London (AFP) – The London Latino Film Festival begins its first edition this Friday as "a possibility of expansion of cinema" in the region, explains to AFP Argentine actor Oscar Martínez, one of the artists invited to the event.
First modification: 02/10/2026 - 16:12
The festival, which will conclude on October 6 with a gala in which eight awards will be presented, is an initiative of the Cuban actress Ketty Rodriguez, who arrived in London in May 2025.
A total of 52 films, screened in seven theaters in the British capital, will compete for the awards, highlighting the best feature film, short film and documentary.
"The festival represents a possibility of expansion of Latin American cinema, which in any case is always welcome. Its importance will depend on its development and its growth in successive editions. It is new, the initiative is positive, but we will have to wait. It is premature to talk about its importance yet. I hope it becomes transcendent," says Argentine actor Oscar Martínez.
The actor from the River Plate is known internationally thanks to the films "Wild Tales" (2014) and "The Illustrious Citizen" (2016), for which he won the Volpi Cup for best actor at the Venice Film Festival.
Oscar Martínez now works between Argentina and Spain as an actor, writer and theater director.
"Cinema is in crisis in all latitudes due to new technologies. The platforms rule and that is not good for the independent industry. It is a difficult crossroads. Above all, for Latin American countries," says Martínez.
"But at the same time we are accustomed to adversity and the limitations of our working conditions in an activity as onerous as cinema. And creators always appear with talent and with the necessary substance to face these difficulties," he adds.
Another of the actors present in this first edition is the Cuban Jorge Perugorría.
The Caribbean actor rose to fame with the film "Fresa y Chocolate" (1993), the first Cuban production nominated for the Oscar for best foreign language film, and since then he has participated in more than 60 films.
"Europe has an incredible art scene and a very rich cinematic history, but very few people know about Latin cinema. It is hugely underrepresented, so I decided to do something about it," highlights the festival's founder, Cuban actress Ketty Rodríguez.
© 2026 AFP
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