Our Mission
WELCOME
A Message
From Our
Executive
Director
We are in a new reality. One where abuse of power seems to be the rule of law. Where empathy is seen as a sign of weakness, where the powerful have free rein over our destinies, and where bullies are celebrated as heroes by some media outlets. The last year left those who escaped authoritarian regimes, and came to this country expecting to leave that horrible experience behind, suffering from a severe case of shellshock.
But our communities —yes, in plural— are fighting back in so many inspiring ways. From peacefully confronting these forces of hatred to delivering food and basic needs to those who can’t leave their homes. From creating art that speaks to the times we live in to those holding accountable the powers that be that are inflicting so much pain in our cities.
Like many not-for-profit organizations across the country, the International Latino Cultural Center of Chicago has seen a drastic reduction in government funding as a result of this current administration’s devastating war against the arts, against culture, against knowledge, and against anything that speaks to the best part of us.
And yet, here we are, still standing, like that Elton John song, determined to, as I wrote last year in my welcome to the 41st edition of the Festival, “give voice to the voiceless through the arts.” Now, more than ever, we rely on the strength of our community. We need your support to continue bringing world-class Ibero-American cinema, as well as other artistic expressions, to Chicago and to keep the flame of our mission burning.
Some of the films in our program of 51 features and 31 shorts speak, in their own unique ways, to the times we live in, from Juanjo Pereira’s impressionistic collage of recovered and restored archival footage of the Stroessner dictatorship (Under the Sun, the Flags) to the almost dystopian Opening Night film selection (Mariana Rondón and Marité Ugas’ It Would Be Night in Caracas). For years, we’ve searched high and low for quality feature animated films to bring to our Festival and this year we have two: I am Frankelda from Mexico and TheyDream from Puerto Rico. We do have a greater number of thrillers and genre films than in years past. We also welcome the return to our Festival of such influential directors as Julio Medem, Ana Cristina Barragán, Sergio Olhovich and José María Cabral.
My eternal gratitude to the many people who believe in the role our Festival, the International Latino Cultural Center of Chicago, and the arts play in our society: our funders and sponsors, volunteers, staff, filmmakers, the Film Selection Committee members, our board of directors and, most important of all, you!!
See you at the movies!
The Mission
The Chicago Latino Film Festival is the longest running Spanish & Portuguese language film festival event dedicated to Latino Filmmakers and Cinema. Since 1985, the Festival has brought together audiences, film directors and actors to enjoy and lift motion picture arts from a Latino point of view.
Celebrating its 42nd anniversary in 2026. CLFF continuing by bringing these films to the theatre where we find the full experience of film watching at its most enjoyable.
We aim to bring quality Latino films to Chicago. Films that lend a voice that transcends political views into human forms of expression, sharing ideas and concepts that are funny, sad, dramatic, exciting or different from anything we have seen before.
That's How Many Years It Took To Get Here
Since 1985, the Chicago Latino Film Festival has been a vital cultural bridge, showcasing the diverse voices of Latin American cinema. Now in its 42nd year, this pioneering festival remains North America’s longest-running Latino film celebration, having premiered thousands of groundbreaking works and launched countless filmmaking careers. Each spring, we transform Chicago into the continent’s premier destination for Latino storytelling.