Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month with Movies
Libraries are community hubs, and Hispanic Heritage Month offers a valuable opportunity to bring patrons together through the universal language of film. From bold biographies and timeless classics to animated adventures and musical celebrations, movies can spark discovery, empathy and cultural appreciation. Below, we’ve curated age-specific programming ideas and film suggestions to help you host authentic celebrations this fall.
Adult Programming Ideas
Offer opportunities for deeper learning and community-building with programming that encourages dialogue and honors the diverse voices within Hispanic communities.
- Offer language exchange sessions where patrons can learn conversational Spanish while discussing the films and their themes.
- Feature films directed by prominent Hispanic filmmakers, showcasing their unique storytelling and cultural perspectives.
- Invite Hispanic scholars, activists or artists to introduce films and lead post-screening discussions on topics related to Hispanic culture, history and identity.
Teen Programming Ideas
Teens crave interactive, expressive experiences. Combine films with music, food and movement to celebrate Hispanic culture in fun and memorable ways.
- Pair movie screenings with a themed food event featuring Hispanic cuisine, providing teens with a multi-sensory experience.
- Incorporate live dance performances featuring traditional Hispanic dances like salsa, tango or flamenco.
- Have teens create posters inspired by the films or characters and display them in the library.
Children’s Programming Ideas
For younger audiences, movies offer vibrant visuals, catchy music and inspiring heroes – perfect for early cultural exploration.
- Host a bilingual storytime and movie pairing. Start the event with a read-aloud of a bilingual or Spanish-language picture book, followed by a related film screening. This helps reinforce language learning and cultural connections in an accessible way.
- After a screening, guide kids in creating crafts inspired by Hispanic traditions—like papel picado (colorful paper banners), maracas, or simple piñatas.
- Before the movie begins, show children where different Hispanic countries are on a map. Let them color their own maps or flags and share something they learned about each place during the screening.