Since 1993, Crossing Borders/Cruzando Fronteras has presented a Latin American panorama of the most challenging and unique films and videos. Over our short history the festival has shown hundreds of independent films and videos in all genres, and in 2002 expanded to include performances and new media installations, symposia, panel discussions, guest artist talks and related events all reflecting on the state of contemporary image-making in Latin America. aluCine is our latest initiative (after a two year break) and it includes special programs such as: Latina women new works, Colombian independents, Brazilian experimental, comprehensive screenings of the best latino-a works made in Canada and the USA, and much more.In November 1993, a group of Latin American film and video makers held the National First National Conference in Canada, with the participation of 39 active artists. As part of this conference, we curated over 30 independently produced films and videos demonstrating the talent and creativity of Latin American film and video makers.

The conference provided the opportunity to develop a national network of participants who wanted to maintain communication and learn about each other's works. During the Conference, it was a revelation to uncover the diversity of work produced from the perspective of race, sexual orientation, gender, politics (cultural backgrounds from 14 Latin American countries), all producing work within the framework of Canadian Culture.aluCine - Toronto Latin Media Festival a festival of short films and videos has been taking place in Toronto since 1995, and is a fundamental tool for the cultural development of film and video artists, helping to establish contact with Latin American film and video makers living in Latin America and outside Canada. In addition to screening films and videos, the festival hosts discussions and lectures designed to establish links among participants, to draw from their individual work experiences, as well as further.As a Latin Media Festival in Canada, aluCine creates a North-South aesthetic convergence with the screening of Latin and non-Latin films and videos and by widening the definition of the international context, aluCine is about keeping short film culture alive: fiction,documentary, animation, experimental, art. With this in mind aluCine goes beyond the festival itself by organizing presentations of Canadian works south of the border in order to keep this exchange in equilibrium.

En noviembre de 1993, CS/SC organizó la primera Conferencia Nacional de Realizadores de cine y video latinoamericanos residentes en Canadá, con una participación de 39 realizadores. Dentro de la conferencia, se llevaron a cabo proyecciones de mas de 30 trabajos en cine y video producidos Independientemente. La conferencia nos dio la oportunidad de desarrollar una red nacional de participantes que quisieran mantenerse en comunicación y conocer acerca de los proyectos de cada cual. La conferencia nos ayudó a descubrir la diversidad y variedad de trabajos producidos desde la perspectiva de raza, orientación sexual, tendencias políticas, así como las características culturales de los 14 países que participaron en la conferencia.Con una profunda trascendencia cultural, esta muestra de gran alcance estético y de altos valores técnicos sobresalió por la diversidad en los trabajos. La importancia de crear el contacto con realizadores de cine y video latinoamericanos que viven en Latinoamérica y fuera de Canadá, como herramienta de nuestro desarrollo cultural, nos motivó para organizar un evento internacional: CRUZANDO FRONTERAS / CROSSING BORDERS. que mas tarde se convirtió en aluCine Toronto Latin Media Festival: un festival de cortometrajes en cine y video que celebra el talento Latinoamericano.aluCine - Toronto Latin Media Festival es un Festival que se presenta en Toronto desde el año 1995, siendo una herramienta para el desarrollo cultural de artistas de film y video, ayudando a fortalecer el contacto entre los artistas Latinos-as viviendo en y fuera de Latinoamérica.