WITHOUT BORDERS

As the immigration debate rages on, now seems an ideal time to gain some perspective about and empathy for our amigos y vecinos to the south. One place to locate our common humanity is the XIX Latin American Cinema Festival of Kansas City, presented by Sociedad Hidalgo at the Rio Theatre (7204 West 80th Street, Overland Park). Continuing each Saturday through October 2, the series includes films from Argentina, Chile, Mexico and Puerto Rico, each followed by a bilingual discussion led by an area professor. The festival premieres at 11 a.m. with Roberto Girault’s 2009 drama El Estudiante (The Student). Amid the festival’s slate of recent films — all in Spanish with English subtitles — is the 1946 standout Enamorada, by prolific Mexican filmmaker (and original model for the Academy Award statuette) Emilio “Indio” Fernández. Admission is $6; recommended ages for the films are 18 and older. For complete details, see sociedadhidalgo.org/cinema_festival.php.— Brent Shepherd

Saturdays, 11 a.m. Starts: Sept. 4. Continues through Oct. 2, 2010