Kinolatino comes to Antwerp: film festival puts Latin American film industry in the spotlight (Antwerp)

The second edition of the Latin American film festival Kinolatino will take place in various cities in our country between April 11 and 20. Although most of the festival takes place in Brussels, some films can also be seen in Antwerp.

“Films from, say, Cuba, Bolivia or Ecuador are rarely or never shown in our cinemas, and that is not right,” says Belgian-Chilean filmmaker and co-organizer Andrés Lubbert. “With Kinolatino we attempt to give Latin American cinematography a place in the Belgian film landscape.”

After a successful first edition in Brussels in 2023, Lubbert and his colleagues are spreading their wings. “This year we are decentralizing the festival and organizing screenings in Liège and Nivelles, among others, as well as in Koekenstad, where I live.”

Kinolatino programs five different films in Antwerp. “On Saturday, April 13, we will go to De Cinema in Maarschalk Gérardstraat with the Mexican-Salvadoran documentary film ‘El Eco’ by Tatiana Huezo and the Ecuadorian fiction film ‘El Rezador’ by Tito Jara.”

“On Sunday, viewers will enjoy the Peruvian-Argentine fiction film ‘El Caso Monroy’ by Josué Méndez and its Cuban genre companion ‘La Mujer Salvaje’ by Alán González. After the films, Peruvian and Bolivian musicians provide some music. After all, the real South American atmosphere should not be missed,” laughs Lubbert.

“On Thursday we will close the Antwerp part in the new campus of KU Leuven on the Sint-Jacobsmarkt with the Chilean documentary film ‘Huellas’ by Valeria Sarmiento. The legendary Chilean director is one of the two guests of honor that we are bringing to Antwerp,” beams the Antwerp Chilean.

“Tito Jara from Ecuador is the other filmmaker who comes to explain his work. Hopefully it will be a wonderful introduction to Latin American cinema for many.”

Tickets and information via www.kinolatino.be