Arts Event

The Canadian Film Institute created the Latin American Film Festival in 1997. Our goal was and still is to increase the awareness, appreciation, and understanding of Latin American cinema in Canada’s capital. Over the first 18 years of programming and organizing this public festival, in collaboration with our generous partners at the GRULA (the group of Latin American embassies accredited by the Government of Canada), we have presented 225 Ottawa premieres of Latin American films, 17 visiting filmmakers, and attracted close to 52,000 spectators. The Latin American Film Festival has grown over its 18 editions into one of Ottawa’s most eagerly anticipated annual cultural events. This is due to the energy and support of the Latin American embassies and their many staff members and ambassadors over the years, our festival sponsors, our volunteers, and you, the generous public who come to the screenings to explore the incredible richness, diversity, and artistry of Latin American cinema.

This year, the Canadian Film Institute has added some special events and screenings, including the return of our South ↔ North: Cinema Across Borders series that explores the relationships and cultural and filmmaking exchanges between Canada, the U.S.A., and Latin America. (Click here for more information about South ↔ North.) We also have a screening of the classic 1949 Mexican comedy, The Great Madcap, directed by film legend, Luis Buñuel.