Free cultural enhancement has found its way to the University community via Hispanic Heritage Month, a month-long celebratory event that began Sept. 15 and will run through Oct. 15.

It originally began in 1988 when former President Ronald Reagan was in office. Hispanic Heritage Month begins on Sept. 15 because five Latin American countries celebrate their independence on that day: Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua.

Each year, UGA’s Latin American and Caribbean Studies Institute plan events such as art exhibitions, films and lectures for the national holiday. This year is no different.

The main focus of this celebration is to honor the heritage and culture of the Latino community. For the remainder of the month, Latin America’s film artistry will be shown at both the Miller Learning Center and the Tate Theater.

The entrepreneurial effort of Dr. Jose Alvarez 10 years ago has become a worthy event. Around 200 people attended the first Latin American film screening. It was Dr. Alvarez’s vision that allowed for the Latin American Cinema Film Series to become a reality. “I am just bringing to life what he had started,” said Diego del Pozo, a lecturer in the Department of Romance Languages.

The current series will involve screenings of films from Uruguay, Peru, Brazil, Mexico and Argentina. In recent years, the event highlighted prominent older films from the Latin American region.

“This year we will be showing newer, more recent films,” del Pozo said. This year’s films were all made between 2001 and 2008. Each screening begins with a short synopsis and ends with a discussion. Graduate students provide both. Masters and Ph.D. students Fernanda Guida, Carl Wise, Sarah Quesade and Mitch McCoy will highlight the film and provide insight.

The other Latin American Film Series is sponsored by the Georgia Museum of Art. “Films are in themselves works of art, and filmmaking is its own art form, which is how it makes sense for the museum to be involved,” said Jenny Williams, media relations coordinator for the Georgia Museum of Art. The film series will begin with the movie “Balseros,” which is set in Cuba and tells of the journeys of seven individuals who leave Cuba to start new lives in America.

“There [is] a large and diverse number of events this year. We have a good number of activities, including lectures, films and entertainment, that highlight the color and diversity of Hispanic culture,” said Paul Duncan, assistant director for the Latin American and Caribbean Studies Institute.

Because of the steady growth of the Latino community on campus, Hispanic Heritage Month continues to be a success despite the current economic situation.

“We plan this film series each year to fall in this month for the purpose of broadening the public’s knowledge about Hispanic culture. This year, the films cover a wide breadth of Latin cultures, allowing the public to see the diversity within it,” Williams said.