Celebrating Hispanic and Latinx Heritage Month (Sep. 15 - Oct. 15)

This Hispanic and Latinx Heritage Month, we’re sharing documentary films that highlight the diverse cultures and environments of Latin America and Spanish-speaking communities throughout the world.

Patrimonio (2017)

The 2017 documentary PATRIMINO follows the courageous efforts of fisherman living in a small coastal community of Mexico to preserve and protect their way of life from the devastating environmental impacts of a multi-billion dollar American hotel/condo project. The film shines light on the critical need for sustainable development laws and practices to help protect underrepresented communities facing the loss of their lands and cultural heritage. View this inspiring call to action here.

Letters to Angola (Cartas Para Angola) (2012)

LETTERS TO ANGOLA follows the enduring bonds of seven pairs of people as they write each other letters across the Atlantic Ocean from Brazil to Angola. Discover the shared histories and cultural bridges among fourteen unique Lusophone voices through complex stories of migration, exile, and longing for identity. Watch Julio Matos and Coraci Ruiz’s engaging documentary by following the link.

Las Madres: The Mothers of Plaza De Mayo (1985)

THE MOTHERS OF THE PLAZA OF MAYO chronicles the historic Argentinian women’s movement of the ‘70s and ‘80s to demand the truth about the fate of more than 30,000 family members who went “missing” under the brutal military dictatorship. Featuring archival footage of the profoundly brave activism by these mothers, this Oscar-nominated documentary delivers an enduring message of hope in the global fight for human rights. View this moving film here.

Araya (1959)

Born in Caracas, Venezuela in 1926, Margot Benacerraf is an internationally acclaimed filmmaker who helped pioneer the socially conscious New Latin Cinema movement of the 1960s. Benacerraf’s 1959 documentary ARAYA explores the harsh realities faced by salt mine workers and their families living in the peninsula of Araya in northeastern Venezuela. This mostly silent film richly details the painstaking process of salt extraction along with striking imagery of the stark, unforgiving landscape. View this newly remastered classic of Latin American cinema here.

Cerro Rico, Tierra Rica: The Daily Rituals of a Bolivian Mining Community (2012)

The 2012 documentary CERRO RICO, TIERRA RICA by the Columbian American filmmaker Juan Vallejo is an immersive, daring film that follows the mine workers of Potosí who risk their lives daily within the deep underground tunnels of Bolivia’s Andean plateau. View this poignant look into the perils faced by long-exploited indigenous communities to provide for their families here.

Published: 9/20/2023

Written by Josh Windham

TUL Media Services