A still from the film "Daughter of Rage."
Heroism, strength, and resilience form the conceptual and thematic core of three feature-length films from Nicaragua and the United States, including one animated that OLA of Eastern Long Island will screen during its annual Latino film festival, now in its 21st year from September 20 to 22 and on September 26.
OLA’s Latino Film Festival of the Hamptons kicks off the celebration of National Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15 to October 15), honoring the histories, cultures, and contributions of US-Americans whose ancestors originate from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central and South America. All films are in Spanish with English subtitles.
“This year, we are honored to continue our celebration of culturally relevant, high-quality cinema, presenting three films representing at least two countries and various cultures within the diaspora, including the Latinx identity that is core to the fabric of these United States we know and love. These films illuminate daily acts of heroism that give us the courage to traverse uncharted terrain and transcend limitations of every variety with unprecedented strength,” said OLA’s executive director, Minerva Perez. “We are delighted to be returning to Guild Hall, partnering again with the Westhampton Beach Performing Arts Center, and, for the fifth year in a row, Sag Harbor Cinema. We are especially thrilled to join forces with the newly opened North Fork Arts Center in Greenport to expand our offerings and to develop a collaboration that will continue throughout the year.”
Perez continued, “This film festival remains at the heart of OLA’s dedication to the arts and cultural programming, creating a shared experience through storytelling that connects us to our very own humanity at an ever-poignant time when all of our voices matter. These films will enlighten, inspire, and challenge audiences in resonant and lasting ways.”
Founded in 2002, OLA of Eastern Long Island works to create a more equitable East End for Latino immigrants by advocating for just and inclusive government and school policies, protecting families, nurturing power and unity among Latinos through leadership workshops and other programs, and building bridges among different sectors of the East End community by celebrating arts and culture.
This year’s festival opens with the DC Studios superhero hit, “Blue Beetle” (“Escarabajo Azul”), which will be screened Friday, September 20, at 7 PM at Guild Hall in East Hampton. An opening night cocktail reception will begin at 6 PM. An alien scarab chooses Jaime Reyes to be its symbiotic host, forever changing his destiny as he becomes the superhero known as Blue Beetle. Lead actor Xolo Maridueña won the 2024 Saturn Award for Best Performance by a Younger Actor, and the film won the 2024 Saturn Award for Best Superhero Film.
On Saturday, September 21, at 8 PM, the festival moves to Sag Harbor Cinema with the screening of the Nicaraguan film “Daughter of Rage” (“La hija de todas las rabias”), directed by Laura Baumeister de Montis. A bilingual in-person conversation with the director will be held after the film. Determined to eke out a life in Nicaragua’s largest landfill, 11-year-old María and her mother face impossible choices, finding treasure in trash and resilience that transcends unimaginable loss. “Daughter of Rage” is the first feature-length film by a Nicaraguan-born woman. It has been nominated for and won many awards, including at the San Francisco, Morelia, and San Sebastian International Film Festivals.
The weekend programming concludes with a family-friendly matinee screening on Sunday, September 22, at 2 PM, with the full-feature US-American animated film “Vivo” at the Westhampton Beach Performing Arts Center. Vivo, a Cuban kinkajou, and his beloved musician pal Andrés share music and the journey of a lifetime to fulfill their destinies. The highly acclaimed feature soars on an epic adventure with vibrant animation and all-original songs from the award-winning composer Lin-Manuel Miranda.
The festival concludes with a second screening of “Vivo” on Thursday, September 26, at 7:30 PM at the North Fork Arts Center in Greenport. A post-show conversation with OLA will follow the film. This is a new venue and collaboration for OLA with the North Fork Arts Center.
For more information and tickets, visit olaofeasternlongisland.org.
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