Film series highlights diverse Hispanic and Latinx voices

By Ronald Martinez and Anaum Hussain

The Alvin Sherman Library, Research, and Information Technology Center will screen the film “Parallel Mothers” in room 4009, from 2 – 4 p.m. on Feb. 11 as part of its Spanish Film Series, an event created to share less mainstream Spanish movies with NSU students and the surrounding community.

Yvette Fuentes, associate professor in the Department of Humanities and Politics, is happy that the festival showcases more obscure films.

“We’re trying to get students access to something they probably will not be familiar with. We have a Spanish program, and a lot of students have a minor in Spanish,” Fuentes said. “We want these students to be able to watch films about Latinos and Spanish language, but we also want to connect with the local community.”

PHOTO BY Ronald Martinez Attendees of the Spanish Film Series watch “Everybody Leaves” on Feb. 1.

The film series began Jan. 16 and consists of five films. The films showcase Spanish-speaking cultures through different lenses. Movies screened include the musical “In The Heights,” which explores experiences in a New York City Latino neighborhood, and “The Future Perfect,” an independent film about a Chinese woman attempting to acclimate to Argentina.

The idea for this film series was born before the pandemic, but this is the first year the event became reality.

“It’s being co-sponsored. Alvin Sherman Library is the main co-sponsor, but a lot of the student clubs like Fin Films, Spanish Club, Alpha Mu Gamma and Foreign Language Honor Society, are paying for the snacks,” Fuentes said.

The event is also sponsored by the Halmos College of Arts and Sciences, Pragda, SPAIN arts & culture, Spain’s Ministry of Education, Culture and Sport (Ministerio de Educación, Cultura y Deporte), V/Centenario la Vuelta al Mundo, the Secretary of State for culture of Spain, and Broward County.

The films are followed by discussions.

Ying Ma, assistant professor in the Department of Humanities and Politics, led the discussion for “The Future Perfect.”

“It’s good to create this kind of community outside of the classroom because in the classroom, you only talk to people from the same class,” Ma said. “But for this, you will talk to people from other majors and you will definitely see different perspectives.”

Carlos Lombardero, senior biology major at NSU, enjoyed the movies presented so far as well as the discussions.

“The discussion afterwards was entertaining, and I learned some stuff from it,” he said. “I also learned about who to contact to get more movies like this, and I actually found that interesting.”