This year’s Cine Las Americas International Film Festival (CLAIFF27) will feature a wide array of Latine/x, Indigenous and Latin American stories, special events & red carpets, and a conference track with key speaker Elizabeth Avellán and Emmy award-winning Director David Blue Garcia; individual screening tickets and 2-day passes are now on sale, as well as badges
(AUSTIN, TEXAS – April 24, 2025; source: Juice Consulting) – Multicultural Austin-based nonprofit Cine Las Americas announces the full programming and event schedule for their 27th Annual Cine Las Americas International Film Festival (CLAIFF27), taking place May 14 – 18 at the Austin Film Society Cinema (located at 6259 Middle Fiskville Rd, Austin, TX 78752) and Austin PBS (Located at 6101 Highland Campus Dr Bldg 3000, Austin, TX 78752). Each year, the festival highlights Latine/x, Indigenous and Latin American stories as well as Texan filmmakers. Over the course of five days, the festival will host red carpets and special events available to badgeholders, with individual event tickets available for purchase. A number of free screenings will also be open to the public. Badges and tickets for the 27th annual festival are currently on sale and can be purchased here. See below for this year’s full programming schedule.
A few notable dates to mark on your calendar: The CLAIFF27 Opening Night Red Carpet Event will take place Wednesday, May 14, at AFS Cinema before the opening night film “Take it Away” by Adrian Alejandro Arredondo and Myrna Perez, followed by an Opening Night Party in the lobby. There will be a second Red Carpet Event that will take place before the Hecho en Tejas film block, featuring works by local Texas filmmakers, on Saturday, May 17, at Austin PBS.
This year’s festival will also feature a special conference on Friday, May 16 and Saturday, May 17, at the City of Austin PDC Center (located in Room 1406 at 6310 Wilhelmina Delco Dr, Austin, TX
78752) featuring discussions with the likes of Troublemaker Studios founder and “Spy Kids” franchise producer Elizabeth Avellán and Emmy award-winning Director David Blue Garcia known for “Texas Chainsaw Massacre,” and “Tejano.” The purchase of a conference badge allows full access to this programming, and discounted ticket pricing is available for students.
Wednesday, May 14 CLAIFF27 Red Carpet Event
- – 7 p.m. @AFS Cinema – Address: 6259 Middle Fiskville Rd, Austin, TX 78752
“Take it Away” by Adrian Alejandro Arredondo & Myrna Perez
- – 8:30 p.m. @AFS Cinema Country of Origin: U.S.A. Language: English & Spanish Accessibility: English subtitles
Opening Night Film
Opening Night Party
8:30 – 10:00 p.m. @AFS Cinema
Thursday, May 15 – España en Foco / Spain in Focus
Amnesty International Shorts Showcase:
3:30 – 4:30 p.m. @AFS Cinema (**Free to the public)
“Semillas de Kivu” (Seeds of Kivu) by Néstor López & Carlos Valle
Country of Origin: Spain, Democratic Republic of Congo Language: French, Swahili
Accessibility: English subtitles
“Cafunè” by Carlos F. de Vigo & Lorena Ares
Country of Origin: Spain Language: Spanish Accessibility: English subtitles
“Medusas” (Jellyfish) by Iñaki Sánchez Arrieta
Country of Origin: Spain Language: Spanish Accessibility: English subtitles
“Los Destellos” (Glimmers) by Pilar Palomero
5:30 – 6:30 p.m. @AFS Cinema Country of Origin: Spain Language: Spanish Accessibility: English subtitles
“La Infiltrada” (Undercover) by Arantxa Echevarría
7:30 – 9:00 p.m. @AFS Cinema Country of Origin: Spain, Basque Language: Spanish Accessibility: English subtitles
Friday, May 16 Conference Schedule:
12:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. @City of Austin PDC Event Center Address: Room 1406, 6310 Wilhelmina Delco Dr, Austin, TX 78752
- Breaking Borders: Co-Producing between the US, Latin America and Spain
Moderated by Alejandro Pedemonte. Panelists include Jess Gutierrez-Hefner, Anna Carvalho and Guido Turtula
- ¡Saint Primo! Presents Behind the Brush: How makeup artists shape stories, transform actors, and build lasting careers in film
Moderated by Anna Fugate-Downs. Panelists include Cris E. Vera and Lainie Garcia
- Non-Traditional Pathways: Alternate Journeys in Filmmaking
Moderated by Dr. Vanessa de Macedo Joyce Huggins, Ricardo “Richie” Contreras Plaza,
Patrick Salazar and Adrian Arredondo
“Reinas” (Queens) by Klaudia Reynicke
2 – 3:30 p.m. @AFS Cinema
Country of Origin: Peru, Spain, Switzerland Language: Spanish
Accessibility: English subtitles
“Algo Viejo, Algo Nuevo, Algo Prestado” by Hernán Rosselli (Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed)
4 – 5:30 p.m. @AFS Cinema
Country of Origin: Argentina, Spain, Portugal Language: Spanish
Accessibility: English subtitles
“Agarrame Fuerte” (Don’t You Let Me Go) by Ana Guevara & Leticia Jorge
6 – 7:30 p.m. @AFS Cinema Country of Origin: Uruguay Language: Spanish Accessibility: English subtitles
“Querido Trópico” (Beloved Tropic) by Ana Endara
8 – 9:30 p.m. @AFS Cinema
Country of Origin: Panama, Colombia Language: Spanish
Accessibility: English subtitles
¡Videos Musicales! (Music Video Screening & Party):
9 p.m. – 12 a.m. @Vaquero Taquero Address: 603 Sabine St, Austin, TX 78701
Competition
“gaZzZzZ” by Loretta Castelletto (Artist: Akriila y Condy) Country of Origin: Chile
Language: Spanish
“Waiting” by Tristan Marley Lai & Cesar Cervantes (Artist: The Altons) Country of Origin: USA
Language: English
“Rojo Rubí” (Rompiendo La Cadera) by Eric Álvarez (Artist: Letón Pé) Country of Origin: Dominican Republic
Language: Spanish
“Sin Preguntar” (Without Asking) by María Paula Monge Espinoza (Artist: Precious Perez)
Country of Origin: Costa Rica Language: Spanish
“Sígueme” by Juan Felipe Zuleta (Artist: Xiuhtezcatl y Renata Flores) Country of Origin: Mexico, Peru
Language: Spanish, Nahuatl, Quechua
“YANGA” by Amaury Barrera & Audrey del Piccolo (Artist: Sonido Gallo Negro feat. Sylvie Henry)
Country of Origin: Mexico Language: Spanish
Fé Nas Maluca by Felipe Sassi (Artist: IZA feat. MC Carol) Country of Origin: Brazil
Language: Portuguese Local Artist Selection
“In Tent Cities” by Wox Rincones (Artist: Eterno Scroll) Country of Origin: USA
Language: English
“La 6” by Oscar Donado (Artist: Como Las Movies) Country of Origin: USA
Language: Spanish
Competition – Audience Award Voting & Jury Award Eligible Will feature performances by local artists
Saturday, May 17
“Hombres Íntegros” (Fine Young Men) by Alejandro Andrade Pease
11 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. @AFS Cinema Country of Origin: Mexico, Spain, France Language: Spanish
Accessibility: English subtitles
Conference Schedule:
12:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. @City of Austin PDC Event Center
- Emerging Technologies: Podcasts, VR, & New Technologies in storytelling
Moderated by Hector Gonzales. Panelists include A.J. Feliciano, Santiago Suarez-Ruiz
and Samantha Najera.
- Filmmaker Roundtable: Latine/x Voices in the Mainstream
Moderated by Hector Gonzales. Panelists include David Blue Garcia, Julio Quintana, Gaby Acosta and Marta Cross
- Keynote Conversation: Marla Quintana Conversando con Elizabeth Avellán
“Antes Del Cuerpo” (Before the Body) by Carina Piazza & Lucía Eva Bracelis
12 – 1:30 p.m. @AFS Cinema (**Free to the public) Country of Origin: Argentina
Language: Spanish Accessibility: English subtitles
Competition – Audience Award Voting & Jury Award Eligible
Documentary Shorts Competition:
12:30 – 2:30 p.m. @Austin PBS (**Free to the public)
Address: 6310 Wilhelmina Delco Dr, Austin, TX 7875
“Olas de Recuerdo” (Memories of Salt) by Naomi Garcia Pasmanick
Country of Origin: U.S.A., Spain Language: Spanish, Galician
Accessibility: English subtitles
“La Diosa Quebrada” (The Broken Goddess) by Ximena Pereira Oyarzún
Country of Origin: Venezuela, Chile Language: Spanish
Accessibility: English subtitles
“And the Stars are the Same” by Raúl Paz Pastrana & Alan Domínguez
Country of Origin: U.S.A. Language: Spanish, Q’anjob’al Accessibility: English subtitles
“Las Voces del Despeñadero” (Voices from the Abyss) by Irving Serrano & Victor Rejon
Country of Origin: Mexico Language: Spanish Accessibility: English subtitles
“À Flor da Pele” (At the Edge of Skin) by Danielle Villanova
Country of Origin: Brazil Language: Portuguese
Accessibility: English, French & Spanish subtitles
“Ciao Bambina” by Afioco Gnecco & Carolina Yuste
Country of Origin: Spain Language: Spanish Accessibility: English subtitles
Competition – Audience Award Voting & Jury Award Eligible
“Desert Angel” by Vincent DeLuca 1 – 2:30 p.m. @AFS Cinema Country of Origin: U.S.A.
Language: Spanish & English Accessibility: English subtitles
“Las Muertes Más Bellas del Mundo” (The Most Beautiful Deaths in the World) by Quique Aviles & Ellie Walton
- – 3:30 p.m. @AFS Cinema (**Free to the public) Country of Origin: El Salvador, U.S.A.
Language: Spanish & English Accessibility: N/A
Competition – Audience Award Voting & Jury Award Eligible
Narrative Shorts Competition:
12:30 – 2:30 p.m. @Austin PBS (**Free to the public)
“!Que Colombianada!” by Samuel Vargas
Country of Origin: U.S.A. Language: Spanish & English
Accessibility: English & Spanish subtitles
“La Compañia” (The Companions) by José María Flores
Country of Origin: Spain Language: Spanish Accessibility: English subtitles
“Tu Tijera en mi Oreja” (Your Scissors Near My Ears) by Carlos Ruano
Country of Origin: Spain Language: English & Italian Accessibility: English subtitles
“La Gran Hazaña” (The Great Feat) by Luber Yesid Zúñiga Ordóñez
Country of Origin: Colombia Language: Spanish Accessibility: English subtitles
Competition – Audience Award Voting & Jury Award Eligible
“Free Leonard Peltier” by Jesse Short Bull & David France
- – 5 p.m. @AFS Cinema Country of Origin: U.S.A. Language: English Accessibility: N/A
“Soy Lo que Nunca Fui” (Broken Borders) by Rodrigo Alvarez Flores
- – 6 p.m. @AFS Cinema (**Free to the public) Country of Origin: Mexico
Language: Spanish Accessibility: English subtitles
Competition – Audience Award Voting & Jury Award Eligible
Austin PBS Lobby Red Carpet Event for Hecho en Tejas
- – 6 p.m. @Austin PBS
Hecho en Tejas (Texas Filmmakers Block):
- – 9:30 p.m. @Austin PBS Showcase Feature
“Duranguito” by Nikki Martinez & Zane Abraham
Country of Origin: Texas, U.S.A. & Mexico Language: Spanish & English Accessibility: English subtitles
Shorts Competition
“Somewhere You Feel Free” by Sarah Joy Byington
Country of Origin: Texas, U.S.A. Language: Spanish & English Accessibility: English subtitles
“Fragmentos” (Fragments) by Abraham Vida Country of Origin: Texas, U.S.A., Venezuela Language: Spanish & English
Accessibility: Spanish & English Subtitles
“Sombras” (Shadows) by Sofia Alejandro Barrios
Country of Origin: Texas, U.S.A. Language: Spanish Accessibility: N/A
“¿Cuando perdí mi cabeza?” (When Did I Lose My Head?) by Marlon Rubio Smith
Country of Origin: Texas, U.S.A. Language: Spanish & English Accessibility: English subtitles
“The Good Boy” by Esmeralda Hernandez
Country of Origin: Texas, U.S.A. Language: English Accessibility: N/A
“For Mom” by Munira Alzahrani Country of Origin: Texas, U.S.A. Language: Spanish
Accessibility: English subtitles
“Boca Chica” by Ai Vuong, Samuel Diaz Fernandez
Country of Origin: Texas, U.S.A. Language: English Accessibility: N/A
Competition – Audience Award Voting & Jury Award Eligible Followed by a Q&A with ‘Duranguito’ and Short Film Directors
“El Ladrón De Perros” (The Dog Thief) by Vinko Tomičić Salinas
6:30 – 8 p.m. @AFS Cinema
Country of Origin: Bolivia, Chile, Mexico, France, Ecuador, Italy Language: Spanish
Accessibility: English subtitles
“Mad Bills to Pay” by Joel Alfonso Vargas
8:30 – 10:30 p.m. @AFS Cinema
Country of Origin: U.S.A., United Kingdom Language: Spanish & English Accessibility: English subtitles
Sunday, May 18
“Hola Frida” by André Kadi & Karine Vézina
11:00 a.m. – 1 p.m. @AFS Cinema (**Free to the public and open to all ages) Country of Origin: France
Language: Spanish Accessibility: English subtitles
“Cosmographies” by Juan Francisco Salazar
11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. @AFS Cinema (**Free to the public) Country of Origin: Chile, Australia
Language: Spanish, English, Māori, Ckunza Accessibility: English & Spanish subtitles
Competition – Audience Award Voting & Jury Award Eligible
“Balomania” by Sissel Morell Dargis
1:00 – 3 p.m. @AFS Cinema
Country of Origin: Brazil, Denmark, Spain Language: Portuguese
Accessibility: English subtitles
“La Estrella Que Perdí” (The Star I Lost) by Luz Orlando Brennan
1:30 – 3 p.m. @AFS Cinema (**Free to the public) Country of Origin: Argentina
Language: Spanish Accessibility: English subtitles
Competition – Audience Award Voting & Jury Award Eligible
“La Falla” by Alana Simões 3:00 – 5 p.m. @AFS Cinema Country of Origin: Mexico Language: Spanish
Accessibility: Spanish & English subtitles
“Karuara, People of the River” by Stephanie Boyd & Miguel Araoz
3:30 – 5 p.m. @AFS Cinema (**Free to the public) Country of Origin: Peru, Canada
Language: Spanish and Kukama-Kukamiria Accessibility: English subtitles
Competition – Audience Award Voting & Jury Award Eligible
“Linda” by Marian Wainstein
5:30 – 7 p.m. @AFS Cinema Country of Origin: Argentina & Spain Language: Spanish
Accessibility: English subtitles
“Rains Over Babel” by Gala del Sol 7:30 – 9:30 p.m. @AFS Cinema Country of Origin: Spain, Colombia Language: Spanish
Accessibility: English subtitles
Closing Night Film
Closing Night Party
9:30 – 11 p.m. @Lima Criolla
Address: The Linc 6406 N Interstate 35 Frontage Rd, Austin, TX 78752
The following weekend, on Saturday, May 24, Cine Las Americas will host their very first Emergente Youth International Film Festival, featuring work from international and local young filmmakers under the age of 19 at the Millennium Youth Complex (located at 1156 Hargrave St, Austin, TX 78702). The festival is family-friendly and free to attend for all ages, with programming to be announced. CLAIFF27 audience members can get a sneak peek and learn more at the family-friendly screening of “Hola Frida,” based on the life of artist Frida Kahlo, on Sunday, May 18 at 11:30 a.m.
“Expanding our youth showcase as a stand-alone event gives the aspiring filmmakers and diverse creatives of Emergente their own time to shine and celebrate their cinematic voices,” noted Emergente Co-Director Christian D. Nelson. “We invite the community to share in that celebration and be a part of uplifting the next generation of artists!”
“It’s often said that if young people can’t see it, they can’t be it,” adds Emergente Co-Director Miguel Briones. “Through our Emergente programming, we’re opening doors for youth to explore the film industry and tell their own stories. By partnering with local schools, we’ve brought filmmakers and hands-on workshops straight into classrooms, showing students how to make powerful films using just their cell phones. Our artist-teachers create culturally and linguistically supportive spaces, making sure every young person feels seen, heard, and capable of becoming part of the film world.”
More information about this year’s Emergente Youth International Film Festival can be found on their website here.
ABOUT CINE LAS AMERICAS:
In 1997, Celeste Quesada, Laura Coger, Sandra Guardado and Rene Rentería came together to create a Cuban film retrospective out of their passion for film and Latin American cultures. Cine Las Americas (CLA) has since grown into a multi-cultural, 501(c)(3) non-profit organization offering theatrical screenings of films made by and/or about Latine/x or Indigenous peoples of the Americas here in Austin, TX. Their screenings also include films from Spain, Portugal and all around the world. Through their annual film festival, the Cine Las Americas International Film Festival (CLAIFF) and programming throughout the year, Cine Las Americas strives to empower the voices and visions of Latine/x and Indigenous filmmakers, their narratives and enhance the mosaic of the American film landscape. This project is supported in part by the Cultural Arts Division of the City of Austin Economic Development Department. For more information about Cine Las Americas and to contribute to their mission, see their website here.
