London Latino Film Festival launches 2 October 2026 with Barbican opening
Cuban actress Ketty Rodriguez founded the event after finding little Latin American culture in the city
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A new film festival dedicated to Latin American cinema will open in London on 2 October 2026. The London Latino Film Festival will run until 6 October, beginning with an event at the Barbican. The festival was founded by Cuban actress Ketty Rodriguez, who moved to London in May 2025.
Rodriguez told the BBC she was surprised by the lack of Latin American culture in the city after her arrival. She said she struggled to find spaces that reflected her community, despite London’s reputation for a diverse arts scene. The festival aims to address that gap.
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Screenings, exhibitions and masterclasses
The festival programme includes screenings of features, documentaries, animation and short films. Cuban ballet dancer Carlos Acosta, Argentine actor Óscar Martínez and Cuban actor Jorge Perugorría will take part in Q&A sessions after selected screenings.
Acosta will appear alongside a screening of *Yuli: The Carlos Acosta Story*, a 2018 film about his childhood in Havana. The Guildhall School of Music and Drama will host three masterclasses, and dance classes will also be held during the festival.
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An exhibition of Cuban film posters will open at the Eclectic Gallery on 28 September 2026. The posters were hand-printed in Havana by Cuba’s national film institute, despite the country’s frequent power cuts. Each design is stamped and produced exclusively for the festival. Proceeds from sales will support the festival and Cuba.
I couldn't find my people. Europe has an incredible art scene and a rich, cinematic past, yet very few people know about Latin cinema. It's extremely underrepresented despite a big community here, so I decided to do something about it.
Ketty Rodriguez, founder of the London Latino Film Festival
London’s Latin American community
An estimated 157,800 Latin Americans live in London, according to analysis of the 2021 census by King’s College London. The figure rises to 187,800 when people with irregular immigration status are included. The census does not include a specific Latin American category, so responses were recorded under “any other ethnic group”.
The festival is supported by the British Film Institute through National Lottery funding, the City of London, the Cervantes Institute and several Latin American embassies. Rodriguez said she assembled a team and secured backers within three months of arriving in London.
What happens next
The festival programme will be published in September 2026. Tickets for the opening night at the Barbican and other events will go on sale at the same time. The Cuban film poster exhibition at the Eclectic Gallery will run from 28 September to 19 October 2026.
Questions this report answers
+When does the London Latino Film Festival take place?
The festival runs from 2 to 6 October 2026. It opens with an event at the Barbican on 2 October. The full programme will be published in September 2026, when tickets go on sale.
+How many Latin Americans live in London?
An estimated 157,800 Latin Americans live in London, according to King’s College London analysis of the 2021 census. The figure rises to 187,800 when including people with irregular immigration status.
+Who is funding the London Latino Film Festival?
The festival is supported by the British Film Institute through National Lottery funding, the City of London, the Cervantes Institute and several Latin American embassies. The BFI and City of London are the main public backers.
+What events are included in the festival?
The festival includes film screenings, Q&A sessions with actors, an exhibition of Cuban film posters, masterclasses at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, and dance classes. The poster exhibition opens on 28 September 2026.
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