By Sara Montoya-Obando

As Hispanic Heritage Month comes to a close, the University of Louisville wraps up its celebration with the 32nd annual Latin American Film Festival.

Dr. Medina, the director of the Latin American Studies Program and founder of the festival, has organized it yearly since 1994. Running for a month, each showing focuses on a theme that highlights a core part of the Latin American experience.

“From the beginning, our mantra has been to show what life looks like in other parts of the world, and we’ve never deviated from that,” said Medina. “The topic this year is Wrestling and Belonging: Voices from the Margins. It’s all about the experience of being a woman in Latin America.”

Laureana, the main character of La Suprema, practices boxing in her room. The film first screened at U of L’s Floyd Theater on Oct. 23, 2025. (Photo by Sara Montoya / The Louisville Cardinal)

Movie marathon generates insightful dialogue

Following each screening, a brief discussion is led by a faculty member specializing in the film’s theme. The conversations invite audiences to reflect on their thoughts and emotions, reinforcing the festival’s mission to build community through cinema.

The film festival has endured through three decades at U of L without missing a year. During the difficult time of the pandemic, Medina was able to adjust the festival despite the uncertain conditions.

“Even when we had virtual screenings it was great, because people who used to live here and had moved away continued in the conversation,” he said. “It became a place where people found community. They came to the university and had a dialogue with students, and that has never gone away.”

Strong ties with the broader public have helped the festival gain traction in the city. The event has received recognition from local television stations, NPR and Al Día en América, a long-standing Hispanic media outlet in Kentucky.

Former mayor Greg Fischer presented the film La Jaula de Oro for the festival’s 20th anniversary, which coincided with Al Día’s 10th anniversary. Both are milestones for Louisville’s Hispanic population.

Dr. Tomás Edison gives context to the Colombian film La Suprema prior to its screening on Oct. 23, 2025. (Photo by Sara Montoya / The Louisville Cardinal)

Latin American Film Festival adapts to current culture

Medina is hopeful that word will continue to spread about this tradition. Showings are free and open to everyone, not just U of L students and faculty.

“When I first came to the university in 1994, it was hard to find a foreign film to watch. That’s what inspired me to start this,” he said.

Over the years, the festival has evolved to reflect both cultural and societal changes, encouraging audiences to stay engaged with global perspectives. Medina stated that the event has navigated with the current political climate in mind.

This year’s festival runs through Nov. 7, with Thursday showings at 7 p.m. in Floyd Theater and Friday showings at 12 p.m. in 104W Ekstrom Library. The lineup includes Chinas, La Suprema, Valentina, We Shall Not be Moved, and Without Prescription, featuring stories from Spain, Colombia, Mexico and Puerto Rico.

Professor Ibis Sierra Audivert shares her perspectives on poverty and identity in Latin America in a post-screening discussion on Oct. 23, 2025. (Photo by Sara Montoya / The Louisville Cardinal)