Warsaw Community Public Library is encouraging patrons to check out a selection of films in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month. Photo provided by Warsaw Community Public Library.

By Melissa Chapman
Cataloging Supervisor
Warsaw Community Public Library

WARSAW — Hispanic Heritage Month is an annual celebration of the history and culture of the U.S. Latino and Hispanic communities. The celebration is Monday, Sept. 15, through Wednesday, Oct. 15.

The celebration began as a commemorative week when it was first introduced in June of 1968 by California Congressman George E. Brown. President Lyndon B. Johnson issued the first Hispanic Heritage Week on Sept. 17, 1968. It was expanded to a 31-day celebration by George H.W. Bush on Sept. 14, 1989.

Hispanic Americans have shaped everything from the Supreme Court to the Super Bowl halftime stage. Their stories are woven into the very fabric of U.S. history, culture and innovation. They have broken barriers in politics, science, arts and sport, shaping modern America in profound ways. From Oct. 3-5, Miami will host the Hispanic Heritage Film Festival. Libraries are community hubs, and Hispanic Heritage Month offers a valuable opportunity to bring patrons together through the universal language of film. Below, we’ve chosen a few Hispanic films that might be of interest to celebrate the Hispanic culture.

One of the most popular Hispanic films of all time is “West Side Story.” This film has an original, which was released in 1961, and a remake in 2021. It is a modern retelling of “Romeo and Juliet.” Two star-crossed lovers are caught between two rival gangs, the Sharks, led by the Latinos, and the Jets, led by white teens. Both films were successful and are equally good. The newer version does a better job in terms of casting Hispanic actors. Side note: Rita Moreno was the first Latina to win an Academy Award.

“In the Heights” follows the lives and dreams of a bodega owner and his neighbors who tell their stories in mini vignettes. This film, featuring a stellar cast and a catchy soundtrack, explores themes of community, immigration and hope.

“Selena” is about the life and death of the beloved Chicana singer Selena Quintanilla-Perez. In the biopic, we follow Selena’s journey from a young girl who doesn’t even speak Spanish to a young woman with ambition and unspeakable talent. Even though it ends in tragedy with her murder, she led an extraordinary life full of love and hope.

“Pan’s Labyrinth” is Guillermo del Toro’s masterpiece that blends political history with dark fantasy. To escape the brutality of fascist Spain, a young girl enters a mythic world where fairies and monsters blur the line between fantasy and reality. The film uses the structure of a traditional fairy tale to explore themes of good versus evil, obedience versus rebellion, and innocence versus corruption.

Warsaw Community Public Library offers these films and many more rich in Hispanic Heritage through our streaming service, Kanopy, and physical copies in our audio-visual collection.