We all know names like Steven Spielberg, J.J. Abrams and Michael Bay. But what about Diego Rougier, Anthony Lucero and Ernesto Alemany? There are literally dozens of talented Latino directors who never get the exposure they deserve, primarily because their movies lack distribution or acceptance from English-speaking audiences. For the past eight years, the Cine+Mas San Francisco Latino Film Festival has set out to change that; highlighting shorts, features and documentaries from talented international auteurs. Their latest event kicks off this fall, with a showcase that includes entries from Argentina, Cuba, Mexico and Brazil (just to name a few!). Founder and festival director Lucho Ramirez sat with us recently to discuss SFLFF’s lineup, history and it’s cinematic importance.
‘LL: Congratulations on another fantastic year! How are you feeling about this latest incarnation of SFLFF?
Lucho: It’s a very exciting time, going into our eighth season. Every year is both exciting and challenging. It’s amazing to see how much creative work is coming out of the U.S., as well as Latin America. We purposely time this event around Hispanic Heritage Month, which means we’ll be showcasing films well into October.
‘LL: Can you explain a little bit about your role with the festival and how it came to be?
Lucho: I actually worked as a distributor many years ago. I founded SFLFF as a previous incarnation of it was coming to a close. A group of us got together and formed this bigger organization called Cine+Mas, which aims to contribute to San Francisco’s artistic scene. We believe in showcasing the work of Latino filmmakers, whether they are independent or established. This is a celebration of our work and our culture and an opportunity to see ourselves on screen.
‘LL: How has SFLFF evolved in the past eight years?
Lucho: We’ve moved into bigger locations. There has really been an explosion of growth in the Bay Area. The festival has definitely been affected by the arrival of more young people and more Latinos in the city. Through it all though, San Francisco has been our anchor. Like our city, we take an unconventional approach to things. Instead of just screening films in a theater, we go to cultural centers and even bookstores. We love traveling to unique places that can reach new audiences.
‘LL: Have you seen many success stories come out of the festival?
Lucho: Yes. Years ago, there was a local filmmaker from Oakland. His name was Anthony Lucero and he had this little film called East Side Sushi. It was extremely innovative and well made. Anyway, after our festival it became a real success story. It went on to bigger festivals, had a theatrical run and is now a popular download on iTunes. It’s even been featured as an in-flight movie on Virgin America. Sushi really helped solidify our purpose: To give new Latino filmmakers the opportunity to be heard.
‘LL: What can we expect from this year’s selections?
Lucho: This year we have some fantastic submissions. John Leguizamo’s Dogs, or Perros, is having its premiere at the festival. It’s a Spanish film from Colombia and has some great performances. I would also highlight H.O.M.E., a great movie from New York. One more comes from Tijuana and is called Amir. It has a ton of originality. I’m also a big fan of this new film from Argentina called Road To La Paz. There’s everything from drama to comedy…you can’t go wrong with any of them.
‘LL: Any other goals for SFLFF?
Lucho: We definitely want to attract more diverse audiences. We want more people to be open to seeing international titles. Sometimes people steer away from subtitles and they’re really missing out. There’s a ton of great work coming out of Latin America and it deserves to be seen.
We highly recommend grabbing a tub of popcorn and heading to NorCAl for SFLFF! It runs from September 16 – October 1 and all scheduling information is available on the official festival site.
