Whether you prefer the term Latino, Latinx, Chicana, Centroamericano, Peruano, Cubana, Colombiana or Afro-Latino, Hispanic Heritage Month is a time to celebrate the diversity of identities that fall under the umbrella of Latinidad. And in acknowledging the multitude of ways of expressing one’s culture — be it in a shared language, music, food, dance, fashion, art, or even memes — our communal bond becomes even stronger.
With this understanding, we’ve put together several collections of documentaries, dramas, comedies and more that cover the gamut of Latino and Latin American culture. From US-set Latino stories and stand-up comedy all-stars to award-winning films en español and family-friendly picks, there’s something for everyone.
From his troubled youth to his activism in the art world, the Mexican-born visual artist Carlos Almaraz helped define Chicano art in the 1970s. This documentary explores the life of one of Los Angeles’s most influential painters, featuring interviews with Edward James Olmos, Cheech Marin, Shepard Fairey, and Dolores Huerta. Keep an ear out for Zack de la Rocha (of Rage Against the Machine) reading from Almaraz’s journals.
In his fourth Netflix special, Gabriel Iglesias finds the funny in life’s unexpected twists, from breaking stereotypes to home break-ins. Queue up a full day of the comedian’s jokes with his landmark 2022 gig, Stadium Fluffy — where he made history as the first comedian to perform at and sell out Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles — as well as his 2019 set, One Show Fits All, and his 2016 special, I’m Sorry for What I Said When I Was Hungry. For more laughs, stream his feel-good sitcom Mr. Iglesias.
Even though she’s worked her way up to a third Netflix special, Alonzo is one comedian who still delivers a down-to-earth set. This time, it’s all about the pursuit of happiness, and she jokes with the audience about getting a status update on her high school bully, overdoing it at a spa, and taking her family on their first vacation ever. Complete the stand-up trilogy with Alonzo’s 2022 special, Middle Classy, and her 2017 release, Lower Classy.
It’s got laughs, heart, and a 96% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes. Set in Los Angeles’s Boyle Heights neighborhood, this two-season series follows three cousins — played by Karrie Martin, Carlos Santos, and J.J. Soria — who try to save their abuelo’s taco shop from gentrification. The story is chock-full of bits that American Latinos can relate to, from one character being tested on his “Mexicanness” to the unforced way the cousins switch between English, Spanish, and Spanglish.
Guillermo del Toro’s version of the classic tale is a dark fantasy set in Mussolini-era Italy, with the rise of fascism as the backdrop. The story of a wooden puppet who comes to life is told through gorgeously detailed stop-motion animation and infused with the filmmaker’s fantastical sensibilities and childlike wonder. Ewan McGregor, Tilda Swinton, Christoph Waltz, and Cate Blanchett are among the voice cast of the Oscar-winning movie. Keep the del Toro magic going with Frankenstein and Cabinet of Curiosities.
A peek into Jennifer Lopez’s seemingly glamorous life, this intimate documentary is most compelling when the Bronx-born superstar with Puerto Rican roots reveals her fears and insecurities. She was at a climactic moment in her career when she opened up her life to filmmaker Amanda Micheli — coming off an acclaimed acting role in Hustlers and preparing to headline the 2020 Super Bowl halftime show with Shakira. Follow this watch with Office Romance, Atlas, and The Mother for a full-on J.Lo marathon.
This Mexican stop-motion animated movie introduces Frankelda (voiced by Mireya Mendoza), a gifted writer in 19th-century Mexico whose dark tales are ignored and dismissed. When she journeys into her subconscious — guided by Herneval (Arturo Mercado Jr.), a tormented prince trapped between dreams and nightmares — the monsters from her spooky stories come to life. She must restore the balance between fiction and reality before both realms collapse, allowing dark forces to consume her imagination and reveal even more horrors.
A favorite of Guillermo del Toro and Alfonso Cuarón, this understated and gritty movie won all kinds of honors (including an Ariel Award, the Mexican equivalent of an Academy Award) for its sensitive portrayal of a teen forced to leave his hometown of Monterrey, Mexico, for New York City. The only things that bring him solace are his love of music — specifically cumbia rebajada — and memories of his dance crew back home. His bleached, spiky pseudo-mullet is also a sight to behold.
The Rarámuri (also known as Tarahumara) — an Indigenous group from Chihuahua, Mexico — are world-renowned for their long-distance running skills. In this heartwarming documentary short, Lorena Ramirez eschews the pair of running shoes she’s been given and instead wins ultramarathons while racing in her community’s hallmark dress and sandals. Though a bit shy, the young athlete is endearing as she takes viewers along her lengthy and bumpy runs through the Sierra Madre.
Monsé (Sierra Capri), Jamal (Brett Gray), Ruby (Jason Genao), and Cesar (Diego Tinoco) have been best friends all their lives. But just because a new social stratosphere awaits in high school doesn’t mean the South Central Los Angeles streets they came from have stopped calling. This lighthearted four-season comedy deftly navigates the struggle of trying to build more for yourself while always carrying your hometown block with you.
This heartfelt reimagining of the beloved 1975 sitcom stars Justina Machado as Penelope Alvarez, a US Army Nurse Corps veteran who’s grappling with her return to civilian life in Los Angeles and her status as a newly single mother raising a teen daughter and tween son. The Cuban American matriarch is getting a little “help” from her old-school mom (Rita Moreno), her new boss (Stephen Tobolowsky), and her rich landlord (Todd Grinnell).
Alfonso Cuarón wrote, directed, shot, and co-edited this three-time Oscar-winning movie — the first Mexican film to win Best International Feature Film. Shot in striking black-and-white and inspired by Cuarón’s childhood, the emotional drama stars Yalitza Aparicio (The Great Seduction) as Cleo, a domestic worker navigating the personal and political turmoil of 1970s Mexico. After the credits roll, stream Road to Roma for a behind-the-scenes look at the making of the movie.
Everybody loves a goth girl with psychic abilities and deadpan charm. The comedy series introduces Jenna Ortega as Wednesday Addams, with Luis Guzmán and Catherine Zeta-Jones as her parents, Gomez and Morticia. She enrolls at her parents’ alma mater, a private school designed to educate supernatural pupils, and investigates local murder mysteries. Done watching both seasons? Top it off with the family comedy Yes Day, in which Ortega plays a teen whose parents agree to say yes to their kids for an entire day.
Ava DuVernay’s harrowing dramatization of the Central Park Five case — in which a group of Black and Latino teens were wrongly imprisoned for a crime they didn’t commit — won Jharrel Jerome an Emmy Award for his portrayal of Korey Wise. The 25-year-old Dominican American Jerome became the first Afro-Latino to take home an acting Emmy. Rounding out the limited series’ ensemble cast are Marquis Rodriguez, Freddy Miyares, Dascha Polanco, and John Leguizamo, who deliver equally powerful performances.
Additional reporting by Ashley Lee.
