Orgullosamente Aquí - A Selection of Queer Film

Join us for a selection of short and feature films that explore the complexities of LGBTQ+ relationships and offer nuanced portrayals of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender experiences.

The program will begin with a mercado, followed by a Q&A with filmmakers Katherine Bahena-Benitez, Jessica Garcia, Jonathan Del La Torre, Armando Ibañez, and Rodrigo Álvarez Flores. Moderated by Josslyn Glenn, a Belizean and Chicana producer, writer, director, entertainment journalist, and film curator.

At a time when violence against LGBTQ+ communities continues across Latin America, these films affirm the importance of visibility, representation, and stories that challenge erasure, recognizing the diverse experiences and identities within the community.

EVENT SCHEDULE
6 pm – Mercado
7 pm – Film Screenings
8 pm – Q&A 9 pm – Program concludes

FILMS
"Me duele"
Directed by Jessica Garcia | United States | 2025 | 4 minutes

"Su último día en los Estados Unidos"
Directed by Armando Ibañez | United States | 2025 | 20 minutes

"Avivar"
Directed by Miles Lopez | United States | 2023 | 14 minutes

"Al otro lado"
Directed by Rodrigo Alvarez Flores | Mexico | 2017 | 15 minutes

"La tierra de sueños"
Directed by Jessica Garcia | United States | 2025 | 4 minutes

Filmmakers
Katherine Bahena-Benitez is a multidisciplinary artist based in New York City and California. An actor, writer, and filmmaker, Katherine has trained at the American Conservatory Theater, 24 Hour Plays, the Juilliard School, Stella Adler, Shakespeare and Company, the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center, California State University Sacramento, and the Broadway Advocacy Coalition at Columbia University.

Jessica Garcia (she/they), aka Jesse, is a Queer Latina writer and director from Inglewood, California. Since graduating from UC Merced, Jesse has pursued her passion for storytelling as a writer and video producer at mitú and a creative producer at MyCode. In 2024, she wrote and directed her first short fi