EAST HARLEM, NY — Movie lovers can catch five free films at El Museo del Barrio this fall as the East Harlem museum launches a new series celebrating contemporary Latin cinema.
"Noches de Cine: New Latine Cinema" will bring films from Latin America, the Caribbean and the Latine diaspora to the museum's historic theater at 1230 Fifth Ave. at East 104th Street through December. All screenings are free and open to the public.
The series, curated by Ecuadorian-American writer and director Sebastián Rea, spans genres including drama, horror, magical realism, documentary and animation.
"This series offers otra mirada — another look — at breakthrough Latine cinema that deserves to be experienced on the big screen," Rea said.
The series kicked off Thursday with "Mad Bill$ to Pay," director Joel Alfonso Vargas' Dominican-American coming-of-age story about a 19-year-old hustling to make ends meet during a Bronx summer.
Next up is "Drunken Noodles," a dreamlike film following an art student through two New York summers, screening Sept. 24.
On Oct. 29, the museum will show Guatemalan filmmaker Jayro Bustamante's "La Llorona," which reimagines the legendary ghost story as an examination of genocide, political violence and historical memory in Guatemala.
The series continues Nov. 19 with "Un Poeta (A Poet)," a dark comedy from Colombian filmmaker Simón Mesa Soto about a struggling poet who discovers a gifted teenage writer while working as a substitute teacher.
"Noches de Cine" wraps up Dec. 17 with "They Dream," director William D. Caballero's documentary and stop-motion animated exploration of his Puerto Rican family, loss and memory.
Rea, who grew up in Queens, has worked as a writer and story editor for television and previously spent seven years at Tribeca Enterprises. He also founded New York's 30 Under 30 Film Festival.
All screenings begin at 6:30 p.m. Advance registration is encouraged. Learn more here.
For questions, email Miranda.Levingston@Patch.com.
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