15 Awesome Movies For Families To Watch During Hispanic Heritage Month

This Argentinian film tells the story of Jake, a shy boy and the best foosball player in town, much to the consternation of local bully Ace. Spurred by this childhood defeat, Ace trains hard and becomes the best football player in the world... and has become rich enough to buy the entire town, which he plans to tear down to build a gigantic football stadium. But just when all seems lost, something magical happens: the figures on Jake’s foosball table come to life! Can they all work together to save the town (and Jake's girlfriend, Laura)?

Stream Underdogs, rated PG, on Amazon Prime.

La Llorona is the mournful spirit of a woman so haunted by the deaths of her children that she now roams around bodies of water, haunting the living, specifically by kidnapping children! When she takes Beto, it’s up to his little sister Kika to rescue him. Fortunately, she has some help... a whimsical hot air balloon full of colorful characters who want to help Beto (and the other missing children) and set La Llorona to rest.

Stream La Leyenda de la Llorona, rated G*, on Roku, Pantaya, and Apple TV.

*While this is rated G, parents should be warned that the story itself is quite spooky and may be too much for young viewers. Common Sense Media suggests it is suitable for children 8 and older.

Miguel wants to be a musician, just like his hero, local legend Ernesto de la Cruz. Unfortunately, music is banned in his family. During an accidental trip to the Land of the Dead on Día de los Muertos, he meets the skeleton spirits of his ancestors, including the stern Imelda, who banned music in the first place when her husband left her to pursue his career. Determined to honor his family and his dream of becoming a musician, Miguel seeks the otherworldly blessing of de la Cruz to return to the Land of the Living before he is trapped among the spirits forever.

Stream Coco, rated PG, on Disney+

When Ferdinand was just a calf living at Casa del Toro, a special farm and training center for bulls to learn to fight against matadors, his father was chosen for battle and died. Devastated, he ran away to a flower farm, where he lived happily with Nina and her father. (No one there minds that he's a pacifist!) By the time he is discovered by the authorities, he has grown from a tiny calf to an enormous bull, prompting the owners of Casa del Toro to train him for the bullrings in Madrid. But the only thing bigger than Ferdinand is his spirit, and he is determined to end the violence.

Stream Ferdinand, rated PG, on Disney+

Vivo is kinkajou who spends his days playing music to the crowds of tourists and locals in the town square in with his beloved owner Andrés. They don't speak the same language, but they get each other, and seem to be able to communicate perfectly through music. But tragedy strikes just after Andrés receives a letter from famous singer Marta Sandoval, inviting her old partner to her farewell concert. Vivo is determined to deliver a message that Andrés never could: a love song to Marta, written long ago. But how will he get there? Marta lives half-way around the world. Enter Gabi, an energetic, offbeat tween, who is willing to help the adorable kinkajou fulfill Andrés’ wish.

Stream Vivo, rated PG on Netflix.

This animated feature from Mexican animation studio Anima Estudios is the story of the picturesque village of San Jaime de las Jaibas, whose sacred mountain has recently been revealed to be chock full of gold. It’s not long, of course, before a large corporation comes in to extract it... at devastating environmental and spiritual cost. Copi and her friend Gus are determined to save the mountain. Fortunately, Xoloitzcuintle dogs like Copi’s beloved pet, Xico, have a special place in the spiritual beliefs of Mexico, and might be just what they need to save their land.

Come for a celebration of Hispanic heritage; stay for the anti-corporate environmentalist message!

Stream Xico’s Journey, rated TV-Y7, on Netflix.

Princess Maya is brave, rebellious warrior, getting ready to celebrate her 15th birthday and coronation. But plans go awry when the dark and powerful gods of the Underworld inform Maya that her life belongs to Lord Mictlan, the God of War, and will be sacrificed as payment for her family’s past misdeeds. Refusal will mean the whole world will suffer the wrath of the gods... that is unless Maya can fulfill an ancient prophecy that foretells of great warriors — Picchu the Puma Barbarian, Rico the Rooster Wizard, and Chimi the Skull Warrior — who will join her to defeat the gods and restore balance to the world. This supernatural adventure story takes place in a fantasy world inspired by a whimsical blend of Aztec, Maya, and Inca mythology and contemporary Caribbean culture. While technically a mini-series, creator Jorge R. Gutiérrez has likened it to a Lord of the Rings–style movie.

Stream Maya and the Three, rated TV-Y7, on Netflix.

Told through the frame of students on a secret museum tour, The Book of Life is the story of a Mexican town called San Angel where, on the Day of the Dead, La Muerta, ruler of the Land of the Remembered and Xibalba, ruler of the Land of the Forgotten, make a wager upon seeing three children, Manolo, Joaquín, and María. If María marries Manolo when they grow up, Xibalba will no longer interfere in mortal affairs. But if she marries Joaquín, La Muerte and Xibalba will swap realms. Of course, when dealing with the duplicitous Xibalba, you know he’s going to try to tip the scales...

Stream The Book of Life, rated PG, on Disney+.

In the mountainous jungle of Colombia, the Madrigal family established a thriving, beautiful community called “the Encanto” in the wake of tremendous personal loss – the death of their patriarch, Pedro. Blessed with a magical house and incredible powers, they dedicate themselves to the Encanto and its people, including Mirabel, the one grandchild in the family not to receive a supernatural gift for reasons no one quite understands. But when the family’s miracle appears to fade, she just might be the only one with the power to save her family and their beloved town.

Stream Encanto, rated PG, on Disney+.

Based on actual events, McFarland, USA tells the story of Jim White, a failed football coach who decides to start a cross country team in the predominantly Latino town of McFarland after recognizing the incredible speed of some of his players. Despite economic disadvantage and the fact that many of the runners also work farm jobs with their families before and after school, the team upsets the odds and heads to state championships by rallying as a community.

A first glance, this may look like just another “White Savoir” movie (no pun on the coach’s name intended: it was ironically the guy’s actual name) a la Dangerous Minds or The Blind Side. But critics have praised the film as pushing back on those familiar tropes even as the trappings of them remain fairly identical, noting that it successfully tells a story about cross-cultural exchange and community building.

Stream McFarland, USA, rated PG, on Disney+.

Based on the true story of Bolivian-born math teacher Jaime Escalante and his students, Stand and Deliver takes place at a Los Angeles high school in the early 1980s. The students there are mainly from poor and working class Latino families, and are performing far below grade-level. Escalante is determined to change the culture of the school – which sets low expectations for the kids – and get the students to reach their full potential. Seeing untapped brilliance in his students, he sets a goal for them: take AP Calculus by senior year and pass the exam.

Stream Stand and Deliver, rated PG, on Amazon Prime and Apple TV.

Dora Márquez is the daughter of jungle explorers Cole and Elena, and lives a life of adventure in the Peruvian jungle as her parents search for Parapata, the lost Incan city of gold. When her parents determine the location, they send their somewhat eccentric daughter to stay with her cousin Diego in Los Angeles. When her parents are reported missing however, she must use all her intelligence and moxy to rescue them.

Based on the preschool show Dora the Explorer, the movie’s Dora is similarly without a specific ethnic identity, but teaches audiences broadly about Hispanic and Latin American language and culture. Moreover, it is one of the few movies with an almost entirely Hispanic cast.

Stream Dora and the Lost City of Gold, rated PG, Paramount+.

This iconic biopic follows the rise and untimely death of Selena Quintanilla, a Mexican-American singer who became a legend. When Selena’s father Abraham discovers her natural talent for singing and performing – a dream of his that had been dashed years earlier – he forms a band with her as the lead singer. Over time, the charismatic Texan wins over audiences in Mexico (despite not speaking particularly good Spanish) and even wins a Grammy, prompting her to record a cross-over album to gain popularity with a broader American audience. But tragedy strikes in the form of the nefarious president of her fan club.

Stream Selena, rated PG, on HBO Max.

Take the A-train to 181st Street and you’ll find yourself in the Manhattan neighborhood of Washington Heights. In the shadow of the George Washington Bridge, this lively, tight-knit, largely Dominican community shares in one another triumphs and sorrows. Much of the action is centered around neighborhood bodega owned by Usnavi (played by Hamilton's Anthony Ramos).

Based on the Tony-winning musical of the same name that helped launch Lin-Manuel Miranda to stardom, the movie celebrates themes of heritage and identity, and you and your kids will be singing and dancing to this amazing music all month long.

Stream In The Heights, rated PG-13, on HBO Max.

As you might guess from the title, Cesar Chavez is a biopic, directed by Diego Luna, about Cesar Chavez, a labor organizer who formed the United Farm Workers union and led multiple worker strikes in California.

While criticized for being overly reverential of the complicated Chavez, it’s nevertheless a great movie to watch in order to start conversations about this important chapter in American history – from the role Hispanic American farm workers played in the Labor movement to the discrimination and unfair treatment that prompted them to band together in the first place.

Stream Cesar Chavez, rated PG-13, on YouTube and Apple TV.