Institute of Latin American Studies at Columbia University

10/12/2026

TONIGHT!!

In Memoriam Patricio Guzmán (Chile, 1941–France, 2026): Chile, Obstinate Memory (1997) and Post-Screening Conversation

October 12, 2026
7:00 - 9:00 PM
📍 Katharina Otto-Bernstein Screening Room
https://www.lenfest.arts.columbia.edu/fall-2026-events/in-memoriam-patricio-guzman

“A country without documentary cinema is like a family without a photo album." —Patricio Guzmán

Due to the passing of Chilean exile director Patricio Guzmán Tuesday, September 15, in Paris, Columbia University will be honoring the monumental legacy of one of the world’s foremost documentary filmmakers. For the occasion, we are pleased to be screening his landmark film Chile, Obstinate Memory (1997) on a 35mm print.

In Chile, Obstinate Memory, Guzmán returns to his home country to present his emblematic trilogy The Battle of Chile (1975–79) for the first time to fellow nationals. This militant work chronicles the passionate and turbulent three years of Salvador Allende’s socialist government, which was tragically interrupted by the September 11, 1973, military coup. By documenting the impactful encounter of different generations of Chileans with unseen images of their country’s revolutionary period, Guzmán achieves an exceptional and enduring portrait of a shattered country as it grapples with its recent past.

The screening will be followed by an all women-panel of Chilean artists, filmmakers, and scholars who will talk about Guzmán’s legacy from a plurality of approaches and feminist perspectives. The conversation will be moderated by Associate Professor Elizabeth Ramírez-Soto (Film and Media Studies, Columbia University School of the Arts), and guests include Cecilia Vicuña (artist), Daffne Valdés Vargas (Colectivo Lastesis), Marialuisa Ernst (filmmaker, A Place of Absence), Bernardita Llanos, academic (Brooklyn College, CUNY), and Associate Professor María José Contreras (Theatre, Columbia University School of the Arts).

This event is organized by the School of the Arts Film and Media Studies Program.

Co-Sponsors
Department of History
Center for the Study of Ethnicity and Race (CSER)
Institute of Latin American Studies (ILAS)
Department of Latin American and Iberian Cultures
Sundial House, Casa Hispánica

Co-presenter:

10/09/2026

🚨MARSLAC APPLICATIONS ARE OPEN

Check out our Master of Arts in Regional Studies: Latin America and the Caribbean. Applications are open for Fall 2027.

Deadline March 25

Funding opportunities are available for this competitive and comprehensive program. Deadline: February 4

Learn more: https://ilas.columbia.edu/content/master-arts-regional-studies

10/09/2026

🚨SAVE THE DATE for the Institute of Latin American Studies Cook-Off 3rd annual cookoff, a celebration of Latin American culture, community, and cuisine!

October 19, 2026
5:30 - 7:00 PM
📍Lerner Broadway Room

Bring your appetite and enjoy an afternoon of delicious homemade dishes inspired by the diverse flavors and culinary traditions of Latin America.

Whether you’re competing with a favorite recipe or simply coming to taste and celebrate, everyone is welcome. Come connect with fellow students, faculty, and friends of the Institute for an afternoon filled with great food, community, and fun.

We hope to see you all there and we can't wait to taste the flavors of Latin America!

10/09/2026

In Memoriam Patricio Guzmán (Chile, 1941–France, 2026): Chile, Obstinate Memory (1997) and Post-Screening Conversation

October 12, 2026
7:00 - 9:00 PM
📍 Katharina Otto-Bernstein Screening Room
https://www.lenfest.arts.columbia.edu/fall-2026-events/in-memoriam-patricio-guzman

“A country without documentary cinema is like a family without a photo album." —Patricio Guzmán

Due to the passing of Chilean exile director Patricio Guzmán Tuesday, September 15, in Paris, Columbia University will be honoring the monumental legacy of one of the world’s foremost documentary filmmakers. For the occasion, we are pleased to be screening his landmark film Chile, Obstinate Memory (1997) on a 35mm print.

In Chile, Obstinate Memory, Guzmán returns to his home country to present his emblematic trilogy The Battle of Chile (1975–79) for the first time to fellow nationals. This militant work chronicles the passionate and turbulent three years of Salvador Allende’s socialist government, which was tragically interrupted by the September 11, 1973, military coup. By documenting the impactful encounter of different generations of Chileans with unseen images of their country’s revolutionary period, Guzmán achieves an exceptional and enduring portrait of a shattered country as it grapples with its recent past.

The screening will be followed by an all women-panel of Chilean artists, filmmakers, and scholars who will talk about Guzmán’s legacy from a plurality of approaches and feminist perspectives. The conversation will be moderated by Associate Professor Elizabeth Ramírez-Soto (Film and Media Studies, Columbia University School of the Arts), and guests include Cecilia Vicuña (artist), Daffne Valdés Vargas (Colectivo Lastesis), Marialuisa Ernst (filmmaker, A Place of Absence), Bernardita Llanos, academic (Brooklyn College, CUNY), and Associate Professor María José Contreras (Theatre, Columbia University School of the Arts).

This event is organized by the School of the Arts Film and Media Studies Program.

Co-Sponsors
Department of History
Center for the Study of Ethnicity and Race (CSER)
Institute of Latin American Studies (ILAS)
Department of Latin American and Iberian Cultures
Sundial House, Casa Hispánica

Co-presenter:

10/05/2026

Land, Indigenous rights, and the Amazon — screening and discussion of The Territory

October 8, 2026
6:00 - 8:00 PM
📍 MY263, Teachers College

Event Description:

Join the Brazil Seminar for a special screening of the critically acclaimed documentary The Territory, followed by an Q&A with Lead Impact Producer Marianna Olinger.

The Territory provides an immersive, on-the-ground look at the tireless fight of the Indigenous Uru-eu-wau-wau people against encroaching deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon. Featuring breathtaking cinematography and rich sound design, the film offers unprecedented access to both the Uru-eu-wau-wau community and the illegal settlers clearing protected lands. Partially shot over three years by the Uru-eu-wau-wau themselves, the documentary captures their decision to set up a media team and risk their lives to expose the truth to the world. Recognized globally for its artistic and social impact, the film was shortlisted for the Academy Award and earned prestigious Peabody, Emmy, and Sundance awards.

Following the screening, Marianna Olinger will lead a conversation on how participatory media, Indigenous sovereignty, and strategic storytelling drive climate action. Drawing from her work leading the film’s global impact campaign, which received top honors, including the 2023 Jackson Wild Best Impact Campaign Award, Olinger will discuss how grassroots media production can empower frontline communities, influence international environmental policy, and serve as a tool for human rights advocacy in global decision-making spaces.

Speaker Bio: Marianna Olinger is an interdisciplinary artist, researcher, impact strategist and producer working at the intersection of culture and community to harness the power of art and storytelling for social change. She is a latina woman, Brazilian-born based in New York, with over 20 years of experience working with non-profit and cultural organizations. She was the lead impact producer for the Peabody, Sundance, Emmy winner, and Oscar-shortlisted, documentary The Territory (2022), and for the fiction feature How to Blow Up a Pipeline (2023). She serves at Doc Society impact strategist bench since 2024, and is the impact strategist for the documentaries Yanuni (2025), Daughters of the Forest (2026), Climate in Therapy (2024) the series Vs. Goliath (2025), and the Indigenous Impact Alliance (2025).

This event is co-sponsored by the Lemann Center for Brazilian Studies & the Institute of Latin American Studies (ILAS).

Registration is required for all individuals not affiliated with Columbia University. https://events.columbia.edu/go/MariannaOlinger

10/05/2026

Investigative Reporting Today: Cabot Prize-winners Covering Latin America Discuss Tactics and Techniques For Getting the Story.

October 7, 2026
12:00 - 1:00 PM
📍IAB 802
Register >> [email protected]&recurrenceId=" rel="ugc" target="_blank">https://events.columbia.edu/cal/event/eventView.do?b=de&calPath=%2Fpublic%2Fcals%2FMainCal&guid=[email protected]&recurrenceId=

Featuring the 2026 Maria Moors Cabot Prize winners in conversation with Pulitzer Prize Administrator Marjorie Miller:
* Daniel Coronell, Journalist, Colombia and the US
* Leila Guerriero, Journalist and Author, Argentina
* Kate Linthicum, Journalist, Los Angeles Times
* Luz Mely Reyes, Journalist, Efecto Cocuyo, Venezuela

Light refreshments will be served. All CUID holders are invited.

Sponsored by Columbia Journalism School, the Maria Moors Cabot Prizes and Columbia's School of International and Political Affairs' (SIPA), Institute for Latin American Studies (ILAS).