Hamptons Latino Film Festival Connects Cultures Through Film

Strength and perseverance serve as the thematic backbone of the 22nd Annual Latino Film Festival of the Hamptons, presented by OLA of Eastern Long Island from September 24 through September 27. The festival features five Spanish-language films representing Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Peru and Switzerland — including one animated feature and one short film — all with English subtitles.

This year’s program launches with the New York premiere of “The Wave (La Ola)” on Wednesday, September 24, at 7 p.m. at Southampton Playhouse, 43 Hill Street, Southampton. Directed by Academy Award-winner Sebastián Lelio (“A Fantastic Woman”), the musical drama follows a Chilean student who becomes the face of a feminist movement at her university. A cocktail reception, free and open to ticketholders, begins at 6 p.m.

Tickets: $12 general admission. Rated PG-13, ages 7 and up. Runtime: 2 hours 9 minutes.

The festival continues Thursday, September 25, at North Fork Arts Center, Sapan Greenport Theatre, 211 Front Street, Greenport. At 7 p.m., “Queens (Reinas)” (2024), a Peruvian-Swiss co-production directed by Klaudia Reynicke, will be screened. The coming-of-age story centers on two teenage sisters reconnecting with their estranged father as they prepare to emigrate. The evening includes a 6 p.m. reception followed by a community discussion.

Tickets: $10. Rated PG-13, ages 5 and up. Runtime: 1 hour 44 minutes.

On Friday, September 26, family-friendly programming begins at 6 p.m. at LTV Studios, 75 Industrial Road, Wainscott, with a screening of the Colombian short “The Great Feat (La Gran Hazaña)” (2024) by Luber Yesid Zuñiga Ordoñez. The story follows 10-year-old Pablo on a mission to rescue his beloved hen from the village grocer. The short is followed by “Lila’s Book (El Libro de Lila)” (2017), a feature-length animated film directed by Marcela Rincón, about a storybook character who falls into the real world.

Tickets: Free. Preregistration recommended. All ages welcome. Runtime: 15 minutes + 1 hour 16 minutes.

The festival concludes Saturday, September 27, at 8 p.m. at Sag Harbor Cinema, 90 Main Street, Sag Harbor, with “Corina” (2024), a Mexican drama directed by Urzula Barba Hopfner. The film follows a 20-year-old agoraphobic woman who must confront her fears in order to keep her job.

Tickets: $10. Rated PG-13, ages 7 and up. Runtime: 1 hour 36 minutes.

“We are celebrating 22 years of culturally vibrant Spanish-language cinema presenting five films representing four countries and various cultures within the diaspora,” said OLA Executive Director Minerva Perez. “These films represent universal truths in strength and perseverance through the lens of our Latino brothers and sisters.”

Perez also highlighted the addition of new and returning partners, including the Southampton Playhouse, North Fork Arts Center, Sag Harbor Cinema and LTV Studios.

Maria Ruiz Botsacos, Executive Director of the Southampton Playhouse, echoed the sentiment: “This partnership reflects the Playhouse’s mission that the arts are not only for entertainment but also for building bridges, sparking dialogue and strengthening the fabric of our community.”

The festival kicks off National Hispanic Heritage Month, which runs from September 15 through October 15, and celebrates the contributions of those with roots in Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central and South America. Founded in 2002, OLA of Eastern Long Island advocates for Latino immigrants through civic engagement, cultural programming and educational initiatives. More information is available at olaofeasternlongisland.org.