Hollywood Theatre film festival connects Portlanders with Latin American stories

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — An annual festival coming to the Hollywood Theatre will present an array of Latin American stories to Portland’s bustling film scene.

For its 18th year, the Portland Latin American Film Festival will screen eight original pieces created by filmmakers from places like the Dominican Republic, Peru and Brazil.

Event Founder Maria Osterroth started her career as a journalist in Mexico City, and decided to expand her passion for films after moving to Portland in 2005.

“There are a lot of film festivals, but in Portland, but the Hispanic community was not represented,” Osterroth said. “I found that there was a very nice opportunity to bring films from Latin America to the Portland audiences.”

The festival kicks off on Wednesday, Sept. 25 with a screening of “Los Frikis.” The film, which is inspired by a true story, chronicles a Cuban punk band whose members purposely inject themselves with HIV so they can live in a government-run treatment facility amid an economic crisis in the '90s.

“Los Frikis” received a standing ovation at its world premiere at the Miami International Film Festival earlier in April. At Portland’s festival, producer Rebecca Karch Tomlinson and actor Eros de la Puente will join a Q&A all about the critically-acclaimed movie.

There will also be opportunity for attendees to meet the cast and crew at an after party hosted by Hey Love.

According to Osterroth, Hollywood Theater has screened PLAFF movies for the last several years — and the historic venue has been instrumental to the festival’s growth.

“I invite [people] just to go to their website and look and just be curious and go and see films in another language. Go and immerse and travel in two hours to another country and have the opportunity to experience some of the realities,” Osterroth said.

The festival runs through Nov. 25, with additional screenings of films including "Boca Chica" and "Ayahuasca Now."