Opening Night: Annual Des Moines Latino Film Festival

Event Details

In partnership with the Latino Center of Iowa, get ready to celebrate Latino cinema while kicking off the 2023 Latino Film Festival! Join us while we gather to eat, drink, and enjoy a memorable evening uplifting filmmakers and the incredible stories they bring to life. A reception will take place from 4:30 – 5:30 pm, and the first film will begin at 5:30 pm. Following a brief intermission, the final film will be shown.

Reservations requested. This event is free.

Films:
“Letters / Cartas” 2023
Director: Eva Beunza
Run time: 14 minutes
Synopsis: Emma has been working for some time to get a job in Canada. After much effort and hours of work, she receives a letter stating that she has been selected. Everything takes a turn when she asks her partner to move to Canada together. Memories of her childhood, the relationship with her parents, and the couple’s situation make them doubt their future.

“Lili” 2022
Director: Brian Ríos
Run time: 15 minutes
Synopsis: A father and daughter must cross the border in order to find a better life. However, the journey is made more difficult because the daughter cannot speak.

“When Jack Came Back” 2022
Director: Thor Moreno
Run time: 1 hour 45 minutes
Synopsis: Jack, a down-on-his-luck actor, begrudgingly comes home after the death of his father only to find that his mom is in the grip of Alzheimer’s Disease. Now the two of them must find some common ground as Nancy’s time is running out.

*Stick around for a Q&A with Director, Thor Moreno!