Film lovers can savor the work of several Latino filmmakers at the 49th San Francisco International Film Festival, through May 4   at venues in Palo Alto, Berkeley and San Francisco.

From Mexican director Ricardo Benet’s “News from Afar” (“Noticias Lejanas”) to Chilean director Alicia Scherson’s “Play,” the unique flavor of films from Argentina, Spain, Chile, Cuba, Mexico and Brazil lends spice to the festival’s menu of 227 movies from 41 nations.

“It’s extremely gratifying to see films from other countries,” says Graham Leggat, executive director of the event, which counts the Consulate General of Mexico in San Francisco and the Embassy of Chile in Washington, D.C., among its consulate sponsors. “Brilliant work is being made all over the world that you don’t usually see here, so it’s essential to have an international film festival that brings the world to the Bay Area.”

Presented by the San Francisco Film Society, the annual attraction features two weeks of social events, panels and screenings. “We want people to have a rich experience,” says Leggat, who encourages visitors to “make a day or evening of it. Stay around for discussions. Enjoy the city.”  At the Ramblas Tapas Bar in the Mission District, for example, festival-goers can redeem ticket stubs for complimentary sangria or cerveza.

New this year are innovative programs at San Francisco satellite venues, such the colorful neighborhood bar El Rio on Mission Street and the alternative arts space Intersection for the Arts on Valencia Street. With South Bay film lovers in mind, Leggat says, “on Sunday, April 30th, through Wednesday, May 3rd, we start four days of events at Palo Alto’s Aquarius Theater; you can attend the festival and still be home in time for the 10 o’clock news.”

“We’ve lowered prices and added things to do at no cost,’’ he says. “Ours is a diverse audience, including families with children and people in their 80s.”

The Spotlight: Family Films program includes director Juan Carlos Cremata Malberti’s “Viva Cuba.” Certain to enchant children and adults, this adventurous road movie follows friends Malu and Jorgito, whose search for Malu’s father introduces them to guardian angels along the way.

“As a teenager, I loved movies – but I needed them, too,” Leggat says.

“Movies help you find out about the world and your place in it and offer guidance about right and wrong. Films are lessons about life, especially when you are creating a sense of yourself. Film can be nourishment and a lifeline.”

Among the festival’s aficionados are immigrants eager to see movies from their native land. “Seeing films from your original country means a lot,” says Leggat. “I grew up in England and Scotland. I know what it’s like to come from another culture. I have compassion for the immigrant experience.

“For those whose parents or grandparents were at one time new to this country,” he says, “it’s valuable to learn about” one’s ancestral culture or to catch up on current events, such as in director Fernando Solanas’s 2005 documentary, “The Dignity of the Nobodies” (“La Dignidad de Los Nadies”), which explores conditions in Argentina.

In addition to recent films – such as the love story “Solo Dios Sabe” (2005) by Mexican director Carlos Bolado and “In Bed” (“En La Cama” 2005), a sexy romp by Chilean director Matias Bize – classic works by revered filmmakers are also on the roster.

“A Flash of Green,” for example, is a 1984 drama with Ed Harris by Florida native Victor Nunez, the acclaimed filmmaker of “Ruby in Paradise” and “Ulee’s Gold.” The screening is part of An Evening with Ed Harris on Friday, April 28, paying tribute to the actor.

And the erotic “Belle de Jour” (1967), by legendary Spanish director Luis Bunuel, will be shown Saturday, April 29, and Sunday, April 30, to honor French screenwriter Jean-Claude Carriere.

“What’s good about good films remains,” says Leggat. “Like beautiful imagery, compelling narrative, the way music and sound are used, emotions on the screen larger than life - yet speak to your own emotions. This is why people remember those glorious moments in the cinema.”

For information on the San Francisco International Film Festival, log onto www.sffs.org/festival or call the box office at (925) 866-9559.