2026 HSBC Spanish and Latin American Film Festival heats up in WA

The 2026 HSBC Spanish and Latin American Film Festival arrives in Australia with a carefully selected line-up of over thirty films from Spain, Colombia, Argentina and more, showing at Palace Cinemas Raine Square, Luna Leederville and Luna on SX from Thursday, June 11, to Wednesday, July 1.

This year’s diverse programme takes audiences on a rollercoaster of cinematic escapes—from culinary adventures in Peru and São Paulo to gripping thrillers, passionate Spanish romances, documentaries tracing salsa’s New York origins, and even an uplifting true story about the pioneering girls who changed the course of women’s football in Spain.

“Opening a window into Spanish and Latin American cinema is to embark on a wonderful adventure, visiting exotic places, hearing the voices and accents shift across regions while navigating the challenges of love, life and freedom with a dose of salsa, a swing of the hips, a delicious dish and a glass of wine.” Benjamin Zeccola, CEO of Palace Cinemas, said.

“We can’t wait to welcome the HSBC Spanish and Latin American Film Festival back for its 29th year across Australia. Audiences can look forward to a rich and eclectic lineup of the best contemporary Hispanic and Latin American cinema.”

Opening the festival is the Australian premiere of Peruvian drama Mistura, starring the sensational Bárbara Mori. The feature, revered for its vivid portrayal of Peru’s gastronomy and people, centres on a woman (Mori) whose life unravels after her husband leaves her, inspiring her to embark on a transformative culinary journey. The 1950s-set film features beautiful cinematography and elegant settings, leaving viewers’ mouths watering.

For this year, the special presentation is The Tigers (Los Tigres), starring Antonio de la Torre and Bárbara Lennie as professional divers and siblings. In this critically acclaimed maritime thriller from award-winning director Alberto Rodríguez, the pair discover the proceeds of a crime and are met with a huge dilemma about what to do next.

The second special presentation is the epic historical adventure The Captive (El cautivo) from award-winning director Alejandro Amenábar. Featuring an international ensemble, including Julio Peña (Through My Window) and Alessandro Borghi (The Eight Mountains), the thrilling drama follows a young Miguel de Cervantes, who went on to write Don Quixote, as he finds an unexpected refuge in the art of storytelling while imprisoned in Algiers in 1975.

Coming up next is an intimate and charming love story set against the backdrop of a corporate crisis. Nothing Between Us (Nada entre los dos) features the much-loved Mexican star Gael García Bernal (The Motorcycle Diaries, Y tu mamá también) and Natalia Oreiro as they explore desire, choice and the fragile balance between personal freedom and social expectations.

To close the festival and mark the 60th anniversary with a new restoration is Carlos Saura’s award-winning classic The Hunt (La Caza). Considered a landmark classic in Spanish cinema and a representative film of Nuevo cine español, the film delivered Saura his first international success, being awarded a Silver Bear for Best Director at the 1966 Berlin International Film Festival. A thrilling psychological drama set over the course of a single scorching summer day, tensions rise between friends on a rabbit hunt, acting as a skilful allegory of the wounds of the Spanish Civil War and the subsequent Franco dictatorship.

Festivalgoers can also enjoy screenings of Ladies’ Hunting Party (Día de caza), a contemporary adaptation of The Hunt, featuring an all-female lineup of legendary actors, including Blanca Portillo, Carmen Machi and Rossy de Palma. It explores the cycle of betrayal, corruption and abuse of power in society.

The 2026 HSBC Spanish & Latin American Film Festival hits Palace Cinemas, Luna Leederville, and Luna on SX from Thursday, June 11, to Wednesday, July 1, 2026. Tickets go on sale now from spanishfilmfestival.com