural Collaboration

To mark the beginning of Latinx Heritage Month, ¡Cutlura! Ithaca invited Ithaca residents to experience a work of art from Latin American Culture when it launched its eighth-annual Cine Con Cultura Latinx American Film Festival.

The festival exists as a partnership between ¡Cultura! Ithaca and the Latino Civic Association of Tompkins County.

Enrique Gonzalez-Conty, festival director and Ithaca College associate professor in World Languages, works closely with Ithaca institutions including Ithaca College, Cornell Cinema, Greater Ithaca Activities Center and the Cinemapolis to organize screenings throughout Latinx Heritage Month, Sept. 15 through Oct. 15.

Gonzalez-Conty has been involved with the festival since its second year. He said that he sees it as a great way to bring Latin American cinema to Ithaca, especially since not many Latinx films typically make it there under regular circumstances.

Films to Encourage Conversations

Gonzalez-Conty said he tries to bring films to the festival that are political and bring emotional responses to audiences.

One such film is “Fly So Far,” a documentary-film from El Salvador which will be screened online via Eventive Oct. 10–12. Gonzalez-Conty said he wanted to bring films to the festival this year that will enable audiences to look at the decision to overturn Roe v. Wade in the U.S. in June 2022 from various global points of view.

“I wanted to bring that documentary because it brings a different perspective on what happens in other contexts when abortion is actually illegal,” he said.

Gonzalez-Conty said the film addresses abortion criminalization in Latin American countries like El Salvador, which have conservative views on the issue.

Through the 14 films that make up this year’s festival, Gonzalez-Conty will be bringing in different filmmakers and organizations like Tompkins County Immigrant Rights Coalition and the Center for LGBT Education, Outreach and Services at Ithaca College, to discuss the issues raised in the films and the topics within them.

Douglas McLaren, cinema manager at Cornell Cinema, said he appreciates how the festival presents people with a window into Latin American culture.

“I think that it’s important to amplify these voices,” McLaren said. “I think it’s important for us to be a part of the festival in that regard because we do try to showcase the whole breadth of cinema here at Cornell Cinema, and this is a really great opportunity for us to do that.”

A Winning Opening

Juan Pablo González’s narrative drama “Dos Estaciones” from México was the film that kicked off this year’s festival in September at Cornell Cinema.

The film premiered at Sundance in January 2022 where it won the World Cinema Dramatic Special Jury Award in the Acting category.

McLaren said the film is a good match for the festival because it addresses vital issues such as climate change and corporate obstruction of small businesses.

Jenna Marvin and Juliana Fagua Arias, two first-year Ph.D. students at Cornell University enjoyed the film.

“It engaged you emotionally and really made you a little awkward and uncomfortable, and really kept you interested in the drama between the cluster of main characters,” Marvin said.

Fagua Arias said she appreciated the opportunity that the festival presented to celebrate the culture, arts, film and music of Latinx culture.

“It’s really meaningful and it also shows the importance of going beyond this month and being aware of the value of the contributions of Latinx artists,” Fagua Arias said.