"A community-building experience beautifully highlighting Latin American culture through film."

"A gratifying cultural experience that brings us closer to what we have left behind."

Schedule of Events:

March 27, 2025

6 p.m. – Opening Night Reception
7:30 p.m. – Cuarencena (Dominican Republic)
North American Premiere

Spanish with English subtitles

In the tense early days of a pandemic, a five-star chef and his wife host a dinner party at their bougie colonial apartment despite a nationwide curfew. As booze flows and pressure points get triggered, long-buried secrets and resentments start to bubble up, threatening the fabric of this supposedly tight-knit group.

March 28, 2025

7 p.m. – Corina
East Coast Premiere
Followed by a talkback with VozEs

Spanish with English subtitles

Corina is 20 years old and does not leave her house except to work in a publishing house located in the neighborhood where she lives. After making a serious mistake with the end of the company’s most famous book saga, Corina must overcome her fears with the help of Carlos and embark on a journey in search of a mysterious writer to save her job and the whole company.

March 29, 2025

1:30 p.m. – From Idea to Distribution Workshop by dorian gómez pestaña

Join us for a hands-on workshop designed for artists and storytellers of all backgrounds looking to take their creative projects from concept to completion. Whether you’re working on a documentary, a podcast, a narrative film, or a visual art piece, this session will guide you through the essential steps of production—idea development, planning, execution, and distribution.

3:30 p.m. – Manas (Brazil)
East Coast Premiere
Followed by a talkback with Despierta

Portuguese with English subtitles

In the depths of the Amazon rainforest, 13-year-old Tielle grows up with dreams inspired by her older sister’s escape. As she matures, the illusions she clings to begin to crumble, revealing a world of deep-rooted exploitation and abuse. Determined to protect her younger sister and reshape their future, she dares to challenge the forces that bind the women in her community, in a poignant exploration of resilience and resistance.

7 p.m. – Hecho Aquí (Made Here)
Followed by a Q&A with local filmmakers

Hecho Aquí (Made Here) is an initiative started by Cine Casual in 2022 to highlight North Carolina productions made by or starring Latino talent. This night, we shine the spotlight on our incredible local talent! Watch their amazing work and stay for a conversation with the film’s directors, animators, and actors!

March 30, 2025

1 p.m. – Capitan Avispa (Dominican Republic)
Followed by a bilingual musical activity with Criss Cross Mangosauce

Spanish with English subtitles

Captain Avispa, hero of Avispatrópolis and the Honey Kingdom, tests his nobility, sense of justice and innocence against the evil wasp Jacques Poison and his henchmen.

4 p.m. – Todos Somos Justos (Chile)
East Coast Premiere

Spanish with English subtitles

Violence is never one-sided… even in a house break-in. Luis is invited to a family celebration at the house where he works as a tutor. The night is going well until a group of young masked robbers break into the house. Hatred emerges as well as a strong desire for justice.

April 3, 2025

7 p.m. – Reinas (Peru)

Spanish with English subtitles

As Peru spirals into political unrest in 1992, Lucia and Aurora are about to leave with their mom for a better life in America. But to go, they need their father to sign consent papers. Carlos has been absent for all of their childhood, but now he decides to fight to win his two "queens" back.

April 4, 2025

7 p.m. – Mi Tía Gilma (Venezuela)

Spanish with English subtitles

13-year-old Isabel, takes care of her aunt Gilma, who was admitted to a hospital in Caracas, after being beaten up by her partner. In the midst of the chaos that surrounds them, Isabel will do anything to save her aunt and keep a promise.

April 5, 2025

3:30 p.m. – Fenómenos Naturales (Cuba)

Spanish with English subtitles

It’s the late 1980s in Cuba, and in an isolated ranch in a small town near Santa Clara, lives Vilma, a young nurse who dreams of a better place to raise her upcoming baby, along with her disabled husband Ivan. However, neither her skills as a nurse nor as a shooter will free Vilma from her harsh reality until a natural phenomena sweeps her away and Vilma wakes up in a place where it seems her dream will come true.

April 6, 2025

6:30 p.m. – El Bolero de Rubén (Colombia)
Southeast U.S. Premiere
Followed by the Closing Night Party

Actress Majida Issa and director Juan Carlos Mazo will be in attendance for a Q&A after the film*

Spanish with English subtitles

Ruben’s Bolero is the story of Marta’s tragedy, which is told in the rhythm of boleros. After fifteen years of waiting for her boyfriend to get out of prison, she is consumed by the walls of her half-finished house, and she lost dream of being a singer, taking her through imaginary passages that reflect her frustration, anger, and fear.

1:30 p.m. – Memorias de un cuerpo que arde (Costa Rica)

Spanish with English subtitles

Raised in a repressive era where sexuality was taboo, Ana, Patricia, and Mayela found their understanding of womanhood based on unspoken rules and implicit impositions. Now, their fearless voices incarnate in a single 65-year-old woman, who revisits a kaleidoscopic life of intertwined memories, secrets, and hidden desires.

Date: March 27 - April 6, 2025

Location: The Independent Picture House, 4237 Raleigh Street Charlotte, NC 28213

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