There's more than one way to be Latino" is the phrase coined by Ilan Oliel, head of Riivi, a free streaming platform dedicated 100 percent to Latin American films and series that arrived in Mexico on August 1 and boasts more than 600 titles.
Of Chilean origin—it can already be seen in Peru and Colombia—it intends, according to its promoters, to "continue its expansion into the continent with the aim of becoming the main display of Latin American content that hopes to strengthen the space for the exhibition of audiovisual work from the region, which often lacks an area of continuity."
The initiative was launched in 2021 under the Advertisement Video On Demand model, which consists of free access to content with minimal advertising, making it more accessible for users and their encounter with Latin American art.
For the creators of this online platform, "it's possible to create a space to discover our productions in their great diversity, to see content originating in every corner of Latin America that celebrates our roots, and to find perspectives that expose and make visible our complex realities."
That's why Riivi seeks to strengthen ties between the public and the creative community, "to recognize each other in our great diversity, to understand each other better, and to grow in every way."
It's important to remember that, lacking larger budgets for distribution, marketing, and exhibition—which the major studios and global platforms that dominate the market do have—Latin American content faces its biggest problem: even when a film is successful at festivals and with critics, its run in theaters is short and ephemeral.
