“Reel” Latin America(n)
Film Festival · 2026
FOR EDUCATORS
Curriculum integration is at the heart of this festival. From October 8 to November 6, 2026, each of this year's five films screens twice: Thursdays at 5:30 pm in the Floyd Theater and Fridays at 12:00 pm in 104W Ekstrom Library. All screenings are free and open to the public.
Below, for each film: screening dates, a downloadable study guide, discussion questions, related curriculum tags (from Pragda's subject categorization), the film's language, and any content note we have on file. The films offer material for courses in Spanish, Latin American and Latino Studies, film, sociology, political science, and beyond.
Bringing a class
If you're planning to bring a class to a screening, let us know in advance (course name, section, and approximate headcount) via the Contact page.
Attendance: festival staff take attendance at the door -- you don't need to bring or submit a roster yourself.
📚 Film-by-Film Guide
A Wolf Among Swans
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📅 Thursday, October 8 · 5:30 pm · Floyd Theater
Presenter: Dr. Manuel F. Medina, Classical and Modern Languages / Latin American and Latino Studies -
📅 Friday, November 6 · 12:00 pm · 104W Ekstrom Library
Presenter: Dr. Ibis Sierra Audivert, Classical and Modern Languages
Not officially rated; comparable to PG-13.
- How does Thiago's journey complicate assumptions about who "belongs" in classical ballet?
- What role does mentorship -- and its power imbalances -- play in Thiago's transformation?
- How does the film use ballet as a lens for social and economic mobility?
Artificial Justice
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📅 Friday, October 23 · 12:00 pm · 104W Ekstrom Library
Presenter: Diana Wilder, Interdisciplinary and Public Humanities - 📅 Thursday, October 29 · 5:30 pm · Floyd Theater
Not officially rated; comparable to R.
- What are the risks and appeals of removing human judgment from judicial decisions?
- How does the film dramatize the tension between efficiency and accountability?
- Who benefits from centralizing power in AI systems, according to the film?
ASCO: Without Permission
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📅 Thursday, October 15 · 5:30 pm · Floyd Theater
Presenter: Dr. Christine Ehrick, History -
📅 Friday, October 30 · 12:00 pm · 104W Ekstrom Library
Presenter: Dr. Simona Bertacco, Interdisciplinary and Public Humanities
Not officially rated; comparable to R.
- How did ASCO's tactics respond to exclusion from mainstream museums, Hollywood, and media?
- What does the film suggest about the relationship between activism and art-making?
- How does blending documentary and fiction shape our understanding of ASCO's legacy?
Pérez Rodríguez
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📅 Friday, October 16 · 12:00 pm · 104W Ekstrom Library
Presenter: Dr. Tomás Edison, Classical and Modern Languages -
📅 Thursday, October 22 · 5:30 pm · Floyd Theater
Presenter: Dr. Clare Sullivan, Classical and Modern Languages
Not officially rated; comparable to R.
- How does the film use dark comedy to examine family hypocrisy and class aspiration?
- What does the sudden appearance of a half-brother reveal about legitimacy and inheritance?
- In what ways is the story "profoundly Dominican" while also engaging universal themes?
Zafari
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📅 Friday, October 9 · 12:00 pm · 104W Ekstrom Library
Presenter: Dr. Tricia Gray, Political Science -
📅 Thursday, November 5 · 5:30 pm · Floyd Theater
Presenter: Walter Rodríguez, Interdisciplinary and Public Humanities
Not officially rated; comparable to R.
- How does the film use allegory (the hippopotamus) to comment on inequality?
- What does the family's moral unraveling suggest about survival under scarcity?
- How does Zafari connect to broader patterns of economic crisis in Latin America?
✏️ Activity Ideas
Before the screening: have students briefly research the historical or social context of the film's country of origin, using the curriculum tags above as a starting point.
After the screening: run a small-group discussion using the questions above, followed by a short written reflection connecting the film to your course themes.
These are starting-point suggestions -- if you have activities of your own you'd like included here, get in touch.