Lights, Camera, Latin!

No one would be surprised if Eugenio del Bosque were a little haggard these days. A new dad with a 5-month-old baby at home and an international film festival to direct, del Bosque is, at two weeks prior to the 12th annual Cine las Americas International Film Festival, the picture of calm. Perhaps it's because when he goes to work, del Bosque steps into an uncommonly peaceful setting – a onetime church where syndicated columnist Jim Hightower has set up shop. Cine las Americas rents the former church offices from Hightower, which are set back from the street and fronted by a brand-new, Federico Archuleta-created billboard hung above the Hightower office entrance ("Hightower populist revelation and redemption") and an appealingly feral courtyard.

Sitting in the organization's "war room," del Bosque is surrounded with the detritus of what one might expect in a film festival office: video tapes, DVDs, TV monitors and media players, media in transit between Cine las Americas and filmmakers from throughout Latin America, material from other film festivals, and, most importantly, a huge whiteboard overseeing the room. The board is dotted with colored Post-its, the festival's schedule-in-progress. The surroundings should seem chaotic. But coupled with Cine's small staff, staring into computer monitors, and del Bosque's quiet yet undeniably determined demeanor, the atmosphere seems serene – strangely serene, considering that the last three years were transition years for the organization. Changes in leadership (board and staff), a reimagining of its festival programming, along with the natural aches and pains of an evolving nonprofit would make anyone lose sleep. While the growing pains were, well, a pain, the background dramas were always secondary to the work and mission of the festival and its related, year-round programs, according to del Bosque.

"I don't know how long it takes for nonprofits to finally settle," he says, "but this year, we're in good sync with our advisers, with our sponsors, and with our board. We've been able to mature and come a long way with our talented staff. We're a small organization with a big face."

An ongoing partnership with Austin-based advertising agency LatinWorks provides the festival with its always stunning posters, but this first public face of the festival makes it hard for audiences to believe Cine las Americas is a nonprofit arts organization, del Bosque says. And bringing films from all corners of the Americas is no small task, particularly with a mission so large but distinct: "to challenge audiences" by bringing films that show details of the large panorama viewers may or may not be familiar with about a country, region, or people and encourage them to see more than what's on the surface. Del Bosque refers to the nonprofit's mission as a responsibility – the responsibility to showcase compelling work that does not perpetuate stereotypes, to bring works that are "informational" yet entertaining, and to hold its own in a film-friendly city already home to several other high-profile film festivals. In being the most international of these festivals, del Bosque believes Cine las Americas complements, instead of competes with, Austin's other film festivals.

Older Latino film festivals exist in larger cities (with which the local arts organization has strong, collegial relationships), but unlike those festivals, Cine las Americas continues to steer away from showcasing highly commercial work. "This festival could not exist in any other city," del Bosque says. "Austin audiences are educated in film and the arts and are willing to take a challenge, to connect with new ideas." And yet this year, Cine las Americas has decided to open with a more "audience-friendly" film, instead of a drama as in festivals past. Opening the festival is All Inclusive (Mexico/Chile, 2008), directed by Rodrigo Ortúzar Lynch. Del Bosque calls it an "appealing movie that talks about the search for happiness, tolerance, and family love." The programming shift marks for Cine las Americas an effort to grow its audience and launch the festival on a lighter note.

Also new this year is the "invited country" banner, under which a group of filmmakers will be showcased. This year's invited country is Chile, featuring films made in the post-revolution years between 1994 and 2004 (see "Chile on the Menu"). While not directly political, the films offer a reflection of the post-Pinochet years during a period of expansive cinema production. To further bolster audience attendance, about a third of the festival films will be shown free of charge at the Mexican American Cultural Center.

For more information on this year's Cine las Americas festival, including schedule and ticket prices, visit www.cinelasamericas.org.