LGBT Latinx Film Fest Aims to Increase Understanding

Free Third Annual LGBT Latinx Film Festival Aims to Increase Visibility, Understanding for Local Communities

Salinas — For four days, March 1-4, 2018, the third annual LGBTQ Latinx Film Festival will show a series
of free movies featuring the stories of Latinx lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people and their families.

The festival reception and art show will take place at 6 pm on Thursday, March 1 at the CSUMB Salinas
Center for Arts and Culture, at 1 Main Street in Salinas. The film screenings and community discussions will
take place from Friday to Sunday, March 2-4, at three different locations throughout the city of Salinas (Western Stage at Hartnell College on Friday, CSUMB Salinas Center for Arts and Culture at 1 Main Street on Saturday, and Alisal Center for Fine Arts on Sanborn Road on Sunday).

The entire festival is free and open to the public. The films are in Spanish and English. The festival explores
the themes of self-discovery, family acceptance, rural strength, and joy in undocumented communities. The
festival is designed to increase visibility, and inspire conversation, understanding and stronger local support for LGBT individuals, in particular LGBTQ youth, transgender and gender non-conforming people.
This is the third year of the festival. The festival films have depicted a wide variety of stories reflecting the
diverse experiences of LGBTQ Latinx communities, and tackling themes such as family acceptance, immigration, faith, culture, and the process of their LGBT children coming out.

The festival planning has been led by Epicenter’s Our Gente Program for LGBTQIA+ youth, and supported by
a multitude of local organizations and community leaders, including the Monterey County Health Department, California Rural Legal Assistance, Inc., the Semillas Project, Conexiones of Monterey County, Rainbow Speakers and Friends, and the Cal State Monterey Bay (CSUMB) Undocu Otters, among others.

The festival has been made possible through a generous sponsorship by the Community Foundation of Monterey County.

Highlighted Films:
FRIDAY – Bruising for Besos, Written & Directed by Adelina Anthony
A charismatic Xicana lesbian seduces an alluring Puerto Rican woman only to find herself recreating her
tumultuous past.
SATURDAY – Transvisible, Directed by Dante Alencastre
Bamby’s story honors the human spirit and celebrates the victories of winning in the face of adversity, with
a special message to trans immigrant women that face multiple challenges and oppressions.
SUNDAY – Tres Gotas De Agua, Directed by José Alfaro & Marco Castro-Bojorquez
Share the experiences of three resilient Latina immigrant mothers who explore the multigenerational
impact of their children’s coming out process.

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