The Latin American Film Festival is an annual Ottawa tradition, bringing a little bit of South American flavor to Centretown, but this year it has a twist. The festival will feature its first-ever day-long celebration of Latin American culture, called the Fiesta Latina.
The Canadian Film Institute has put on the festival every year since 1997, showing documentaries, features, and short stories from all over South America. This year’s 16 screenings will be at Library and Archives Canada on Wellington Street from March 27 to April 13.
The Library and Archives Canada will also host the Fiesta Latina, which will include exhibitions from several local businesses that specialize in and cater to Latin American culture.
Taking place on March 29, the Fiesta will feature special dance acts, Latin American wine and cuisine tastings, and visual art.
“It’s kind of like a mini Latin America. We’re taking over the whole first floor of the Library and Archives,” says Tom McSorely, executive director of the Canadian Film Institute.
Though this is the first Fiesta Latina, McSorely says he hopes it becomes an annual part of the LAFF.
A number of critically acclaimed movies will be shown at this year’s LAFF, including a screening of Habanastation, a Cuban film, with one of the stars of the movie, Luis Alberto Garcia, in attendance.
Also being shown at the festival are Argentinian romantic comedy Heart of a Lion and Mexican film After Lucia. The festival is also showing movies from smaller countries, including Who Pays The Bill, from Honduras.
“It’s the most successful box office film in the history of Honduras filmmaking,” says McSorley.
One of the films to be shown during the Fiesta Latina is La Virgen de la Caridad, a silent film from 1930s Cuba which will be shown with a live piano accompaniment.
The Ottawa Latin American community has embraced the Fiesta Latina, and has collaborated to make it inclusive for all elements of South American culture,with Latin folk dance troupe Contigo Peru being one of the many groups set to perform at the Fiesta.