From Ruben Blades to Power Paola: Must-See Movies at New York Latino Film Festival

The New York Latino Film Festival (NYLFF), the nation’s largest and most diverse Latino film festival, will be celebrating its 15th edition later this month. “We are proud to be celebrating our 15th year of serving and empowering our community,” said Calixto Chinchilla, founder of NYLFF. “This important festival, in celebration of inclusion, aims to highlight our untold stories, unique experiences and daily realities in this country. It is important now, more than ever, that we provide a strong platform for emerging and established filmmakers to showcase films that audiences can truly identify with. NYLFF is you.” Its programming does not disappoint on any of those accounts.

Opening the fest is Abner Benaim’s doc Ruben Blades Is Not My Name, which finds the usually private icon musing on his music and his legacy. But with a diverse slate representing 17 countries, spanning all genres and formats including features, shorts, documentaries, web series and experimental films featuring, about and/or for the U.S. Latino community, there’s no shortage of great films being screened at this year’s NYLFF. Check out our top picks below.

The New York Latino Film Festival runs August 22-26, 2018.