Ver Cine Colombiano: Noticias | Proimágenes Colombia

The Chicago Latino Film Festival showcases films from Latin America, the Caribbean, Spain, Portugal, and the United States. Organized by the International Latino Cultural Center of Chicago (ILCC), a non-profit organization, the festival not only celebrates the richness of Latin American cinema, but also fulfills its mission to develop, promote, and increase awareness of Latino cultures through film and the arts in general.

For its 41st edition, which featured 51 feature films and 30 short films, Colombia was represented by Por cielo y tierra, a documentary directed by Santiago Díaz Vence. The film follows five women, each searching from her own land, who take us on a cinematic journey through their life stories—revealing a mosaic of experiences woven along the path of searching for their missing loved ones. These powerful narratives offer a dignified and moving portrayal that allows the audience to grasp the complexity of disappearance and the emotional process of searching for the forcibly disappeared. The film is a co-production between the Colombian Unit for the Search of Disappeared Persons (UBPD) and RTVC—the national public media system.

In El vaquero, directed and written by Australian filmmaker Emma Rozanski and produced by Louise McElhatton, Gonzalo Escobar Mora, and Juliana Saray, the arrival of a mare sets off a chain of events in Bernicia's life that disrupts her world as she begins to embody the persona of a cowboy. Throughout her journey, she must overcome obstacles that threaten her newfound desires. El vaquero is an inspiring drama about self-determination that was screened at the Cartagena International Film Festival (FICCI), São Paulo International Film Festival (Brazil), FIC Monterrey (Mexico), and won the Best Fiction Film Award at the Tacoma Film Festival in Washington (USA).

The opening film of this year's festival was Estimados señores, a political drama written and directed by Patricia Castañeda, who also co-produced the film with Álvaro Gutiérrez, with production companies El Circo Film and Ágora Films. The story highlights the lesser-known women's suffrage movement in Colombia. Set in 1954, the film follows Esmeralda Arboleda, a fiercely intelligent leader who sparks a revolution in a society deeply rooted in patriarchal traditions—leading to a heated and pivotal debate. A group of women embarks on a historic struggle to bring women's suffrage before the National Constituent Assembly. Through bold marches, radio appearances, and a brilliant media strategy that puts them on the front pages, they reach the assembly. But the real challenge begins in the debate itself, where they face stiff opposition. Esmeralda endures personal attacks from male lawmakers, and just before she speaks, she receives a heartbreaking phone call: her son has been in a serious accident. Torn between motherhood and the cause, she faces a devastating decision. Though all seems lost, her perseverance leads to a historic victory when women's right to vote is finally approved, marking a turning point in Colombia's history.

The Official Selection of Feature Films also included Horizonte by César Augusto Acevedo. In the film, Inés and her son Basilio are reunited in death to embark on a physical and spiritual journey through a world devastated by war. In a land where all hope seems lost, only through great sacrifice will they find redemption and finally understand the true value of life. Acevedo's second feature film also participated in the 37th Toulouse Film Festival, the 64th Cartagena International Film Festival (FICCI), and the Movies that Matter Human Rights Film Festival, after its world premiere in the Discovery section at the 49th Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) and its participation in the São Paulo International Film Festival in 2024.

Finally, the feature film selection included Semillas by Eliana Niño. Shaira, a girl from the eastern plains of Colombia, dreams of participating in a coleo festival. But after a recent drought severely damaged the crops, Shaira's grandfather sells their horse without telling her. One day, he tells her that the reason some clouds take the shape of animals is because the sky traps them and releases them only when it rains again. Shaira embarks on a journey to find a special seed that will make the sky rain again and bring her horse back. This is the synopsis of Eliana Niño's debut feature film, which won the NMF / COLOR FRONT Award at the Primer Corte section of Ventana Sur (2023) during its project phase.

As part of the program, the short film A menos que bailemos by Hanz Rippe Gabriel and Fernanda Pineda Palencia was screened. The film has already received several awards, including the Special Jury Prize at the 3rd Latin American Audiovisual Festival of São Francisco do Sul – FALA São Chico 2024 (Brazil). Jonathan, an Afro-dance teacher, launches a project to help steer young people away from the crime that plagues Quibdó, a city with one of the highest homicide rates in Colombia. That’s how the Black Boys Chocó dance company is born — a space where hundreds of young people use dance to rise above difficult social conditions. Sed, by Julián Díaz Veloso, was also part of the program. In a world where water is scarce, bandits ambush a farmer who harvests the precious resource from plants, forcing him to flee on an unpredictable journey.