A Message from the Cine Las Americas Executive Director

Just a few short days ago, Austin came alive with stories from across the Americas and around the world at the 28th annual Cine Las Americas International Film Festival.

This year, our team welcomed over 30 filmmakers from 17 countries, the U.S., and Texas. For five days, together, we watched and experienced vibrant screenings, filmmaker Q & As, cheers of “Ritchie!”, and films that made us laugh, cry, and connect. The entire City of Austin celebrated right along with us, declaring May 16th, 2026, as the official “Lou Diamond Phillips Day”.

We were deeply honored to welcome incredible special guests: Emmy Award Winning Sonia Manzano (beloved as “Maria” from Sesame Street); Daniel Valdez, actor, composer and activist (La Bamba, Zoot Suit); and Lou Diamond Phillips, whose famous roles in La Bamba, Stand & Deliver and Young Guns were only the beginning of his incredible and ongoing career today.

With filmmakers traveling from as far as Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, and Poland to share their work in person, Cine Las Americas spent the last five days doing what it has done for 28 years: creating a vital space where community gathers to champion Latine/x and Indigenous emerging and underrepresented voices!

At the heart of this festival is that very community: our filmmakers and artists, badge holders and volunteers, families, neighbors and everyone who believes that these stories deserve to be seen, heard, and celebrated.

We are incredibly proud of what these five days made possible, and reminded of how vital spaces like Cine Las Americas are, spaces where filmmakers share their work, people see themselves reflected on screen, and communities connect through our own stories. Cine Las Americas ensures these rich contributions remain a permanent and recognized part of the current and historical cultural fabric and landscape in Austin and beyond.

To carry this momentum forward, we turn to you for your support. Time is of the essence as we cannot do this important work alone. Every donation - at any level - directly allows us to pay artists, bring filmmakers to Austin, support youth programs, and keep screenings accessible. Consider making a contribution to help sustain these incredible stories and bring them to Austin year-round. We truly cannot continue this work without you.

On behalf of our entire Cine Las Americas team, muchísimas gracias!

Con gratitud y alegría,

Gabriel Ornelas

Executive Director - Cine Las Americas