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What to see at the Philadelphia Latino Film Festival

The Philadelphia Latino Film Festival (PHLAFF) returns this weekend for its fifth year with a selection of 21 films (with a focus on shorts and documentaries), a panel discussion, and a youth workshop. Selections this year include films from Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, Peru, and, of course, the United States.

The Philadelphia Latino Film Festival (PHLAFF) returns this weekend for its fifth year with a selection of 21 films (with a focus on shorts and documentaries), a panel discussion, and a youth workshop. Selections this year include films from Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, Peru, and, of course, the United States.

Festival director Marangeli Mejia-Rabell said she hoped that PHLAFF not only raised the profile of minority filmmakers, but also inspired community activism.

Here are some highlights.

Normal

6:30 p.m. Friday at Perelman Theater.

One of the two shorts that will open the fest Friday, this 17-minute drama from Venezuela is about a young man and woman who have an intense connection, despite coming from opposite ends of the political spectrum. He's a Chavista - a follower of former President Hugo Chávez. She's a virulent opponent. They hammer out the issues as riots unfold outside.

Being ñ

6:30 p.m. Friday at Perelman Theater.

The second half of the opening-night program is Henry Ansbacher and Denise Soler Cox's 38-minute documentary. It explores that strange sense of not-quite-belonging felt by the children of Latino immigrants. Referred to as Enyes (or ñ's), they straddle the line between feeling American and being members of their parents' home culture. The screening will be followed by a Q&A with the directors.

Emergence: Carving your own path

Noon Saturday at Terra Hall.

This free panel discussion features writers and directors, including Juan Agustin Marquez (The Last Colony) and Llaima Sanfiorenzo (La Fabrica de los Autorretratos), who will discuss how emerging artists use multiple platforms and social media to get their work seen.

Shorts Showcase: La Vida

1 p.m. Saturday at Terra Hall.

The theme of life's challenges dominates this selection of five shorts, including El Púgil, a doc about Angel "Tito" Acosta, a young boxer who emerged from the slums of Barrio Obrero in Puerto Rico to become a world-class contender. Also, look for Ciclo Sin Fin (Endless Cycle), a witty entry by Fernando Rodríguez Morales about an author's unusual way to solve writer's block. The film was one of the selections at the Cannes Film Festival's Shorts Corner.

Nikkei

2:30 p.m. Saturday at Terra Hall.

A uniquely multicultural story, Kaori Flores Yonekura's feature-length biographical doc tells the story of how her Japanese grandparents emigrated first to Peru and eventually to Venezuela. Yonekura, who will be on hand for a Q&A, explores how three generations of the same family grew up in three different countries and how their experience shaped her own view of the world.

The Gran Varones

4:30 p.m. Saturday at Terra Hall.

This 56-minute doc by Philadelphia filmmaker and activist Louie A. Ortiz-Fonseca chronicles a multimedia storytelling project he began in 2013 that gives gay Latinos a chance to tell their stories through video and photography. Followed by a chat with the director.

Roma: The Silent Film

4 p.m. Sunday at Terra Hall.

Director Adam Gonzalez's droll silent romantic drama stars folk musician and spoken-word artist Flaco Navaja as a piano player who falls for a sultry dancer and femme fatale (Babyann Hernandez). Look for a cameo by New Jersey-born salsa singer Frankie Negrón. Followed by a Q&A with Gonzalez.

La Familia Reyna

7 p.m. Sunday at Perelman Theater.

The fest closes with a dramedy from the Dominican Republic by first-time feature-film director Tito Rodríguez. An emotionally charged, moving story, it's about the rebellious son of a prosperous family whose return home sparks a raft of unexpected revelations.

Philadelphia Latino Film Festival, Friday through Sunday. Opening- and closing-night films at the Kimmel Center's Perelman Theater, 300 S. Broad St. All other events at the University of the Arts' Terra Hall, 211 S. Broad St. $12 (Terra Hall screenings); $15 (Perelman screenings); $30 to $150 (various combination passes).

tirdad@phillynews.com

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