Hearing such an obvious name, one might assume that the 2004 San Diego Latino Film Festival is pretty much nothing more than what it says it is: an event which features many Latino films. This festival is very sneaky, however, as it has bypassed the trite definitions for film festivals and has added this new element (among others) — “Arte Latino.”

Exhibited at Madstone Theatres Hazard Center March 11 to March 21, SDLFF 2004’s “Arte Latino” showcases the work of Alma Lopez, José Ramirez and Nuvia Guerra, three highly esteemed artists.

Alma Lopez is most popularly known for her works with digital imaging that comments on racial, gender and sexuality issues in society. Her work has published in Art in America and Ms. Magazine. Lopez’s art deals with issues of women in the modern world, a hint of controversy and lots of attitude. What’s not to like?

Want a grungier perspective on life? Check out José Ramirez. From San Francisco to Washington, D.C., across the border to Mexico and across the sea to Japan, Ramirez’s artwork has been admired and lauded by many. As a teacher and artist from South Central and East Los Angeles, Ramirez lives in the culture of contemporary Latino life and his art speaks directly, un-academically and straight from the hearts of his experiences. See it from a man who knows life in a modern Latino world.

The final artist, Nuvia Crisol Guerra, earned a bachelor’s degree from UCSD but diverged from the road well travelled to express her perspective on Latino culture. And you thought UCSD was a science-oriented school filled with students who sleep with their TI-83’s? Oh, how you’ve been mistaken. Come enjoy a refreshing outlook on a “better sense of life” and the unity of family and its history through Guerra’s work.

Exhibits may be visited before or after the film screenings. One can soak in the artsy ambiance that exudes culture and history. Artists will be available for questions, answers and autographs.