The Athena Cinema’s first ever Hispanic Film Series offers a look into the heart of authentic Spanish and Latin American stories.
The film series, created in partnership with the Ohio University School of International Studies and Languages and Sigma Delta Pi, the National Collegiate Hispanic Honor Society, invites students and community members to engage with Hispanic culture and filmmakers.
Esther Hernández, assistant professor of instruction in Spanish and adviser of Sigma Delta Pi, greets students at the entrance of the Athena before every film. Hernández and Sigma Delta Pi were the two main organizers of the series and obtained funding from OU and a grant from PRAGDA, an organization focused on distributing educational Spanish films across the nation.
“We’re trying to get the community closer to Hispanic studies,” Hernández said. “All the films are open to the community in Athens, as well as the student community. We’re trying to bring them movies they otherwise might not be able to watch or access.”
Mea Hofstatter, a junior studying psychology, is an assistant manager at the Athena. Hofstatter said aside from the films, many students show up for the series' free tickets.
“Most of our series are at least free for students,” Hofstatter said. “That brings students in who have never heard of the Athena or seen our inside, which brings them back to see more major movies later on.”
The Athena’s mission is to bring independent films to Southeast Ohio and create connections between community members. Hofstatter said she believes these kinds of film series are essential to upholding the Athena's goal.
“The Athena is mostly striving for inclusivity of every group,” Hofstatter said. “We try to explore a lot of things that people wouldn’t be able to see without our business. That’s something we pride ourselves on, showing a lot of different nationalities and cultures.”
The series has shown four unique films from Hispanic filmmakers: “My Sextortion Diary,” “Boca Chica,” “Los Lobos” and “Bacurau.”
“Moon’s Heart (El Corazón de la Luna)” will finish out the series 7 p.m. Tuesday.
“Moon’s Heart (El Corazón de la Luna)” tells the story of M, an elderly homeless woman who gets her life back on track with the help of a mechanical being. The film was Peru’s Best International Film entry in the 2023 Academy Awards and sheds light on the neglect and mental health struggles homeless people deal with.
Jordan Carruthers, a freshman studying psychology and sociology-criminology, attended the showings of “Boca Chica” and “Bacurau.”
“It’s incredibly important to see peoples' different cultures and see how they impact their lives and understand that through different perspectives,” Carruthers said. “Seeing things through your own perspective all the time is never going to help you.”
The films are shown with English subtitles. Carruthers said the subtitling enables anyone to attend the series and leave with an understanding of Hispanic culture.
“There are so many things you can learn,” Carruthers said. “You don't necessarily have to know the language to understand the message.”
Through the Hispanic Film Series, SISAL and Sigma Delta Pi bring something more than entertainment; they bring Hispanic representation. Although this is the first time the Athena has hosted the event, Hernández said she hopes the series’ success will lead to a second series next fall with new movies.
