CLEVELAND — Monica Torres founded LatinUs Theater Company in 2018, 15 years after moving to mainland United States from Puerto Rico.

Now, she’s the artistic director for the nonprofit and is inviting people from Ohio and across the world the first ever Latino International Film Festival in Cleveland this weekend. The theater is providing three full days of film screenings, panel discussions and networking opportunities for movie lovers and industry professionals.

As Latinos remain the most underrepresented group in Hollywood, accounting for 4% of lead or co-lead roles in American films, the festival aims to amplify Latin American and Hispanic voices and cultures on the big screen.

Torres said she watched more than 157 film submissions over a month and selected her top 24, which she hopes will bring a piece of home to the playhouse for all guests.

“One of the Puerto Rican movies that we're going to be showing, it was filmed in San Juan in the capital, Puerto Rico,” she said. “I can see the streets, and I say ‘Oh my God, I know this place.’”

The film, Onomatopeya, was directed by 31-year-old Benjamin Cardona, back in 2016.

After living in Puerto Rico for more than 30 years, Cardona said he experienced two life-altering events.

“I was going to this little short film festival, and on my way to the train station, I was mugged," he said. "This person, well, I don't want to exaggerate, but they almost killed me because they were choking me… And eventually, I convinced this mugger to let me go or to leave me, and shortly after that, I had a dream, where I lost a special someone."

He said these instances provided a foundation for the film’s storyline.

“I tied those two events together and created this story about a young man who tries to reenter society, after after having gone through a personal loss, and finds work at a local supermarket,” Cardona said.

Cardona said his identity plays a significant role in his career, but he feels it is often misunderstood.

“When we talk about Latinhood, we reduce it to an ethnicity because we can’t pinpoint a race… and even when you're filling out a questionnaire, when you see mixed race, they're not including us there because they are only talking about Black or white … and then we are reduced to myth,” he said.

Through his work, Cardona said he’s aiming to uplift underrepresented voices for people watching watching the screen and directing behind the scenes.

“It's important that these stories get as far as they can and that people see that there are other people who live—although it might seem different—very similar lives,” Cardona said.

As they’re welcoming hundreds of cinema enthusiasts this weekend, Torres said its only the beginning of what’s to come.

“We want to keep this continually doing it every year. That's our goal,” Torres said. “It's not just about one time.”