14th Cine Latino Film Festival

A Song For My Land / Una canción para mi tierra precedes the short film Nuestro Norte by Martín Blanco.

ABOUT A Song For My Land

Ramiro Lezcano is a teacher who believes in the transformative power of music. In a rural school in Argentina, he sets out to bring children into the world of artistic creation. What begins as a simple exercise in writing and singing songs, soon opens a window onto a reality that cannot be ignored: the agrochemical spraying taking place in the farming area surrounding the school. The children begin to write about what they see, feel, and experience. They compose, rehearse, play, laugh, exchange ideas, and discover poetry and music as a language of their own. Art becomes a way of understanding their surroundings, finding their voices, and imagining change. As the songs grow, so does the project. Faced with resistance from local farmers and silence from parts of the media, Ramiro proposes an audacious idea: a great open-air musical gathering in the countryside—an environmental Woodstock. Artists join them, and what began with a handful of children and a song becomes a powerful collective movement, culminating in a massive concert featuring renowned Latin American folk and rock legends such as León Gieco, Lito Vitale, Pablo Milanés, and Rubén Blades. Director Mauricio Albornoz Iniesta’s exhilarating documentary celebrates art as a tool for learning, expression, and social change. The future feels a little brighter after hearing the bold voices of these children and their clear, powerful message.

Una canción para mi tierra – En español

Ramiro Lezcano es un maestro que cree en el poder transformador de la música. En una escuela rural de Argentina, se propone introducir a los niños en el mundo de la creación artística. Lo que comienza como un sencillo ejercicio de composición y canto pronto abre una ventana a una realidad imposible de ignorar: las fumigaciones con agroquímicos que tienen lugar en la zona circundante a la escuela. Los niños empiezan a escribir sobre lo que ven, sienten y viven. Componen, ensayan, tocan, ríen, intercambian ideas y descubren en la poesía y la música un lenguaje propio. El arte se convierte en una vía para comprender su entorno, encontrar su propia voz e imaginar un cambio. A medida que las canciones crecen, también lo hace el proyecto. Ante la resistencia de los agricultores locales y el silencio de parte de los medios de comunicación, Ramiro propone una idea audaz: un gran encuentro musical al aire libre en el campo, una especie de "Woodstock ambiental". Artistas de renombre se suman a la iniciativa y lo que empezó con un puñado de niños y una canción se transforma en un poderoso movimiento colectivo, culminando en un concierto multitudinario con la participación de leyendas consagradas del folclore y el rock latinoamericano, como León Gieco, Lito Vitale, Pablo Milanés y Rubén Blades. Este documental inspirador y emotivo, del director Mauricio Albornoz Iniesta, celebra el arte como herramienta de aprendizaje, expresión y cambio social. El futuro se percibe un poco más luminoso tras escuchar las voces valientes de estos niños y su mensaje claro y poderoso.

ABOUT Nuestro Norte

USA • Live Action • 2026 • 27 min • English, Spanish
NUESTRO NORTE is a cinematic portrait of five community leaders from across metro and greater Minnesota, their lived stories interwoven with symbolic fiction scenes and original musical performances. More than a documentary, the film seeks to offer a collective vision, celebrating Latine leadership while reflecting on history, diversity, community investment, innovation, and the strength of intergenerational ties. Its purpose is to ignite imagination in the next generation, offering a Minnesota that mirrors their identities, dreams, and place in the state’s unfolding story.

The title NUESTRO NORTE - “our north” - carries multiple layers. It is a statement of belonging and ownership, declaring Minnesota as a place that is of and for Latine communities. At the same time, it echoes the idea of the “north star, ” a beacon of guidance, orientation, and shared destiny. This layered metaphor suggests both a rooted home and a forward-looking compass, inviting viewers to imagine identity, community, and future vision through a new and expansive lens.

NUESTRO NORTE Credits
Written, Directed by Martín Blanco • Produced by Martín Blanco + SAM Brodsky • Executive Producers: LatinoLEAD: Irma Márquez Trapero + Melissa Vazquez; Minnesota Humanities Center: MayKao Fredericks + Kevin Lindsey • Story Consultants: Jessica Lopez Lyman, Xavier Tavera Castro, Elsa Perez Vega, Sandy Vargas • Director of Photography: Cristina Beviá • Production Designer: Alondra Alamilla Benitez • Edit, Color, and Graphics: Martín Blanco • Sound Designer: Nick Mastorakis • Music Composer: Clayton Stansberry

PRESENTED BY MSP FILM SOCIETY

Cine Latino returns October 7–11 to The Main Cinema for five days of Spanish- and Portuguese-language films, special guests, fiestas, and more! The 14th annual celebration of US Latino, Latin American, and Ibero Cinema honors the longstanding film traditions across these communities, showcasing a richness of stories, the beauty of place, and vibrant cultures through the power of film.