Wrapping Up PHLAFF 2026! — Week Seis Recap
What an incredible wrap-up to a phenomenal season of films! We’re so proud of the presentations we’ve shared with our audiences this festival season, and we hope you were able to enjoy the incredible talent of the creatives we collaborated with this season, too! We’re taking some time to reflect on our closing programming during Week Seis—check out our full recap below!
Mataron A Pedro at La Goyco
PHLAFF is excited to have collaborated with a special presentation of Mataron A Pedro (dir. Kristian Mercado, Puerto Rico/United States, 2026) at La Goyco in Puerto Rico! In 1930s Puerto Rico, Mataron a Pedro follows Pedro Albizu Campos and his wife as they are drawn into a growing labor movement. When desperate farmers ask Pedro to confront the island’s white police chief and colonial leadership over island-wide strikes and unjust conditions in the sugar cane fields, the couple must navigate love, conviction, and the rising pressure of a system determined to silence dissent.
Following the screening, held in collaboration with the Cinema Paradiso Cine Club, came a special conversation with actor Ismael Cruz Córdova and the creative team.
The evening was dedicated to dialogue, memory, and community. Together, audiences in San Juan reflected on the legacy of Pedro Albizu Campos and Laura Meneses, two foundational figures in Puerto Rico's history, and on how their struggles continue to inspire conversations today.
Los Features at Puentes de Salud
Our final Philadelphia screenings took place at Puentes de Salud, a beacon of health equity, empowerment, and cultural resilience for Philadelphia’s Latine immigrant community. We’re happy to have shared two exciting comedy films as part of the programming for the Puentes de Salud community!
We kicked off the evening with the screening of As You Like It - Like That!, directed by Isabel Custer (United States/Chile, 2025). The comedy film is centered around a struggling Cuban actress and single mom who must choose between a potential Hollywood breakthrough and her true passion when she attempts to direct a multicultural Shakespeare production in Miami while secretly filming a TV series, leading her to discover where her heart truly belongs.
We closed off the evening with Entramas, directed by Justino Vettore (Brazil, 2025). The Brazilian film follows a family of actors who keep secrets from each other. The stage is no longer convincing, and they will have to take off their masks and exorcise their demons. Without characterization, it's up to each one to deal with their own truth: it's time for the past to be cleared up.
Thank you to our friends at Puentes de Salud for collaborating with us this festival season!
Closing PHLAFF Los Quince At La Respuesta With Two Sold-Out Screenings!
Our team is thrilled to close out our Los Quince season in San Juan at La Respuesta! We’ll be sharing Mataron A Pedro on July 5th to a sold-out house at La Respuesta. This special presentation will conclude PHLAFF’s fifteenth season in Puerto Rico as part of our commitments to collaboration and community building.
The screening of the film will be followed by a brief conversation with the project's actor, Ismael Cruz Córdova. For audiences unable to attend our closing night screening, and due to popular demand, an additional presentation of Mataron A Pedro will also take place on Monday, July 6th, at La Respuesta! The presentation will follow the same format as the one on July 5th.
We’re proud to be collaborators on these special presentations of Mataron A Pedro in Puerto Rico!
¡Gracias, Puerto Rico!
Experience El Colmado del Futuro Now Through 6/26
Rooted in Dominican and Afro-Caribbean traditions, this 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.
One unique aspect of this exciting installation is the integration of live performance elements into the experience. On select dates, visitors can experience a special performance that invites them deeper into the world of the installation through everyday moments, conversation, and community.
This live performance aspect of the installation, like the main installation, is free for public viewing.
Live Environmental Performances (4:00 PM - 6:00 PM)
July 11th
July 18th
July 25th
Learn more about El Colmado del Futuro and how to visit on Cherry Street Pier’s website!
GRIOT Continues!
Our special programming offering with PhillyCAM, GRIOT 2124, also continues every Sunday at 1:30 PM EST until July 19th. 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. 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
We at PHLAFF want to give a special thank you to every filmmaker, partner, curator, guest, and friend to the festival. Your support and talent have shown us that our joy, culture, and experiences are worth watching on the big screen.
We look forward to sharing more films and opportunities for the rest of the year! Stay tuned for updates and news regarding future programming and our 2027 season—May 31st to July 4th, 2027!
