aluCine Latin Film + Media Arts Festival aims to provide an exclusive showcase for Latin-American directors of independent cinema. Designed to promote Latin-American cinema & media art, the festival’s focus will consist of panel discussions, workshops, and artists talks.

The Queer Cinema Program, Quiéreme Como Soy, features four short films by queer, latinx filmmakers. It includes one documentary and three fiction films, with a runtime of approximately 50 minutes. Following the screening is a pre-recorded 30-minute Q&A with two of the directors and one of the lead actors from the selected films (Jessica Zepeda, Paloma Lopez, and Ley Comas).

Celebrate queer identities as we screen four outstanding short films from queer filmmakers. Featuring a range of genres including documentary, drama, and sci-fi, this program provides new perspectives… and sometimes even takes you out of this world! 

These works are timely and relevant, discussing important issues in creative ways. In this program: a loving mother goes off in search of her missing daughter and uncovers unexpected secrets; an alien comes to earth in search of her first kiss during a pandemic; a nonbinary documentary filmmaker reveals a family history and a search for acceptance; a young girl attempts to navigate her blossoming sexuality while getting ready for a party with friends.

See below for a sample a spectrum of queer creativity in this queer short film program! Click here for the full line up, and here for the festival program.

Sinvergüenzilla in “First Kiss”

Anita Abbasi

2021 – Canada – 9 mins – Fiction

Sinvergüenzilla, a music-loving blue alien deity, visits Earth to experience her first human kiss. But as she arrives in Toronto during the COVID-19 pandemic, her search gets complicated.

Ni Aquí / Ni Allá

Ley Comas

2020 – United States / Costa Rica / Dominican Republic – 15 mins – Documentary

Canadian Premiere

Ni Aquí/Ni Allá is a personal documentary that centers a conversation between filmmaker Ley Comas and their mother about their gender identity. As the middle child of christian pastors, Ley never imagined that transitioning was possible. Growing up, in the Dominican Republic, Ley only witnessed trans people portrayed as evil characters, punchlines in movies and TV shows, or outcasts and victims. At home, anything that went against God’s word was an abomination. This documentary follows Ley´s physical and psychological journey to become themself, while struggling to find a middle ground with their family.

Girls & The Party

Paloma López

2020 – United States – 5 mins – Fiction

Canadian Premiere

A group of girlfriends prepare for the anticipated summer party in a cramped bathroom. Between boy talk and makeup, Mercedes navigates her blossoming attraction.

Inabitável / Unliveable

Matheus Farias & Enock Carvalho

2020 – Brazil – 20 mins – Fiction

In Brazil, where a trans person is murdered every three days, Marilene searches for her daughter Roberta, a trans woman who went missing. While running out of time, she discovers a hope for the future.

The Festival is available to view online by donation by registering here. 

About the Author

Bryen Dunn is a freelance journalist with a focus on travel, lifestyle, entertainment and hospitality. He has an extensive portfolio of celebrity interviews with musicians, actors and other public personalities. He enjoys discovering delicious eats, tasting spirited treats, and being mesmerized by musical beats.