UA Little Rock Film Series Explores Sustainability Across Latin America
Supported by the UA Little Rock Sustainability Grant, the School of Human Inquiry in the College of Humanities, Arts, Social Sciences, and Education — along with Spanish program faculty, students, and the Spanish Club — will launch the first Latin American Film Series on Sustainability at 1 p.m., Friday, Feb. 13.
The six-film series runs through April and will feature guest speakers at each screening. Each film will be shown at 1 p.m. in Room 205G of the Donaghey Student Center.
The festival is free and open to the university community and the public, with snacks and drinks available.
Dr. Elizabeth Sotelo, an assistant professor of Spanish at UA Little Rock, said the series reflects two central components of the university’s mission: to foster humane empathy among students and to empower them to utilize knowledge to contribute to society.
“This is precisely the foundation of the film series’ purpose,” she said. “To better understand the relevance of sustainable practices, we must become more knowledgeable about what is occurring in different parts of the world.”
Sotelo said each of the selected films communicates realities where nature and humanity are interconnected and impacted.
“The goal is to encourage comprehension and reflection on the effects and transcendence of our footprints in different spaces,” she said. “Furthermore, through conversations with our guest speakers, we will discuss the complexities of the films and articulate actionable steps that can be taken.”
Below is the schedule for the film festival:
Event 1: February 13, 2026
Theme: Extractivism in South America
Film: Chevron vs. The Amazon (2016) by Abby Martin
Guest Speaker: Dr. Elizabeth Sotelo (University of Arkansas at Little Rock)
Event 2: February 27, 2026
Theme: Extractivism in South America
Film: When Two Worlds Collide (2016) by Mathew Orzel and Heidi Brandenburg
Guest Speaker: Dr. Meloddye Carpio Rios (University of Maryland, Baltimore County)
Event 3: March 13, 2026
Theme: Environmental justice in Central America
Film: Berta Didn’t Die, She Multiplied! (2017) by Sam Vinal
Guest Speaker: Dr. Rex Wilkins (University of Arkansas at Little Rock)
Event 4: April 3, 2026
Theme: Environmental justice in Central America
Film: Treasure of the Caribbean (2023) by Ana Salceda
Guest Speaker: Dr. Cornesha Tweede (Arizona State University)
Event 5: April 17, 2026
Theme: Crisis and impact in North America
Film: El tren y la península (2023) by Sky Richards & Andreas Kruger Foncerrada
Guest Speaker: Dr. Bri Romanello (University of Arkansas)
Event 6: April 22, 2026
Theme: Crisis and impact in North America
Film: The Gods of Mexico (2022) by Helmut Dosantos
Guest Speaker: Dr. Romy Cerón Canché (Texas State University)
Dr. Rex Wilkins, a visiting assistant professor of Spanish at UA Little Rock, said the film series also supports a broader goal of strengthening connections between the university and the local community — students, friends, and neighbors alike.
“Watching films together and talking about them is one of the best ways to build bridges of understanding between nations, cultures, and people,” he said. “Learning, like so many other things in life, has a social component.”
Organizers hope to reinforce the idea that in-person conversations can foster greater understanding, respect, and care in an increasingly divided world,” Dr. Wilkins added.
“We invite all of Little Rock to come and experience that for themselves by attending this film series,” he said. “We hope this will become an annual film series centering on other Latin American issues such as immigration and family life.”
For more information, please contact Dr. Elizabeth Sotelo at [email protected] or Dr. Rex Wilkins at [email protected].