Overview
Cinelatino is a 24-hour Spanish-language movie channel launched on October 12, 1993, and based in Mexico City. The channel is jointly owned by MVS Comunicaciones (a Mexican telecommunications and media conglomerate) and Hemisphere Media Group (99.9% owned by private equity firm InterMedia Partners). Cinelatino broadcasts across North America and Latin America, reaching viewers in the US, Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean (excluding Brazil and Cuba) through cable, satellite, and IPTV services. The channel programs Hispanic films from Mexico, Latin America, and Spain, presented in their original format without commercial interruptions during movies.
In the United States, Cinelatino is available on Sling TV, FuboTV, Vidgo, YouTube TV, and Roku (channel 610), alongside traditional cable and satellite providers. In Canada, the channel is represented and distributed by TLN Media Group (Telelatino Network), and is carried by Rogers Cable, Videotron, Cogeco, and Bell Fibe TV. TLN has run free preview periods for Cinelatino, including a fall 2025 promotion from October 1 through January 5 that made the channel available at no cost to participating TV providers.
The channel reports approximately $10.7 million in annual revenue and maintains a small corporate team. Its US offices are located in Neptune, New Jersey; Westlake Village, California; and Coral Gables, Florida. Sister channels under the same ownership umbrella include MVS TV, Exa TV, Multicinema, Multipremier, Claro Sports, WAPA-TV, WAPA America, Pasiones, Television Dominicana, CentroAmerica TV, and Canal 1 (Colombia).
Programming and Acquisition Model
Cinelatino licenses films and series from producers and distributors across Mexico, Argentina, Colombia, Spain, and other Spanish-speaking territories. The programming mix spans commercial Latin American blockbusters, prestige drama, comedy, action, romance, horror, and telenovelas. The channel also produces behind-the-scenes content, interviews with film stars, coverage of Spanish-language film festivals, and news related to the Hispanic film industry.
The channel has a working relationship with the Los Angeles-based production company Plus Entertainment, headed by executive producer Pejman Partiyeli and producers Gonzalo Gonzalez and Rene Michelle Aranda. Plus Entertainment produces an annual slate of features targeting Cinelatino's niche market, with distribution through US home-video and streaming outlets. Titles that have aired on Cinelatino through this partnership include Cherry Red Kiss (Beso de cereza), Sins of a Call Girl (Pecados de una dama del noche), and Smile Now Cry Later (Sonrie hoy llora despues). Plus Entertainment has also been developing Cinelatino's first original television series.
For Latin American filmmakers and producers, a Cinelatino licensing deal works differently from a traditional theatrical or SVOD distribution agreement. The channel pays licensing fees for broadcast rights, typically on a fixed-term basis, and the film reaches a dedicated Spanish-speaking audience that actively seeks Latin American content. This is a more targeted placement than appearing incidentally on a general-purpose streaming platform where the film competes for attention against English-language content.
Broadcast vs Streaming: The Cinelatino Position
Cinelatino operates in a specific niche that sits between traditional broadcast television and modern streaming. The channel transmits at 480i (SDTV) resolution, which is standard definition rather than HD. This technical limitation reflects the channel's cable-first distribution model and its focus on reach rather than image quality. For filmmakers whose primary goal is maximum audience exposure across Spanish-speaking households in North America, this tradeoff may be acceptable. For filmmakers concerned about presentation quality, the channel's SD broadcast is a drawback compared to HD streaming alternatives.
The channel's availability on streaming TV services (Sling TV, FuboTV, YouTube TV, Vidgo) extends its reach beyond cable subscribers to cord-cutters who want Spanish-language programming. However, Cinelatino does not offer an on-demand streaming platform of its own. Films air on a scheduled broadcast basis, which means viewers cannot select specific titles on demand. This scheduled programming model is closer to traditional television than to the algorithm-driven recommendation systems of Netflix or Amazon Prime Video.
The North American Spanish-Language Market
The Hispanic population in the United States was approximately 63.7 million as of 2023, representing about 19% of the total US population. Of this group, roughly 42 million people speak Spanish at home. In Canada, the Hispanic population is smaller but growing, concentrated in Toronto, Montreal, and Vancouver. This demographic represents a commercially significant audience for Spanish-language film content that mainstream North American platforms have not consistently served.
Cinelatino's value proposition for filmmakers is direct access to this audience through a dedicated channel. A film licensed to Cinelatino is programmed alongside other Spanish-language content, marketed to Spanish-speaking viewers, and presented in its original language without dubbing. For commercial Latin American films that may not secure SVOD deals in the US market, Cinelatino provides an alternative distribution pathway that monetizes the diaspora audience directly.
Example Titles They've Released
Cinelatino programs a mix of commercial Latin American blockbusters, Spanish-language prestige drama, and original series. Titles that have aired on the channel include:
- Ya Veremos (2018, Mexico) - family comedy starring Mauricio Ochmann and Fernanda Castillo; US limited theatrical release August 31, 2018 via Pantelion before Cinelatino broadcast
- Mirreyes vs Godinez (2019, Mexico, Chava Cartas) - Mexican workplace comedy from Draco Films; aired on Cinelatino following its Mexican theatrical run
- Que Leon (2018, Dominican Republic, Frank Perozo) - romantic comedy starring reggaeton artist Ozuna and Clarissa Molina; aired on Cinelatino after Caribbean and US theatrical release
- Perfectos Desconocidos (2018, Mexico, Manolo Caro) - Mexican adaptation of the Italian hit Perfetti Sconosciuti; distributed by Pantelion in the US (January 2019, $1.0 million domestic gross) before Cinelatino broadcast
- El Desconocido: La Historia del Cholo Adrian (2017-2019, Mexico) - Cinelatino's first original series, starring Guillermo Ivan; 5 episodes in season 1, expanded to 2 seasons
- Las Karnachas (2017, Mexico) - comedy that aired with dedicated Cinelatino promotional trailers
The channel also programs older Spanish-language catalog titles and telenovelas alongside its film slate. New premieres air monthly, with the channel maintaining the largest inventory of Spanish-language films on the US cable market.
Deal Structure Reputation
Cinelatino operates on a broadcast licensing model rather than a theatrical distribution or MG-based acquisition model. The channel pays fixed-term licensing fees for broadcast rights to specific territories (US, Canada, and/or Latin America). These fees are modest compared to SVOD acquisition deals and are typically structured as flat-fee payments rather than revenue-sharing arrangements.
Licensing terms vary based on the film's commercial profile, cast recognition, genre, and territory scope. Commercial genre films (action, comedy, romance, horror) with recognized Latin American talent command higher licensing fees than arthouse titles. The channel's programming is designed for broad Spanish-speaking audiences, which means licensing decisions prioritize commercial appeal over critical reception.
Rights are typically non-exclusive, meaning filmmakers can pursue separate SVOD, theatrical, or home video deals in parallel. Cinelatino licensing revenue should be treated as supplemental income rather than a primary revenue stream. The channel does not offer MGs, participate in P&A spending, or handle theatrical releases.
Typical Acquisition Profile
Cinelatino acquires content that fits the following profile:
- Genre: Commercial genre films (action, comedy, romance, horror), prestige drama with recognized Latin American talent, and series with diaspora appeal. Arthouse films with limited commercial appeal are less likely to be acquired.
- Budget tier: Mid-budget commercial films from Mexico, Argentina, Colombia, Spain, and the Dominican Republic. The channel does not typically license micro-budget or experimental films.
- Festival premiere status: Festival premieres are not a primary acquisition criterion. Commercial performance in Latin American theatrical markets and cast recognition matter more than festival pedigree.
- Director track record: Directors with proven commercial track records in Spanish-language markets (Manolo Caro, Chava Cartas, Frank Perozo) are prioritized over festival-circuit directors.
- Submission process: Cinelatino acquires content through relationships with international sales agents handling Spanish-language catalogs and directly from Latin American producers and distributors. There is no public submission portal. Filmmakers or their sales representatives should contact the channel's programming department directly at comentarios@cinelatino.com or through the US offices.
Recent Slate / Acquisition Activity
Cinelatino's 2025-2026 programming continues to focus on monthly premieres of Spanish-language commercial films. The channel's fall 2025 free preview period in Canada (October 1 through January 5, 2026, facilitated by TLN Media Group) expanded its reach to additional Canadian households.
The channel's original series El Desconocido completed its second season in 2019, with episodes airing Sundays at 11pm ET. No third season has been announced as of 2026. The channel's partnership with Plus Entertainment continues to produce an annual slate of features targeting the US Hispanic market, with titles distributed through US home-video and streaming outlets before or alongside Cinelatino broadcast.
Specific MG figures do not apply to Cinelatino's licensing model. Licensing fees for individual titles are not publicly reported, but industry standards for Spanish-language cable channels suggest fees in the low five-figure range per title for limited-term broadcast rights.
Watch: Trailers and Interviews
See Also
For how Latin American international sales are structured, see Latido Films in this directory. For the broader streaming landscape for Spanish-language content, see Streaming vs Theatrical Revenue. To compare the financial model of a broadcast licensing deal against a theatrical or SVOD distribution offer, use the Revenue Forecast Calculator. For understanding how distribution fees and licensing terms affect filmmaker receipts, see What Does a Distributor Keep?.
