A vibrant celebration of contemporary cinema is set to return this winter, with the HSBC Spanish & Latin American Film Festival bringing a sensacional lineup of films from Spain and Latin America to Adelaide screens from June.
Now in its 29th year, the beloved festival will once again light up cinemas across the country, including Adelaide’s Palace Nova Eastend Cinemas and Palace Nova Prospect Cinemas, with a curated program spanning drama, documentary, romance, historical epics and family-friendly features.
This first taste of the 2026 program offers a compelling mix of award winners, international stars and culturally rich storytelling.
Among the highlights is Nothing Between Us (Nada entre los dos), a charming and intimate love story set against a corporate backdrop, starring Gael García Bernal and Natalia Oreiro. The film follows two colleagues navigating personal freedom and social expectations during a conference at a beach resort in Mexico.
The Festival Centrepiece, Sundays (Los domingos), arrives with significant acclaim. Directed by Alauda Ruiz de Azúa, the quietly powerful drama won the Golden Shell for Best Film at the San Sebastián Film Festival, alongside multiple Goya and Feroz Awards. It explores a family in crisis when their teenage daughter chooses a life as a cloistered nun.
Also on the program is the Festival Special Presentation, The Captive (El cautivo), from acclaimed director Alejandro Amenábar. This sweeping historical drama follows a young Miguel de Cervantes, author of Don Quixote, as he finds solace in storytelling while imprisoned in 16th-century Algiers.
Music lovers will be drawn to La Salsa Vive, a vibrant documentary tracing the evolution of salsa from New York City to Cali, Colombia, celebrating the rhythm, culture and global impact of the genre.
From Brazil, Isabel brings audiences into the high-pressure world of fine dining in São Paulo, following a talented sommelier chasing her dream of opening her own wine bar.
There’s also a feel-good true story in Another League (Pioneras: solo querían jugar), charting the determination of a group of girls who challenged expectations to play football in 1970s Spain.
For families, the festival includes lighter fare such as My Amazing Grandma (Abuela Tremenda) and Bear Claw Camp (Campamento Garra de Oso), offering humour, adventure and intergenerational storytelling.
With its mix of award-winning cinema, cultural insight and entertaining storytelling, the HSBC Spanish & Latin American Film Festival continues to be a highlight on the winter arts calendar.
The full program will be announced in mid-May, with tickets going on sale via the official festival website.
For updates and more information, visit spanishfilmfestival.com and join the mailing list or follow:
Facebook @SpanishFilmFestival
Instagram @spanishfilmfest
