By Christina Arlotta
Organizers of the New York Central American Film Festival International (NY CAFFEIN) announced plans for the region’s first-ever Central American film festival during a news conference on Thursday at Casa Blanca in Hempstead. The festival is scheduled for Oct. 9-11 this year and will feature a diverse lineup of films celebrating Central American culture and storytelling.
The three-day event will showcase 20 hours of short and feature-length films created by Central American filmmakers, particularly those from El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras. Screenings will explore themes such as migration, identity, family and overlooked cultures.
Films will be screened in the Hempstead-Uniondale area, including at Hofstra University. Other venues will be announced at a later date.
Daniel Flores y Ascencio, Francisco “Chico” Guerrero and other members of the Central American community came together on Thursday to highlight the festival’s goal of creating a safe space for Central American voices. They emphasized how film can foster meaningful connections, encourage healing and strengthen cultural ties across borders.
“I think films can portray a real dimension for existence and for lives of Central Americans, and we have plenty of stories to tell,” Flores y Ascencio said.
Among the featured films is a documentary about the Garifuna people of Central America’s Atlantic Coast, a community frequently overlooked. The film chronicles a teacher’s dedicated efforts to preserve traditional Garifuna culture and revitalize their language. Through selections like this, the festival seeks to present narratives that counter harmful stereotypes and challenge the rhetoric that unfairly labels immigrants as criminals.
“There’s a need to share these stories,” Flores y Ascencio said. “We want to portray the Central American community as a contribution to Long Island. We’re not just criminals.”
Herberth Flores , executive director of Hispanic affairs for Nassau County and key facilitator in securing the African American Museum as a venue for the festival, emphasized the importance of cultural preservation within the Latin American community.
“It’s important that we maintain our cultures. As Latin Americans, we’re also different among us. We have a lot of things in common by learning about one another’s culture. It’s important, and I’m sure that these films will talk about culture,” Flores said. “And I think it’s important that many of our younger generation especially understand where we’re coming from, the challenges that the community have had and how we have overcome them and, more importantly, what we’re looking to do going forward as a community.”
Organizers of NY CAFFEIN hope to establish the festival as an ongoing tradition that will continue to bring the Central American community together for years to come. By providing a consistent platform for Central American voices, they aim to strengthen community connections and visibility.
“We hope that this film festival will develop into a yearly event,” Flores y Ascencio said. “I think it’s much needed, it’s the right time and we hope to get your support.”
