UNA Awarded AHA Grant for March Festival Featuring French, German, Spanish Films

The University of North Alabama’s Department of Foreign Languages has received a competitive mini grant from the Alabama Humanities Alliance to help fund an International Film Festival scheduled for March, the university announced in a Feb. 4, 2026 press release. The festival will feature films in French, German and Spanish and admission will be free and open to the public.

Hville Blast reported that the grant is for $2,200, according to Dr. Alejandra Alvarado-Brizuela, Associate Professor of Spanish in UNA’s Department of Foreign Languages. The UNA press release identifies the award as a competitive mini grant from the Alabama Humanities Alliance but does not list a dollar amount in the provided excerpt; Hville Blast’s Michael Seale noted the $2,200 figure and identified the event as UNA’s first International Film Festival in March.

Dr. Alejandra Alvarado-Brizuela provided the university’s statement on the programming and its purpose: “We are very grateful to the Alabama Humanities Alliance for their support of this project. This International Film Festival is a valuable opportunity for our foreign language students to explore the culture of the languages they study, but also for the UNA and the Shoals communities to participate in this cultural event and see the value in learning a second or third language and become global citizens.”

Rocketcitynow/FOX54 coverage of the UNA announcement emphasized AHA’s broader support of cultural projects across Alabama, noting that AHA has provided nearly $13 million in funding over the past 50 years to support local arts, education, and cultural projects. AHA Executive Director Chuck Holmes said, “We’re honored to support nonprofits that use the humanities to make Alabama a better place to live.” Rocketcitynow also reported that “The grant will help cover costs so students and the community can experience international cinema and cultural programming.”

Hville Blast gives specific event logistics: screenings will take place at Wesleyan Hall auditorium and all movies start at 6PM. UNA’s press materials and Rocketcitynow/FOX54 confirm the screenings are free and open to the public and stress the festival’s goal to give UNA students and Shoals residents a chance to connect with global cultures and celebrate language learning.

As contextual background on UNA’s film programming, a FilmFreeway profile for the George Lindsey UNA Film Festival notes that GLUNAFF was founded in 1998 by entertainer George Lindsey and is described as Alabama’s longest-running film festival, “29 Years Running.” FilmFreeway’s profile lists past guests including Billy Bob Thornton and Ernest Borgnine, and describes GLUNAFF awards such as the Golden Lion, Best of Fest, and the Sweet Home Alabama Award - a $2,000 cash prize sponsored by the Clyde “Sappo” Black Family - along with a range of jury and specialty awards. The FilmFreeway material is presented as background on UNA’s festival history and is not conflated with the March International Film Festival announced by the Department of Foreign Languages.

For more information or media inquiries, UNA’s press contact is Michelle R. Eubanks, reachable at meubanks@una.edu or 256.765.4392. Hville Blast coverage of the announcement is credited to Michael Seale, and Rocketcitynow’s item carries a “Credit: UNA” header with a Florence, Ala. dateline.