Week Dos Recap—Los Quince Continues!
Week Dos of PHLAFF was full of exciting collaborative programming and beautiful project showings from our very own Los Fellows. We closed off our second week of our Los Quince at Icebox Project Space. Let’s take a moment to reflect on the magical moments.
A Week of Documentary, Drama, and Acceptance-Centered Films at Ulises
While Week Dos was primarily full of feature film presentations, Ulises Book Store also hosted the Love & Acceptance Block and the Societal Drama Block—short films of real, tense stories and prevalent docu-stories. Documentary films shone through Week Dos, such as World Premiere So Far and From Now On, and Philadelphia Premiere ESL: More Than a Language.
A Showcase of Our Los Fellows
PHLAFF’s Los Fellows Program is designed to support the artistic development of Latine creatives and filmmakers. Projects align with specific, impact-focused outcomes that advance the artistic development of the creative/filmmaker's practice while also upholding and advancing the mission of the Philadelphia Latino Arts & Film Festival. Los Fellows projects are presented as part of our festival offerings and year-round programming and are in collaboration with PhillyCAM.
Our Los Fellows Showcase began with the showing of Iliana Pagán-Teitelbaum’s Twin Tongues. The project explores the relationship between migration, languages, and power through a Puerto Rican-Peruvian family in Philadelphia. It also explores the causes of language loss in migrant communities.
Audiences were also shown a brief preview of Los Fellows creative Alexis C. Garcia’s project. Garcia’s project, Storytelling as Cultural Preservation, explores the power of cultural documentation as a tool for preservation, resistance, and cultural sustainability. Participants will discover how creative storytelling and media can help preserve and advance healing traditions rooted in foodways, land stewardship, medicine, and spiritual practice. The showcase closed with a preview of María José Maldonado’s AIDS Couldn't Take Our Memories Of You. The film is a deeply personal look into the life of Bianca “Exotica” Maldonado, a trans starlet in ‘90s New York City who passed from AIDS in 1996, and her family’s unshakeable grief after her death.
Stay tuned for more updates regarding our other Los Fellows in the coming months as they wrap their current projects!
Colombia at the Barnes Foundation!
We were thrilled to collaborate with the Barnes Family for another wonderful First Friday! On June 5th, we kicked off our celebration with a performance by Colombian artist Carolina Oliveros. The performance lit up the museum space, entrancing audiences with Bullerengue rhythms, before the start of our special Colombian shorts program within the Barnes theater space. The program, which included The Tide Inside, Balada de peces y pájaros, and The farewell of the river left audiences mesmerized by introspective works of memory, grief, and environmentalism.
Closing It Off at Icebox!
Our team has had the pleasure of screening films, sharing performances, and hosting thrilling conversations at Icebox Project Space during the first two weeks of our festival. From excited co-presentations (GRINGO, The Story of a Stolen Life, Woman Unchained, and Amora) with our programming partners at Madre Tierra, and exciting discussions revolving around sci-fi film (FANGIO: Courage or Destiny and Sweet Dreams) with Erick Barragan of Cinepaimina, we’re so grateful to have shared the space with our audiences.
While our time at Icebox this season has come to an end, the memories and experiences within the space will last longer than our six-week season. We hope you enjoyed your time in El Freezer and El Lounge as much as we did!
Exciting Project Openings—El Colmado
June 5th also kicked off the exciting opening of Eunice Levis/ El Colmaldo del Futuro. The installation puts a futuristic twist on the classic Caribbean corner store, transforming a 10×10-foot bodega-inspired structure into a powerful story about community, culture, and technology.
Rooted in Dominican and Afro-Caribbean traditions, the installation blends projection mapping, motion sensors, soundscapes, and scent to explore how automation and artificial intelligence are reshaping everyday spaces. As visitors move through the experience, the space “glitches” between real and virtual worlds, inviting reflection on the future of connection and culture.
Perfect for families, creatives, and curious minds, this experience runs in 5–7-minute cycles and accommodates up to 6 guests at a time. Whether you visit by day or by night, this installation offers a multi-sensory journey unlike anything else on the Philly Waterfront. Learn more about the project and how to visit on Cherry Street Pier’s website here.
Virtual Programming on Eventive & GRIOT on PhillyCAM
Our virtual programming is in full swing, and new feature-length film and short film presentations are available each week! Check out our schedule to learn more about our weekly offerings.
This season, we’re also excited to be sharing a special programming offering with PhillyCAM. GRIOT 2124 is a project of Tiznando El País funded by La Alianza de Museos de Puerto Rico. The television series, featuring Welmo Romero Joseph, explores Afro-Puerto Rican culture and visual arts through the lens of a future where racism has been eliminated.
The Afro-futuristic Caribbean series will screen on Sundays at 1:30 PM EST through PhillyCAM, beginning on Sunday, June 7. Tune into PhillyCAM on the following channels to check out the series:
Comcast Xfinity — Channels 66/966/967
Verizon Fios — 29/30
Or, you can check out the series online at https://phillycam.org/Live-TV
Los Quince is still underway! Join us for the next four weeks as we continue to celebrate Latine stories and joy throughout Philadelphia and virtually for all audiences to enjoy!
