This weekend is all about the inaugural Calgary Latin Wave festival of Latin American cinema. Running from June 11 to 13 at the Uptown, the fest features eight films from Brazil, Argentina, Mexico, Cuba, Chile and Columbia, and the lineup looks pretty damn impressive.

First up on Friday, June 11 is The Maid, a dramatic comedy from Chile that has been winning awards around the world, including a special jury prize at Sundance. It’s followed by Empty Nest, a semi-surreal comedy from Argentinean director Daniel Burman that plays with memories for a unique look at long-term relationships.

The fest continues on Saturday with a repeat screening of Nest, followed by Columbian travelogue The Wind Journeys and Cuban comedy Horn of Plenty. The evening comes to a climax with The Secret in Their Eyes, a crime drama from Academy Award-nominated director (and occasional House and 30 Rock contributor) Juan Jose Campanella, followed by a gala party at The Marquee Room, with music from Los Morenos. Or, if you don’t feel like partying, there’s always Columbian drama Crab Trap.

Sunday is your chance to catch up, with repeat screenings of Crab Trap, The Maid and Horn of Plenty, along with the premiers of Brazilian character study Hotel Atlantico and Mexican documentary Shakespeare and Victor Hugo’s Intimacies, which actually has nothing to do with the two titular authors.

Outside of the fest, there’s always Rush: Beyond the Lighted Stage, which screens one night only at the Uptown on Thursday, June 10. I’ve personally always found Geddy Lee’s voice a little like fingernails on chalkboards, but there’s no denying that Rush is one of the most important Canadian acts ever. And if you do deny it, well, Beyond the Lighted Stage, with its archival footage and interviews with the likes of Billy Corgan, Trent Reznor, Jack Black and Kirk Hammett, should set you straight.