Welcome! ¡Bienvenidos! Bem-vindo!
The AFI Latin American Film Festival is one of North America’s largest and longest-running showcases of Latin American cinema. Now in its 37th year, the festival is one of Washington’s top cultural events and features award-winning films, in-person conversations with filmmaker guests and exciting embassy-hosted parties. With the inclusion of films from Spain and Portugal, the festival celebrates Ibero-American cultural connections during National Hispanic Heritage Month.
Don’t miss your chance to see film-festival favorites, local box-office hits and debut works by promising new talents. Join a diverse audience of film lovers!
Festival Passes
Now on sale!
Explore the best in Latin American cinema with an All-Access Festival Pass. This pass provides admission for one to every screening in the AFI Latin American Film Festival, including Opening and Closing Night. Valued at nearly $600!
Silver Cinema Club discounts are currently available on in-person purchases only.
See the discounts available to Silver Cinema Club members here.*
Early Announcements
The complete lineup and schedule will be announced later this month.
Mark your calendar for our $10 Ticket One-Day Sale on Friday, August 28.
Early announcements for this year’s AFI Latin American Film Festival program include the following standout titles: the U.S. premiere of ON BEHALF OF MY SON, a humanist drama from Gabriel Martins, which comes directly from its world premiere at the Toronto Film Festival; Berlin Ecumenical Jury Prize winner FLIES, the charming black comedy from Mexican filmmaker Fernando Eimbcke (DUCK SEASON, LAKE TAHOE); the East Coast premiere of DONKEY PRINCESS, the latest genre-busting fantasy from Chilean maestros Cristóbal León and Joaquín Cociña (THE WOLF HOUSE); the U.S. premiere of fizzy Brazilian sommelier dramedy ISABEL by filmmaker Gabe Klinger (PORTO); Tribeca award winner SUMMER OF THREE, a rollicking coming-of-age journey through the heart of Puerto Rico; the U.S. premiere of Paraguayan rock-and-roll period piece NARCISO, from filmmaker Marcelo Martinessi (THE HEIRESSES); and the U.S. premiere of Argentine romantic comedy NOTHING BETWEEN US, starring Latin-American superstars Gael García Bernal and Natalia Oreiro.
Click on the posters below to learn more.
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DEATH HAS NO MASTER
[LA MUERTE NO TIENE DUEÑO]
Caro (Asia Argento) returns to Venezuela to sell off her family’s crumbling cacao plantation but finds the former staff unwilling to leave the property. But she will stop at nothing to reclaim her land in Jorge Thielen Armand’s anticolonial fever dream. DIR Jorge Thielen Armand. Venezuela/Italy/Canada/Luxembourg, 2026, 106 min. In Spanish with English subtitles.
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DONKEY PRINCESS | East Coast Premiere
[PRINCESA BURRO]
A grieving king outlaws romance in his kingdom, a decision that sends his daughter on a genre-busting detour into the multiverse to find her lost love. The latest mind-blowingly handcrafted creation from Chilean directing duo Cristóbal León and Joaquín Cociña (THE WOLF HOUSE) is a twisted fairy tale all their own. DIR Cristóbal León, Joaquín Cociña. Chile/France/Uruguay/Netherlands/Germany, 2026, 90 min. In Spanish with English subtitles.
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EVA
In Honduras, Eva, a trans woman, takes care of her granddaughter and grieving son after the shocking death of her daughter-in-law. Eva attempts to cope with loss, her queer identity and her strained relationship with her son while caring for the baby. EVA depicts a delicate journey to mutual understanding after profound loss. DIR William Reyes. Honduras/Colombia, 2025, color, 90 min. In Spanish with English subtitles.
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EVERYTHING ELSE IS NOISE
[LO DEMÁS ES RUIDO]
Over the course of one afternoon, three female musicians gather for a television interview where nothing goes as planned. Independent Mexican auteur Nicolás Pereda fashions a playful chamber piece, a biting comedy that gleefully skewers avant-garde musicians, filmmakers and especially the male ego. DIR Nicolás Pereda. Mexico/Germany/Canada, 2026, 71 min. In Spanish with English subtitles.
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FLIES
[MOSCAS]
An uncompromising retiree discovers a crack in her tough exterior when she reluctantly rents her spare room to a father and his precocious nine-year-old son. Returning to the nostalgia-laden black and white of his breakthrough debut DUCK SEASON, Mexican filmmaker Fernando Eimbcke crafts a delicate yet wry exploration of grief in his bittersweet new feature. DIR Fernando Eimbcke. Mexico, 2026, 99 min. In Spanish with English subtitles.
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FOR THE OPPONENTS
[PARA LOS CONTRINCANTES]
Federico Luis won the Palme d’Or for Best Short Film at the 2026 Cannes Film Festival for this exhilarating portrait of a young boxer struggling to hang on to his boyhood innocence. DIR Federico Luis. Mexico/Chile/France/UK, 2026, 15 min. In Spanish with English subtitles.
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ISABEL
Unappreciated at a Michelin-starred restaurant, talented sommelier Isabel (Marina Person) dreams of opening her own wine bar. Shooting on 16mm, filmmaker Gabe Klinger (PORTO) took inspiration from the boundless energy and spirit of São Paolo to bring this effervescent portrait to life. Person shines as Isabel, a woman with deep passions, dry wit and complex imperfections. DIR Gabe Klinger. Brazil/France, 2026, 85 min. In English and Portuguese with English subtitles.
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MILLY: QUEEN OF MERENGUE
MILLY: QUEEN OF MERENGUE
This musical biopic explores the trials and tribulations leading up to Milly Quezada’s solo career and how she earned her title of “Queen of Merengue.” With inventive musical numbers including some of Milly’s classic hits, MILLY: QUEEN OF MERENGUE is a look at the origins of Milly Quezada that will please fans and newcomers alike. DIR Leticia Tonos. Dominican Republic/U.S., 2026, color, 118 min. In Spanish with English subtitles.
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MOUNTAINS OF FIRE
[CORDILLERA DE FUEGO]
When a young volcanologist discovers a newly formed volcano, she will stop at nothing to protect the indigenous communities who are settled in its destructive path. Guatemala’s most prominent filmmaker, Jayro Bustamante (IXCANUL), puts his own spin on the conspiracy thriller genre to continue his searing investigation into the urgent social issues facing his homeland. DIR/ Jayro Bustamante. Guatemala, 2025, 94 min. In Spanish and Mayan with English subtitles.
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NARCISO | U.S. Premiere
Charismatic radio DJ Narciso ignites a rebellious spirit in 1950s Asunción when he introduces rock and roll to the airwaves, sparking long-dormant desires. But he must face the consequences when his rising profile riles the oppressive military regime of Alfredo Stroessner. This exquisitely mounted period thriller won the FIPRESCI Critics Prize at the 2026 Berlin Film Festival. DIR Marcelo Martinessi. Paraguay/Brazil/Portugal/Germany/Spain/France/Uruguay, 2026, 101 min. In Spanish and Guarani with English subtitles.
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NOTHING BETWEEN US | U.S. Premiere
[NADA ENTRE LOS DOS]
A food-poisoning scandal brings two corporate executives together, a passionate affair blooming out of corporate catastrophe. This gentle romantic comedy from Juan Taratuto features winning performances from two of Latin America’s biggest stars, Gael García Bernal and Natalia Oreiro, deftly portraying modern love in all its complexity. DIR Juan Taratuto; SCR Matía Scartascini. Argentina/Uruguay, 2026, 90 min. In Spanish with English subtitles.
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ON BEHALF OF MY SON | U.S. Premiere
[VICENTINA PEDE DESCULPAS]
A public bus veers off an overpass, killing all but one of its passengers. Filled with guilt, the bus driver’s 75-year-old mother, Vicentina, decides to find the victim’s families and apologize directly. A humanist meditation on grief and the power of forgiveness, ON BEHALF OF MY SON premiered in the Oscar®-qualifying Platform competition at the 2026 Toronto Film Festival. DIR Gabriel Martins. Brazil, 2026, 148 min. In Portuguese with English subtitles.
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PAPAYA
A curious papaya seed journeys across a lush rainforest to escape her fate of turning into a tree, encountering diverse creatures who teach her about herself. This vibrantly colored, dialogue-free animation is a playful and optimistic tale of movement, transformation and carving your own path. DIR Priscilla Kellen. Brazil, 2025, color, 74 min.
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SAD GIRLZ
[CHICAS TRISTES]
Best friends La Maestra and Paula are forced to reckon with the aftermath of an unwanted assault in this blistering coming-of-age drama that frankly explores the heartbreak of girlhood and the beauty and power of female friendship. Filmmaker Fernanda Tovar’s debut feature won the Crystal Bear for Best Film in the Generation sidebar at the Berlin Film Festival. DIR Fernanda Tovar. Mexico/Spain/France, 2026, 90 min. In Spanish with English subtitles.
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SUMMER OF THREE
Returning to his native Puerto Rico for the first time in years, Javi meets beguiling misfits Luife and Kiki and gets swept up in their lifestyle of reckless abandon. A rollicking coming-of-age tale and an exuberant portrait of Puerto Rico, SUMMER OF THREE won the Best Performance and Best Screenplay awards at the 2026 Tribeca Film Festival. DIR Carlitos Ruíz-Ruíz. Puerto Rico, 2026, 85 min. In English and Spanish with English subtitles.
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THE CONDOR DAUGHTER
[LA HIJA CÓNDOR]
This delicate tale about the tensions between tradition and modernity follows Clara, a teenager trained as a midwife who sings ancient Quechua songs to aid birthing mothers and their babies. When she journeys into the big city to pursue her dream of becoming a music star, her mother, Ana, is tasked with bringing her back to their community in the Bolivian Andes. DIR/SCR/PROD Álvaro Olmos Torrico. Bolivia/Peru/Uruguay, 2025, 109 min. In Quechua and Spanish with English subtitles.
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THE IVY
[HIEDRA]
Thirty-something Azucena is drawn to a teenage orphan, a spark of connection and unspoken history bringing them uncomfortably close. Ana Cristina Barragán won the Best Screenplay Award in the Orizzonti sidebar at the 2025 Venice Film Festival for her devastating meditation on trauma and desire, told with masterful restraint and featuring stirring performances. DIR Ana Cristina Barragán. Ecuador/Mexico/France/Spain, 2025, 99 min. In Spanish with English subtitles.
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THE RED HANGAR
[HANGAR ROJO]
Captain Jorge Silva’s (Nicolás Zárate) strict moral code is challenged when he is ordered to turn an empty hangar at Chile’s Air Force Academy into a brutal interrogation camp at the onset of Pinochet’s military coup. Inspired by true events, this impressive feature debut is a breathless political thriller, elevated by striking black-and-white photography, immersive sound design and a tightly wound central performance. DIR Juan Pablo Sallato. Chile/Argentina/Italy, 2026, 83 min. In Spanish with English subtitles.
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THE RIVER TRAIN
[EL TREN FLUVIAL]
Desperate to escape his humdrum rural existence and his father’s unrelenting training, 9-year-old dance phenom Milo sneaks off to Buenos Aires for an eye-opening odyssey into the city’s oddball underbelly. DIR Lorenzo Ferro, Lucas A. Vignale. Argentina, 2026, 75 min. In Spanish with English subtitles.
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VERTICES
Salvadoran filmmaker Arturo López Rodas weaves a nuanced and delicate tale of three old friends who reunite after decades apart to joke and reflect on their lives and relationships. Artfully blending black-and-white with color photography, López Rodas captures the vitality of connection, the slow passage of time and the importance of companionship. DIR Arturo López Rodas. El Salvador, 2025, 60 min. In Spanish with English subtitles.
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