Five films, each in the final stages of post-production, have been selected to participate in Guadalajara Goes to Cannes, the works in progress partnership between the Cannes Film Market and Guadalajara International Film Festival (Ficg)
In Cannes the producers and filmmakers of the selected works will have the opportunity to pitch and show excerpts with the aim of securing sales, distribution and future festival pickups.
The selected films participated in March’s Guadalajara Construye, the industry section of the Mexican festival, where a number of them earned prizes which provided the means necessary to get the films to their current state.
Juan Caceres’ debut feature “Perro Bomba” was the big winner at Construye, where it took home four awards and had the industry professionals in attendance buzzing.
The film is the first to focus its narrative on Chile’s Haitian immigrant population, a group which has seen exponential growth in the last decade,...
In Cannes the producers and filmmakers of the selected works will have the opportunity to pitch and show excerpts with the aim of securing sales, distribution and future festival pickups.
The selected films participated in March’s Guadalajara Construye, the industry section of the Mexican festival, where a number of them earned prizes which provided the means necessary to get the films to their current state.
Juan Caceres’ debut feature “Perro Bomba” was the big winner at Construye, where it took home four awards and had the industry professionals in attendance buzzing.
The film is the first to focus its narrative on Chile’s Haitian immigrant population, a group which has seen exponential growth in the last decade,...
- 5/14/2018
- by Jamie Lang
- Variety Film + TV
Juan Caceres
“Perro Bomba”
With his debut feature, “Perro Bomba,” director Juan Caceres has made a big impression in Latin America, having competed and won development awards in Bolivia and Guadalajara, as well as his native Chile. His projects are intentionally low-budget, and made with little concern for potential commercial or festival success. Caceres says: “Filmmakers must abandon the bourgeois pretention of being unique artists with special talent. We must reach popular classes of our society, our great audiences.”
Diego Cespedes
“The Summer of the Electric Lion”
An egalitarian filmmaker, Cespedes in interviews almost always answers with “we” rather than “I.” The credit for his recent short “The Summer of the Electric Lion,” set to participate in Cannes’ Cinefondation, must be shared with everyone involved, he notes. The next step for Cespedes and his team is a feature debut that will focus on three homosexual brothers during the time when...
“Perro Bomba”
With his debut feature, “Perro Bomba,” director Juan Caceres has made a big impression in Latin America, having competed and won development awards in Bolivia and Guadalajara, as well as his native Chile. His projects are intentionally low-budget, and made with little concern for potential commercial or festival success. Caceres says: “Filmmakers must abandon the bourgeois pretention of being unique artists with special talent. We must reach popular classes of our society, our great audiences.”
Diego Cespedes
“The Summer of the Electric Lion”
An egalitarian filmmaker, Cespedes in interviews almost always answers with “we” rather than “I.” The credit for his recent short “The Summer of the Electric Lion,” set to participate in Cannes’ Cinefondation, must be shared with everyone involved, he notes. The next step for Cespedes and his team is a feature debut that will focus on three homosexual brothers during the time when...
- 5/12/2018
- by Jamie Lang and John Hopewell
- Variety Film + TV
Del Toro returned after winning best director, picture at the Oscars.
The 33rd Guadalajara film festival (March 9-16) paid tribute to Guillermo del Toro, back in Mexico after winning the best director and best film Oscars for The Shape Of Water.
The filmmaker, met with standing ovations during the festival, took part in three master classes attended by around 12,000 people and launched three scholarships. During the event he revealed plans to shoot a film in Mexico.
Del Toro also opened a new cinema named after him, one of nine new state of the art venues with a 3500-seat capacity in...
The 33rd Guadalajara film festival (March 9-16) paid tribute to Guillermo del Toro, back in Mexico after winning the best director and best film Oscars for The Shape Of Water.
The filmmaker, met with standing ovations during the festival, took part in three master classes attended by around 12,000 people and launched three scholarships. During the event he revealed plans to shoot a film in Mexico.
Del Toro also opened a new cinema named after him, one of nine new state of the art venues with a 3500-seat capacity in...
- 3/19/2018
- by Alexis Grivas
- ScreenDaily
Latin American filmmakers have done well in the Oscar race over the last three years: Awards have gone to two Mexican directors, while films from Colombia and Chile have landed nominations. Meanwhile, revered auteurs from these region have maintained their positions on the world stage, and American-based Latino filmmakers and actors have become outspoken advocates for the need of inclusion and opportunity. But many others receive far less attention even as they toil away on the sidelines to make sure these artists receive the attention they deserve.
The unsung heroes of Latin American cinema’s success work in film journalism, distribution companies, film-oriented nonprofits, festivals, and even major studios. Behind the scenes, Latinos are paving the way for filmmakers and others who are fighting to be heard, seen, and understood. This crowd of influencers includes U.S Latinos, Latin Americans and Hispanics, all of whom are represented in the following overview.
The unsung heroes of Latin American cinema’s success work in film journalism, distribution companies, film-oriented nonprofits, festivals, and even major studios. Behind the scenes, Latinos are paving the way for filmmakers and others who are fighting to be heard, seen, and understood. This crowd of influencers includes U.S Latinos, Latin Americans and Hispanics, all of whom are represented in the following overview.
- 12/26/2016
- by Carlos Aguilar
- Indiewire
I screened "Hostile Border" (Fka "Pocha, Manifest Destiny") at Urbanworld Film Festival (www.urbanworld.org) last September after hunting it down for what felt like an eternity having followed the project since its audition process. Not only did Veronica charm fellow filmmakers and audiences alike, she gave an understated and captivating performance that carried the film effortlessly. One that should take the young Cali Latina to dizzying heights.
Read More:How Dir. Michael Dwyer Devised a Neo-Western About a Conflicted Pocha in 'Hostile Border'
LatinoBuzz: Is there an artist whose career you greatly admire?
Veronica Sixtos: I greatly admire Jennifer Lawrence's career. She was put on the map by her performance in an indie film called Winter's Bone. Knowing that gives me faith that I can lead a similar path. I can tell that she puts everything she has into giving the audience the most honest performance that she can. I adore her for her bravery in letting go. She chooses her roles wisely and she's not afraid push the limits. I love that. I also love how she presents herself in public. Whether it's a TV interview, red carpet, or a tweet, she is not afraid to be herself and I think that makes her so unique.
LatinoBuzz: Does your music help you with your acting and vice versa?
Veronica Sixtos: I was an actress first before I was a musician and songwriter. So what I had learned about letting go and trusting my human instincts in the art of acting I applied to my music. When I write and perform my music I do my absolute best to always come from an honest and sincere place. I imagine it would be more difficult to get to that place if I was not also an actor. During the filming of Hostile Border I would play my guitar and sing my songs during down time. It helped me unwind after an intense day of work. It also helped me to tap into the more emotional side of my character.
LatinoBuzz: Did making Hostile Border help you gain a better understanding of the complexities of the immigration issues?
Veronica Sixtos:: Before making "Hostile Border" I had a limited understanding on the immigration issues today. Being a part of this project has allowed me to gain a lot of insight and perspective on immigration/deportation on a more personal level. One thing that has really stood out to me is the extent of how many people's lives are affected by it and how they are all affected in different ways.
LatinoBuzz: What was the most important element you wanted to bring to the role of "Pocha"?
Veronica Sixtos: Humanity. I wanted to bring to my character such a level of humanity that the audience would identify with her whether she was making bad decisions or not. I didn't want it to be a performance. I wanted to share with the audience a real human experience.
LatinoBuzz: How did the whole experience of making the film change you in any way?
Veronica Sixtos: Around the time that I was offered the role of Claudia I was feeling like I was at a stand still in my career and in my life in general. I was tired of living the same routine everyday and auditioning for similar stereotype roles all the time. Without realizing it I was waiting for an opportunity to express my art in such a way that it would make a real impact on people. I wanted to jump into something that had never been done before where I could have the freedom to truly push the boundaries of what is considered correct or acceptable. Playing this role forced me to completely let go of ego. I had to let go of the preconceived ideas of what women in movies are supposed to be like. This was one of the biggest challenges I faced in the making of this film. What I continued to remind myself was that it was not about me... it was about the art, the message, and the experience of the audience. Embodying such a complicated character required for me to delve into the darkest parts of myself in order to portray Claudia in the most authentic way possible. Doing that wasn't easy and I found myself learning a lot about self acceptance and transformation. To this day I am still learning and changing from this experience.
LatinoBuzz: The film first premiered on the east coast at Urbanworld Film Festival and took the jury prize for Best Narrative Feature Film. How was that experience to come to New York for the first time and accept the award?
Veronica Sixtos: I love New York. Walking the beautiful city streets in designer pumps and dress was like a dream!! What an incredible time I had watching beautiful films and meeting incredibly talented and passionate people at the festival. Seeing Tyrese Gibson watching my movie was an insane surprise. He even stayed for the Q & A and asked me a question! I felt so honored just for him to have seen it let alone hear his thoughts on it. During the awards ceremony I remember looking around and feeling overwhelmed that I was lucky enough to even be there to witness these film makers accept their awards. Which is why I was completely caught off guard when they announced that my film had won the Grand Jury Award for Best Narrative feature film and I was the only one there to accept it! In front of all those people. I was so over joyed that I couldn't stop giggling like a little girl. I'll never forget that experience.
LatinoBuzz:Is there a filmmaker you really want to work with? Put it out there!
Veronica Sixtos: Alejandro G. Inarritu. After watching "The Revenant" I fell in love with this directors work. I started doing research on him and found that we have some things in common! He was born and raised in Mexico (I wasn't but I'm Mexican and I love Mexico!). At a young age he went traveling around the world which he says has heavily influenced him as a filmmaker (I love to travel too!). He is a musical artist and says that music has a bigger influence on him as an artist than film (I can totally relate!). He has a long list of critically acclaimed films and one day I hope to be in one of them. I think we would work really well together. Can someone send him a "Hostile Border" screener???
LatinoBuzz: What's the ultimate game plan for Veronica?
Veronica Sixtos: I love film. I want to keep working on movies and I have high hopes that Hostile Border will bring forth more opportunities for me. Currently I am working on completing my first Ep called Chapters. Eventually it will be available on Itunes and hopefully Spotify etc. I love writing music and sharing it with those who need it. Travel is another one of my passions... I don't quite have a game plan yet on how to accomplish this... but I would like to somehow incorporate travel with music and acting. All in one. That would be my ultimate dream.
Give Veronica cyber hugs at: https://www.facebook.com/VeronicaSixtosfanpage and check out all things "Hostile Border" here: http://www.hostileborder.com/
Written by Juan Caceres. LatinoBuzz is a feature on SydneysBuzz that highlights Latino indie talent and upcoming trends in Latino film with the specific objective of presenting a broad range of Latino voices. Follow [At]LatinoBuzz on Twitter ...
Read More:How Dir. Michael Dwyer Devised a Neo-Western About a Conflicted Pocha in 'Hostile Border'
LatinoBuzz: Is there an artist whose career you greatly admire?
Veronica Sixtos: I greatly admire Jennifer Lawrence's career. She was put on the map by her performance in an indie film called Winter's Bone. Knowing that gives me faith that I can lead a similar path. I can tell that she puts everything she has into giving the audience the most honest performance that she can. I adore her for her bravery in letting go. She chooses her roles wisely and she's not afraid push the limits. I love that. I also love how she presents herself in public. Whether it's a TV interview, red carpet, or a tweet, she is not afraid to be herself and I think that makes her so unique.
LatinoBuzz: Does your music help you with your acting and vice versa?
Veronica Sixtos: I was an actress first before I was a musician and songwriter. So what I had learned about letting go and trusting my human instincts in the art of acting I applied to my music. When I write and perform my music I do my absolute best to always come from an honest and sincere place. I imagine it would be more difficult to get to that place if I was not also an actor. During the filming of Hostile Border I would play my guitar and sing my songs during down time. It helped me unwind after an intense day of work. It also helped me to tap into the more emotional side of my character.
LatinoBuzz: Did making Hostile Border help you gain a better understanding of the complexities of the immigration issues?
Veronica Sixtos:: Before making "Hostile Border" I had a limited understanding on the immigration issues today. Being a part of this project has allowed me to gain a lot of insight and perspective on immigration/deportation on a more personal level. One thing that has really stood out to me is the extent of how many people's lives are affected by it and how they are all affected in different ways.
LatinoBuzz: What was the most important element you wanted to bring to the role of "Pocha"?
Veronica Sixtos: Humanity. I wanted to bring to my character such a level of humanity that the audience would identify with her whether she was making bad decisions or not. I didn't want it to be a performance. I wanted to share with the audience a real human experience.
LatinoBuzz: How did the whole experience of making the film change you in any way?
Veronica Sixtos: Around the time that I was offered the role of Claudia I was feeling like I was at a stand still in my career and in my life in general. I was tired of living the same routine everyday and auditioning for similar stereotype roles all the time. Without realizing it I was waiting for an opportunity to express my art in such a way that it would make a real impact on people. I wanted to jump into something that had never been done before where I could have the freedom to truly push the boundaries of what is considered correct or acceptable. Playing this role forced me to completely let go of ego. I had to let go of the preconceived ideas of what women in movies are supposed to be like. This was one of the biggest challenges I faced in the making of this film. What I continued to remind myself was that it was not about me... it was about the art, the message, and the experience of the audience. Embodying such a complicated character required for me to delve into the darkest parts of myself in order to portray Claudia in the most authentic way possible. Doing that wasn't easy and I found myself learning a lot about self acceptance and transformation. To this day I am still learning and changing from this experience.
LatinoBuzz: The film first premiered on the east coast at Urbanworld Film Festival and took the jury prize for Best Narrative Feature Film. How was that experience to come to New York for the first time and accept the award?
Veronica Sixtos: I love New York. Walking the beautiful city streets in designer pumps and dress was like a dream!! What an incredible time I had watching beautiful films and meeting incredibly talented and passionate people at the festival. Seeing Tyrese Gibson watching my movie was an insane surprise. He even stayed for the Q & A and asked me a question! I felt so honored just for him to have seen it let alone hear his thoughts on it. During the awards ceremony I remember looking around and feeling overwhelmed that I was lucky enough to even be there to witness these film makers accept their awards. Which is why I was completely caught off guard when they announced that my film had won the Grand Jury Award for Best Narrative feature film and I was the only one there to accept it! In front of all those people. I was so over joyed that I couldn't stop giggling like a little girl. I'll never forget that experience.
LatinoBuzz:Is there a filmmaker you really want to work with? Put it out there!
Veronica Sixtos: Alejandro G. Inarritu. After watching "The Revenant" I fell in love with this directors work. I started doing research on him and found that we have some things in common! He was born and raised in Mexico (I wasn't but I'm Mexican and I love Mexico!). At a young age he went traveling around the world which he says has heavily influenced him as a filmmaker (I love to travel too!). He is a musical artist and says that music has a bigger influence on him as an artist than film (I can totally relate!). He has a long list of critically acclaimed films and one day I hope to be in one of them. I think we would work really well together. Can someone send him a "Hostile Border" screener???
LatinoBuzz: What's the ultimate game plan for Veronica?
Veronica Sixtos: I love film. I want to keep working on movies and I have high hopes that Hostile Border will bring forth more opportunities for me. Currently I am working on completing my first Ep called Chapters. Eventually it will be available on Itunes and hopefully Spotify etc. I love writing music and sharing it with those who need it. Travel is another one of my passions... I don't quite have a game plan yet on how to accomplish this... but I would like to somehow incorporate travel with music and acting. All in one. That would be my ultimate dream.
Give Veronica cyber hugs at: https://www.facebook.com/VeronicaSixtosfanpage and check out all things "Hostile Border" here: http://www.hostileborder.com/
Written by Juan Caceres. LatinoBuzz is a feature on SydneysBuzz that highlights Latino indie talent and upcoming trends in Latino film with the specific objective of presenting a broad range of Latino voices. Follow [At]LatinoBuzz on Twitter ...
- 4/26/2016
- by Juan Caceres
- Sydney's Buzz
I programmed Ana Maria Hermida's short film "El Elefante Rojo," a coming of age story about a 15 year old girl who lives in a brothel in Bogota, Colombia who falls in love with her first client, about 8 years ago for the New York International Latino Film Festival. It was clear that Hermida had a vision and the camera empowered her. The awards she garnered were no surprise to anyone. I was elated to find out she had made her first feature film, "La Luciérnaga" (The Firefly), which is nominated for Beat Foreign Film, Best Lead Actress and Best Supporting actress at the upcoming Madrid International Film Festival and We spoke to Ana Maria about was behind the making of the film and the inspiration behind her work.
"La Luciérnaga" screens Sunday March 27 at 9:00 Pm as part of the Colombian International Film Festival in the East Village and tickets can be purchased Here
LatinoBuzz: Why Film?
Ana Maria Hermida: I keep asking myself that question. Why film? Why? It's so hard but the answer is always the same. Film making involves every single creative process that I love. Allow me to explain, I discovered in my early twenties I wanted to be a filmmaker by "accident". Since I was a little girl, I knew I wanted to be a story teller but the only "story telling" I knew growing up, apart from watching my mom tell us amazing stories of her childhood, were the dramatic stories I heard in the local news. So when I was around 8 years-old, I decided I wanted to be a journalist. That quickly changed once I started Journalism school around 10 years later. The reality of journalism, that I could only tell the objective facts of a story, was frustrating. I couldn't alter a story or exaggerate the details to make it exciting. I had no creative control and just as importantly, I couldn't reach the hearts and souls of my audience the way I wanted. It was no fun to be a journalist; I realized then and there that I not only wanted to tell stories but I wanted to create stories and wanted to make people feel something. I was always good at Fine Arts, I love drawing, painting, and taking pictures so I decided to change my major from Journalism to Fine Arts.
Once again, I quickly realized this wasn't for me either, because it felt very lonely; I spent days talking to brushes and canvases. I wanted to be part of a team, a living, breathing, talking team. I needed to collaborate, so once again I was lost and decided to move to NYC. Of course my parents weren't too happy about it. Long sidebar: NYC is the perfect city to find yourself, it constantly gives you clues and answers in so many different ways, you just have to be open to them. When I moved to New York in the fall of 2003, I applied to Cooper Union mainly because it was free. I had an Associate Degree in Fine Arts with a minor in Journalism, and even though I wasn't sure I wanted to become a painter, I decided to give it a second chance. During the application process, I had to take a creative test with six random questions. One of those questions was to show a room from one of its corners. I made a drawing and thinking it wasn't enough, I decided to make a short film. I had access to a little handy camera and with the help of a few friends, I made my first (and favorite) short film. It's called "Another Problem" and it tells the story of a girl who lives inside a tiny TV and writes a letter to the owner requesting her to buy a bigger TV. You can watch it here: https://vimeo.com/2963422.
This experience "accidentally" taught me all the steps to make a film. I was able to write a story, film it with friends, edit it with other friends and then show it around. Film making had all the components I love to do so I graduated with honors from the School of Visual Arts in 2009 and my thesis film "El Elefante Rojo" won Outstanding Film of the Year and Best Director. When actor Kevin Kline gave me the Best Director award, he told me to hire him someday. I will; have to keep my word. I hope he keeps his :) "El Elefante Rojo" was inspired by Gabriel Garcia Marquez's book "Memories of My Melancholic Whores" and you can watch it here: https://vimeo.com/21403482
LatinoBuzz: What was it about this story that you had to tell it?
Ana Maria: "La Luciérnaga" is my first feature film and it comes from an event in my life. Even though it's not autobiographical, it has very personal moments. My younger brother passed away in a car accident in December 2007. This has been the hardest thing I've ever had to deal with. It changed my life. It broke me but at the same time, it inspired me. After burying him, I came back to New York to finish school but I barely went to class as it was too hard to even get out of bed. One day, his long time girlfriend called me to tell me she wanted to spend some time with me in my (tiny) apartment in the Upper East side. Knowing she was coming gave me strength. I was able to get out of bed, buy groceries, clean up, and do all the things that seem impossible when you are deeply depressed. She stayed with me for over a month and during that time, I was able to see her discovering my brother through my eyes, and vice-versa. I would see her staring at me and saying thinks like, "you look just like him." This made me feel uncomfortable at first, mainly because it reminded me he was gone, but as time went by, I was able to turn it around and felt inspired to write a love story his death had inspired. "La Luciérnaga" tells the story of two women, who although are not lesbians, fall in love after going through a mourning process together.
LatinoBuzz: Some of the scenes in the film are stunning. What influenced the aesthetics?
Ana Maria: Colombia, my country. We are used to seeing horrible things about it, but Colombia is actually beautiful. I wanted to show that.Villa De Leyva for instance is one of my favorite Colonial towns, three hours away from Bogotá, the city in which I was born and raised. When I wrote the script, I had these locations in mind and working with Alonso Homs (my talented Dp) we were able to define the aesthetics of the film together. As far as filmmakers that inspire me, I love Jean-Luc Godard, Lucrecia Martel, Claudia Llosa, Spike Jonze, Miranda July, to name a few.
LatinoBuzz: You are Colombian but have lived in many cities - which one inspires you the minute you wake up?
Ana Maria: Ha! Good question. Every city I love inspired me in a different way. Bogotá for instance, it's all about family. When I wake up there I can smell my mom's home cooking or hear the little voices of my nephews. It inspires me to love and be loved, to be open emotionally and let my guard down. It reminds me of who I am and that's very helpful when writing. When I'm in NYC, I usually wake up with the city noise: a mix of cars driving by, people talking, sirens, the bus stopping. This "noise" inspires me to work harder and to not give up. It makes me feel invincible and capable of doing anything I put my mind into. When I'm in Los Angeles, the city where I live right now, it's usually the sun-rays that inspire me. It sounds cliché but all that vitamin D really makes me want to move, to go outside, to climb mountains (physically and mentally). It makes me feel positive and motivated. Those are the three cities I spend most of time in. I love waking up in little towns too because everything is new and unexpected. You never know what's going to move you or inspire you.
LatinoBuzz: What was the collaboration process like with your two leads?
Ana Maria: It was amazing and a blessing. They gave their 110%. Carolina Guerra (Lucia) and Olga Segura (Mariana) both loved the project and understood it from the moment they read the script. This made my job easier, and even though we were making a dramatic movie, we had a lot of fun shooting it. It's always nice to work with friends especially when they are so talented. We didn't have a lot of time to rehearse but together we were able to find the voice of each character and I'm very happy with their work - Thank you girls!
LatinoBuzz: Do you think Latin American cinema has become more accepting to financing films with Lgtb themes?
Ana Maria: I'm not sure. I think investors and studios (not only in Latin America but also around the world) are still uptight about investing in films that tell unique stories. In my case, I was very lucky to find investors that loved the story and believed in it. Some are from North America, others from South America. Lgtb themes are still a taboo in many Latin American places and that's another reason why I wanted to make this film. As a Colombian, I wanted to shake things up a bit down there, not in a preachy way but in an understanding way. At the end, we are all people and we were made to love one another regardless of your physical appearance.
LatinoBuzz: Ok, pick a book to turn into a film. who are the leads?
Ana Maria: Good timing! That's exactly what I'm doing right now for my next film. I took Alice in Wonderland and mixed it with the true story of an ex-guerrilla leader who was taken away from home by the guerrilla when she was just a little girl. The movie is called Alicia, and tells the story of an eleven year-old girl who lives in a very remote area of Colombia. One day she meets El Conejo (The Rabbit), a man with big frontal teeth, who convinces her to go with him. Together, they go through what seems to be a magical journey through the Colombian jungle, but it isn't until the end that Alicia finds out that this beautiful place she imagined is not what she thought it would be. The back drop is guerrilla warfare and the recruitment of child soldiers.
LatinoBuzz: What is the best advice has anyone given you regarding making films?
Ana Maria: I've gotten great advice throughout my (short) career but the one thing that really helped me especially during the post production process of "La Luciernaga" was, "Take your time." There is a Spanish saying: “Del afán no queda sino el cansancio". It roughly translates to "Rushing leaves you tired or you are left with tiredness after rushing" or something like that. Time is one (if not the most) important factor when making films. We all know "time is money" so rushing to get a shot or get everything you need is very important, however, there are moments during this creative process when it is very (very) important to take your time. We are artists and we need that time to make our art the best we can. Only with time can one recognize what's working or what's missing - I'm talking from my personal experience - so if you can take your time, do it. Don't rush the creative process especially when you're editing.
LatinoBuzz: What's next?
Ana Maria: Next is Alicia, my second feature, as well as a TV series that is cooking. I wish I could talk more about it but I can't - Please cross your fingers! That way I can tell you everything about it when it gets into production. Yeah. One last note, I wanted to let you know this movie was made mainly by women. I wrote it, directed and produced it with the help of my friend and fellow producer Luisa Casas. The main leads were women too as well as many crew members. It is important to mention the need of equality in the film industry. I don't blame anyone for it, but I do want to be part of the change and in order to have change, we need to create awareness and talk about it.
Give the film lots of love here:
Facebook
Twitter - @LuciernagaMovie
Written by Juan Caceres . LatinoBuzz is a feature on SydneysBuzz/Indiewire that highlights Latino indie talent and upcoming trends in Latino film with the specific objective of presenting a broad range of Latino voices. Follow [At]LatinoBuzz on Twitter and Facebook...
"La Luciérnaga" screens Sunday March 27 at 9:00 Pm as part of the Colombian International Film Festival in the East Village and tickets can be purchased Here
LatinoBuzz: Why Film?
Ana Maria Hermida: I keep asking myself that question. Why film? Why? It's so hard but the answer is always the same. Film making involves every single creative process that I love. Allow me to explain, I discovered in my early twenties I wanted to be a filmmaker by "accident". Since I was a little girl, I knew I wanted to be a story teller but the only "story telling" I knew growing up, apart from watching my mom tell us amazing stories of her childhood, were the dramatic stories I heard in the local news. So when I was around 8 years-old, I decided I wanted to be a journalist. That quickly changed once I started Journalism school around 10 years later. The reality of journalism, that I could only tell the objective facts of a story, was frustrating. I couldn't alter a story or exaggerate the details to make it exciting. I had no creative control and just as importantly, I couldn't reach the hearts and souls of my audience the way I wanted. It was no fun to be a journalist; I realized then and there that I not only wanted to tell stories but I wanted to create stories and wanted to make people feel something. I was always good at Fine Arts, I love drawing, painting, and taking pictures so I decided to change my major from Journalism to Fine Arts.
Once again, I quickly realized this wasn't for me either, because it felt very lonely; I spent days talking to brushes and canvases. I wanted to be part of a team, a living, breathing, talking team. I needed to collaborate, so once again I was lost and decided to move to NYC. Of course my parents weren't too happy about it. Long sidebar: NYC is the perfect city to find yourself, it constantly gives you clues and answers in so many different ways, you just have to be open to them. When I moved to New York in the fall of 2003, I applied to Cooper Union mainly because it was free. I had an Associate Degree in Fine Arts with a minor in Journalism, and even though I wasn't sure I wanted to become a painter, I decided to give it a second chance. During the application process, I had to take a creative test with six random questions. One of those questions was to show a room from one of its corners. I made a drawing and thinking it wasn't enough, I decided to make a short film. I had access to a little handy camera and with the help of a few friends, I made my first (and favorite) short film. It's called "Another Problem" and it tells the story of a girl who lives inside a tiny TV and writes a letter to the owner requesting her to buy a bigger TV. You can watch it here: https://vimeo.com/2963422.
This experience "accidentally" taught me all the steps to make a film. I was able to write a story, film it with friends, edit it with other friends and then show it around. Film making had all the components I love to do so I graduated with honors from the School of Visual Arts in 2009 and my thesis film "El Elefante Rojo" won Outstanding Film of the Year and Best Director. When actor Kevin Kline gave me the Best Director award, he told me to hire him someday. I will; have to keep my word. I hope he keeps his :) "El Elefante Rojo" was inspired by Gabriel Garcia Marquez's book "Memories of My Melancholic Whores" and you can watch it here: https://vimeo.com/21403482
LatinoBuzz: What was it about this story that you had to tell it?
Ana Maria: "La Luciérnaga" is my first feature film and it comes from an event in my life. Even though it's not autobiographical, it has very personal moments. My younger brother passed away in a car accident in December 2007. This has been the hardest thing I've ever had to deal with. It changed my life. It broke me but at the same time, it inspired me. After burying him, I came back to New York to finish school but I barely went to class as it was too hard to even get out of bed. One day, his long time girlfriend called me to tell me she wanted to spend some time with me in my (tiny) apartment in the Upper East side. Knowing she was coming gave me strength. I was able to get out of bed, buy groceries, clean up, and do all the things that seem impossible when you are deeply depressed. She stayed with me for over a month and during that time, I was able to see her discovering my brother through my eyes, and vice-versa. I would see her staring at me and saying thinks like, "you look just like him." This made me feel uncomfortable at first, mainly because it reminded me he was gone, but as time went by, I was able to turn it around and felt inspired to write a love story his death had inspired. "La Luciérnaga" tells the story of two women, who although are not lesbians, fall in love after going through a mourning process together.
LatinoBuzz: Some of the scenes in the film are stunning. What influenced the aesthetics?
Ana Maria: Colombia, my country. We are used to seeing horrible things about it, but Colombia is actually beautiful. I wanted to show that.Villa De Leyva for instance is one of my favorite Colonial towns, three hours away from Bogotá, the city in which I was born and raised. When I wrote the script, I had these locations in mind and working with Alonso Homs (my talented Dp) we were able to define the aesthetics of the film together. As far as filmmakers that inspire me, I love Jean-Luc Godard, Lucrecia Martel, Claudia Llosa, Spike Jonze, Miranda July, to name a few.
LatinoBuzz: You are Colombian but have lived in many cities - which one inspires you the minute you wake up?
Ana Maria: Ha! Good question. Every city I love inspired me in a different way. Bogotá for instance, it's all about family. When I wake up there I can smell my mom's home cooking or hear the little voices of my nephews. It inspires me to love and be loved, to be open emotionally and let my guard down. It reminds me of who I am and that's very helpful when writing. When I'm in NYC, I usually wake up with the city noise: a mix of cars driving by, people talking, sirens, the bus stopping. This "noise" inspires me to work harder and to not give up. It makes me feel invincible and capable of doing anything I put my mind into. When I'm in Los Angeles, the city where I live right now, it's usually the sun-rays that inspire me. It sounds cliché but all that vitamin D really makes me want to move, to go outside, to climb mountains (physically and mentally). It makes me feel positive and motivated. Those are the three cities I spend most of time in. I love waking up in little towns too because everything is new and unexpected. You never know what's going to move you or inspire you.
LatinoBuzz: What was the collaboration process like with your two leads?
Ana Maria: It was amazing and a blessing. They gave their 110%. Carolina Guerra (Lucia) and Olga Segura (Mariana) both loved the project and understood it from the moment they read the script. This made my job easier, and even though we were making a dramatic movie, we had a lot of fun shooting it. It's always nice to work with friends especially when they are so talented. We didn't have a lot of time to rehearse but together we were able to find the voice of each character and I'm very happy with their work - Thank you girls!
LatinoBuzz: Do you think Latin American cinema has become more accepting to financing films with Lgtb themes?
Ana Maria: I'm not sure. I think investors and studios (not only in Latin America but also around the world) are still uptight about investing in films that tell unique stories. In my case, I was very lucky to find investors that loved the story and believed in it. Some are from North America, others from South America. Lgtb themes are still a taboo in many Latin American places and that's another reason why I wanted to make this film. As a Colombian, I wanted to shake things up a bit down there, not in a preachy way but in an understanding way. At the end, we are all people and we were made to love one another regardless of your physical appearance.
LatinoBuzz: Ok, pick a book to turn into a film. who are the leads?
Ana Maria: Good timing! That's exactly what I'm doing right now for my next film. I took Alice in Wonderland and mixed it with the true story of an ex-guerrilla leader who was taken away from home by the guerrilla when she was just a little girl. The movie is called Alicia, and tells the story of an eleven year-old girl who lives in a very remote area of Colombia. One day she meets El Conejo (The Rabbit), a man with big frontal teeth, who convinces her to go with him. Together, they go through what seems to be a magical journey through the Colombian jungle, but it isn't until the end that Alicia finds out that this beautiful place she imagined is not what she thought it would be. The back drop is guerrilla warfare and the recruitment of child soldiers.
LatinoBuzz: What is the best advice has anyone given you regarding making films?
Ana Maria: I've gotten great advice throughout my (short) career but the one thing that really helped me especially during the post production process of "La Luciernaga" was, "Take your time." There is a Spanish saying: “Del afán no queda sino el cansancio". It roughly translates to "Rushing leaves you tired or you are left with tiredness after rushing" or something like that. Time is one (if not the most) important factor when making films. We all know "time is money" so rushing to get a shot or get everything you need is very important, however, there are moments during this creative process when it is very (very) important to take your time. We are artists and we need that time to make our art the best we can. Only with time can one recognize what's working or what's missing - I'm talking from my personal experience - so if you can take your time, do it. Don't rush the creative process especially when you're editing.
LatinoBuzz: What's next?
Ana Maria: Next is Alicia, my second feature, as well as a TV series that is cooking. I wish I could talk more about it but I can't - Please cross your fingers! That way I can tell you everything about it when it gets into production. Yeah. One last note, I wanted to let you know this movie was made mainly by women. I wrote it, directed and produced it with the help of my friend and fellow producer Luisa Casas. The main leads were women too as well as many crew members. It is important to mention the need of equality in the film industry. I don't blame anyone for it, but I do want to be part of the change and in order to have change, we need to create awareness and talk about it.
Give the film lots of love here:
Twitter - @LuciernagaMovie
Written by Juan Caceres . LatinoBuzz is a feature on SydneysBuzz/Indiewire that highlights Latino indie talent and upcoming trends in Latino film with the specific objective of presenting a broad range of Latino voices. Follow [At]LatinoBuzz on Twitter and Facebook...
- 3/24/2016
- by Juan Caceres
- Sydney's Buzz
Charming award winning Boricua, E.J. Bonilla can currently be see in a festival favorite, "The House That Jack Built" which tells the story of Jack Maldonado, a hot-blooded, ambitious young hustler who buys a small apartment building in the Bronx and moves his boisterous Latino family into the complex to live rent-free. Tension builds as he imposes his views on everyone around him, including his fiancee (Melissa Fumero), while hiding the fact that his corner store is a front for selling marijuana. E.J. talks to LatinoBuzz about upbringing and his skyrocketing career so far.
LatinoBuzz: What was the moment you decided you wanted to be an artist?
E.J: For a long time I didn't know what I wanted or what I loved to do. Friends had that blessing and I remember thinking when I would have my turn. Then, in 9th Grade I sort of fell into playing Danny Zuko randomly in that years Grease themed portion of the dance show. The moment I hit the stage I think something in me knew. Even in rehearsals. I'd fallen in Love.
LatinoBuzz: Did you grow up in a household of artists?
E.J.: For a while I felt like I spoke a different language than my immediate family. It wasn't until my teens that I met and got to know better members of my extended family (my cousin Alma in particular) that self- identified as artists. Something in us clicked together; in the way we thought, in the language we chose to use, in what we enjoyed. She helped me see and appreciate a lot both about myself and my loved ones. And when I look back I recognize now that I indeed do come from a large family of artists. Whether they necessarily realize it or not.
LatinoBuzz: Were you aware of 'House' writer Joseph B. Vasquez' work or his life when you got involved with The House That Jack Built? And what did you think? Please, tell me you have seen Vasquez' 'Hanging With The Homeboys'!
E.J.: I was not aware of Joe before this movie but 'Jack' has certainly allowed me an education and an opportunity. Hanging With The Homeboys was one of my first homework assignments by Henry Barrial, our director. I welcomed it. We could say Joseph Vasquez was before his time but really I just think he was a real artist and Real art stand the test of time. 'The Homeboys' is no different. Even with the theatricality of cinema at the time, Joe made it feel intentional. Painting a portrait of our time in the 90's within urban New York with colorful and lavish brush strokes. I Loved it. It was a powerful film.
LatinoBuzz: What drew you to the role of 'Jack'? Could you relate to the core of the character?
E.J.: To me, 'Jack' is an ode to the males in my family. Strong. Opinionated. Loving. And with that special "hint" of machismo, to say the least. I loved having the opportunity to play him. This film is in honor of my mother and those males in my family, specifically my brother Ivan from whom I borrowed most of Jacks mannerisms.
LatinoBuzz: How does working with Henry (House), Cruz (Drown) and Nick (Mamitas), Joshua (Four) differ from one another? (btw I recommend you for Mamitas!) and did you have to adjust your approach as an actor?
E.J.: First of all, thank you for the recommendation. Lol. And yes honestly, they are all very different directors. Some are more specific, some are calmer than others when the pressure is on, some use more colorful language and they all communicate differently. But they all have love and care in common. They are all artists. And they have voices that I believe shine through within their films. To add to that, as a director myself I have learned so much from all three. I would like to thank them for that.
LatinoBuzz: Ok, Ideal role: What's the story, who is the director and who is your co-star?
E.J.: Lol. Always one of the hardest questions to answer.... I don't know. I love telling truthful honest stories. I suppose I'd love the opportunity to be a superhero within a realistic dramatic piece. It would have opportunity for humor too of course. And ideally I would be the writer/director? (Though I suppose if I was, it is Possible I would give myself a meaty but smaller part so I could focus on the latter of my duties... Maybe). Annnnnnnd my co-star would be... One of my actual best friends. I am blessed to have so many beautiful talented people around me, I would like them all in my film please!!!
LatinoBuzz: What is next for you?
E.J.: I'm working on creating a sitcom with some of those best friends as we speak. We recently just shot our pitch video. You can follow us on our endeavor on Instagram @TheGatosNegros. Also my writing partner and I are in the midst of finalizing a final draft of our latest short film, "The Normally." We should be shooting sometime in December under the production company we're creating, Almost Dark, prod. In addition, if you guys are looking for amazing music from a brand new indie artist, I just copped "Life Happens: The BiPolar Symptoms" by Naiqui on iTunes. Seriously one of the greatest pieces of art I've ever heard. It is genius. I'm looking to see if I can have him score my next piece.
Written by Juan Caceres . LatinoBuzz is a feature on SydneysBuzz that highlights Latino indie talent and upcoming trends in Latino film with the specific objective of presenting a broad range of Latino voices. Follow [At]LatinoBuzz on Twitter and Facebook...
LatinoBuzz: What was the moment you decided you wanted to be an artist?
E.J: For a long time I didn't know what I wanted or what I loved to do. Friends had that blessing and I remember thinking when I would have my turn. Then, in 9th Grade I sort of fell into playing Danny Zuko randomly in that years Grease themed portion of the dance show. The moment I hit the stage I think something in me knew. Even in rehearsals. I'd fallen in Love.
LatinoBuzz: Did you grow up in a household of artists?
E.J.: For a while I felt like I spoke a different language than my immediate family. It wasn't until my teens that I met and got to know better members of my extended family (my cousin Alma in particular) that self- identified as artists. Something in us clicked together; in the way we thought, in the language we chose to use, in what we enjoyed. She helped me see and appreciate a lot both about myself and my loved ones. And when I look back I recognize now that I indeed do come from a large family of artists. Whether they necessarily realize it or not.
LatinoBuzz: Were you aware of 'House' writer Joseph B. Vasquez' work or his life when you got involved with The House That Jack Built? And what did you think? Please, tell me you have seen Vasquez' 'Hanging With The Homeboys'!
E.J.: I was not aware of Joe before this movie but 'Jack' has certainly allowed me an education and an opportunity. Hanging With The Homeboys was one of my first homework assignments by Henry Barrial, our director. I welcomed it. We could say Joseph Vasquez was before his time but really I just think he was a real artist and Real art stand the test of time. 'The Homeboys' is no different. Even with the theatricality of cinema at the time, Joe made it feel intentional. Painting a portrait of our time in the 90's within urban New York with colorful and lavish brush strokes. I Loved it. It was a powerful film.
LatinoBuzz: What drew you to the role of 'Jack'? Could you relate to the core of the character?
E.J.: To me, 'Jack' is an ode to the males in my family. Strong. Opinionated. Loving. And with that special "hint" of machismo, to say the least. I loved having the opportunity to play him. This film is in honor of my mother and those males in my family, specifically my brother Ivan from whom I borrowed most of Jacks mannerisms.
LatinoBuzz: How does working with Henry (House), Cruz (Drown) and Nick (Mamitas), Joshua (Four) differ from one another? (btw I recommend you for Mamitas!) and did you have to adjust your approach as an actor?
E.J.: First of all, thank you for the recommendation. Lol. And yes honestly, they are all very different directors. Some are more specific, some are calmer than others when the pressure is on, some use more colorful language and they all communicate differently. But they all have love and care in common. They are all artists. And they have voices that I believe shine through within their films. To add to that, as a director myself I have learned so much from all three. I would like to thank them for that.
LatinoBuzz: Ok, Ideal role: What's the story, who is the director and who is your co-star?
E.J.: Lol. Always one of the hardest questions to answer.... I don't know. I love telling truthful honest stories. I suppose I'd love the opportunity to be a superhero within a realistic dramatic piece. It would have opportunity for humor too of course. And ideally I would be the writer/director? (Though I suppose if I was, it is Possible I would give myself a meaty but smaller part so I could focus on the latter of my duties... Maybe). Annnnnnnd my co-star would be... One of my actual best friends. I am blessed to have so many beautiful talented people around me, I would like them all in my film please!!!
LatinoBuzz: What is next for you?
E.J.: I'm working on creating a sitcom with some of those best friends as we speak. We recently just shot our pitch video. You can follow us on our endeavor on Instagram @TheGatosNegros. Also my writing partner and I are in the midst of finalizing a final draft of our latest short film, "The Normally." We should be shooting sometime in December under the production company we're creating, Almost Dark, prod. In addition, if you guys are looking for amazing music from a brand new indie artist, I just copped "Life Happens: The BiPolar Symptoms" by Naiqui on iTunes. Seriously one of the greatest pieces of art I've ever heard. It is genius. I'm looking to see if I can have him score my next piece.
Written by Juan Caceres . LatinoBuzz is a feature on SydneysBuzz that highlights Latino indie talent and upcoming trends in Latino film with the specific objective of presenting a broad range of Latino voices. Follow [At]LatinoBuzz on Twitter and Facebook...
- 11/21/2015
- by Juan Caceres
- Sydney's Buzz
Lizzie Velasquez was born with a rare syndrome that prevents her from gaining weight along with other medical issues. She lived with this syndrome for 25 years undiagnosed. Her appearance found her withdrawing from other students, getting bullied and constantly stared at. The film, "A Brave Heart: The Lizzie Velazquez Story," directed by Sara Hirsh Bordo, follows Lizzie as she dedicates her life to being an anti-bullying activist after discovering millions of people all over the world were inspired by her story. The film angers and saddens you, yet Lizzie's big heart and relentless spirit will make yours smile and even laugh. It also shows you what the love of family and community can do to always make you feel beautiful. The film is out in theaters now.
LatinoBuzz: How did this impressive team come about to make the film?
Lizzie: Our director and producer Sara put our incredible team together and we have been such a family from the beginning. She had produced the TEDxAustinWomen event where I gave my talk. She brought Alexis, another TEDxAustinWomen producer and fellow Austinite, Chris our editor who worked on the amazing film "Boyhood," and the list goes on. We are also so honored to have Sara Bareilles’ work with all of the music for the film. She wrote to me after the TEDx talk and Sara and Ngoc, who did publicity for the film, reached out to see if she was interested when we decided to make the film. Her original version of the song Brave is one of my favorite moments in the film.
LatinoBuzz: You've touched many people's lives, but is there one particular person you know you changed so much?
Lizzie: I feel so lucky to hear often about how my story has given others hope. It’s hard to pick just one, but they are each my heroes because of their bravery to keep going. If they can persevere through what they’re going through, so can I.
LatinoBuzz: What was that moment like when you got a call from Ted Talks?
Lizzie: Sara and Alexis reached out and asked if I was interested in giving a talk. I didn’t know it would change everything.
LatinoBuzz: Were you surprised when you found yourself in other countries and people were moved by your Ted talk?
Lizzie: Sara is always saying how “hope is universal” and that “bullying doesn’t discriminate.” I will let her words answer this.
LatinoBuzz: What is the definition of your ultimate happiness? What does that look like?
Lizzie: To me, ultimate happiness is a journey, not a destination. It’s not somewhere you end up, it’s making choices every day to make yourself happy. To make the right choices for yourself. I’m not saying I have it perfected! It’s a daily practice, but it’s something I work really hard to be mindful of.
LatinoBuzz: Are you a down low fashionista? All your outfits in the film were dope!
Lizzie: When you are tiny like me and it’s hard to find clothes that fit you get really creative! I do love fashion though, and it's so fun to play with different things. Right now I’m into these new booties my mom found. I don’t wear heels, so these wedge booties are making me feel super stylish!
LatinoBuzz: Is there a historic figure you admire most?
Lizzie: Again, it’s hard for me to pick just one. So I would actually rather talk about how much I admire my parents, Rita and Lupe. As you will see in the film, I was definitely born into the family that was perfect for me and we were perfect for each other. I wish we lived in a world where all kids were loved by their parents how I was and am every day.
LatinoBuzz: You've been flown all over. Which place or event stole your heart?
Lizzie: Sara and I were lucky enough to travel to Traverse City, Michigan by Michael Moore for his festival this summer and we just Loved it there! Shout out to all of the incredible people there. It’s such an incredibly kind community, so generous, beautiful, and not a super-fast city. Lots of people who move a little slower just like I do!
LatinoBuzz; Why has the federal anti-bullying bill taken so long to pass?
Lizzie: It’s a frustrating process to be sure. It has a lot more democratic support than it has republican support. It’s now been 9 years/4 terms. We’re hopeful that we can help ignite more action from people who care about the bill through our platform on Imwithlizzie.com so that the members of Congress see finally that they need to pay more attention to what issues families care about most.
LatinoBuzz: Do you think the government does enough to protect children?
Lizzie: Once Ssia passes, my answer will be Yes.
For more information and screening times, please visit http://imwithlizzie.com/ and join her movement!
Written by Juan Caceres . LatinoBuzz is a feature on SydneysBuzz that highlights Latino indie talent and upcoming trends in Latino film with the specific objective of presenting a broad range of Latino voices. Follow [At]LatinoBuzz on Twitter and Facebook...
LatinoBuzz: How did this impressive team come about to make the film?
Lizzie: Our director and producer Sara put our incredible team together and we have been such a family from the beginning. She had produced the TEDxAustinWomen event where I gave my talk. She brought Alexis, another TEDxAustinWomen producer and fellow Austinite, Chris our editor who worked on the amazing film "Boyhood," and the list goes on. We are also so honored to have Sara Bareilles’ work with all of the music for the film. She wrote to me after the TEDx talk and Sara and Ngoc, who did publicity for the film, reached out to see if she was interested when we decided to make the film. Her original version of the song Brave is one of my favorite moments in the film.
LatinoBuzz: You've touched many people's lives, but is there one particular person you know you changed so much?
Lizzie: I feel so lucky to hear often about how my story has given others hope. It’s hard to pick just one, but they are each my heroes because of their bravery to keep going. If they can persevere through what they’re going through, so can I.
LatinoBuzz: What was that moment like when you got a call from Ted Talks?
Lizzie: Sara and Alexis reached out and asked if I was interested in giving a talk. I didn’t know it would change everything.
LatinoBuzz: Were you surprised when you found yourself in other countries and people were moved by your Ted talk?
Lizzie: Sara is always saying how “hope is universal” and that “bullying doesn’t discriminate.” I will let her words answer this.
LatinoBuzz: What is the definition of your ultimate happiness? What does that look like?
Lizzie: To me, ultimate happiness is a journey, not a destination. It’s not somewhere you end up, it’s making choices every day to make yourself happy. To make the right choices for yourself. I’m not saying I have it perfected! It’s a daily practice, but it’s something I work really hard to be mindful of.
LatinoBuzz: Are you a down low fashionista? All your outfits in the film were dope!
Lizzie: When you are tiny like me and it’s hard to find clothes that fit you get really creative! I do love fashion though, and it's so fun to play with different things. Right now I’m into these new booties my mom found. I don’t wear heels, so these wedge booties are making me feel super stylish!
LatinoBuzz: Is there a historic figure you admire most?
Lizzie: Again, it’s hard for me to pick just one. So I would actually rather talk about how much I admire my parents, Rita and Lupe. As you will see in the film, I was definitely born into the family that was perfect for me and we were perfect for each other. I wish we lived in a world where all kids were loved by their parents how I was and am every day.
LatinoBuzz: You've been flown all over. Which place or event stole your heart?
Lizzie: Sara and I were lucky enough to travel to Traverse City, Michigan by Michael Moore for his festival this summer and we just Loved it there! Shout out to all of the incredible people there. It’s such an incredibly kind community, so generous, beautiful, and not a super-fast city. Lots of people who move a little slower just like I do!
LatinoBuzz; Why has the federal anti-bullying bill taken so long to pass?
Lizzie: It’s a frustrating process to be sure. It has a lot more democratic support than it has republican support. It’s now been 9 years/4 terms. We’re hopeful that we can help ignite more action from people who care about the bill through our platform on Imwithlizzie.com so that the members of Congress see finally that they need to pay more attention to what issues families care about most.
LatinoBuzz: Do you think the government does enough to protect children?
Lizzie: Once Ssia passes, my answer will be Yes.
For more information and screening times, please visit http://imwithlizzie.com/ and join her movement!
Written by Juan Caceres . LatinoBuzz is a feature on SydneysBuzz that highlights Latino indie talent and upcoming trends in Latino film with the specific objective of presenting a broad range of Latino voices. Follow [At]LatinoBuzz on Twitter and Facebook...
- 9/27/2015
- by Juan Caceres
- Sydney's Buzz
Colombian New Yorkers represented at this years Colombian Film Festival her in New York (colfilmny.co) with their young immigrant tale ‘The Inquisition Of Camilo Sanz’ offering a new take on the American Dream set in the Queens vibrant neighborhood of Jackson Heights, which embodies everything of what makes New York City the true melting pot of the United States. With wonderful, truthful performances from the cast behind the very deliberate eye of director John Marco Lopez, ‘‘The Inquisition of Camilo Sanz" is as real a New York story as it gets and can easily interchange Latinos with every other wave of immigrants who came here with a pocketful of dreams.
LatinoBuzz: What’s your background in film?
John Marco Lopez: I started out making music videos with my brother - right around the time when Youtube became relevant, and the Dslr 'movement' happened. After cutting my teeth in the music world, I was able to make a jump into Television Commercials - as an Agency Producer. Fortunately, I was given the opportunity to become their in-house Commercial Director. I was exposed to some big clients with hefty marketing budgets, and a variety of creative styles/genres to shoot for. It was a great learning experience - both professionally and creatively. Finally, the time came where I had to dive into making my first feature (I tested the waters previously with a few shorts). I say, "had to", because I felt if I was going to call myself a 'filmmaker' - then I had to make a feature. It was always my ultimate goal - so the chance came and we took it.
LatinoBuzz: Which filmmakers have been the main source of inspiration for you?
John Marco Lopez: Being a New Yorker all my life, I feel a special kinship with my hometown directors. John Cassavetes' independent spirit and realism, Elia Kazan's social commentary and powerful dramas, Sidney Lumet's intelligent, gritty, and relentless stories. Of course, I am heavily influenced by Modern Masters like: Martin Scorsese, Woody Allen, and Francis Ford Coppola.
LatinoBuzz : Immigration is such a hot topic – was there a particular moment or reason you chose this as your subject?
John Marco Lopez: I chose this subject because it was never told in the modern context. The general public assumes that most people who get deported - are day laborers, recent border jumpers, or criminals. Little do they know, that many of these people are actually your college friends, your co-worker at the office, or even your boyfriend/girlfriend - They've been here since they were babies, and grew up 100% American - so what happens when they get a pink slip from Uncle Sam?
LatinoBuzz: Tell me about the aesthetic of the film and how you and your crew collaborated on that.
John Marco Lopez: We chose Queens - specifically Jackson Heights, because it's one of the last bastions of non-gentrified New York, and where most of the undocumented blue collar community still exists. So we wanted the visual aesthetic to match the energy, the vibrancy, and grittiness of this environment. It's truly a magical place - where during the day you see crowded streets of families shopping, a multitude of Latin dishes sold on the street, music blaring everywhere, and the elevated 7 train roaring above. Then at night, it turns into a red light district - very reminiscent of 70/80's NY... Gangs claim their turf, prostitutes roam the sidewalks, and drunks stumble in and out of bars. Visually it's stunning - neon lights, shadowy backdrops, and weathered post-war architecture. My Dp Chris Raymond - a native New Yorker himself - would always say he felt like it was a different country. So he was a kid in a candy store - with so many visual elements to play with. Hopefully this translated on screen for the viewer.
LatinoBuzz: Anything you would do different?
John Marco Lopez: Not really, I expected to make mistakes and fall flat in some areas - but that's okay, I embrace that. I realize it's all a learning experience - where I'd like to keep improving, work on my craft, and grow into a better filmmaker.
LatinoBuzz: What was the fundraising process like?
Kevin Lopez: The fundraising process for our very first feature film was truly a humbling experience, but one with a great deal of learning opportunities that have allowed us to evolve as more well-rounded filmmakers. John and I have had a great deal of experience working in NYC on short form narrative and documentary projects, so we had already developed a nice network of supporters and fellow production colleagues. Nevertheless, when we decided to embark on the daunting task of producing a feature film, we realized immediately how difficult it was to secure funds considering the fact that we had never produced something of this magnitude before. My brother and I discussed the pros and cons of moving forward with our own money invested in the film, and we agreed that if we were to consider ourselves as true filmmakers, we would have to take the first financial hit for the sake of our vision and ambitions as filmmakers. The funding therefore came almost entirely from us, which made this film that much more independent.
LatinoBuzz: What was the biggest challenges in putting the film together on such a tight budget?
Kevin Lopez: The most challenging aspect of producing a feature film, with a principle cast of almost 15 actors, in over 30 different locations throughout New York City with such a tight budget was working tirelessly to prevent our money from running out. There are so many variables at play when you are shooting an independent film in New York City. You are truly up against the elements, so problems arise at every moment, especially if your environment plays a character in your film. The easy thing to do is to simply use the “money hose” to resolve many of those extraneous issues that pop up. In our case, we couldn’t resolve all of our production issues with money, so many of the times, this involved careful negotiation and interactions with our surroundings by John and I as well as our talented producers, Javier Aguirre and Tiffany Jackman.
LatinoBuzz: Queens is very much a ‘character’ in ‘Camilo…’ - How was shooting using the streets, local businesses and getting the cooperation of the people?
Kevin Lopez: Queens served as an inspiration for John’s script for many reasons. I am sure that while he was writing the script, memories of us as kids in Jackson Heights would pop into his head. When I read the script for the first time, I felt like I was being taken back to those colorful and dynamic streets of Queens, NY. That’s where it all started for us. Where our mom and our dad met. Where we lived for a bunch of years before we moved back to Colombia, and then back to Upstate, New York. It felt right to only make our first film in Queens and to explore a story that truly represents a generation from that community. Shooting throughout Queens felt like a homecoming experience for me. The community embraced us, and we embraced it. Even the Park Ranger who didn’t want us to shoot in his park at first, eventually opened up to us when I told him that we lived as children a few blocks away. Filming in Queens was a very organic experience.
LatinoBuzz: Was there anything familiar about the story being that it was told by Colombian characters?
Sandra Trujillo: There were a lot of familiar things! I'm Colombian and grew up in Queens. Growing up I heard stories like this so often they stopped being extraordinary. Characters like the ones in this film are people you know quite well, people close to you. As a Colombian I can tell you that I come from a culture of strong family values; Beautiful, kind, and warm people who out of survival often do bad things. So yes, I think the familiarities are clear but more so because it's a story told by immigrant characters. Seeing truth like this on film really gives it, it's magic back. Ordinary people doing extraordinary things.
LatinoBuzz: What do you think becomes of your character 'Andrea'?
Sandra Trujillo: I think Andrea decides to never be pushed around again, she knows she can´t wait for opportunities to come her way, she always creates her own and does her very best. I would like for her to get a degree, become a professional, have a home and raise a happy family; But knowing her and her world I think she takes over Rafa´s clandestine business.
LatinoBuzz : Camilo is trying to do the right thing but not in the wisest manner - What attracted you to the role?
Francisco Narvaez: The most attractive factor about the part of Camilo is the humane factor. He makes wrong choices and justifies them with need and desperation. Nothing is more interesting to play than a multifaceted character. The viewer is not quite sure if he is a good or a bad guy, but he’s real and he’s human.
LatinoBuzz: What kind of personal development did you bring to the character of Camilo and how much was done with Lopez?
Francisco Narvaez: John (López) and I explored the many facets of Camilo. The Camilo at home, the one at work, and the one on the streets. We both grew up in NY in similar households and each of us had our individual similarities to Camilo. In discussing these with John I was able to better understand Camilo and the vision John had for the part. It was a great experience.
Visit the gang at: http://www.lpzmedia.com/
Written by Juan Caceres . LatinoBuzz is a feature on SydneysBuzz that highlights Latino indie talent and upcoming trends in Latino film with the specific objective of presenting a broad range of Latino voices. Follow [At]LatinoBuzz on Twitter and Facebook...
LatinoBuzz: What’s your background in film?
John Marco Lopez: I started out making music videos with my brother - right around the time when Youtube became relevant, and the Dslr 'movement' happened. After cutting my teeth in the music world, I was able to make a jump into Television Commercials - as an Agency Producer. Fortunately, I was given the opportunity to become their in-house Commercial Director. I was exposed to some big clients with hefty marketing budgets, and a variety of creative styles/genres to shoot for. It was a great learning experience - both professionally and creatively. Finally, the time came where I had to dive into making my first feature (I tested the waters previously with a few shorts). I say, "had to", because I felt if I was going to call myself a 'filmmaker' - then I had to make a feature. It was always my ultimate goal - so the chance came and we took it.
LatinoBuzz: Which filmmakers have been the main source of inspiration for you?
John Marco Lopez: Being a New Yorker all my life, I feel a special kinship with my hometown directors. John Cassavetes' independent spirit and realism, Elia Kazan's social commentary and powerful dramas, Sidney Lumet's intelligent, gritty, and relentless stories. Of course, I am heavily influenced by Modern Masters like: Martin Scorsese, Woody Allen, and Francis Ford Coppola.
LatinoBuzz : Immigration is such a hot topic – was there a particular moment or reason you chose this as your subject?
John Marco Lopez: I chose this subject because it was never told in the modern context. The general public assumes that most people who get deported - are day laborers, recent border jumpers, or criminals. Little do they know, that many of these people are actually your college friends, your co-worker at the office, or even your boyfriend/girlfriend - They've been here since they were babies, and grew up 100% American - so what happens when they get a pink slip from Uncle Sam?
LatinoBuzz: Tell me about the aesthetic of the film and how you and your crew collaborated on that.
John Marco Lopez: We chose Queens - specifically Jackson Heights, because it's one of the last bastions of non-gentrified New York, and where most of the undocumented blue collar community still exists. So we wanted the visual aesthetic to match the energy, the vibrancy, and grittiness of this environment. It's truly a magical place - where during the day you see crowded streets of families shopping, a multitude of Latin dishes sold on the street, music blaring everywhere, and the elevated 7 train roaring above. Then at night, it turns into a red light district - very reminiscent of 70/80's NY... Gangs claim their turf, prostitutes roam the sidewalks, and drunks stumble in and out of bars. Visually it's stunning - neon lights, shadowy backdrops, and weathered post-war architecture. My Dp Chris Raymond - a native New Yorker himself - would always say he felt like it was a different country. So he was a kid in a candy store - with so many visual elements to play with. Hopefully this translated on screen for the viewer.
LatinoBuzz: Anything you would do different?
John Marco Lopez: Not really, I expected to make mistakes and fall flat in some areas - but that's okay, I embrace that. I realize it's all a learning experience - where I'd like to keep improving, work on my craft, and grow into a better filmmaker.
LatinoBuzz: What was the fundraising process like?
Kevin Lopez: The fundraising process for our very first feature film was truly a humbling experience, but one with a great deal of learning opportunities that have allowed us to evolve as more well-rounded filmmakers. John and I have had a great deal of experience working in NYC on short form narrative and documentary projects, so we had already developed a nice network of supporters and fellow production colleagues. Nevertheless, when we decided to embark on the daunting task of producing a feature film, we realized immediately how difficult it was to secure funds considering the fact that we had never produced something of this magnitude before. My brother and I discussed the pros and cons of moving forward with our own money invested in the film, and we agreed that if we were to consider ourselves as true filmmakers, we would have to take the first financial hit for the sake of our vision and ambitions as filmmakers. The funding therefore came almost entirely from us, which made this film that much more independent.
LatinoBuzz: What was the biggest challenges in putting the film together on such a tight budget?
Kevin Lopez: The most challenging aspect of producing a feature film, with a principle cast of almost 15 actors, in over 30 different locations throughout New York City with such a tight budget was working tirelessly to prevent our money from running out. There are so many variables at play when you are shooting an independent film in New York City. You are truly up against the elements, so problems arise at every moment, especially if your environment plays a character in your film. The easy thing to do is to simply use the “money hose” to resolve many of those extraneous issues that pop up. In our case, we couldn’t resolve all of our production issues with money, so many of the times, this involved careful negotiation and interactions with our surroundings by John and I as well as our talented producers, Javier Aguirre and Tiffany Jackman.
LatinoBuzz: Queens is very much a ‘character’ in ‘Camilo…’ - How was shooting using the streets, local businesses and getting the cooperation of the people?
Kevin Lopez: Queens served as an inspiration for John’s script for many reasons. I am sure that while he was writing the script, memories of us as kids in Jackson Heights would pop into his head. When I read the script for the first time, I felt like I was being taken back to those colorful and dynamic streets of Queens, NY. That’s where it all started for us. Where our mom and our dad met. Where we lived for a bunch of years before we moved back to Colombia, and then back to Upstate, New York. It felt right to only make our first film in Queens and to explore a story that truly represents a generation from that community. Shooting throughout Queens felt like a homecoming experience for me. The community embraced us, and we embraced it. Even the Park Ranger who didn’t want us to shoot in his park at first, eventually opened up to us when I told him that we lived as children a few blocks away. Filming in Queens was a very organic experience.
LatinoBuzz: Was there anything familiar about the story being that it was told by Colombian characters?
Sandra Trujillo: There were a lot of familiar things! I'm Colombian and grew up in Queens. Growing up I heard stories like this so often they stopped being extraordinary. Characters like the ones in this film are people you know quite well, people close to you. As a Colombian I can tell you that I come from a culture of strong family values; Beautiful, kind, and warm people who out of survival often do bad things. So yes, I think the familiarities are clear but more so because it's a story told by immigrant characters. Seeing truth like this on film really gives it, it's magic back. Ordinary people doing extraordinary things.
LatinoBuzz: What do you think becomes of your character 'Andrea'?
Sandra Trujillo: I think Andrea decides to never be pushed around again, she knows she can´t wait for opportunities to come her way, she always creates her own and does her very best. I would like for her to get a degree, become a professional, have a home and raise a happy family; But knowing her and her world I think she takes over Rafa´s clandestine business.
LatinoBuzz : Camilo is trying to do the right thing but not in the wisest manner - What attracted you to the role?
Francisco Narvaez: The most attractive factor about the part of Camilo is the humane factor. He makes wrong choices and justifies them with need and desperation. Nothing is more interesting to play than a multifaceted character. The viewer is not quite sure if he is a good or a bad guy, but he’s real and he’s human.
LatinoBuzz: What kind of personal development did you bring to the character of Camilo and how much was done with Lopez?
Francisco Narvaez: John (López) and I explored the many facets of Camilo. The Camilo at home, the one at work, and the one on the streets. We both grew up in NY in similar households and each of us had our individual similarities to Camilo. In discussing these with John I was able to better understand Camilo and the vision John had for the part. It was a great experience.
Visit the gang at: http://www.lpzmedia.com/
Written by Juan Caceres . LatinoBuzz is a feature on SydneysBuzz that highlights Latino indie talent and upcoming trends in Latino film with the specific objective of presenting a broad range of Latino voices. Follow [At]LatinoBuzz on Twitter and Facebook...
- 4/22/2015
- by Juan Caceres
- Sydney's Buzz
First Run Film Festival runs April 16th-19th at Nyu’s Cantor Film Center showcasing amongst the best films coming out of Tisch School of the Arts at Nyu. The festival features promising filmmakers short films as they journey towards leaving an imprint with their feature films. LatinoBuzz wanted to show some love to Latino filmmakers representing at this years festival. Remember these names!
Omar ZÚÑIGA Hidalgo – "San Cristobal"
LatinoBuzz: Why film and what do you want to ultimately want to say?
Omar: I became interested in film as a viewer when I was a teenager. I would spend entire afternoons in an arthouse theater in downtown Santiago. I didn't really expect to be a filmmaker back then. But it was clearly an interest. During the years that followed I discovered the passion slowly, I went to a communications undergrad in Chile, and then to Nyu for my Mfa. I don't see myself doing anything else now. I'm interested in the visual language that it has, and also in how emotional it can be. There are themes that I unconsciously come back to, There is no deliberate objective. Every film comes out of an intuition, where I'm at, at that moment in particular. But looking back on my work, somehow I get back to masculinity and how men are taught to avoid showing how fragile they can be, or to people who are in constant movement (which is what I've been doing for the past few years). I seem to want to explore these types of characters.
LatinoBuzz: You are younger than the current wave of Chilenos, and I brought it up with Marialy Rivas and Andres Wood, but they grew up under the dictatorship and I was curious how it affected them as they became artists. What about Chile conditioned you?
Omar: Dictatorship didn't affect me directly. I was born just a few years before it ended, so I don't have clear memories of it. I've only learned about its devastating nature after the fact. There is something eminently Chilean about avoiding confrontation, or about not clarifying the way you feel sometimes. It's a particular culture, where emotions are not discussed as profusely with your family or friends, nor shown in an explicit manner. I believe that's something that's somehow in my work, where people can't articulate too clearly how they feel about things. It is very familiar and natural to me to not have to define so exactly the nature of actions that people take. We don't have that over-analyzing attitude about things.
LatinoBuzz: Pick a film to re-make (you have to!) Who is the lead?
Omar: I wouldn't remake a film.
LatinoBuzz: Where to next?
Omar: "San Cristóbal" will continue its route internationally this year. I am also developing a feature project based on the short, and trying to put together its financing. It's always incredibly difficult, but we're trying to make our best. - omar@cinestacion.cl
Paulo Henrique Falsarella Testolini – "Suriname Gold"
LatinoBuzz: Why film and what do you ultimately want to say?
Paulo: I'm not sure exactly how film came to me and why, I guess it was just a natural progression from recording my parents expeditions when I was a kid, playing with the camera in high-school and escaping (as much as I could) the business future my family had intended for me. In the end, film was the best way to put myself into endless adventures, while attempting to tell the world the many stories that can be uncovered on the way. There are always stories out there, tales of bravery from every corner of the world - they can seem so exotic, yet so relatable to our modern society.
LatinoBuzz: Suriname, obviously is not considered a 'Latino' nation but does have a fascinating place in South American - where did the idea to shoot there come from?
Paulo: It was late 2009, the last Sunday of the year, and I sat in my living room listening to the news about an attack in the gold mines of Suriname. It was very weird - though I had grown up in Suriname's neighboring country of Brazil, I didn't know much about the place, let alone its gold and the thousands of lives migrating across the borders in search of it. The more I researched about that fascinating land, the more I craved to visit it and learn about that little corner of the world of which so few people have heard. What I've tried to do with Suriname Gold is reveal a human story within a somewhat hidden world, the characters may be fictional, but their experiences are real. My hope is that viewers will be entertained by the film's sense of adventure, and more importantly, that audiences will learn something new about this complex nation and the continuous exploitation of the Amazon (and the lives taken on the way).
LatinoBuzz: Pick a film to re-make (you have to!) Who is the lead?
Paulo: That's a hard one... I would love to make a new version of Disney's "Newsies", more based on the play than the 90s movie. The lead? I've always wanted to work with English actor Jamie Bell, a great inspiration when I was first getting into film. One day, right?
LatinoBuzz: Where to next?
Paulo: It's been some years now since we shot the short film of Suriname Gold. I've been developing, with the producers, the feature length version of that story, as well as some other scripts that are set in that environment. Once the story reaches the right point, I hope to gather our adventurous crew and cast back together, fly to the Amazon and embark on this journey again. - pht218@nyu.edu
Reinaldo Green - "Stop"
LatinoBuzz: Why film and what do you ultimately want to say?
Reinaldo: Film is still one of the few mediums that you can reach a mass audience. It's an opportunity and a platform to share content with depth, meaning, culture, and value, regardless of genre, to inspire and make people think. Ultimately I want to use the art form to share, inspire and make meaningful change in people's lives. My favorite movies have had profound meaning in my life well past the end credits.
LatinoBuzz: Did the tragic deaths of young males of color propel you to write 'Stop' or is it something that has long lingered?
Reinaldo: The genius of the film has been something that had been brewing for a while. It really came into focus for me with the Trayvon Martin/ George Zimmerman decision. I thought to myself, what if that were me? What if I was walking home at night and a cop stopped me, what would I do if I were in that situation? So, we decided to make a film about it.
LatinoBuzz: Pick a film to re-make (you have to!) Who is the lead?
Reinaldo: I'd remake "Drive" with Benicio Del Toro. There's nothing wrong with the original, I just think it'd be a fun experiment.
LatinoBuzz: Where to next?
Reinaldo: The Green Brothers will be making a feature (or two) over the next year, look out for them!
Twitter @greenbrosfilms / Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/greenbrosfilms - rmg412@nyu.edu
Carlos Valdivia – "Writing Lessons"
LatinoBuzz : Why film and what do you want to ultimately want to say?
Carlos: Why not film? I think cinematic storytelling is the most impactful. It has the greatest reach out of any art form. My focus has always been to increase the representation and visibility of people (particularly Lgbtq people and people of color) that are often neglected or completely erased from the big screen. I'd like to do it with empathy and intelligence, but without ever diluting the complexity of individuals and their lived experiences. So I'd say I ultimately want to challenge preconceived notions with authenticity.
LatinoBuzz : How much yourself turns up in your narrative?
Carlos: A lot! With "Writing Lessons" I wanted to recreate a most exciting time and place from my first year in New York, when I moved here to attend Nyu as a freshman. My best friend and I both ended up getting in with a crowd of much older Columbia academics and we were regular guests at their gatherings where we were by far the youngest people. It was very exciting and I was always fascinated by the convergence of young naiveté and older indifference and how people often desire the one they don't have. Young people trying to grow up too quickly and older people who wish to be younger is a central source of conflict in the film. At the same time, I also wanted the film to reflect the experience of being the only person of color in almost exclusively white environments. I purposely had Julian be the only non-white person in the narrative. Julian is fascinated by his professor's world but he will never really be a part of it. I strongly relate to being an outsider with a desire to fit in. Even though race is never explicitly stated in the film, it's clear that he will always be an outsider in this environment. I think this is how race operates in highly liberal environments today, rarely spoken out loud and yet still relevant and highly impactful.
LatinoBuzz : Pick a film to re-make (you have to!) Who is the lead?
Carlos: This is a tough one. Generally, I'm not a fan of remakes. But I'd love to remake Ingmar Bergman's "Cries and Whispers" with Penelope Cruz and Salma Hayek as sisters, playing the Liv Ullmann and Ingrid Thulin roles. Maybe Gina Rodriguez can play their dying sister. That would be a dream project.
LatinoBuzz: Where to next?
Carlos: I finished Writing Lessons very recently, so I've only just begun submitting it to film festivals where I hope the film can get some exposure. After that, I'll definitely be sharing it online. Programmers, call me/email me! - carlos.e.valdivia@gmail.com
Fidel Ruiz-healy- "A Band of Thieves"
LatinoBuzz: Why film and what do you want to ultimately want to say?
Fidel: Unfortunately I make films because I don’t know how to do anything else. It’s all I’ve thought about since elementary school and when it came to growing up and picking a career I feel like I didn’t really have a choice in the matter. I think your films grow up with you so what you want to say with them all comes down to what you are currently living through. I think films are inherently influenced by the social and political environments that surround you and its up to the writer to choose how on the nose they want to be.
LatinoBuzz: How important was shooting in Texas? Do you feel it shaped you as a storyteller?
Fidel: The movie had to be in Texas. It’s about the crazy things you do when its 100 degrees outside and creating a lawless playground to play cowboy. For me the only place for that is Texas. When looking up references from old westerns and bank heist movies, I quickly realized that what I was looking for was just locales I saw growing up. After that it was just a matter of finding out how to produce a film in San Antonio from New York, and that’s what we did. In terms of being shaped as a storyteller by Texas, I think everyone is influenced a bit by the city they grew up in. At he end of the day that’s what shapes your image of the world. The people and places you interact with as a kid define your perspective on things, and for me that was growing up around the San Antonio suburbs wanting to live life like I saw in the movies.
LatinoBuzz: Pick a film to re-make (you have to!) Who is the lead?
Fidel: It would have to be "Alphaville". It’s one of my favorites. Remaking a Godard films seems like some kind of filmic taboo, so that would make it hard. You would have to get it right or else a lot of people would hate you, (Remember the remake of Breathless? Not very many people do) so finding the way to recreate that film in a modern context seems like a great challenge. As for the lead, I have no idea. Maybe someone from Texas? I’m kind of going through a weird Texas love phase in my life right now, so instinctively I’m leaning towards some Texan faces. But either way, I would have to watch the imaginary casting tapes with my casting director a couple of times to make a final decision. But maybe I would just be forced to make it with talking CGI farm animals - "Alphaville" for kids. Maybe that’s the best approach and one Godard would respect. Mr. Godard if you’re reading this - Just picture this: CGI farm animals as Lemmy Caution and Natacha von Braun.
LatinoBuzz: Where to next?
Fidel: I’m currently writing a feature and developing a short film that deals with the border violence in south Texas. It’s kind of like Blood Simple meets Halloween but in the desert. I’m looking to shoot later this year in West Texas. - fidelrrh@gmail.com
Carlos Arata – "An Evening with Oliver"
LatinoBuzz: Why film and what do you want to ultimately want to say?
Carlos: Film is the ultimate medium through which to tell stories, and when I was younger, it was a way of visually expressing myself. Now, it’s become a way for me to see the world as I did then. When you are young, everything is fresh, magical – you don’t have to have it all figured out. You experience a lot of things for the first time, with a heightened sense of reality…and naivety, too, and it’s wonderful. The world is much more interesting that way. I want my audience to experience the most fascinating version of the world, to feel their feelings in a way they haven’t in a long time, and to look at the world in a way they don’t normally do.
LatinoBuzz: Is there a particular childhood memory you would like to realize in a film of yours one day?
Carlos: I have a distinct memory of being lost in Disneyland at five-years-old. I would like to revisit that experience of roaming the park alone – The feeling of being lost against the backdrop of the "happiest place on earth" interests me.
LatinoBuzz: Pick a film to re-make (you have to!) Who is the lead?
Carlos: If I could remake any film it would have to be "The Warriors." I used to and still watch the film all the time, and caught it whenever it played at the nearby art house. It has an amazing vibe, and of course, a story that is still relevant in our day. I’d cast Chris Pratt as Swan, Kid Cudi as Cochise, and Danny Trejo involved somewhere in the mix.
LatinoBuzz: Where to next?
Carlos: I’m developing a feature version of my short film, "An Evening with Oliver," and in the process of writing an animated feature, as well as a TV pilot (and of course, looking for opportunities to produce both!) - carlosaratafilms@gmail.com
Felipe Prado - "Partiu"
LatinoBuzz: Why film and what do you ultimately want to say?
Felipe: I grew up with my mother taking me and my brother Joao (who produced "Partiu") to watch “cult” movies - as we used to call them - during the week; and my father making us watch Scorsese’s filmography with him during the weekend. Quite inappropriate for kids, but it taught me a lot about movies and shaped who I am. I believe in films that make the audience uncomfortably entertained and have people walking out of the theater with their subconscious still in the story. It needs to be breathtaking and bring new perspectives.
LatinoBuzz: Which is the ‘Brasil' you would like the world to see through your lens?
Felipe: A ‘Brasil’ through unpleasant reality based films with characters, personalities and events deconstructed to their core, avoiding the common subjects that have already been over-explored. Certain stories need to be told, but not as many times as it has been done over the last few years. Brazil is much more than “cine-favela” and soap-opera-like comedies. "Central Station," "City of God" and the "Elite Squad" movies are great, but not every Brazilian film needs to be like them. With very few exceptions, in the last few years those were the themes explored by the majority of the films produced in our culturally diverse country. Brasil is desperate for new stories that don’t underestimate the audience.
LatinoBuzz: Pick a film to re-make (you have to!) Who is the lead?
Felipe: That’s are many choices, but I would really love to adapt ‘Ashes and Diamonds’ to the current South American political turmoil. There are a few recent cases of assassinations of prosecutors and whistleblowers that could base a great remake. The lead… Joao Miguel, who’s in ‘Cinema, Aspirins and Vultures’, ‘Xingu’ and many other great films. In my opinion he’s one of the most complete actors in Brazil’s cinema.
LatinoBuzz: Where to next?
Felipe: I am currently working on a story of faith and corruption involving money-making mega-churches. I am also working on a feature version of "Partiu" as I created the short in order to explore the subject in deep. This is also my thesis project for Nyu Tisch School of the Arts. - felipe.prado@nyu.edu
You can find screening times and more info at: http://www.firstrunfestival.com/
Written by Juan Caceres . LatinoBuzz is a feature on SydneysBuzz that highlights Latino indie talent and upcoming trends in Latino film with the specific objective of presenting a broad range of Latino voices. Follow [At]LatinoBuzz on Twitter and Facebook...
Omar ZÚÑIGA Hidalgo – "San Cristobal"
LatinoBuzz: Why film and what do you want to ultimately want to say?
Omar: I became interested in film as a viewer when I was a teenager. I would spend entire afternoons in an arthouse theater in downtown Santiago. I didn't really expect to be a filmmaker back then. But it was clearly an interest. During the years that followed I discovered the passion slowly, I went to a communications undergrad in Chile, and then to Nyu for my Mfa. I don't see myself doing anything else now. I'm interested in the visual language that it has, and also in how emotional it can be. There are themes that I unconsciously come back to, There is no deliberate objective. Every film comes out of an intuition, where I'm at, at that moment in particular. But looking back on my work, somehow I get back to masculinity and how men are taught to avoid showing how fragile they can be, or to people who are in constant movement (which is what I've been doing for the past few years). I seem to want to explore these types of characters.
LatinoBuzz: You are younger than the current wave of Chilenos, and I brought it up with Marialy Rivas and Andres Wood, but they grew up under the dictatorship and I was curious how it affected them as they became artists. What about Chile conditioned you?
Omar: Dictatorship didn't affect me directly. I was born just a few years before it ended, so I don't have clear memories of it. I've only learned about its devastating nature after the fact. There is something eminently Chilean about avoiding confrontation, or about not clarifying the way you feel sometimes. It's a particular culture, where emotions are not discussed as profusely with your family or friends, nor shown in an explicit manner. I believe that's something that's somehow in my work, where people can't articulate too clearly how they feel about things. It is very familiar and natural to me to not have to define so exactly the nature of actions that people take. We don't have that over-analyzing attitude about things.
LatinoBuzz: Pick a film to re-make (you have to!) Who is the lead?
Omar: I wouldn't remake a film.
LatinoBuzz: Where to next?
Omar: "San Cristóbal" will continue its route internationally this year. I am also developing a feature project based on the short, and trying to put together its financing. It's always incredibly difficult, but we're trying to make our best. - omar@cinestacion.cl
Paulo Henrique Falsarella Testolini – "Suriname Gold"
LatinoBuzz: Why film and what do you ultimately want to say?
Paulo: I'm not sure exactly how film came to me and why, I guess it was just a natural progression from recording my parents expeditions when I was a kid, playing with the camera in high-school and escaping (as much as I could) the business future my family had intended for me. In the end, film was the best way to put myself into endless adventures, while attempting to tell the world the many stories that can be uncovered on the way. There are always stories out there, tales of bravery from every corner of the world - they can seem so exotic, yet so relatable to our modern society.
LatinoBuzz: Suriname, obviously is not considered a 'Latino' nation but does have a fascinating place in South American - where did the idea to shoot there come from?
Paulo: It was late 2009, the last Sunday of the year, and I sat in my living room listening to the news about an attack in the gold mines of Suriname. It was very weird - though I had grown up in Suriname's neighboring country of Brazil, I didn't know much about the place, let alone its gold and the thousands of lives migrating across the borders in search of it. The more I researched about that fascinating land, the more I craved to visit it and learn about that little corner of the world of which so few people have heard. What I've tried to do with Suriname Gold is reveal a human story within a somewhat hidden world, the characters may be fictional, but their experiences are real. My hope is that viewers will be entertained by the film's sense of adventure, and more importantly, that audiences will learn something new about this complex nation and the continuous exploitation of the Amazon (and the lives taken on the way).
LatinoBuzz: Pick a film to re-make (you have to!) Who is the lead?
Paulo: That's a hard one... I would love to make a new version of Disney's "Newsies", more based on the play than the 90s movie. The lead? I've always wanted to work with English actor Jamie Bell, a great inspiration when I was first getting into film. One day, right?
LatinoBuzz: Where to next?
Paulo: It's been some years now since we shot the short film of Suriname Gold. I've been developing, with the producers, the feature length version of that story, as well as some other scripts that are set in that environment. Once the story reaches the right point, I hope to gather our adventurous crew and cast back together, fly to the Amazon and embark on this journey again. - pht218@nyu.edu
Reinaldo Green - "Stop"
LatinoBuzz: Why film and what do you ultimately want to say?
Reinaldo: Film is still one of the few mediums that you can reach a mass audience. It's an opportunity and a platform to share content with depth, meaning, culture, and value, regardless of genre, to inspire and make people think. Ultimately I want to use the art form to share, inspire and make meaningful change in people's lives. My favorite movies have had profound meaning in my life well past the end credits.
LatinoBuzz: Did the tragic deaths of young males of color propel you to write 'Stop' or is it something that has long lingered?
Reinaldo: The genius of the film has been something that had been brewing for a while. It really came into focus for me with the Trayvon Martin/ George Zimmerman decision. I thought to myself, what if that were me? What if I was walking home at night and a cop stopped me, what would I do if I were in that situation? So, we decided to make a film about it.
LatinoBuzz: Pick a film to re-make (you have to!) Who is the lead?
Reinaldo: I'd remake "Drive" with Benicio Del Toro. There's nothing wrong with the original, I just think it'd be a fun experiment.
LatinoBuzz: Where to next?
Reinaldo: The Green Brothers will be making a feature (or two) over the next year, look out for them!
Twitter @greenbrosfilms / Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/greenbrosfilms - rmg412@nyu.edu
Carlos Valdivia – "Writing Lessons"
LatinoBuzz : Why film and what do you want to ultimately want to say?
Carlos: Why not film? I think cinematic storytelling is the most impactful. It has the greatest reach out of any art form. My focus has always been to increase the representation and visibility of people (particularly Lgbtq people and people of color) that are often neglected or completely erased from the big screen. I'd like to do it with empathy and intelligence, but without ever diluting the complexity of individuals and their lived experiences. So I'd say I ultimately want to challenge preconceived notions with authenticity.
LatinoBuzz : How much yourself turns up in your narrative?
Carlos: A lot! With "Writing Lessons" I wanted to recreate a most exciting time and place from my first year in New York, when I moved here to attend Nyu as a freshman. My best friend and I both ended up getting in with a crowd of much older Columbia academics and we were regular guests at their gatherings where we were by far the youngest people. It was very exciting and I was always fascinated by the convergence of young naiveté and older indifference and how people often desire the one they don't have. Young people trying to grow up too quickly and older people who wish to be younger is a central source of conflict in the film. At the same time, I also wanted the film to reflect the experience of being the only person of color in almost exclusively white environments. I purposely had Julian be the only non-white person in the narrative. Julian is fascinated by his professor's world but he will never really be a part of it. I strongly relate to being an outsider with a desire to fit in. Even though race is never explicitly stated in the film, it's clear that he will always be an outsider in this environment. I think this is how race operates in highly liberal environments today, rarely spoken out loud and yet still relevant and highly impactful.
LatinoBuzz : Pick a film to re-make (you have to!) Who is the lead?
Carlos: This is a tough one. Generally, I'm not a fan of remakes. But I'd love to remake Ingmar Bergman's "Cries and Whispers" with Penelope Cruz and Salma Hayek as sisters, playing the Liv Ullmann and Ingrid Thulin roles. Maybe Gina Rodriguez can play their dying sister. That would be a dream project.
LatinoBuzz: Where to next?
Carlos: I finished Writing Lessons very recently, so I've only just begun submitting it to film festivals where I hope the film can get some exposure. After that, I'll definitely be sharing it online. Programmers, call me/email me! - carlos.e.valdivia@gmail.com
Fidel Ruiz-healy- "A Band of Thieves"
LatinoBuzz: Why film and what do you want to ultimately want to say?
Fidel: Unfortunately I make films because I don’t know how to do anything else. It’s all I’ve thought about since elementary school and when it came to growing up and picking a career I feel like I didn’t really have a choice in the matter. I think your films grow up with you so what you want to say with them all comes down to what you are currently living through. I think films are inherently influenced by the social and political environments that surround you and its up to the writer to choose how on the nose they want to be.
LatinoBuzz: How important was shooting in Texas? Do you feel it shaped you as a storyteller?
Fidel: The movie had to be in Texas. It’s about the crazy things you do when its 100 degrees outside and creating a lawless playground to play cowboy. For me the only place for that is Texas. When looking up references from old westerns and bank heist movies, I quickly realized that what I was looking for was just locales I saw growing up. After that it was just a matter of finding out how to produce a film in San Antonio from New York, and that’s what we did. In terms of being shaped as a storyteller by Texas, I think everyone is influenced a bit by the city they grew up in. At he end of the day that’s what shapes your image of the world. The people and places you interact with as a kid define your perspective on things, and for me that was growing up around the San Antonio suburbs wanting to live life like I saw in the movies.
LatinoBuzz: Pick a film to re-make (you have to!) Who is the lead?
Fidel: It would have to be "Alphaville". It’s one of my favorites. Remaking a Godard films seems like some kind of filmic taboo, so that would make it hard. You would have to get it right or else a lot of people would hate you, (Remember the remake of Breathless? Not very many people do) so finding the way to recreate that film in a modern context seems like a great challenge. As for the lead, I have no idea. Maybe someone from Texas? I’m kind of going through a weird Texas love phase in my life right now, so instinctively I’m leaning towards some Texan faces. But either way, I would have to watch the imaginary casting tapes with my casting director a couple of times to make a final decision. But maybe I would just be forced to make it with talking CGI farm animals - "Alphaville" for kids. Maybe that’s the best approach and one Godard would respect. Mr. Godard if you’re reading this - Just picture this: CGI farm animals as Lemmy Caution and Natacha von Braun.
LatinoBuzz: Where to next?
Fidel: I’m currently writing a feature and developing a short film that deals with the border violence in south Texas. It’s kind of like Blood Simple meets Halloween but in the desert. I’m looking to shoot later this year in West Texas. - fidelrrh@gmail.com
Carlos Arata – "An Evening with Oliver"
LatinoBuzz: Why film and what do you want to ultimately want to say?
Carlos: Film is the ultimate medium through which to tell stories, and when I was younger, it was a way of visually expressing myself. Now, it’s become a way for me to see the world as I did then. When you are young, everything is fresh, magical – you don’t have to have it all figured out. You experience a lot of things for the first time, with a heightened sense of reality…and naivety, too, and it’s wonderful. The world is much more interesting that way. I want my audience to experience the most fascinating version of the world, to feel their feelings in a way they haven’t in a long time, and to look at the world in a way they don’t normally do.
LatinoBuzz: Is there a particular childhood memory you would like to realize in a film of yours one day?
Carlos: I have a distinct memory of being lost in Disneyland at five-years-old. I would like to revisit that experience of roaming the park alone – The feeling of being lost against the backdrop of the "happiest place on earth" interests me.
LatinoBuzz: Pick a film to re-make (you have to!) Who is the lead?
Carlos: If I could remake any film it would have to be "The Warriors." I used to and still watch the film all the time, and caught it whenever it played at the nearby art house. It has an amazing vibe, and of course, a story that is still relevant in our day. I’d cast Chris Pratt as Swan, Kid Cudi as Cochise, and Danny Trejo involved somewhere in the mix.
LatinoBuzz: Where to next?
Carlos: I’m developing a feature version of my short film, "An Evening with Oliver," and in the process of writing an animated feature, as well as a TV pilot (and of course, looking for opportunities to produce both!) - carlosaratafilms@gmail.com
Felipe Prado - "Partiu"
LatinoBuzz: Why film and what do you ultimately want to say?
Felipe: I grew up with my mother taking me and my brother Joao (who produced "Partiu") to watch “cult” movies - as we used to call them - during the week; and my father making us watch Scorsese’s filmography with him during the weekend. Quite inappropriate for kids, but it taught me a lot about movies and shaped who I am. I believe in films that make the audience uncomfortably entertained and have people walking out of the theater with their subconscious still in the story. It needs to be breathtaking and bring new perspectives.
LatinoBuzz: Which is the ‘Brasil' you would like the world to see through your lens?
Felipe: A ‘Brasil’ through unpleasant reality based films with characters, personalities and events deconstructed to their core, avoiding the common subjects that have already been over-explored. Certain stories need to be told, but not as many times as it has been done over the last few years. Brazil is much more than “cine-favela” and soap-opera-like comedies. "Central Station," "City of God" and the "Elite Squad" movies are great, but not every Brazilian film needs to be like them. With very few exceptions, in the last few years those were the themes explored by the majority of the films produced in our culturally diverse country. Brasil is desperate for new stories that don’t underestimate the audience.
LatinoBuzz: Pick a film to re-make (you have to!) Who is the lead?
Felipe: That’s are many choices, but I would really love to adapt ‘Ashes and Diamonds’ to the current South American political turmoil. There are a few recent cases of assassinations of prosecutors and whistleblowers that could base a great remake. The lead… Joao Miguel, who’s in ‘Cinema, Aspirins and Vultures’, ‘Xingu’ and many other great films. In my opinion he’s one of the most complete actors in Brazil’s cinema.
LatinoBuzz: Where to next?
Felipe: I am currently working on a story of faith and corruption involving money-making mega-churches. I am also working on a feature version of "Partiu" as I created the short in order to explore the subject in deep. This is also my thesis project for Nyu Tisch School of the Arts. - felipe.prado@nyu.edu
You can find screening times and more info at: http://www.firstrunfestival.com/
Written by Juan Caceres . LatinoBuzz is a feature on SydneysBuzz that highlights Latino indie talent and upcoming trends in Latino film with the specific objective of presenting a broad range of Latino voices. Follow [At]LatinoBuzz on Twitter and Facebook...
- 4/16/2015
- by Juan Caceres
- Sydney's Buzz
I first encountered writer, director and producer Natalia Leite in an episode of Vice’s “Every Woman”, where she and (co-star and producer) Alexandra Roxo pose as truck stop strippers and was described as “a Marina Abramovic performance crossed with a bizarro episode of 'Wife Swap' directed by David Lynch's daughters." Natalia’s feature film debut "Bare" will premiere at the 2015 Tribeca Film Festival. "Bare" explores the curious relationship between small desert townie Sarah (Dianna Agron) and a spontaneous stranger, Pepper (Paz de la Huerta) who introduces the highs of sex, drugs and spirituality into Sarah’s world.
LatinoBuzz: What was the moment a young girl in Sao Paolo named Natalia decided she wanted to pick up a camera?
Natalia: My dad had one of those huge VHS cameras when I was growing up and he would film the family sometimes. It was too big for me to carry but I always wanted to play around with it. Then, when I was around 9 or 10, I started playing with a little point and shoot camera that my family had and I would stage scenarios with my sister and photograph them. I loved it. I loved creating the scene and also being in it sometimes. I think that was the start.
LatinoBuzz: I understand you were in the process of Bare when you came up with the Vice idea. Did any of that factor in ultimately when you shot "Bare"?
Natalia: For sure. I came across the strip club that we used in "Bare" when I was location scouting in New Mexico and thought it was such a unique and cinematic place. I told Alexandra about this place and we started thinking about how those women ended up there and what life is like for those women. From there we developed the idea for “Every Woman,” the Vice show. Through that experience we bonded with some of the women working in the club and ended up casting them in "Bare." It also really inspired my writing and I added some of that personal experience into the script.
LatinoBuzz: What’s the most important part of the writing process for you?
Natalia: It’s the painful part when you already have the full script written and you think it’s great and then you step back for a moment to realize that it’s not ready yet. When you have to go back to the drawing board and look at your outline again and kill all the scenes you love and make a big mess of it all to get it to a better place.
LatinoBuzz: What were the films that you watched and discussed with your team in achieving the aesthetic of the film?
Natalia: So many. Here are a few: "My Own Private Idaho," "Last Picture Show," "Fish Tank," "Harold and Maude," "My Summer of Love," "Xxy"….
LatinoBuzz: What made your two leads stand out for you? Were you at any point looking for parts of yourself in them?
Natalia: They are exaggerated parts of myself. They are polar opposites who come together and change each other.
LatinoBuzz: Is there a song you could write to all day long?
Natalia: No. I listen to a lot of music and never sit on one song for too long.
LatinoBuzz: How does the current state of the world impact your filmmaking voice?
Natalia: Growing up in Sao Paulo, Brazil, I feel like I was more exposed to the reality of the world we live in. Brazil is beautiful with so many amazing people and beautiful nature, but in Sao Paulo you go to work in the morning and there are 7-year-olds knocking on your car door begging for money, there’s corruption, there’s violence. Not to say that this doesn’t happen here in America too – it does – but the Us is better about hiding this reality in a certain way. Growing up in Sao Paulo was really important to my formative years as an artist, and really shaped the way I saw myself as an artist in the world.
Latinobuzz: Your favorite Journey?
Natalia: My favorite journey is just meditating and going inside myself.
Bare screening times can be found here: https://tribecafilm.com/filmguide/bare-2015. And for more info on Natalia’s work visit: http://drinkpurplemilk.com/
Written by Juan Caceres . LatinoBuzz is a feature on SydneysBuzz that highlights Latino indie talent and upcoming trends in Latino film with the specific objective of presenting a broad range of Latino voices. Follow [At]LatinoBuzz on Twitter and Facebook...
LatinoBuzz: What was the moment a young girl in Sao Paolo named Natalia decided she wanted to pick up a camera?
Natalia: My dad had one of those huge VHS cameras when I was growing up and he would film the family sometimes. It was too big for me to carry but I always wanted to play around with it. Then, when I was around 9 or 10, I started playing with a little point and shoot camera that my family had and I would stage scenarios with my sister and photograph them. I loved it. I loved creating the scene and also being in it sometimes. I think that was the start.
LatinoBuzz: I understand you were in the process of Bare when you came up with the Vice idea. Did any of that factor in ultimately when you shot "Bare"?
Natalia: For sure. I came across the strip club that we used in "Bare" when I was location scouting in New Mexico and thought it was such a unique and cinematic place. I told Alexandra about this place and we started thinking about how those women ended up there and what life is like for those women. From there we developed the idea for “Every Woman,” the Vice show. Through that experience we bonded with some of the women working in the club and ended up casting them in "Bare." It also really inspired my writing and I added some of that personal experience into the script.
LatinoBuzz: What’s the most important part of the writing process for you?
Natalia: It’s the painful part when you already have the full script written and you think it’s great and then you step back for a moment to realize that it’s not ready yet. When you have to go back to the drawing board and look at your outline again and kill all the scenes you love and make a big mess of it all to get it to a better place.
LatinoBuzz: What were the films that you watched and discussed with your team in achieving the aesthetic of the film?
Natalia: So many. Here are a few: "My Own Private Idaho," "Last Picture Show," "Fish Tank," "Harold and Maude," "My Summer of Love," "Xxy"….
LatinoBuzz: What made your two leads stand out for you? Were you at any point looking for parts of yourself in them?
Natalia: They are exaggerated parts of myself. They are polar opposites who come together and change each other.
LatinoBuzz: Is there a song you could write to all day long?
Natalia: No. I listen to a lot of music and never sit on one song for too long.
LatinoBuzz: How does the current state of the world impact your filmmaking voice?
Natalia: Growing up in Sao Paulo, Brazil, I feel like I was more exposed to the reality of the world we live in. Brazil is beautiful with so many amazing people and beautiful nature, but in Sao Paulo you go to work in the morning and there are 7-year-olds knocking on your car door begging for money, there’s corruption, there’s violence. Not to say that this doesn’t happen here in America too – it does – but the Us is better about hiding this reality in a certain way. Growing up in Sao Paulo was really important to my formative years as an artist, and really shaped the way I saw myself as an artist in the world.
Latinobuzz: Your favorite Journey?
Natalia: My favorite journey is just meditating and going inside myself.
Bare screening times can be found here: https://tribecafilm.com/filmguide/bare-2015. And for more info on Natalia’s work visit: http://drinkpurplemilk.com/
Written by Juan Caceres . LatinoBuzz is a feature on SydneysBuzz that highlights Latino indie talent and upcoming trends in Latino film with the specific objective of presenting a broad range of Latino voices. Follow [At]LatinoBuzz on Twitter and Facebook...
- 4/15/2015
- by Juan Caceres
- Sydney's Buzz
Festival favorite "Manos Sucias" is a story about two estranged brothers Delio (Cristian James Advincula) & Jacobo (Jarlin Javier Martinez), one an aspiring rapper and the other a more grounded fisherman who find themselves wrapped up in narco trafficking. Set in the impoverished but culturally rich port town of Buenaventura, Colombia, director Josef Kubota Wladyka draws rich performances from first time actors and the community, while Alan Blanco’s camera paints the stark beauty of Buenaventura with stunning reality. The film will recall 2012’s "Una Noche" by Lucy Mulloy (probably not a coincidence that "Manos Sucias" Ex-Prod. Spike Lee presented that film also) and 2014’s "Fishing Without Nets" by Cutter Hodierne in that all of them as filmmakers, present gritty realities of the everyday life of people at crossroads yet personally told their stories affectionately. With use of a perfect rhythm "Manos Sucias" portrays a little seen piece of Colombia.
In July 2014, Sydney Levine of SydneysBuzz wrote of the film's genesis as the firs U.S.-Colombian coproduction of its kind and its subsequent international sales when she discovered the film at Cartagena. Read more here.
LatinoBuzz spoke to writer/director Josef Kubota Wladyka, co-writer/cinematographer Alan Blanco and producers Elena Greenlee & Marcia Nunes on this collective managed to bring the film to fruition.
LatinoBuzz: Latin American cinema seems to be exploring the Afro-Latino experience more than before. Was this one of the themes you had in mind when writing the screenplay?
Josef : Buenaventura is more than 85% African descent. After spending time talking to the community, gracious enough to share their stories and experiences with us, it became clear that there is a lot of racism and violence towards the Afro-Colombians. It was important for us to touch on these larger themes by using an intimate story of two estranged brothers. The heart of the story is the relationship between Jacobo and Delio, and the choices they must make.
Márcia : I still think there aren't enough films made about the Afro-Latino experience, and minority experiences in general in the Us and abroad. It's important that we as filmmakers and audience members seek out these stories and keeping pushing for a wider frame of representation.
LatinoBuzz: How important was Spike Lee's involvement and what was the best advice he gave going into production?
Josef : Spike’s involvement was extremely important because having an iconic filmmaker like himself associated with your project opens so many doors, especially in Colombia. He read our script and revisions, and gave his insight on how to make the movie happen. Having been an advocate and mentor to the project over the years, we showed him a fine cut of the film. At that point, he felt comfortable coming on board as our presenter and as an executive producer. Spike has long been a supporter of up-and-coming filmmakers and continues to be an inspiration to us. His best piece of advice was simple… “Get it done, by any means necessary.”
LatinoBuzz: This is your first feature - did anyone say “Maybe shooting in the jungles of Buenaventura, Colombia with unknown actors is not the way to go right now?”
Alan : The script for this film was based on over 6 years of research that Joe carried out on the Pacific Coast of Colombia. Even so we heard a lot of people say that shooting in Colombia was too risky and we definitely considered shooting in other places. We even scouted Puerto Rico and discovered that as a team our top priority was to making a film that represented this story authentically.
Josef: We wanted to make the film with people who live the story every day, to the show the real faces, and the real places where this goes on. Most of the locations are unknown to the world and this is a part of the drug trade that is rarely explored in the media. We hope the film leaves audiences thinking and asking questions, particularly about the global nature of these conflicts and how this is an economy that might seem far away and exotic but actually interconnects people from all over the world. If it hadn’t been done in Buenaventura, it simply wouldn’t be the same movie.
LatinoBuzz: How much local support was there for "Manos Sucias"? How did you ensure the production didn’t look like an occupation?
Márcia : As an official Colombia-us co-production we had the support of the Colombian Ministry of Culture and Film Commission, which allowed us to tap into the local tax incentives.
Elena: Once we decided to film in Buenaventura the big question became access, not just to locations, but to people, information, resources. We were outsiders and needed to be invited into the world as guests. An “occupation” was never an option; some of the communities we worked in are places where the police and “official authorities” do not go. So access was built on relationships that Joe had begun forming over years of research, which deepened once we were on the ground in pre-production and people saw that we weren't all talk, that we were serious about making a film. In negotiating with the local communities we were upfront about the kind of subject matter we wanted to tackle, but also about wanting to offer a collaboration that was beneficial for everyone. They expressed a lot of interest in exchanging skills and we decided to offer a free filmmaking workshop, working with available resources like cellphones and small photo cameras. Through that process, we filled out our cast and crew with local people, about half of our crew and almost 100% of our actors were from Buenaventura and their support and contributions were immeasurable.
LatinoBuzz: How much happened on set in the moment rather than what was on paper?
Josef: There was a lot that happened in the moment, but it was only possible because we prepared so much. We did a lot of rehearsing and test shooting on locations during pre-production. This was a key element because it allowed us to be free on set. In Buenaventura, things can change at any moment so we always had to be ready to embrace the circumstances that were presented to us. We did do some improvising but after all the editing most of the scenes ended up close to what was scripted.
LatinoBuzz: What was either the most beautiful moment in the shoot that made you feel everything will turn out fine.
Alan: I’ll never forget shooting the campfire scene with just Jarly and Cristian (Jacobo and Delio). First off, it was the first starry night I’d ever seen in Buenaventura. It’s one of the most humid places in the world and constantly overcast; which, by the way, helped a lot with the photography. The scene is about estranged brothers rediscovering each other. The actors are amazing in the scene. For them to perform so well, in an intimate scene amidst the action and turmoil of the story, and under the stress and challenges of production was just unforgettable. I consider it a privilege to have executed that scene with the crew and actors.
LatinoBuzz: Tell me about the look of the film. Was there a particular film or filmmaker you used as a point of reference?
Alan: While we knew we had a lot of limitations, we always wanted to have a strong artistic point of view for the look of the film. This started back in New York with our preliminary storyboarding and continued as we did camera tests to see the technical limitations we'd face. Geared with that information, we developed a lot of strategies around lens choices and camera movement. In a way this is a road movie, the blocking and shooting of the scenes in the boat needed to be varied in order not to be monotonous.
Josef: We strived to emphasize the visual irony of the vastness of the ocean with the claustrophobia of the boat. We always wanted to have a sense of urgency and immediacy like in many of the Dardenne brothers' films we love. We used many films as references from Hitchcock’s "Lifeboat" and "The Wages of Fear," to "Lawrence of Arabia." Above all else, we knew we wanted to shoot in a way that gave the performers the space to give their best work.
What do you think this moment in their lives meant to the people of Buenaventura?
Alan : I think it’s hard to say. Many of us are still figuring that out for ourselves and I’m not sure I could be so bold as to speculate on their feelings. I can tell you that these are complex people living in a complex situation all with the same capacities for joy and sorrow as anyone else in the world. The experiences we shared while filming helped us to learn more about each other, and also helped me learn how to salsa dance badly. (Thank you, Stefania!) We formed friendships with the cast, crew, and other people in Buenaventura and believe that this film is a testament to those friendships. We hope those moments of working on this project mean as much to them as they do to us.
LatinoBuzz: You obviously immersed yourself in the local culture with the people, dialect, music etc – what sense of void did you and the crew feel once you wrapped production and left Buenaventura to begin the post production process?
Josef: There certainly was a sense of emptiness or even loss right after shooting. While no day was ever predicable, you do develop a sense of routine, of eating meals together, laughing at half-translated dirty jokes, and working all day and dancing all night. Getting back to the States, there was a lot of work to fill the void. The turnaround for the film was pretty quick and editing started almost right away. In a lot of ways, the film never stops moving even now. Now, I don’t think it’s a void. Making the film changed us and that feeling now is one of change, not emptiness.
LatinoBuzz: What’s the next story?
Alan and Joe are working on various new projects, still in early stages of development. Elena and Márcia are working on a film about a psychedelic drug researcher who gets mixed up in the dark side of the Ayahuasca tourism industry in the Amazon, which will shoot on location in the coming year. We're all still interested in exploring little seen corners of the world and bringing them to light on the big screen.
The film opens April 3rd at Cinema Village in NYC. Dig the official "Manos Sucias" website at: http://www.manossuciasmovie.com/ & screening times Here!
Written by Juan Caceres . LatinoBuzz is a feature on SydneysBuzz that highlights Latino indie talent and upcoming trends in Latino film with the specific objective of presenting a broad range of Latino voices. Follow [At]LatinoBuzz on Twitter and Facebook...
In July 2014, Sydney Levine of SydneysBuzz wrote of the film's genesis as the firs U.S.-Colombian coproduction of its kind and its subsequent international sales when she discovered the film at Cartagena. Read more here.
LatinoBuzz spoke to writer/director Josef Kubota Wladyka, co-writer/cinematographer Alan Blanco and producers Elena Greenlee & Marcia Nunes on this collective managed to bring the film to fruition.
LatinoBuzz: Latin American cinema seems to be exploring the Afro-Latino experience more than before. Was this one of the themes you had in mind when writing the screenplay?
Josef : Buenaventura is more than 85% African descent. After spending time talking to the community, gracious enough to share their stories and experiences with us, it became clear that there is a lot of racism and violence towards the Afro-Colombians. It was important for us to touch on these larger themes by using an intimate story of two estranged brothers. The heart of the story is the relationship between Jacobo and Delio, and the choices they must make.
Márcia : I still think there aren't enough films made about the Afro-Latino experience, and minority experiences in general in the Us and abroad. It's important that we as filmmakers and audience members seek out these stories and keeping pushing for a wider frame of representation.
LatinoBuzz: How important was Spike Lee's involvement and what was the best advice he gave going into production?
Josef : Spike’s involvement was extremely important because having an iconic filmmaker like himself associated with your project opens so many doors, especially in Colombia. He read our script and revisions, and gave his insight on how to make the movie happen. Having been an advocate and mentor to the project over the years, we showed him a fine cut of the film. At that point, he felt comfortable coming on board as our presenter and as an executive producer. Spike has long been a supporter of up-and-coming filmmakers and continues to be an inspiration to us. His best piece of advice was simple… “Get it done, by any means necessary.”
LatinoBuzz: This is your first feature - did anyone say “Maybe shooting in the jungles of Buenaventura, Colombia with unknown actors is not the way to go right now?”
Alan : The script for this film was based on over 6 years of research that Joe carried out on the Pacific Coast of Colombia. Even so we heard a lot of people say that shooting in Colombia was too risky and we definitely considered shooting in other places. We even scouted Puerto Rico and discovered that as a team our top priority was to making a film that represented this story authentically.
Josef: We wanted to make the film with people who live the story every day, to the show the real faces, and the real places where this goes on. Most of the locations are unknown to the world and this is a part of the drug trade that is rarely explored in the media. We hope the film leaves audiences thinking and asking questions, particularly about the global nature of these conflicts and how this is an economy that might seem far away and exotic but actually interconnects people from all over the world. If it hadn’t been done in Buenaventura, it simply wouldn’t be the same movie.
LatinoBuzz: How much local support was there for "Manos Sucias"? How did you ensure the production didn’t look like an occupation?
Márcia : As an official Colombia-us co-production we had the support of the Colombian Ministry of Culture and Film Commission, which allowed us to tap into the local tax incentives.
Elena: Once we decided to film in Buenaventura the big question became access, not just to locations, but to people, information, resources. We were outsiders and needed to be invited into the world as guests. An “occupation” was never an option; some of the communities we worked in are places where the police and “official authorities” do not go. So access was built on relationships that Joe had begun forming over years of research, which deepened once we were on the ground in pre-production and people saw that we weren't all talk, that we were serious about making a film. In negotiating with the local communities we were upfront about the kind of subject matter we wanted to tackle, but also about wanting to offer a collaboration that was beneficial for everyone. They expressed a lot of interest in exchanging skills and we decided to offer a free filmmaking workshop, working with available resources like cellphones and small photo cameras. Through that process, we filled out our cast and crew with local people, about half of our crew and almost 100% of our actors were from Buenaventura and their support and contributions were immeasurable.
LatinoBuzz: How much happened on set in the moment rather than what was on paper?
Josef: There was a lot that happened in the moment, but it was only possible because we prepared so much. We did a lot of rehearsing and test shooting on locations during pre-production. This was a key element because it allowed us to be free on set. In Buenaventura, things can change at any moment so we always had to be ready to embrace the circumstances that were presented to us. We did do some improvising but after all the editing most of the scenes ended up close to what was scripted.
LatinoBuzz: What was either the most beautiful moment in the shoot that made you feel everything will turn out fine.
Alan: I’ll never forget shooting the campfire scene with just Jarly and Cristian (Jacobo and Delio). First off, it was the first starry night I’d ever seen in Buenaventura. It’s one of the most humid places in the world and constantly overcast; which, by the way, helped a lot with the photography. The scene is about estranged brothers rediscovering each other. The actors are amazing in the scene. For them to perform so well, in an intimate scene amidst the action and turmoil of the story, and under the stress and challenges of production was just unforgettable. I consider it a privilege to have executed that scene with the crew and actors.
LatinoBuzz: Tell me about the look of the film. Was there a particular film or filmmaker you used as a point of reference?
Alan: While we knew we had a lot of limitations, we always wanted to have a strong artistic point of view for the look of the film. This started back in New York with our preliminary storyboarding and continued as we did camera tests to see the technical limitations we'd face. Geared with that information, we developed a lot of strategies around lens choices and camera movement. In a way this is a road movie, the blocking and shooting of the scenes in the boat needed to be varied in order not to be monotonous.
Josef: We strived to emphasize the visual irony of the vastness of the ocean with the claustrophobia of the boat. We always wanted to have a sense of urgency and immediacy like in many of the Dardenne brothers' films we love. We used many films as references from Hitchcock’s "Lifeboat" and "The Wages of Fear," to "Lawrence of Arabia." Above all else, we knew we wanted to shoot in a way that gave the performers the space to give their best work.
What do you think this moment in their lives meant to the people of Buenaventura?
Alan : I think it’s hard to say. Many of us are still figuring that out for ourselves and I’m not sure I could be so bold as to speculate on their feelings. I can tell you that these are complex people living in a complex situation all with the same capacities for joy and sorrow as anyone else in the world. The experiences we shared while filming helped us to learn more about each other, and also helped me learn how to salsa dance badly. (Thank you, Stefania!) We formed friendships with the cast, crew, and other people in Buenaventura and believe that this film is a testament to those friendships. We hope those moments of working on this project mean as much to them as they do to us.
LatinoBuzz: You obviously immersed yourself in the local culture with the people, dialect, music etc – what sense of void did you and the crew feel once you wrapped production and left Buenaventura to begin the post production process?
Josef: There certainly was a sense of emptiness or even loss right after shooting. While no day was ever predicable, you do develop a sense of routine, of eating meals together, laughing at half-translated dirty jokes, and working all day and dancing all night. Getting back to the States, there was a lot of work to fill the void. The turnaround for the film was pretty quick and editing started almost right away. In a lot of ways, the film never stops moving even now. Now, I don’t think it’s a void. Making the film changed us and that feeling now is one of change, not emptiness.
LatinoBuzz: What’s the next story?
Alan and Joe are working on various new projects, still in early stages of development. Elena and Márcia are working on a film about a psychedelic drug researcher who gets mixed up in the dark side of the Ayahuasca tourism industry in the Amazon, which will shoot on location in the coming year. We're all still interested in exploring little seen corners of the world and bringing them to light on the big screen.
The film opens April 3rd at Cinema Village in NYC. Dig the official "Manos Sucias" website at: http://www.manossuciasmovie.com/ & screening times Here!
Written by Juan Caceres . LatinoBuzz is a feature on SydneysBuzz that highlights Latino indie talent and upcoming trends in Latino film with the specific objective of presenting a broad range of Latino voices. Follow [At]LatinoBuzz on Twitter and Facebook...
- 4/1/2015
- by Juan Caceres
- Sydney's Buzz
What do we know about San Diego, California? SeaWorld & Shamu. But wait, that’s not all! The San Diego Latino Film Festival is back with its 22 nd edition and they went all kindsa crazy. New venue, new vibe and jam packed with the best Latino film has to offer. As one of the last Latino film festivals still standing they really made a point to accentuate the spectrum of filmmakers coming out of Latin America and the Us. San Diego Latino has always been a favorite festival of mine as they run on community love and deserve to be celebrated. So, what happens when you abandon Chilenos, Peruanos, Mexicanos, Domincanos, Argentinos y Venezolanos on a deserted island and only allow them one book, an album, a film and a companion from the movies? Read on.
Bernardo Quesney - "Desastres Naturales" (Chile)
Book: The Cement Garden (Ian McEwan). I don´t know if this is my favorite book but it was very important in my adolescence. I felt very close to the main character. Loved by my friends and hated by our parents.
Film: "El Angel Exterminador" by Luis Buñuel. Buñuel is the film director that I want to imitate. I think he is perfect - his sense of humor, his Mexican films. Nothing is "normal" in his cinema. When I read his memoirs I felt that I knew him.
Album: Love in C Minor – Cerrone. Uff! Cerrone is the soundtrack of my everyday walk. It´s simply marvelous. When I put Cerrone in my bedroom I start to dance like John Travolta as Tony Manero. Naked or with boxers.
Companion: Raul Peralta from "Tony Manero." This is a character I feel respects life. It’s so amazing that Raul knows every phrase of that movie. Being Chilean and imitating something from a distant culture is a representation of the Chilean culture. Our nation is an imitation. It’s like we need role models.
Guillermo Zouain - "On the Road, Somewhere" (Algún lugar) (Dominican Republic)
Film: When people ask me what my favorite film is I usually tend to go for "Jaws," "Seven Samurai"or "The Royal Tenenbaums." In this case however I would have to choose "The Breakfast Club," John Hughes is a genius and this movie in particular he guarantees to keep his audience feeling happy, young and rebellious no matter what.
Album: It would be Paul Simon’s Graceland. I think surviving is all about the mood and keeping it happy in my deserted island. Graceland always makes me smile. I’ve been listening to this album since I was a kid and have never grown tired of it. The whole album has a kinetic feel that exudes, transmits and inspires movement. Paul Simon, by Paul Simon, Nashville Skyline by Bob Dylan and Lola vs. Powerman and the Moneygoround part 1 by the Kinks would follow.
Book: Palomar: the Heartbreak Soup Stories, A Love and Rockets Book by Gilbert Hernandez. The good thing about this comic book is that it will give you an array of things: length, many characters, even more details and above all drama and gossip. Palomar’s community of characters will also keep me company while rescue comes. I spent a year reading this book just because I didn’t want it to end.
Companion: I would have to go with Dr. Who, come on the guy speaks all the languages in the universe, has centuries of experience, has been in all kinds of trouble and has a time machine. His sonic screwdriver doesn’t work on wood though.
Enrica Perez - "Climas" (Peru)
Film: If you twist my arm I'd have to pick Almodovar's "Talk to Her." It's not only one of my favorites but the film has also this fate "anything-can-happen" quality and I'm such a drama lover! It would be perfect to be stuck with it on a deserted island. I would never get sick of it.
Album: Without a doubt: The Very Best of Maria Callas. The voice of this woman and the arias of this album on an island… what can I say?… I would wake up in heaven every single day.
Book: I would pick Ernesto Sabato's On Heroes and Tombs. It turned my life upside down when I first read it as a teenager and every time I've read it again I understood something completely different. This book tends to transform and change with time. It's kind of frightening and fantastic at the same time.
Companion: I read in a past quiz someone picked Mary Poppins… damn! That was a good one!!! But to avoid repetition, I would pick Indiana Jones. I mean, c'mon… do I have to explain why?
Gilberto González Penilla - "Los Hamsters" (Mexico)
Film: There are many films I consider favorites but If I had to take just one film to a deserted Island it would be "Cinema Paradiso" for the simple reason it reminds me of the love for cinema and is a film that I can tire of easily.
Album: It would be a Pink Floyd album. That would make me happy and would be perfect for a deserted island to reminisce of my adolescence.
Book: I had it in my mind to choose between a novel or a book of stories, but for the occasion the ideal book would be Notes on Cinematography by Bresson. It’s a book of small notes and thoughts by Bresson. The more I read it I find different meanings of cinema and life itself.
Companion: It would certainly be without doubt Woody Allen. He’s a director whom I admire and surely on a island it would be fun and full of anecdotes.
Humberto Hinojosa – "I Hate Love" (Mexico)
Book: Count of Monte Cristo . It was my first book when I was a child and I have very good memories of it. I enjoy it every time I read it again.
Album: The Beatles Abbey Road. I've heard it my entire life and I have never gotten tired of it. I think it works on an island. I also listen to it with my wife and kids so it would give me hope of rescue.
Companion: Wall-e. I'm sure we would be best friends forever.
Film: If I'm going to be on an island with Wall-e, I'm sure we will have a great time watching "The Party" by Peter Sellers over and over again which would be my choice of a film.
Andrea Herrera Catalá - "Nena, Saludame Al Diego" (Venezuela)
Film: It is an established fact: I can watch "Streets of Fire" five hundred times, and I'll never get bored. Besides, with this film I would bring a little more music to the island!
Companion: Rob Gordon from "High Fidelity." He is quite talkative and he could tell me tons of stories about his life, his girlfriends, the concerts he's been to... He would bring lots of records inside his head, and anecdotes and fun facts about them. It would be like having a never ending music magazine. We would compose new songs, we would do vocal jam sessions and Air Band contests... Until I wanted to kill him, or maybe the other way round.
Book: Cosimo Piovasco, Italo Calvino's Baron in the Trees. I could find new advice from Cosimo every time I read it, on how to live in peace with myself. This book has love, ideology, adventure, battles, joy and sorrow. Everything mixed up in just one big story. I recall I enjoyed a lot when I first read it. I'll let you know how is it going in reading number 1743.
Album: Bocanada by Gustavo Cerati. It is a gem, an amazing record. It is a pleasure listening to it next to the sea, lying under the sun. Cerati deserves a thousand and one tributes.
Emiliano Romero – "Topos" (Argentina)
Book: I feel the need to mention that this list changes permanently, depending entirely on my metamorphosis as a human being. Tengo Miedo Torero (My Tender Matador) by Pedro Lemebel. I would choose this book because it merges social and political reality with fiction. It depicts sensitive characters that have to cope with desires and ideologies. The book makes me want to embrace every single detail of life. It also encourages everyone to defend their right to be whatever they want to be.
Film: "Les Amants du Pont-Neuf" (The Lovers on the Bridge) by Leos Carax. This film manages to transform ugliness and pathos into beauty. Each scene makes me feel the magic of cinema. It really blows people's minds. The actors play their parts in a grotesque-acting style, yet with profound truth.
Album: Transa by Caetano Veloso. This album makes me feel happy. While I listen to it, I realize that the mixture of the different world cultures is really enlightening. Jazz, Rock, Bossa Nova, Tango, lots of talent and Latin blood.
Companion: Cosmo Kramer from TV series "Seinfeld." I would choose him because he always does what he feels. He never censors himself, nor thinks twice about things. He loves what he does and does what he loves to do, always. Besides, I think that the physical work of the actor is absolutely brilliant.
Check out the roster: http://sdlatinofilm.com/2015/
Written by Juan Caceres . LatinoBuzz is a feature on SydneysBuzz that highlights Latino indie talent and upcoming trends in Latino film with the specific objective of presenting a broad range of Latino voices. Follow [At]LatinoBuzz on Twitter and Facebook...
Bernardo Quesney - "Desastres Naturales" (Chile)
Book: The Cement Garden (Ian McEwan). I don´t know if this is my favorite book but it was very important in my adolescence. I felt very close to the main character. Loved by my friends and hated by our parents.
Film: "El Angel Exterminador" by Luis Buñuel. Buñuel is the film director that I want to imitate. I think he is perfect - his sense of humor, his Mexican films. Nothing is "normal" in his cinema. When I read his memoirs I felt that I knew him.
Album: Love in C Minor – Cerrone. Uff! Cerrone is the soundtrack of my everyday walk. It´s simply marvelous. When I put Cerrone in my bedroom I start to dance like John Travolta as Tony Manero. Naked or with boxers.
Companion: Raul Peralta from "Tony Manero." This is a character I feel respects life. It’s so amazing that Raul knows every phrase of that movie. Being Chilean and imitating something from a distant culture is a representation of the Chilean culture. Our nation is an imitation. It’s like we need role models.
Guillermo Zouain - "On the Road, Somewhere" (Algún lugar) (Dominican Republic)
Film: When people ask me what my favorite film is I usually tend to go for "Jaws," "Seven Samurai"or "The Royal Tenenbaums." In this case however I would have to choose "The Breakfast Club," John Hughes is a genius and this movie in particular he guarantees to keep his audience feeling happy, young and rebellious no matter what.
Album: It would be Paul Simon’s Graceland. I think surviving is all about the mood and keeping it happy in my deserted island. Graceland always makes me smile. I’ve been listening to this album since I was a kid and have never grown tired of it. The whole album has a kinetic feel that exudes, transmits and inspires movement. Paul Simon, by Paul Simon, Nashville Skyline by Bob Dylan and Lola vs. Powerman and the Moneygoround part 1 by the Kinks would follow.
Book: Palomar: the Heartbreak Soup Stories, A Love and Rockets Book by Gilbert Hernandez. The good thing about this comic book is that it will give you an array of things: length, many characters, even more details and above all drama and gossip. Palomar’s community of characters will also keep me company while rescue comes. I spent a year reading this book just because I didn’t want it to end.
Companion: I would have to go with Dr. Who, come on the guy speaks all the languages in the universe, has centuries of experience, has been in all kinds of trouble and has a time machine. His sonic screwdriver doesn’t work on wood though.
Enrica Perez - "Climas" (Peru)
Film: If you twist my arm I'd have to pick Almodovar's "Talk to Her." It's not only one of my favorites but the film has also this fate "anything-can-happen" quality and I'm such a drama lover! It would be perfect to be stuck with it on a deserted island. I would never get sick of it.
Album: Without a doubt: The Very Best of Maria Callas. The voice of this woman and the arias of this album on an island… what can I say?… I would wake up in heaven every single day.
Book: I would pick Ernesto Sabato's On Heroes and Tombs. It turned my life upside down when I first read it as a teenager and every time I've read it again I understood something completely different. This book tends to transform and change with time. It's kind of frightening and fantastic at the same time.
Companion: I read in a past quiz someone picked Mary Poppins… damn! That was a good one!!! But to avoid repetition, I would pick Indiana Jones. I mean, c'mon… do I have to explain why?
Gilberto González Penilla - "Los Hamsters" (Mexico)
Film: There are many films I consider favorites but If I had to take just one film to a deserted Island it would be "Cinema Paradiso" for the simple reason it reminds me of the love for cinema and is a film that I can tire of easily.
Album: It would be a Pink Floyd album. That would make me happy and would be perfect for a deserted island to reminisce of my adolescence.
Book: I had it in my mind to choose between a novel or a book of stories, but for the occasion the ideal book would be Notes on Cinematography by Bresson. It’s a book of small notes and thoughts by Bresson. The more I read it I find different meanings of cinema and life itself.
Companion: It would certainly be without doubt Woody Allen. He’s a director whom I admire and surely on a island it would be fun and full of anecdotes.
Humberto Hinojosa – "I Hate Love" (Mexico)
Book: Count of Monte Cristo . It was my first book when I was a child and I have very good memories of it. I enjoy it every time I read it again.
Album: The Beatles Abbey Road. I've heard it my entire life and I have never gotten tired of it. I think it works on an island. I also listen to it with my wife and kids so it would give me hope of rescue.
Companion: Wall-e. I'm sure we would be best friends forever.
Film: If I'm going to be on an island with Wall-e, I'm sure we will have a great time watching "The Party" by Peter Sellers over and over again which would be my choice of a film.
Andrea Herrera Catalá - "Nena, Saludame Al Diego" (Venezuela)
Film: It is an established fact: I can watch "Streets of Fire" five hundred times, and I'll never get bored. Besides, with this film I would bring a little more music to the island!
Companion: Rob Gordon from "High Fidelity." He is quite talkative and he could tell me tons of stories about his life, his girlfriends, the concerts he's been to... He would bring lots of records inside his head, and anecdotes and fun facts about them. It would be like having a never ending music magazine. We would compose new songs, we would do vocal jam sessions and Air Band contests... Until I wanted to kill him, or maybe the other way round.
Book: Cosimo Piovasco, Italo Calvino's Baron in the Trees. I could find new advice from Cosimo every time I read it, on how to live in peace with myself. This book has love, ideology, adventure, battles, joy and sorrow. Everything mixed up in just one big story. I recall I enjoyed a lot when I first read it. I'll let you know how is it going in reading number 1743.
Album: Bocanada by Gustavo Cerati. It is a gem, an amazing record. It is a pleasure listening to it next to the sea, lying under the sun. Cerati deserves a thousand and one tributes.
Emiliano Romero – "Topos" (Argentina)
Book: I feel the need to mention that this list changes permanently, depending entirely on my metamorphosis as a human being. Tengo Miedo Torero (My Tender Matador) by Pedro Lemebel. I would choose this book because it merges social and political reality with fiction. It depicts sensitive characters that have to cope with desires and ideologies. The book makes me want to embrace every single detail of life. It also encourages everyone to defend their right to be whatever they want to be.
Film: "Les Amants du Pont-Neuf" (The Lovers on the Bridge) by Leos Carax. This film manages to transform ugliness and pathos into beauty. Each scene makes me feel the magic of cinema. It really blows people's minds. The actors play their parts in a grotesque-acting style, yet with profound truth.
Album: Transa by Caetano Veloso. This album makes me feel happy. While I listen to it, I realize that the mixture of the different world cultures is really enlightening. Jazz, Rock, Bossa Nova, Tango, lots of talent and Latin blood.
Companion: Cosmo Kramer from TV series "Seinfeld." I would choose him because he always does what he feels. He never censors himself, nor thinks twice about things. He loves what he does and does what he loves to do, always. Besides, I think that the physical work of the actor is absolutely brilliant.
Check out the roster: http://sdlatinofilm.com/2015/
Written by Juan Caceres . LatinoBuzz is a feature on SydneysBuzz that highlights Latino indie talent and upcoming trends in Latino film with the specific objective of presenting a broad range of Latino voices. Follow [At]LatinoBuzz on Twitter and Facebook...
- 3/19/2015
- by Juan Caceres
- Sydney's Buzz
Summer was created for one purpose only to a legion of fanatics: "East Los High." Yes! Our homies from East Los Angeles, Cali’ are back this summer! Hulu has renewed the groundbreaking teen drama, "East Los High" for a third season.
Since its debut in 2013, the English language Elh has introduced its audience of loyal followers – the #ELHaddicts (don’t forget the hashtag!) – to some of the freshest faces in young Latino talent and those fans quickly created allegiances to their favorite characters. That loyalty was fostered by Hulu’s commitment to its audience and community.
So, with that said The Bomb Squad has let the boys into the club this season. Gilbert Saldivar joins the team as Santi, a ladies man who like any self-respecting guy, only signs up for its girls–to-boy ratio. Byron Martinez and Oskar Rodriguez will play childhood friends, Luis and Omar, who get taken under the wing of Jacob at the taqueria (I’m getting hungry writing this) and put the dance skills they picked up on the streets to the test when they join the squad.
Another familiar face getting in on the action is Carlito Olivero, a finalist from The X-Factor, playing Eddie, a young man dedicated to caring for his diabetic mother. Boys joining the Bomb Squad may or may not be a good idea but you will have to find out this summer.
Do your homework and visit: http://www.hulu.com/east-los-high
Written by Juan Caceres . LatinoBuzz is a weekly feature on SydneysBuzz that highlights Latino indie talent and upcoming trends in Latino film with the specific objective of presenting a broad range of Latino voices. Follow [At]LatinoBuzz on Twitter and Facebook...
Since its debut in 2013, the English language Elh has introduced its audience of loyal followers – the #ELHaddicts (don’t forget the hashtag!) – to some of the freshest faces in young Latino talent and those fans quickly created allegiances to their favorite characters. That loyalty was fostered by Hulu’s commitment to its audience and community.
So, with that said The Bomb Squad has let the boys into the club this season. Gilbert Saldivar joins the team as Santi, a ladies man who like any self-respecting guy, only signs up for its girls–to-boy ratio. Byron Martinez and Oskar Rodriguez will play childhood friends, Luis and Omar, who get taken under the wing of Jacob at the taqueria (I’m getting hungry writing this) and put the dance skills they picked up on the streets to the test when they join the squad.
Another familiar face getting in on the action is Carlito Olivero, a finalist from The X-Factor, playing Eddie, a young man dedicated to caring for his diabetic mother. Boys joining the Bomb Squad may or may not be a good idea but you will have to find out this summer.
Do your homework and visit: http://www.hulu.com/east-los-high
Written by Juan Caceres . LatinoBuzz is a weekly feature on SydneysBuzz that highlights Latino indie talent and upcoming trends in Latino film with the specific objective of presenting a broad range of Latino voices. Follow [At]LatinoBuzz on Twitter and Facebook...
- 3/12/2015
- by Juan Caceres
- Sydney's Buzz
I must have met E.O. around the winter of ‘96. He was that kid from around the way that was in Spike Lee’s Clockers. We’d catch each other in the heights here and there but not often enough. Years later I decided to make my own short film. I sent Elvis the script. He was down. We shot with a few hundred dollars on the Canon Xl (the Excalibur of its time) on the stoops, brownstones and rooftops of Harlem, New York.
The film had some sweet humble success with festivals all things considering. I still don’t know how best to direct actors but Nolasco always had that razor sharp focus when it came to his craft. He made it seem effortless but I knew it came from years of discipline. He’s gone on to work with some of the best and after a few pilots that weren’t picked up, ABC will debut "American Crime," an anthology series based on class, race & gender politics created by Academy Award-winner John Ridley, on March 5th. Fast forward, 2015, there’s nothing like seeing your homeboy’s billboard on Sunset and Vine.
LatinoBuzz: Do you recall that first moment you wanted to be an actor?
Elvis: I can honestly say that...that moment of wanting to be an actor, was a moment that found me. After many early years of dancing, it was not until I arrived at George Washington High School, where I was faced with the options of what I wanted as my extra curriculum studies. Now, the only thing on that list that came close to dancing was "Introduction to Theatre". I said "well maybe I can get to dance in this class"... (Not So). It was my drama teacher Robert Stonebridge who after the first few weeks in his class he saw something in me, that I of course did not see in myself. He challenged me to play the role of Bill Starbuck in the play The Rainmaker. From that moment on, I found my voice, my body felt something magical and new, I felt comfortable, I finally was introduced to a new form of expression, the freedom of expression, the art to play. That was the moment and I never looked back. Thank You Mr. Stonebridge.
LatinoBuzz: What was the most discouraging moment you have ever experienced?
Elvis: That's a good question. I feel that the times I've had experience those moments, it has been when I've allowed outside voices to try and deter me from my path, my passion. Those voices can be very discouraging and destructive to one's journey. Today, I make sure to listen to the voice inside me, the voice of the heart, the voice of my passion, my truth.
LatinoBuzz: Who has been the biggest influence in your life and work?
Elvis: That's a long list, however I'll narrow it down to this many... My mother, my father, who have taught me the importance of hard work in a very dignified way. My aunts and uncles, who have taught me the value of family, music, dance and history. My good friend Robert (Fileo) Lewis, who has taught me the power of unconditional love. My brothers and sisters, especially my younger brother Yanko "Valentin", who is always, and I mean always busy and relevant, I'm telling you that kid don't stop. Work wise...Spike Lee, Darnell Martin, John Ridley...And tons of many, many more...
LatinoBuzz: What's your take on the ‘Whitewashing’ Hollywood has been accused of lately?
Elvis: The Whitewash of Hollywood is not new but the broader conversation that we are having about it is. The fact that people of color are not the only ones involved in the public conversation about it, is new. That's a good thing for everyone involved. Diversity in film and television benefits society as a whole.
LatinoBuzz: You did a one-man show based on Junot Diaz’ Purlizter Prize awarded ‘The Brief and Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao’ – you didn’t find that daunting at all? We are talking a very celebrated novel.
Elvis: Oscar Wao? Daunting? Nah! When this project was brought to my attention, I was immediately in and up for the challenge. I, at that time (2010) had already read Junot Diaz' previous works, had read The Brief Wondrous Life Of Oscar Wao two times, therefore I was of fan, a fan of the book and of Junot’s work. Now, having said that, to sit in a stuffy New York City basement at a theatre on 36th street with the great director Elise Thoron for two whole weeks (lost count of the hours) and together work on the adaptation of this magnificent, extraordinary and compelling Pulitzer prize winning novel...Ok, I think we can now revisit that word... ‘daunting”... Lol. We were able to narrow it down to an hour and 10 minutes and tell the beautiful story of Oscar De Leon and Yunior and audiences loved it. Truly a pleasure to take on this story on stage.
LatinoBuzz: I always have to ask this: Your dream role, dream director, dream co-star.
Elvis: Dream Role? I would say, playing Sidney Poitier on the big screen. Directors? Clint Eastwood, Denzel Washington, Lee Daniels. Co-Star? Will Smith.
Do the social media lovin’!
Facebook: http://on.fb.me/1Fozjcx
Twitter: @Eonolasco
Airing times and schedule for American Crime can be found here: http://abc.go.com/shows/american-crime
Written by Juan Caceres . LatinoBuzz is a weekly feature on SydneysBuzz that highlights Latino indie talent and upcoming trends in Latino film with the specific objective of presenting a broad range of Latino voices. Follow [At]LatinoBuzz on Twitter and Facebook...
The film had some sweet humble success with festivals all things considering. I still don’t know how best to direct actors but Nolasco always had that razor sharp focus when it came to his craft. He made it seem effortless but I knew it came from years of discipline. He’s gone on to work with some of the best and after a few pilots that weren’t picked up, ABC will debut "American Crime," an anthology series based on class, race & gender politics created by Academy Award-winner John Ridley, on March 5th. Fast forward, 2015, there’s nothing like seeing your homeboy’s billboard on Sunset and Vine.
LatinoBuzz: Do you recall that first moment you wanted to be an actor?
Elvis: I can honestly say that...that moment of wanting to be an actor, was a moment that found me. After many early years of dancing, it was not until I arrived at George Washington High School, where I was faced with the options of what I wanted as my extra curriculum studies. Now, the only thing on that list that came close to dancing was "Introduction to Theatre". I said "well maybe I can get to dance in this class"... (Not So). It was my drama teacher Robert Stonebridge who after the first few weeks in his class he saw something in me, that I of course did not see in myself. He challenged me to play the role of Bill Starbuck in the play The Rainmaker. From that moment on, I found my voice, my body felt something magical and new, I felt comfortable, I finally was introduced to a new form of expression, the freedom of expression, the art to play. That was the moment and I never looked back. Thank You Mr. Stonebridge.
LatinoBuzz: What was the most discouraging moment you have ever experienced?
Elvis: That's a good question. I feel that the times I've had experience those moments, it has been when I've allowed outside voices to try and deter me from my path, my passion. Those voices can be very discouraging and destructive to one's journey. Today, I make sure to listen to the voice inside me, the voice of the heart, the voice of my passion, my truth.
LatinoBuzz: Who has been the biggest influence in your life and work?
Elvis: That's a long list, however I'll narrow it down to this many... My mother, my father, who have taught me the importance of hard work in a very dignified way. My aunts and uncles, who have taught me the value of family, music, dance and history. My good friend Robert (Fileo) Lewis, who has taught me the power of unconditional love. My brothers and sisters, especially my younger brother Yanko "Valentin", who is always, and I mean always busy and relevant, I'm telling you that kid don't stop. Work wise...Spike Lee, Darnell Martin, John Ridley...And tons of many, many more...
LatinoBuzz: What's your take on the ‘Whitewashing’ Hollywood has been accused of lately?
Elvis: The Whitewash of Hollywood is not new but the broader conversation that we are having about it is. The fact that people of color are not the only ones involved in the public conversation about it, is new. That's a good thing for everyone involved. Diversity in film and television benefits society as a whole.
LatinoBuzz: You did a one-man show based on Junot Diaz’ Purlizter Prize awarded ‘The Brief and Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao’ – you didn’t find that daunting at all? We are talking a very celebrated novel.
Elvis: Oscar Wao? Daunting? Nah! When this project was brought to my attention, I was immediately in and up for the challenge. I, at that time (2010) had already read Junot Diaz' previous works, had read The Brief Wondrous Life Of Oscar Wao two times, therefore I was of fan, a fan of the book and of Junot’s work. Now, having said that, to sit in a stuffy New York City basement at a theatre on 36th street with the great director Elise Thoron for two whole weeks (lost count of the hours) and together work on the adaptation of this magnificent, extraordinary and compelling Pulitzer prize winning novel...Ok, I think we can now revisit that word... ‘daunting”... Lol. We were able to narrow it down to an hour and 10 minutes and tell the beautiful story of Oscar De Leon and Yunior and audiences loved it. Truly a pleasure to take on this story on stage.
LatinoBuzz: I always have to ask this: Your dream role, dream director, dream co-star.
Elvis: Dream Role? I would say, playing Sidney Poitier on the big screen. Directors? Clint Eastwood, Denzel Washington, Lee Daniels. Co-Star? Will Smith.
Do the social media lovin’!
Facebook: http://on.fb.me/1Fozjcx
Twitter: @Eonolasco
Airing times and schedule for American Crime can be found here: http://abc.go.com/shows/american-crime
Written by Juan Caceres . LatinoBuzz is a weekly feature on SydneysBuzz that highlights Latino indie talent and upcoming trends in Latino film with the specific objective of presenting a broad range of Latino voices. Follow [At]LatinoBuzz on Twitter and Facebook...
- 3/4/2015
- by Juan Caceres
- Sydney's Buzz
We wanted to let everyone get their hopes and getting "50 Shades of Grey" out of your system before we completely ruined Valentines with awful memories of hearts being crushed to a pulp. So, we caught up with current and future Latino filmmakers we actually do love! We asked them about their worst dates (because we love bringing up the past.) Their fave love story and anyone in the movies they’ve crush on. Give them so ‘Follows’!
Daniel Armando – (Filmmaker) What It Was
Worst Valentine's date: There's a Valentine's date I remember and it wasn't because it was a bad date, but because it was a realization I had. The sun was shining, the birds were chirping, and the stroll through the park was lovely. It was the ideal perfect Valentine's date, but I was slowly realizing that it was with someone who didn't feel the same way I did. I felt bad because I wish I had spent it with someone who did feel the same way and who I truly loved. A romantic film that comes to mind is Forrest Gump. The love that Forrest had for Jenny is amazingly beautiful. Through all the excitement, confusion, and chaos that surrounded his life the one thing he was sure about was his calm, simple, and never-ending love for Jenny. He's not a smart man, but he knows what love is.
Website: http://www.novonovus.com/
Douglas Spain – (Producer/Actor) North By El Norte
My favorite cinematic love story is 'The Terminator'. Yes, it's an amazing Sci-Fi/Action film but at the core it's a love story: A man travels back in time to save the woman he fell in love with via a photo that was given to him by his unbeknownst son. His future was 2029, which isn't too far away and interestingly enough, people nowadays fall in love via photos on Instagram. If a man traveled back in time to be with me you can bet I would never terminate that relationship. Lol. I did try online dating once and the guy was not the same from the pictures on his profile. After some small talk, I said to him, "I'll be back." But unlike The Terminator, I didn't come back. Instead I hauled ass out of there.
Twitter: @DouglasSpain
Jessica Molina – (Host/Producer) Daily Dos
Years ago I went out with this fella who tried to impress me with money – never a good idea. He picked me up in (his sister’s) Range Rover. He was in med school and broke down how much money he was going to make each year following his graduation. Dude pretty much talked about himself the whole date. To top it off, based on his suggestion, we went to a restaurant but he barely ate because he’d already eaten. Nothing a girl loves more than to be stuffing her face alone on a first date! The conversation was lacking, but I do remember the food was delicious! I don’t have a favorite love story that comes to mind; I just love ‘love.’ I love seeing my friends in love – love seeing them honored and appreciated. So those are my favorite love stories the ones in which the people I care for most are receiving the absolute best.
Noah played by Ryan Gosling in The Notebook. Say what you want, but I love that movie! Here’s a man who was fun, kind, passionate, crafty, and insanely loyal. (And very easy on the eyes!)
Twitter: @jessicahosts
Laura Gomez (Filmmaker/Actress) Orange Is The New Black
Not so much "bad date," more like no chemistry date. I didn't necessarily go to a breakup album, but rather to specific songs that reminded me of the person and would ironically make me feel even more nostalgic. Cuando Te Beso, Juan Luis Guerra, Negra Murguera, from Argentine band Bersuit Vergarabat, lots of Concha Buika and Amy Winehouse (just 'cause) and old School Mecano. Mecano has a song about "how hard it's to forget him"... I must have listened to that song thousands of times.
The Bridges of Madison County is definitely one my favorite romantic films of all times, and you need some serious ice cream eating at that scene where Francesca (the luminous Meryl Streep) holds the door knob and is fighting not to open it as Clint Eastwood places the necklace with the cross on the mirror. Ufff, I always cry with that scene.
Some of my film crushes are Michael Fassbender, Idris Elba, Benicio del Toro and Edgar Ramirez. I guess it's a combination of looks and their raw talent. Absolute best.
Twitter: @lg_lauragomez
Elise DuRant (Filmmaker) Eden
I have some favorite love story moments. One of them is in Tim Burton’s Ed Wood, when he goes on a first date with Kathy played by Patricia Arquette. They're in this little car in the Spook House when in the middle of the ride, the lights go out. As they wait, in that silence, he turns to her and tells her that he likes to dress as a woman, wear women’s sweaters and undergarments. She's a little confused. She asks him if that means he doesn’t like sex with women. “No!” he tells her, he loves sex with women. She takes it in, and after a moment she acceptingly says, “Okay.” The lights go on, the ride starts up again, and they continue through the Spook House. It’s such a sweet moment of acceptance, the permission to be who we are. It’s so sweet and simple and so elegantly done.
Worst date: It was a first date and after he kissed me -- a sweet kiss -- he told me he was trying to kick heroin.
Celebrity crush: On this Valentine's I would have to choose Warren Oates. Tell me if you -- man or woman -- don't have a crush on him after seeing him in The Wild Bunch, Badlands, Cockfighter, and Two-Lane Blacktop.
Twitter: @elise_durant
Vivian Lamolli (Actress) East Los High
Hmm this is kind of a hard one because I've always managed somehow to not have a love interest on Cupid's Day of Love! But I guess I would have to go with 8th grade, a boy named Michael gave me an empty heart box :(...he had eaten all the chocolates!!!
A very particular breakup had me crushed around the holidays, and when Kelly Clarkson came out with her album My December I couldn't put it down. I realized that she was going through a really difficult breakup as well when she wrote the beautiful songs and it made me even closer to the words. Kelly, you helped me see the light girl!!!
Oooo there are just too many crushes I can't decide!!! But, forever and always Mr. Justin Timberlake will stand the test of time for me. I mean, what can't he do?? I tend to have talent crushes often and Justin's voice, dance skills, wit, and obvious gorgeous looks...well, damn God must have spent a little more time on you Jt!! Haha. Loving him since those *Nsync platinum blonde hair days, congratulations to little miss Jessica Biel!!
Twitter: @Vivalivin
Veronica Valencia (Actress) The Other Barrio
I don't think I've been on a really bad date on Valentine's, I've just been alone which is bad enough lol.... But the worst date?? This was a first date. I think he was really trying to impress me but was saying all the wrong things. All he talked about was material things. Like how he had a speed boat, Mercedes, etc... He went on to talk about how much money he made the previous year and how the current year he was going to surpass that amount. Maybe for most women they would've been impressed but I never returned his call or text again. Celebrity crush? ...Brad Pitt! Ever since I watched Legends of the Fall and A River Runs Through It I fell in love with the state of Montana. In fact, the main reason why I started dating my current boyfriend was because he was born and raised from Montana. So, I have to give Brad Pitt the credit there, Lol! I absolutely love nature. I love hiking and camping...Someday, Montana will be my home.
Twitter: @vluvsong
Written by Juan Caceres . LatinoBuzz is a weekly feature on SydneysBuzz that highlights Latino indie talent and upcoming trends in Latino film with the specific objective of presenting a broad range of Latino voices. Follow [At]LatinoBuzz on Twitter and Facebook...
Daniel Armando – (Filmmaker) What It Was
Worst Valentine's date: There's a Valentine's date I remember and it wasn't because it was a bad date, but because it was a realization I had. The sun was shining, the birds were chirping, and the stroll through the park was lovely. It was the ideal perfect Valentine's date, but I was slowly realizing that it was with someone who didn't feel the same way I did. I felt bad because I wish I had spent it with someone who did feel the same way and who I truly loved. A romantic film that comes to mind is Forrest Gump. The love that Forrest had for Jenny is amazingly beautiful. Through all the excitement, confusion, and chaos that surrounded his life the one thing he was sure about was his calm, simple, and never-ending love for Jenny. He's not a smart man, but he knows what love is.
Website: http://www.novonovus.com/
Douglas Spain – (Producer/Actor) North By El Norte
My favorite cinematic love story is 'The Terminator'. Yes, it's an amazing Sci-Fi/Action film but at the core it's a love story: A man travels back in time to save the woman he fell in love with via a photo that was given to him by his unbeknownst son. His future was 2029, which isn't too far away and interestingly enough, people nowadays fall in love via photos on Instagram. If a man traveled back in time to be with me you can bet I would never terminate that relationship. Lol. I did try online dating once and the guy was not the same from the pictures on his profile. After some small talk, I said to him, "I'll be back." But unlike The Terminator, I didn't come back. Instead I hauled ass out of there.
Twitter: @DouglasSpain
Jessica Molina – (Host/Producer) Daily Dos
Years ago I went out with this fella who tried to impress me with money – never a good idea. He picked me up in (his sister’s) Range Rover. He was in med school and broke down how much money he was going to make each year following his graduation. Dude pretty much talked about himself the whole date. To top it off, based on his suggestion, we went to a restaurant but he barely ate because he’d already eaten. Nothing a girl loves more than to be stuffing her face alone on a first date! The conversation was lacking, but I do remember the food was delicious! I don’t have a favorite love story that comes to mind; I just love ‘love.’ I love seeing my friends in love – love seeing them honored and appreciated. So those are my favorite love stories the ones in which the people I care for most are receiving the absolute best.
Noah played by Ryan Gosling in The Notebook. Say what you want, but I love that movie! Here’s a man who was fun, kind, passionate, crafty, and insanely loyal. (And very easy on the eyes!)
Twitter: @jessicahosts
Laura Gomez (Filmmaker/Actress) Orange Is The New Black
Not so much "bad date," more like no chemistry date. I didn't necessarily go to a breakup album, but rather to specific songs that reminded me of the person and would ironically make me feel even more nostalgic. Cuando Te Beso, Juan Luis Guerra, Negra Murguera, from Argentine band Bersuit Vergarabat, lots of Concha Buika and Amy Winehouse (just 'cause) and old School Mecano. Mecano has a song about "how hard it's to forget him"... I must have listened to that song thousands of times.
The Bridges of Madison County is definitely one my favorite romantic films of all times, and you need some serious ice cream eating at that scene where Francesca (the luminous Meryl Streep) holds the door knob and is fighting not to open it as Clint Eastwood places the necklace with the cross on the mirror. Ufff, I always cry with that scene.
Some of my film crushes are Michael Fassbender, Idris Elba, Benicio del Toro and Edgar Ramirez. I guess it's a combination of looks and their raw talent. Absolute best.
Twitter: @lg_lauragomez
Elise DuRant (Filmmaker) Eden
I have some favorite love story moments. One of them is in Tim Burton’s Ed Wood, when he goes on a first date with Kathy played by Patricia Arquette. They're in this little car in the Spook House when in the middle of the ride, the lights go out. As they wait, in that silence, he turns to her and tells her that he likes to dress as a woman, wear women’s sweaters and undergarments. She's a little confused. She asks him if that means he doesn’t like sex with women. “No!” he tells her, he loves sex with women. She takes it in, and after a moment she acceptingly says, “Okay.” The lights go on, the ride starts up again, and they continue through the Spook House. It’s such a sweet moment of acceptance, the permission to be who we are. It’s so sweet and simple and so elegantly done.
Worst date: It was a first date and after he kissed me -- a sweet kiss -- he told me he was trying to kick heroin.
Celebrity crush: On this Valentine's I would have to choose Warren Oates. Tell me if you -- man or woman -- don't have a crush on him after seeing him in The Wild Bunch, Badlands, Cockfighter, and Two-Lane Blacktop.
Twitter: @elise_durant
Vivian Lamolli (Actress) East Los High
Hmm this is kind of a hard one because I've always managed somehow to not have a love interest on Cupid's Day of Love! But I guess I would have to go with 8th grade, a boy named Michael gave me an empty heart box :(...he had eaten all the chocolates!!!
A very particular breakup had me crushed around the holidays, and when Kelly Clarkson came out with her album My December I couldn't put it down. I realized that she was going through a really difficult breakup as well when she wrote the beautiful songs and it made me even closer to the words. Kelly, you helped me see the light girl!!!
Oooo there are just too many crushes I can't decide!!! But, forever and always Mr. Justin Timberlake will stand the test of time for me. I mean, what can't he do?? I tend to have talent crushes often and Justin's voice, dance skills, wit, and obvious gorgeous looks...well, damn God must have spent a little more time on you Jt!! Haha. Loving him since those *Nsync platinum blonde hair days, congratulations to little miss Jessica Biel!!
Twitter: @Vivalivin
Veronica Valencia (Actress) The Other Barrio
I don't think I've been on a really bad date on Valentine's, I've just been alone which is bad enough lol.... But the worst date?? This was a first date. I think he was really trying to impress me but was saying all the wrong things. All he talked about was material things. Like how he had a speed boat, Mercedes, etc... He went on to talk about how much money he made the previous year and how the current year he was going to surpass that amount. Maybe for most women they would've been impressed but I never returned his call or text again. Celebrity crush? ...Brad Pitt! Ever since I watched Legends of the Fall and A River Runs Through It I fell in love with the state of Montana. In fact, the main reason why I started dating my current boyfriend was because he was born and raised from Montana. So, I have to give Brad Pitt the credit there, Lol! I absolutely love nature. I love hiking and camping...Someday, Montana will be my home.
Twitter: @vluvsong
Written by Juan Caceres . LatinoBuzz is a weekly feature on SydneysBuzz that highlights Latino indie talent and upcoming trends in Latino film with the specific objective of presenting a broad range of Latino voices. Follow [At]LatinoBuzz on Twitter and Facebook...
- 2/24/2015
- by Juan Caceres
- Sydney's Buzz
Marialy Rivas had a hit on her hands with the delightfully provocative Sundance hit "Joven Y Alocada" (Young and Wild), a film that is an energetic kaleidoscope of sex, defiance & artistically experimental – everything that pretty much happens to you when you come-of-age. Rivas was back at Sundance this year, which saw her switch gears to a short documentary entitled "Melody." Set in Chonchi, a small town in Chiloé, one of the most southern islands in Chile, Melody Jerez is a teacher who was determined to bring escape through music to her students, one being Georgina, a flower on the wall, precocious young girl. Here we capture their journey from a poor, seemingly inescapable town to the grand Teatro Municipal in Chile’s capital, Santiago. "Melody" is one of the most beautiful, delicate films about the virtue of what the simple act of caring can do in a child’s life.
LatinoBuzz: How did you meet Melody Jerez and Georgina and what exactly made you decide that you wanted to make this film?
Marialy: I was participating in the short film challenge of the Sundance Institute, sponsored by The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The premise was: to tell a story about people that help other people to overcome poverty. There are good people in the world they said, let's show their stories. I do believe that with all my heart so the challenge sounded perfect. What drew me to the film was an actual serious problem in Chile. My country, after Pinochet's dictatorship became a place with one of the most expensive education system in the world, this in time has generated no social mobility, if you are born poor, you won't be able to study so it's almost certain you will stay poor for the rest of your life. I thought the story of the Youth Orchestras, a free music program for at risk children, was a good example on how education can change your life forever so this would show how urgent is to make education free for everyone. This little story will mirror the big picture of my country. I knew the first youth Orchestra started during the 90's in Curanilahue so I start asking who belonged to that Orchestra.
Then one day Melody appeared. She was working as an Orchestra teacher herself for the Chilean Youth Orchestras Foundation. From then on everything was a mix of luck and the beauty of the always giving Universe. Approaching the Sundance challenge, I knew I wanted to tell the story about a woman and a girl, both musicians, I wanted the story of them to mirror each other. I spoke to Melody on a Tuesday by Skype and I flew to shoot her on Thursday because she was having the big concert that appears at the end of the film that same Sunday. I knew I have to shoot that event. The first day I arrived I asked Melody to introduce me to all her girls between 8 and 12 that played in her Orchestra. I took them all to a nearby gym and interview them about how they felt about music. Georgina struck me for her determination and hunger for music. When I told Melody I picked Geo, she asked why and I said I could see in her eyes she wanted music more than anything.
Only then the story of Geo was revealed to me, how she was living with Melody as a "daughter". I didn't know they were connected when I picked them separately and the story of both of them was more powerful than anything I could ever have imagined. When I was editing my editor told me: I think I have heard the name Melody before, I think a friend of mine did a short film in the nineties with a girl named Melody... we contacted the filmmaker and again another amazing gift: there she was, Melody on film, at 10 years old. That ended up closing the circle of the story. It was a beautiful experience to say the least.
LatinoBuzz: The voice over is spoken in such a wonderful manner you would think Melody and Georgina are thinking aloud to themselves or to anyone who may listen. What was the process of that?
Marialy: When I approached the documentary I knew I wanted the short to have a poetic feel to it, like Hiroshima Mon Amour or Miguel Gomes Redemption. I recorded hours of interview with both of them, I reviewed the material, I edited the conversations and then we went back with Melody and Geo to all the subjects so we will use their words and experience but sounding like a stream of consciousness, we recorded that and it was the final voice over of the film.
LatinoBuzz: Did you enjoy making a documentary as much as you do a narrative?
Marialy: Oh my God they are so exciting in such different ways. With the documentary it felt all the time like a gift, I was just there watching an amazing story unravel, these diamonds were there ready to shine and I just needed to pay attention. It is also a lot of improvisation, trust in the moment, to go where the story is taking you, you have to be present at all times. And wow, the places they can take you. At least this is how this experience felt to me. I liked the smaller crew. I liked the fact that the scripts builds itself as you go But I also think It Is So Incredibly Hard!!! This was a short film and I was lucky that everything flowed almost in a magical way but I can see how hard a feature documentary can be, building the trust, waiting, being there, I really think documentary filmmakers are heroes.
LatinoBuzz: You start the next film this week? Can you tell us a little bit about it?
Marialy: I can tell you that I feel like I am gonna start escalating the Everest and I know I need more weeks of training and more weeks to arrive to the top but it's now or never. Movies in Latin America and probably at this point everywhere in the world except Hollywood and Bollywood are always lacking money. I would give everything for one more week of preproduction and one more week of shooting. But what we have I have to make it work, so I will leap into the void hoping I will be able to make it. Are we ever ready to anything I wonder? Maybe I keep telling this to myself to not go crazy.
LatinoBuzz: Do you hope your film can open eyes in Chile to further enhance children’s education through the arts?
Marialy: Oh yes I wish it could. Kids are everything, they are so willing to learn and grow in all the possible ways and it is our duty as adults to open a world of opportunities to them. They can all make it and the arts introduce amazing values in the children. Creativity and Discipline in the same extent. Enjoy the music you play but also experience the tremendous effort to play it well. I think like sound pretty similar to life no?
LatinoBuzz: The closing shot of them is gorgeous. My favorite. They look like sisters and you feel the love formed between them. What is their relationship today?
Marialy: The have formed a family. A family with their own rules and timings, but a family. When I was shooting them, they used to only make jokes about music and talk long about composers. It’s true they are like sisters maybe even more than an "adoptive mom", they love each other profoundly and this love is what you see piercing the screen. They admire each other, they support each other. It is profoundly beautiful.
Follow Marialy on the twittersphere @marialy_rivas
Written by Juan Caceres . LatinoBuzz is a weekly feature on SydneysBuzz that highlights Latino indie talent and upcoming trends in Latino film with the specific objective of presenting a broad range of Latino voices. Follow [At]LatinoBuzz on Twitter and Facebook...
LatinoBuzz: How did you meet Melody Jerez and Georgina and what exactly made you decide that you wanted to make this film?
Marialy: I was participating in the short film challenge of the Sundance Institute, sponsored by The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The premise was: to tell a story about people that help other people to overcome poverty. There are good people in the world they said, let's show their stories. I do believe that with all my heart so the challenge sounded perfect. What drew me to the film was an actual serious problem in Chile. My country, after Pinochet's dictatorship became a place with one of the most expensive education system in the world, this in time has generated no social mobility, if you are born poor, you won't be able to study so it's almost certain you will stay poor for the rest of your life. I thought the story of the Youth Orchestras, a free music program for at risk children, was a good example on how education can change your life forever so this would show how urgent is to make education free for everyone. This little story will mirror the big picture of my country. I knew the first youth Orchestra started during the 90's in Curanilahue so I start asking who belonged to that Orchestra.
Then one day Melody appeared. She was working as an Orchestra teacher herself for the Chilean Youth Orchestras Foundation. From then on everything was a mix of luck and the beauty of the always giving Universe. Approaching the Sundance challenge, I knew I wanted to tell the story about a woman and a girl, both musicians, I wanted the story of them to mirror each other. I spoke to Melody on a Tuesday by Skype and I flew to shoot her on Thursday because she was having the big concert that appears at the end of the film that same Sunday. I knew I have to shoot that event. The first day I arrived I asked Melody to introduce me to all her girls between 8 and 12 that played in her Orchestra. I took them all to a nearby gym and interview them about how they felt about music. Georgina struck me for her determination and hunger for music. When I told Melody I picked Geo, she asked why and I said I could see in her eyes she wanted music more than anything.
Only then the story of Geo was revealed to me, how she was living with Melody as a "daughter". I didn't know they were connected when I picked them separately and the story of both of them was more powerful than anything I could ever have imagined. When I was editing my editor told me: I think I have heard the name Melody before, I think a friend of mine did a short film in the nineties with a girl named Melody... we contacted the filmmaker and again another amazing gift: there she was, Melody on film, at 10 years old. That ended up closing the circle of the story. It was a beautiful experience to say the least.
LatinoBuzz: The voice over is spoken in such a wonderful manner you would think Melody and Georgina are thinking aloud to themselves or to anyone who may listen. What was the process of that?
Marialy: When I approached the documentary I knew I wanted the short to have a poetic feel to it, like Hiroshima Mon Amour or Miguel Gomes Redemption. I recorded hours of interview with both of them, I reviewed the material, I edited the conversations and then we went back with Melody and Geo to all the subjects so we will use their words and experience but sounding like a stream of consciousness, we recorded that and it was the final voice over of the film.
LatinoBuzz: Did you enjoy making a documentary as much as you do a narrative?
Marialy: Oh my God they are so exciting in such different ways. With the documentary it felt all the time like a gift, I was just there watching an amazing story unravel, these diamonds were there ready to shine and I just needed to pay attention. It is also a lot of improvisation, trust in the moment, to go where the story is taking you, you have to be present at all times. And wow, the places they can take you. At least this is how this experience felt to me. I liked the smaller crew. I liked the fact that the scripts builds itself as you go But I also think It Is So Incredibly Hard!!! This was a short film and I was lucky that everything flowed almost in a magical way but I can see how hard a feature documentary can be, building the trust, waiting, being there, I really think documentary filmmakers are heroes.
LatinoBuzz: You start the next film this week? Can you tell us a little bit about it?
Marialy: I can tell you that I feel like I am gonna start escalating the Everest and I know I need more weeks of training and more weeks to arrive to the top but it's now or never. Movies in Latin America and probably at this point everywhere in the world except Hollywood and Bollywood are always lacking money. I would give everything for one more week of preproduction and one more week of shooting. But what we have I have to make it work, so I will leap into the void hoping I will be able to make it. Are we ever ready to anything I wonder? Maybe I keep telling this to myself to not go crazy.
LatinoBuzz: Do you hope your film can open eyes in Chile to further enhance children’s education through the arts?
Marialy: Oh yes I wish it could. Kids are everything, they are so willing to learn and grow in all the possible ways and it is our duty as adults to open a world of opportunities to them. They can all make it and the arts introduce amazing values in the children. Creativity and Discipline in the same extent. Enjoy the music you play but also experience the tremendous effort to play it well. I think like sound pretty similar to life no?
LatinoBuzz: The closing shot of them is gorgeous. My favorite. They look like sisters and you feel the love formed between them. What is their relationship today?
Marialy: The have formed a family. A family with their own rules and timings, but a family. When I was shooting them, they used to only make jokes about music and talk long about composers. It’s true they are like sisters maybe even more than an "adoptive mom", they love each other profoundly and this love is what you see piercing the screen. They admire each other, they support each other. It is profoundly beautiful.
Follow Marialy on the twittersphere @marialy_rivas
Written by Juan Caceres . LatinoBuzz is a weekly feature on SydneysBuzz that highlights Latino indie talent and upcoming trends in Latino film with the specific objective of presenting a broad range of Latino voices. Follow [At]LatinoBuzz on Twitter and Facebook...
- 2/13/2015
- by Juan Caceres
- Sydney's Buzz
It’s the last LatinoBuzz Shipwrecked Edition of 2014! It’s where we love to abandon Latino artists on a deserted island to fend for themselves in hopes they will reveal something like, that their favorite album is by Train - the one with Hey, Soul Sister on it - and they have no idea that anytime that song is played, somewhere in this world a kitten is kicked. However, as we go into a brand new year we want to introduce to you these amazingly talented Latinas who you will be hearing about so much very soon. Seriously, it’s been a great year at LatinoBuzz and we want to say thank you for all your support from all of us! Please give these Latinas tons of support! Happy New Year!
Jessica Molina
Album
Jessica: Easy! Mumford & Sons – Sigh No More. This album will never get old or played out to me. The band is not a Christian band, but I seriously have a spiritual experience when I listen to this album; the way they talk about love, life, doubt, joy – I go on a journey with them and I’m assuming if I’m stuck on a deserted island a journey in my mind will be a much needed escape. The lyrics along with brilliant accompaniment (I’m hooked the moment I hear a banjo) would make for awesome beach jam sessions or chill reflective nights by the fire. Note to self: learn how to build a campfire.
Film
Jessica: Alone on an island, I’ll need some good laughs! My film choice is "The Birdcage" starring Robin Williams, Nathan Lane and Hank Azaria. My family has so many inside jokes related to this film, so it would be like having a little piece of home with me. I was really emotional when Robin Williams died and I tried to understand why his death felt personal. But it made sense considering I grew up on Robin Williams’ films. He’s apart of some of my favorites like "Hook," "Mrs. Doubtfire," "Aladdin," so without a doubt I’d want this film on the island with me.
Book
Jessica: The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho. This feels like a cliché response, but I think that’s because it resonates with and inspires so many people. This book will always be timeless for me. The first time I read The Alchemist, it was like someone found my diary and wrote this book as a response to all my fears and questions. It inspired me to be true to myself and has offered me comfort in reminding me that God has a plan for my life.
Fictional Character
Jessica: Originally I was going to say Katniss Everdeen from "The Hunger Games," but honestly, I don’t think she’s much of a conversationalist. Yeah, she can kill dinner for me, but I need someone who is going to keep things interesting too, so I’m going to go with Jake Ballard from Scandal because all that poor man wants to do is stand in the sun. Plus, he knows how to get a good bottle of wine to a remote island!
Follow her on Twitter @jessicahosts
Veronica Sixtos
Album
Veronica: If I were stuck on a deserted island having music to soothe my weary heart would make my loneliness bearable. The album Speak for Yourself by Imogen Heap would have to be it. I've listened to her powerful music throughout my childhood and even now as an adult the heavenly melodies and softness of her voice open up my heart in a way that make me want to love more as well as receive more love. She inspires hope and inner strength.
Film
Veronica: What film?...well let's see, my sister Andrea (Sixtos) already said "Cast Away" ( http://bitly.com/1ne929b) would be her choice so although it would be pretty useful I'd rather choose something else. No one likes a copy cat. I asked my boyfriend what he would bring and he responded with "Lord of the Flies" so in case other humans landed on the island he'd know how to take them out. I'm more of a team work, peace and love, hugs are scientifically proven to be beneficial to ones health, kinda gal. So, I don't think that would be my choice. Laughter is medicine. I'd take the movie "Knocked Up."
Book
Veronica: Autobiography of a Yogi. It would bring me back to spiritual reality which would then dissipate most of the fear and loneliness. If I'm consistently reminded of the divinity within myself a life of solitude wouldn't be so difficult to endure. I wouldn't have so many earthly distractions to interfere in my search for God. Perspective plays a huge part in survival. Let's just hope I don't have to get stuck on an island to truly figure that out.
Fictional Character
Veronica: Okay, I'm gonna cheat a little on this one. The question was which fictional character from film/tv would I bring as a companion... Well, my character originally comes from a cycle of books called The Inheritance Cycle. They did make a movie based on the first one in 2006 called "Eragon" of which I have refused to watch because of the fear of utter disappointment. I don't want anything to distort my beautiful depiction of the world of Alagaësia and all of the treasured characters within it. Anyway let's get back to answering the question. I would bring as my companion, Saphira Bjartskular, the blue dragon known to be the last of the female dragons remaining in the lands. I would hope to be fortunate enough to be magically bound to her by becoming her rider. We would read each others minds and feelings and she would protect me from danger and I'd cuddle up under her wings and feel the warmth of her fiery belly. Yay. Happy thoughts.
Follow her on Twitter @vero_sixtos
Catie Waters
Album
Catie: I would take Far by Regina Spektor. I first heard this album many years ago when a friend passed it on to me. I slowly fell in love with her sound and the entire album. I think it would be a perfect album to bring because I love the overall quirkiness and adventurous melodies it brings. Plus, listening to “Eet” on a deserted island for the rest of my days would not be so bad.
Film
Catie: There is no doubt; I would bring "Life is Beautiful." It’s an incredible story of a Jewish-Italian waiter and his young son being forced onto a train and taken to a concentration camp. In order to shelter and preserve his son’s innocence amidst the horrors of their environment, he assures his son their time spent in the camp is a game. His inspiring devotion to his son can give a spark to anyone in need of motivation. This movie would remind me to continue to be alive and kicking.
Book
Catie: It is a little tough to choose one because in all honesty knowing myself; I would want to take all of my books from my personal library. However, since I must choose one; I think Looking For Alaska by John Green would be a great read to have on a deserted island. I cannot tell you how many times I laughed so hard that I cried to crying a little for real while reading this book. For me, it is one of those books you can go back to again and again.
Fictional Character
Catie: Hands down, Cosmo Brown, from "Singin’ In The Rain" would be my chosen compadre. He is incredibly absolute in his optimism and is unfailing in finding resolve in any issue that is tossed his way. I believe his can-do attitude would lead the way to a successful survival.
Follow her on Twitter @CatieWaters
Corina Calderon
Film
Corina: So, Film would be "Urban Cowboy" with John Travolta and Debra Winger, hands down! My #1 Favorite movie. I had it on VHS when I was a little girl and I would and still can watch it over and over and always find something new that I've missed, its a love story, not perfect but real. Plus being a Tejana from the great lone star state ;) it’s a Texas based film with Great country music.
Book
Corina: Eleven Minutes by Paulo Coelho, it’s my favorite book and I still read it from time to time. That book changed my life forever. I still lived in Austin, Texas when I read that book for the first time but while reading it I finally summoned the courage to finally make my move to La to pursue my dreams as an actress no matter how scary or uncomfortable it seemed. It reminded me to be strong, have strong faith and trust my heart always and in any situation.
Album
Corina: That would definitely be Any of Selena’s albums. My two younger sisters and I grew up listening and dancing to her music. I met Selena and A.B. Quintanilla y Los Dinos for the first time in Matamoros, Mexico when I was about 4 or 5 and I was a fan instantly and forever. Watching Selena dance inspired me as a little girl to finally put my creativity into motion, giving me the courage to say, "If she can do it I can do it too!" She looked like me! She was Latina. Back then there weren't as many Latinos in the entertainment business and she really paved the way for a lot of us. Her music would remind me to not give up!
Fictional Character
Corina: Oh Man! That would be Jessica Lange as Fiona Goode in "American Horror Story Season 3". She's a bad bitch/witch who has all the powers as a supreme to survive or get through any situation no matter who or what stands in her way! She'd have my back! Aint nobody or nothin’ messin’ with us on that island.
Chelsea Rendon
Album
Chelsea: I have to go with Taylor Swift's new album 1989. I know it's a kinda lame answer since it just came out but I seriously love the album start to finish. It puts me in a good mood and if I'm stuck on an island I would definitely want to dance around to something to make me happy.
Film
Chelsea: I would go with one of my all time favorite movies "Friends With Benefits"! I have literally seen this movie at least 20 times and it never gets old! Seriously, I don't mind seeing it over and over again. Plus it has Justin Timberlake - Hello eye candy!
Book
Chelsea: Wilderness Survival For Dummies! It will help me stay alive and it wont be all complicated so I can understand it. Especially if I haven't had anything to eat for a while, my brain starts to shut down, so this book is perfect!
Fictional Character
Chelsea: I would go with Alan Parrish aka Robin Williams in "Jumanji." Hello it’s Robin Williams! But as his character he got swallowed up into the game and survived for years in the jungle. If he can do that he can definitely keep me alive and since it’s Robin Williams I know he would make it a fun experience!
Follow her on Twitter @chelsearendon
Luciana Faulhaber
Luciana: This is the toughest question for me to answer since music is such a big part of me. My life always has its own soundtrack that keeps changing with time. At this moment I have been very much into musical theater soundtracks. I love how they transport me to another world and make me dream. Spring Awakening and Once are amongst my top albums and they find away back into my life year after year. However, I just saw Hedwig and the Angry Inch with Michael C Hall and those songs resonated with me. I would take the Hedwig and the Angry Inch album recorded by this cast and this rock and roll band. It has everything, love, loss, tenderness, anger, surrender and such an awesome band arrangement. I imagine I would feel all those things stranded on a deserted island and knowing someone else felt the same way once would make it a lot less deserted.
Film
Luciana: When I was a child, we only had one TV in my home. My mother would put us to sleep and I would wait until there was no more noise and I would sneak to the living room alone to watch TV. I grew up in Brazil and the show playing late was called the "Hour of the Owl." They only played black and white movies, which I loved. I would have to watch them with the sound off not to wake anymore. That's when I feel in love with Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers movies. To this day these are the movies that made me fall in love with movies; that made me dream of love stories. If I could only take one film I would take "Top Hat" and dream of days that I only had to worry about my mother catching me up and sending me back to bed.
Book
Luciana: Tiny Beautiful Things by Cheryl Strayed. In this book, like her memoir, Cheryl shares so many stories of her personal life that get me to reflect on my own. An island would be the perfect time to reflect and come to peace with some of my own stories. Amongst so much beauty is a great place to find your best self. Like many people, the end of the year is a time looking back on the year. See how much was learned and lived and also a time of planning, of coming to terms and seeing ahead. A deserted island would be that multiplied and uninterrupted. And once I was rescued, because I believe I would, I could use all that I learned about myself and begin again, anew.
Fictional Character
Luciana: I would take Vincent from St. Vincent because he would have amazing stories to share! People are the only true endless source of knowledge. After my iPod runs out of charge and the music and the film are gone, after I've read my book so many times I've memorized it and burnt the pages for heat, we would still have our stories. Vincent was also a veteran so in practical terms he would not afraid of a battle for survival. He was also kind and compassionate. And truth is, besides the life we lived, what else can we really take with us from this world?
Follow her on Twitter @lufaulhaber
Yainis Ynoa
Album
Yainis: Right now my favorite is Taylor Swifts' 1989 album so I'll definitely take hers!
Film
Yainis: If I'm stuck in an island I'll have to have a comedy! So "Rush Hour 2" would be in my back pack!
Book
Yainis: The Alchemist By Paulo Coelho. I can read that book over and over again.
Fictional Character
Yainis: I'll choose Iron Man. He's smart and can fly, so he can get me off that island! Haha
Follow her on Twitter @YainisYnoa
Noemi Arte Gonzalez
Album
Noemi: The same album Starlord had in "Guardians of the Galaxy" only my version with more Michael Jackson tracks because he was abducted by aliens right when he lost his mom and he still turned out to be a badass! Goes to show you what music and art do to the soul.
Film
Noemi: I would take "Castaway." Duh!
Book
Noemi: My Shakespeare collection book. So I can act out the plays, play roles I wouldn’t traditionally be cast in, and find new discoveries every day.
Fictional Character
Noemi: Jack Sparrow. ‘nough said.
Follow her on Twitter @inoemigonzalez
Written by Juan Caceres . LatinoBuzz is a weekly feature on SydneysBuzz that highlights Latino indie talent and upcoming trends in Latino film with the specific objective of presenting a broad range of Latino voices. Follow [At]LatinoBuzz on Twitter and Facebook...
Jessica Molina
Album
Jessica: Easy! Mumford & Sons – Sigh No More. This album will never get old or played out to me. The band is not a Christian band, but I seriously have a spiritual experience when I listen to this album; the way they talk about love, life, doubt, joy – I go on a journey with them and I’m assuming if I’m stuck on a deserted island a journey in my mind will be a much needed escape. The lyrics along with brilliant accompaniment (I’m hooked the moment I hear a banjo) would make for awesome beach jam sessions or chill reflective nights by the fire. Note to self: learn how to build a campfire.
Film
Jessica: Alone on an island, I’ll need some good laughs! My film choice is "The Birdcage" starring Robin Williams, Nathan Lane and Hank Azaria. My family has so many inside jokes related to this film, so it would be like having a little piece of home with me. I was really emotional when Robin Williams died and I tried to understand why his death felt personal. But it made sense considering I grew up on Robin Williams’ films. He’s apart of some of my favorites like "Hook," "Mrs. Doubtfire," "Aladdin," so without a doubt I’d want this film on the island with me.
Book
Jessica: The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho. This feels like a cliché response, but I think that’s because it resonates with and inspires so many people. This book will always be timeless for me. The first time I read The Alchemist, it was like someone found my diary and wrote this book as a response to all my fears and questions. It inspired me to be true to myself and has offered me comfort in reminding me that God has a plan for my life.
Fictional Character
Jessica: Originally I was going to say Katniss Everdeen from "The Hunger Games," but honestly, I don’t think she’s much of a conversationalist. Yeah, she can kill dinner for me, but I need someone who is going to keep things interesting too, so I’m going to go with Jake Ballard from Scandal because all that poor man wants to do is stand in the sun. Plus, he knows how to get a good bottle of wine to a remote island!
Follow her on Twitter @jessicahosts
Veronica Sixtos
Album
Veronica: If I were stuck on a deserted island having music to soothe my weary heart would make my loneliness bearable. The album Speak for Yourself by Imogen Heap would have to be it. I've listened to her powerful music throughout my childhood and even now as an adult the heavenly melodies and softness of her voice open up my heart in a way that make me want to love more as well as receive more love. She inspires hope and inner strength.
Film
Veronica: What film?...well let's see, my sister Andrea (Sixtos) already said "Cast Away" ( http://bitly.com/1ne929b) would be her choice so although it would be pretty useful I'd rather choose something else. No one likes a copy cat. I asked my boyfriend what he would bring and he responded with "Lord of the Flies" so in case other humans landed on the island he'd know how to take them out. I'm more of a team work, peace and love, hugs are scientifically proven to be beneficial to ones health, kinda gal. So, I don't think that would be my choice. Laughter is medicine. I'd take the movie "Knocked Up."
Book
Veronica: Autobiography of a Yogi. It would bring me back to spiritual reality which would then dissipate most of the fear and loneliness. If I'm consistently reminded of the divinity within myself a life of solitude wouldn't be so difficult to endure. I wouldn't have so many earthly distractions to interfere in my search for God. Perspective plays a huge part in survival. Let's just hope I don't have to get stuck on an island to truly figure that out.
Fictional Character
Veronica: Okay, I'm gonna cheat a little on this one. The question was which fictional character from film/tv would I bring as a companion... Well, my character originally comes from a cycle of books called The Inheritance Cycle. They did make a movie based on the first one in 2006 called "Eragon" of which I have refused to watch because of the fear of utter disappointment. I don't want anything to distort my beautiful depiction of the world of Alagaësia and all of the treasured characters within it. Anyway let's get back to answering the question. I would bring as my companion, Saphira Bjartskular, the blue dragon known to be the last of the female dragons remaining in the lands. I would hope to be fortunate enough to be magically bound to her by becoming her rider. We would read each others minds and feelings and she would protect me from danger and I'd cuddle up under her wings and feel the warmth of her fiery belly. Yay. Happy thoughts.
Follow her on Twitter @vero_sixtos
Catie Waters
Album
Catie: I would take Far by Regina Spektor. I first heard this album many years ago when a friend passed it on to me. I slowly fell in love with her sound and the entire album. I think it would be a perfect album to bring because I love the overall quirkiness and adventurous melodies it brings. Plus, listening to “Eet” on a deserted island for the rest of my days would not be so bad.
Film
Catie: There is no doubt; I would bring "Life is Beautiful." It’s an incredible story of a Jewish-Italian waiter and his young son being forced onto a train and taken to a concentration camp. In order to shelter and preserve his son’s innocence amidst the horrors of their environment, he assures his son their time spent in the camp is a game. His inspiring devotion to his son can give a spark to anyone in need of motivation. This movie would remind me to continue to be alive and kicking.
Book
Catie: It is a little tough to choose one because in all honesty knowing myself; I would want to take all of my books from my personal library. However, since I must choose one; I think Looking For Alaska by John Green would be a great read to have on a deserted island. I cannot tell you how many times I laughed so hard that I cried to crying a little for real while reading this book. For me, it is one of those books you can go back to again and again.
Fictional Character
Catie: Hands down, Cosmo Brown, from "Singin’ In The Rain" would be my chosen compadre. He is incredibly absolute in his optimism and is unfailing in finding resolve in any issue that is tossed his way. I believe his can-do attitude would lead the way to a successful survival.
Follow her on Twitter @CatieWaters
Corina Calderon
Film
Corina: So, Film would be "Urban Cowboy" with John Travolta and Debra Winger, hands down! My #1 Favorite movie. I had it on VHS when I was a little girl and I would and still can watch it over and over and always find something new that I've missed, its a love story, not perfect but real. Plus being a Tejana from the great lone star state ;) it’s a Texas based film with Great country music.
Book
Corina: Eleven Minutes by Paulo Coelho, it’s my favorite book and I still read it from time to time. That book changed my life forever. I still lived in Austin, Texas when I read that book for the first time but while reading it I finally summoned the courage to finally make my move to La to pursue my dreams as an actress no matter how scary or uncomfortable it seemed. It reminded me to be strong, have strong faith and trust my heart always and in any situation.
Album
Corina: That would definitely be Any of Selena’s albums. My two younger sisters and I grew up listening and dancing to her music. I met Selena and A.B. Quintanilla y Los Dinos for the first time in Matamoros, Mexico when I was about 4 or 5 and I was a fan instantly and forever. Watching Selena dance inspired me as a little girl to finally put my creativity into motion, giving me the courage to say, "If she can do it I can do it too!" She looked like me! She was Latina. Back then there weren't as many Latinos in the entertainment business and she really paved the way for a lot of us. Her music would remind me to not give up!
Fictional Character
Corina: Oh Man! That would be Jessica Lange as Fiona Goode in "American Horror Story Season 3". She's a bad bitch/witch who has all the powers as a supreme to survive or get through any situation no matter who or what stands in her way! She'd have my back! Aint nobody or nothin’ messin’ with us on that island.
Chelsea Rendon
Album
Chelsea: I have to go with Taylor Swift's new album 1989. I know it's a kinda lame answer since it just came out but I seriously love the album start to finish. It puts me in a good mood and if I'm stuck on an island I would definitely want to dance around to something to make me happy.
Film
Chelsea: I would go with one of my all time favorite movies "Friends With Benefits"! I have literally seen this movie at least 20 times and it never gets old! Seriously, I don't mind seeing it over and over again. Plus it has Justin Timberlake - Hello eye candy!
Book
Chelsea: Wilderness Survival For Dummies! It will help me stay alive and it wont be all complicated so I can understand it. Especially if I haven't had anything to eat for a while, my brain starts to shut down, so this book is perfect!
Fictional Character
Chelsea: I would go with Alan Parrish aka Robin Williams in "Jumanji." Hello it’s Robin Williams! But as his character he got swallowed up into the game and survived for years in the jungle. If he can do that he can definitely keep me alive and since it’s Robin Williams I know he would make it a fun experience!
Follow her on Twitter @chelsearendon
Luciana Faulhaber
Luciana: This is the toughest question for me to answer since music is such a big part of me. My life always has its own soundtrack that keeps changing with time. At this moment I have been very much into musical theater soundtracks. I love how they transport me to another world and make me dream. Spring Awakening and Once are amongst my top albums and they find away back into my life year after year. However, I just saw Hedwig and the Angry Inch with Michael C Hall and those songs resonated with me. I would take the Hedwig and the Angry Inch album recorded by this cast and this rock and roll band. It has everything, love, loss, tenderness, anger, surrender and such an awesome band arrangement. I imagine I would feel all those things stranded on a deserted island and knowing someone else felt the same way once would make it a lot less deserted.
Film
Luciana: When I was a child, we only had one TV in my home. My mother would put us to sleep and I would wait until there was no more noise and I would sneak to the living room alone to watch TV. I grew up in Brazil and the show playing late was called the "Hour of the Owl." They only played black and white movies, which I loved. I would have to watch them with the sound off not to wake anymore. That's when I feel in love with Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers movies. To this day these are the movies that made me fall in love with movies; that made me dream of love stories. If I could only take one film I would take "Top Hat" and dream of days that I only had to worry about my mother catching me up and sending me back to bed.
Book
Luciana: Tiny Beautiful Things by Cheryl Strayed. In this book, like her memoir, Cheryl shares so many stories of her personal life that get me to reflect on my own. An island would be the perfect time to reflect and come to peace with some of my own stories. Amongst so much beauty is a great place to find your best self. Like many people, the end of the year is a time looking back on the year. See how much was learned and lived and also a time of planning, of coming to terms and seeing ahead. A deserted island would be that multiplied and uninterrupted. And once I was rescued, because I believe I would, I could use all that I learned about myself and begin again, anew.
Fictional Character
Luciana: I would take Vincent from St. Vincent because he would have amazing stories to share! People are the only true endless source of knowledge. After my iPod runs out of charge and the music and the film are gone, after I've read my book so many times I've memorized it and burnt the pages for heat, we would still have our stories. Vincent was also a veteran so in practical terms he would not afraid of a battle for survival. He was also kind and compassionate. And truth is, besides the life we lived, what else can we really take with us from this world?
Follow her on Twitter @lufaulhaber
Yainis Ynoa
Album
Yainis: Right now my favorite is Taylor Swifts' 1989 album so I'll definitely take hers!
Film
Yainis: If I'm stuck in an island I'll have to have a comedy! So "Rush Hour 2" would be in my back pack!
Book
Yainis: The Alchemist By Paulo Coelho. I can read that book over and over again.
Fictional Character
Yainis: I'll choose Iron Man. He's smart and can fly, so he can get me off that island! Haha
Follow her on Twitter @YainisYnoa
Noemi Arte Gonzalez
Album
Noemi: The same album Starlord had in "Guardians of the Galaxy" only my version with more Michael Jackson tracks because he was abducted by aliens right when he lost his mom and he still turned out to be a badass! Goes to show you what music and art do to the soul.
Film
Noemi: I would take "Castaway." Duh!
Book
Noemi: My Shakespeare collection book. So I can act out the plays, play roles I wouldn’t traditionally be cast in, and find new discoveries every day.
Fictional Character
Noemi: Jack Sparrow. ‘nough said.
Follow her on Twitter @inoemigonzalez
Written by Juan Caceres . LatinoBuzz is a weekly feature on SydneysBuzz that highlights Latino indie talent and upcoming trends in Latino film with the specific objective of presenting a broad range of Latino voices. Follow [At]LatinoBuzz on Twitter and Facebook...
- 12/31/2014
- by Juan Caceres
- Sydney's Buzz
If there was a wonderful understated performance recently it belonged to Andrea Suarez Paz who has been nominated for the Best Supporting Actress award at the prestigious 30th Film Independent Spirit Awards (that’s the one you can get drunk and drop F-Bombs to your hearts content). Her role in the critically acclaimed “Stand Clear Of The Closing Doors” has Andrea nominated alongside Patricia Arquette, Emma Stone, Jessica Chastain and Carmen Ejogo which is nothing less than incredibly impressive for a Mexican born, New York claimed actor. LatinoBuzz wants to be her homie.
LatinoBuzz: What film or actress inspired you to act?
Andrea: There was this amazing lady playing very interesting roles in telenovelas when I was growing up whom I definitely considered a genius. Her name is Margarita Sanz and I was around 5 years old when I became her fan. All the older actresses in telenovelas blew my mind when I was a kid, they call them "first actress" and they are the artists that have been performing in the theater for decades and then they get to be the evil stepmom or the psycho killer in telenovelas. They did powerful work. My mom knew of my affinity for this and took me to see them live on stage whenever they visited our local theater. I once saw one of these women play The Little Prince. To see an older woman play a little boy on stage completely blasted open my perception to what it meant to act. That was it for me.
LatinoBuzz: When you read the script for "Stand Clear of the Closing Doors" what drew you to the character?
Andrea: Well, it was an emotional roller coaster, which is what we as actors pray to get to do. It seemed like an insurmountable challenge - which I'm beginning to learn is what truly sparks me- a fantastic challenge. I was also terribly moved. My son was 9 months at the time, so to picture him away from me was immediately something I wanted to avoid. These were all very good signs that going head first onto this was going to be rough and terrifying. I like that
LatinoBuzz: What kind research did you do for the role?
Andrea: I read a lot on autism, which is surprisingly and annoyingly a huge mystery. There are all kinds of theories as to what causes it, if it might be preventable, how to best treat it. It was very scary to find out that nobody knows for sure and there is not great research being done and the vast majority of research is done privately. This infuriated me, which was a good start. I visited a support group for mothers of children in the spectrum a few times and realized how challenging it is to have a child with special needs and I learned that you have to draw strength from thin air incessantly and keep an unwavering state of deep focus.
I also learned that even though Autism can be frightening and terribly demanding, it also comes with its vast share of superpowers that are unknown to the typical human. A different and astonishing type of mind with a magical glow. So, in the end I also became in love with it and ended up with a healthy mix of emotions. Then I got to hang out with Jesus Sanchez (who plays Ricky in the movie) prior to filming which was a big luxury and we talked a lot and swam in the ocean together and by the time we started shooting I was just so sincerely crazy about this kid who was so smart, so deeply compassionate and had such impeccable morals that I just felt so fortunate to be partners with him. And he was such a fantastic actor! I was a proud mother of my perfect boy by the end.
LatinoBuzz: You are from Mexico, did you ever think that one day you would be living in the greatest city in the world and then one day nominated for an Independent Spirit Award? Do you hope it would inspire that little girl in Monterrey, Mexico?
Andrea: Well, I certainly dreamed about it. And I did at some point in my life begin to work my way here and I knew there were no guarantees. I do hope to inspire, I mean I live off inspiration and its the force that keeps me working, that keeps me creating. its a wonderful feeling to be able to inspire back, to keep that flow going. Being Latina in the Us is something I'm still learning about everyday. I don't feel inherently different in any way from anybody else and It is a feeling I cherish and that has helped me avoid thinking of my ethnicity as a potential obstacle from what i want to achieve. I am a woman and I am from Mexico, that is true. I am an artist, that is also true. When I work, I hope I'm not a woman from Mexico but an artist in body and spirit. I'm also a New Yorker, by the way.
LatinoBuzz: You used to play Punk Rock music. Five best Punk bands ever, Go!
Andrea:
The Clash
The Buzzcocks
Joy Division
Gang of Four
The Mekons
I also consider Neil Young and Bach to be big punks.
LatinoBuzz: The dream role, co-star, director and what's the storyline?
Andrea: I would like to play a passionate revolutionary or an extremely happy person. I adore Sally Hawkins in "Happy Go Lucky." I'm really dying to work with my Mexican peeps: Gonzalez Iñárritu, Cuarón, Del Toro. Maybe I'm the badass lady who rids Mexico of drugs, of oppression and illiteracy.
LatinoBuzz: Given what's happening in Mexico and the world still stands idle, do you find art meaningless or even more meaningful? And how does it make you feel?
Andrea: It makes me feel angry and ashamed and profoundly sad. My parents are big liberals and taught us to never trust a government that rids their people of basic human rights. Growing up, my Mexican town of Monterrey was so safe, we wouldn't lock our cars or our front doors, and that is gone. Monterrey is considered one of the deadliest, most violent places in the nation and I have seen my loved ones be profoundly affected by this horrific shift. There was always a lot of gruesome inequality but, in most towns we had basic security to move freely around. I think art is, unfortunately, sometimes our only shot at communicating our indignation safely and effectively. Before Internet existed, films were my source of real information from the world.
Films made by many artists working together for the love of a common project that they believed in, in which humanity was presented and experienced from a truthful standpoint, with no cop outs. In many points in history (now as well, of course) films and filmmakers have been banned for political reasons- that's how annoying they can be to oppressing systems, how dangerous. Mexico has relied on television for decades to keep the citizens misinformed and in a constant state of stupor. I mean we live in a time where democracy is almost synonymous with oligarchy. Artists have a tremendous purpose in society, which is to continually expose, to continually challenge and to never stop producing. To never stop creating, no matter what.
LatinoBuzz: What would the win at the Independent Spirit Awards mean to you? Who would first person that will come to your mind?
Andrea: It would just be a tremendous recognition of my work. My husband is the first person, because god knows it’s hard to love a struggling actor and he has been a force of nature. My son gave me a new and enhanced shot at life - he is to thank for my whole past, present and future existence.
LatinoBuzz: What's next?
Andrea: Lots of more work! A mystery. As it has always been.
Hang out with Andrea at www.andreasuarezpaz.com
Written by Juan Caceres, LatinoBuzz is a weekly feature on SydneysBuzz that highlights Latino indie talent and upcoming trends in Latino film with the specific objective of presenting a broad range of Latino voices. Follow[At]LatinoBuzz on Twitter and Facebook...
LatinoBuzz: What film or actress inspired you to act?
Andrea: There was this amazing lady playing very interesting roles in telenovelas when I was growing up whom I definitely considered a genius. Her name is Margarita Sanz and I was around 5 years old when I became her fan. All the older actresses in telenovelas blew my mind when I was a kid, they call them "first actress" and they are the artists that have been performing in the theater for decades and then they get to be the evil stepmom or the psycho killer in telenovelas. They did powerful work. My mom knew of my affinity for this and took me to see them live on stage whenever they visited our local theater. I once saw one of these women play The Little Prince. To see an older woman play a little boy on stage completely blasted open my perception to what it meant to act. That was it for me.
LatinoBuzz: When you read the script for "Stand Clear of the Closing Doors" what drew you to the character?
Andrea: Well, it was an emotional roller coaster, which is what we as actors pray to get to do. It seemed like an insurmountable challenge - which I'm beginning to learn is what truly sparks me- a fantastic challenge. I was also terribly moved. My son was 9 months at the time, so to picture him away from me was immediately something I wanted to avoid. These were all very good signs that going head first onto this was going to be rough and terrifying. I like that
LatinoBuzz: What kind research did you do for the role?
Andrea: I read a lot on autism, which is surprisingly and annoyingly a huge mystery. There are all kinds of theories as to what causes it, if it might be preventable, how to best treat it. It was very scary to find out that nobody knows for sure and there is not great research being done and the vast majority of research is done privately. This infuriated me, which was a good start. I visited a support group for mothers of children in the spectrum a few times and realized how challenging it is to have a child with special needs and I learned that you have to draw strength from thin air incessantly and keep an unwavering state of deep focus.
I also learned that even though Autism can be frightening and terribly demanding, it also comes with its vast share of superpowers that are unknown to the typical human. A different and astonishing type of mind with a magical glow. So, in the end I also became in love with it and ended up with a healthy mix of emotions. Then I got to hang out with Jesus Sanchez (who plays Ricky in the movie) prior to filming which was a big luxury and we talked a lot and swam in the ocean together and by the time we started shooting I was just so sincerely crazy about this kid who was so smart, so deeply compassionate and had such impeccable morals that I just felt so fortunate to be partners with him. And he was such a fantastic actor! I was a proud mother of my perfect boy by the end.
LatinoBuzz: You are from Mexico, did you ever think that one day you would be living in the greatest city in the world and then one day nominated for an Independent Spirit Award? Do you hope it would inspire that little girl in Monterrey, Mexico?
Andrea: Well, I certainly dreamed about it. And I did at some point in my life begin to work my way here and I knew there were no guarantees. I do hope to inspire, I mean I live off inspiration and its the force that keeps me working, that keeps me creating. its a wonderful feeling to be able to inspire back, to keep that flow going. Being Latina in the Us is something I'm still learning about everyday. I don't feel inherently different in any way from anybody else and It is a feeling I cherish and that has helped me avoid thinking of my ethnicity as a potential obstacle from what i want to achieve. I am a woman and I am from Mexico, that is true. I am an artist, that is also true. When I work, I hope I'm not a woman from Mexico but an artist in body and spirit. I'm also a New Yorker, by the way.
LatinoBuzz: You used to play Punk Rock music. Five best Punk bands ever, Go!
Andrea:
The Clash
The Buzzcocks
Joy Division
Gang of Four
The Mekons
I also consider Neil Young and Bach to be big punks.
LatinoBuzz: The dream role, co-star, director and what's the storyline?
Andrea: I would like to play a passionate revolutionary or an extremely happy person. I adore Sally Hawkins in "Happy Go Lucky." I'm really dying to work with my Mexican peeps: Gonzalez Iñárritu, Cuarón, Del Toro. Maybe I'm the badass lady who rids Mexico of drugs, of oppression and illiteracy.
LatinoBuzz: Given what's happening in Mexico and the world still stands idle, do you find art meaningless or even more meaningful? And how does it make you feel?
Andrea: It makes me feel angry and ashamed and profoundly sad. My parents are big liberals and taught us to never trust a government that rids their people of basic human rights. Growing up, my Mexican town of Monterrey was so safe, we wouldn't lock our cars or our front doors, and that is gone. Monterrey is considered one of the deadliest, most violent places in the nation and I have seen my loved ones be profoundly affected by this horrific shift. There was always a lot of gruesome inequality but, in most towns we had basic security to move freely around. I think art is, unfortunately, sometimes our only shot at communicating our indignation safely and effectively. Before Internet existed, films were my source of real information from the world.
Films made by many artists working together for the love of a common project that they believed in, in which humanity was presented and experienced from a truthful standpoint, with no cop outs. In many points in history (now as well, of course) films and filmmakers have been banned for political reasons- that's how annoying they can be to oppressing systems, how dangerous. Mexico has relied on television for decades to keep the citizens misinformed and in a constant state of stupor. I mean we live in a time where democracy is almost synonymous with oligarchy. Artists have a tremendous purpose in society, which is to continually expose, to continually challenge and to never stop producing. To never stop creating, no matter what.
LatinoBuzz: What would the win at the Independent Spirit Awards mean to you? Who would first person that will come to your mind?
Andrea: It would just be a tremendous recognition of my work. My husband is the first person, because god knows it’s hard to love a struggling actor and he has been a force of nature. My son gave me a new and enhanced shot at life - he is to thank for my whole past, present and future existence.
LatinoBuzz: What's next?
Andrea: Lots of more work! A mystery. As it has always been.
Hang out with Andrea at www.andreasuarezpaz.com
Written by Juan Caceres, LatinoBuzz is a weekly feature on SydneysBuzz that highlights Latino indie talent and upcoming trends in Latino film with the specific objective of presenting a broad range of Latino voices. Follow[At]LatinoBuzz on Twitter and Facebook...
- 12/9/2014
- by Juan Caceres
- Sydney's Buzz
"Calloused Hands" tells the near autobiographical coming-of-age story of director Jesse Quinones. This is a unique Latino film that showcases touching storytelling and deals with a12-year-old mixed and interfaith boy growing up in Miami. The acting alone behind Jesse's direction make this a must see film to support. (Also seeing my fellow Chilena Julia Grob in the film made me proud!).
LatinoBuzz: This is a deeply personal story, was there any fear of telling it?
Jesse Quinones: While I was writing it especially, that process was quite painful, and I wasn’t really sure if I wanted to delve back into some of those memories. It definitely brought up some stuff for me. Once I got into the pre-production and production side of things, there was so much to do, that there was little room to think about the fact that this was a personal story. At that point, we were just trying to make a film. But there were some moments during the film that definitely caught me off guard, where I had to step away from the monitor and gather myself. The actors and crew were really respectful of that, which I appreciated a lot. They knew they were telling a story based on my life, and they really worked hard to honor that.
LatinoBuzz: What is your background?
Jesse Quinones: My father is from Cuba and my mother is from Ireland and she’s Jewish. So I’m pretty mixed up!
LatinoBuzz: What was the fundraising process? Did it come from the UK or Stateside?
Jesse Quinones: Funding for the film largely came from private investors in the UK. And then we got some finishing funds from a private investor out of Miami. We also got a lot of in-kind support from the crew. They were amazing and worked tirelessly for very little.
LatinoBuzz: How did you get into the industry? Was there a particular filmmaker or film that influenced you?
Jesse Quinones: I had a real indirect way into the industry. I started off as a reporter in print journalism, then moved into theater, and from there into documentaries, and finally into feature films. You know I’ve had a lot of influences. I think my earliest memory of going to the cinema and just being so touched by what I saw was Malcolm X by Spike Lee. It was just such a powerful film, and really stayed with me. Spike Lee is a great story teller and definitely up there for me. More recent influences, Derek Cianfrance is a big inspiration to me. I loved both Blue Valentine and Place Beyond the Pines. I love the performance in his films, the pacing, the tone, when you see one of his films, you kind of get taken for this ride, he really goes there. I’d love my films to create that same feeling.
LatinoBuzz: Has any members of your family seen it?
Jesse Quinones: Yeah my mother saw it. She’s real proud of me. She’s no stranger to using her own life as a creative template, she’s a writer herself, and has written a book about her life. So when I started working on Calloused Hands she gave me her blessing. She’s been real supportive of it.
LatinoBuzz: What's the next project?
Jesse Quinones: I have a few projects in the pipeline. I'm working on a British set fight movie about a Cagefighter who has to fight his demons both in and outside of the cage. That is being produced by Paula Crickard, who also produced Calloused Hands. I'm also working on a romantic comedy called Carlito y Jane, which is about a British playwright that goes to Cuba and ends up marrying a young Cuban playboy. That has the Cuban ballet dancer Carlos Acosta attached. And then I'm attached to direct a project called The Nanny, which was written by Braulio Montovani, he also wrote City of God.
Also working on some short form stuff, I just shot a music video for a great singer named Kathrin deBoer, which I’m real excited about. You can check out some of her work at www.kathrindeboer.com . And recently I was signed to the agency Irresistible Films, who represent me for commercials and documentaries. So at the moment just trying to stay busy and creative!
LatinoBuzz: Luca and Andre have incredible and heartbreaking chemistry. How did you find them?
Jesse Quinones: Luca was found via a very traditional audition process. I had a staged reading in La about a year before we shot the film and we saw about 50 kids for it, and all of them were really good. But there was just something about Luca. I think he reminded me a lot of me. He’s serious, big for his age, kind of looks real quiet on the outside but has a lot going on underneath. Andre, we connected via a mutual friend Julia Grob, who also has a role in the film. She hit him up on Twitter, and asked if he’d be interested in reading my script. He was, and read it, and asked to meet me.
I live in London and he lives in La so I was hoping a ‘meet’ might be translated into a Skype. But he really wanted a face to face, I think he wanted to see if I was for real. It’s Andre Royo, he played the most favorite character (Bubbles) on one of America’s most favorite shows (The Wire). So I got myself on a plane, headed to La, and we met and talked about the project. He had lots of questions, lots of notes, but ultimately I think he saw enough in it. The film wouldn’t have been the same without those two, they brought a huge amount to their parts, stuff that wasn’t necessarily on the page.
Written by Juan Caceres , LatinoBuzz is a weekly feature on SydneysBuzz that highlights Latino indie talent and upcoming trends in Latino film with the specific objective of presenting a broad range of Latino voices. Follow [At]LatinoBuzz on Twitter and Facebook...
LatinoBuzz: This is a deeply personal story, was there any fear of telling it?
Jesse Quinones: While I was writing it especially, that process was quite painful, and I wasn’t really sure if I wanted to delve back into some of those memories. It definitely brought up some stuff for me. Once I got into the pre-production and production side of things, there was so much to do, that there was little room to think about the fact that this was a personal story. At that point, we were just trying to make a film. But there were some moments during the film that definitely caught me off guard, where I had to step away from the monitor and gather myself. The actors and crew were really respectful of that, which I appreciated a lot. They knew they were telling a story based on my life, and they really worked hard to honor that.
LatinoBuzz: What is your background?
Jesse Quinones: My father is from Cuba and my mother is from Ireland and she’s Jewish. So I’m pretty mixed up!
LatinoBuzz: What was the fundraising process? Did it come from the UK or Stateside?
Jesse Quinones: Funding for the film largely came from private investors in the UK. And then we got some finishing funds from a private investor out of Miami. We also got a lot of in-kind support from the crew. They were amazing and worked tirelessly for very little.
LatinoBuzz: How did you get into the industry? Was there a particular filmmaker or film that influenced you?
Jesse Quinones: I had a real indirect way into the industry. I started off as a reporter in print journalism, then moved into theater, and from there into documentaries, and finally into feature films. You know I’ve had a lot of influences. I think my earliest memory of going to the cinema and just being so touched by what I saw was Malcolm X by Spike Lee. It was just such a powerful film, and really stayed with me. Spike Lee is a great story teller and definitely up there for me. More recent influences, Derek Cianfrance is a big inspiration to me. I loved both Blue Valentine and Place Beyond the Pines. I love the performance in his films, the pacing, the tone, when you see one of his films, you kind of get taken for this ride, he really goes there. I’d love my films to create that same feeling.
LatinoBuzz: Has any members of your family seen it?
Jesse Quinones: Yeah my mother saw it. She’s real proud of me. She’s no stranger to using her own life as a creative template, she’s a writer herself, and has written a book about her life. So when I started working on Calloused Hands she gave me her blessing. She’s been real supportive of it.
LatinoBuzz: What's the next project?
Jesse Quinones: I have a few projects in the pipeline. I'm working on a British set fight movie about a Cagefighter who has to fight his demons both in and outside of the cage. That is being produced by Paula Crickard, who also produced Calloused Hands. I'm also working on a romantic comedy called Carlito y Jane, which is about a British playwright that goes to Cuba and ends up marrying a young Cuban playboy. That has the Cuban ballet dancer Carlos Acosta attached. And then I'm attached to direct a project called The Nanny, which was written by Braulio Montovani, he also wrote City of God.
Also working on some short form stuff, I just shot a music video for a great singer named Kathrin deBoer, which I’m real excited about. You can check out some of her work at www.kathrindeboer.com . And recently I was signed to the agency Irresistible Films, who represent me for commercials and documentaries. So at the moment just trying to stay busy and creative!
LatinoBuzz: Luca and Andre have incredible and heartbreaking chemistry. How did you find them?
Jesse Quinones: Luca was found via a very traditional audition process. I had a staged reading in La about a year before we shot the film and we saw about 50 kids for it, and all of them were really good. But there was just something about Luca. I think he reminded me a lot of me. He’s serious, big for his age, kind of looks real quiet on the outside but has a lot going on underneath. Andre, we connected via a mutual friend Julia Grob, who also has a role in the film. She hit him up on Twitter, and asked if he’d be interested in reading my script. He was, and read it, and asked to meet me.
I live in London and he lives in La so I was hoping a ‘meet’ might be translated into a Skype. But he really wanted a face to face, I think he wanted to see if I was for real. It’s Andre Royo, he played the most favorite character (Bubbles) on one of America’s most favorite shows (The Wire). So I got myself on a plane, headed to La, and we met and talked about the project. He had lots of questions, lots of notes, but ultimately I think he saw enough in it. The film wouldn’t have been the same without those two, they brought a huge amount to their parts, stuff that wasn’t necessarily on the page.
Written by Juan Caceres , LatinoBuzz is a weekly feature on SydneysBuzz that highlights Latino indie talent and upcoming trends in Latino film with the specific objective of presenting a broad range of Latino voices. Follow [At]LatinoBuzz on Twitter and Facebook...
- 11/21/2014
- by Juan Caceres
- Sydney's Buzz
The long awaited film written by Emmy winner John Leguizamo & Kathy Demarco directed by Alfredo DeVilla who also directed Leguizamo in the Latino Christmas family film "Nothing Like The Holidays." Similar to his stage shows (Freak, Sexaholics & Ghetto Klown) the semi-autobiographical "Fugly!" was shot in 2010 finally gets a release.
The film also stars Radha Mitchell, Rosie Perez, Yul Vasquez, Rosie Perez (and I have to mention Ally Sheedy. C’mon the Breakfast Club!). The story which has been described as “anti-romantic” centers around Jesse (Leguizamo) a nerd from the Bronx who was raised in a typical crazy Latino household where imagination is everything. Jesse eventually finds his way to college and pretty much goes nuts with the ratio of women to men. That’s where he will also meet Lara Perry (Radha Mitchell) who pretty teaches him how to open his wings. As with a lot of people who lose touch with people after college Jesse finds himself pursuing acting as his passion back in NYC where he meets Zowie, a sexy cat-like Puerto Rican poet and actress played by Rosie Perez.
Fugly! Is all about highs and lows of a career in the arts and how equally it affects our relationships. It’s also interesting that the screenplay allows John Leguizamo to explore the choices he himself has made as an actor rather than hide behind a “character”.
Below is the trailer (it’s kinda Nsfw)
Dig Fugly! everywhere: www.fuglythemovie.com, facebook.com/fuglythemovie, twitter.com/fuglymovie
Written by Juan Caceres , LatinoBuzz is a weekly feature onSydneysBuzz that highlights Latino indie talent and upcoming trends in Latino film with the specific objective of presenting a broad range of Latino voices. Follow [At]LatinoBuzz on Twitter and Facebook...
The film also stars Radha Mitchell, Rosie Perez, Yul Vasquez, Rosie Perez (and I have to mention Ally Sheedy. C’mon the Breakfast Club!). The story which has been described as “anti-romantic” centers around Jesse (Leguizamo) a nerd from the Bronx who was raised in a typical crazy Latino household where imagination is everything. Jesse eventually finds his way to college and pretty much goes nuts with the ratio of women to men. That’s where he will also meet Lara Perry (Radha Mitchell) who pretty teaches him how to open his wings. As with a lot of people who lose touch with people after college Jesse finds himself pursuing acting as his passion back in NYC where he meets Zowie, a sexy cat-like Puerto Rican poet and actress played by Rosie Perez.
Fugly! Is all about highs and lows of a career in the arts and how equally it affects our relationships. It’s also interesting that the screenplay allows John Leguizamo to explore the choices he himself has made as an actor rather than hide behind a “character”.
Below is the trailer (it’s kinda Nsfw)
Dig Fugly! everywhere: www.fuglythemovie.com, facebook.com/fuglythemovie, twitter.com/fuglymovie
Written by Juan Caceres , LatinoBuzz is a weekly feature onSydneysBuzz that highlights Latino indie talent and upcoming trends in Latino film with the specific objective of presenting a broad range of Latino voices. Follow [At]LatinoBuzz on Twitter and Facebook...
- 11/7/2014
- by Juan Caceres
- Sydney's Buzz
As the summer has wound down things got even hotter over at Urban Film Festival, which kicks off Sept 17-21st with this year seeing its strongest presence of Latino content to fill the void the New York International Latino Film Festival behind two years ago. So we decided to show the short filmmakers that feature Latino talent in their films some love in a new edition of ‘LatinoBuzz: Shipwrecked’ to see what they cannot live without! They are given a choice of a Film, Book, Companion from a film and an Album to be stranded with (we’ll deal with logistics another time).
Janine Salinas Schoenberg – "Jenny & Lalo"
Film: ‘Amelie’ - Because it's all I ever want to see when I'm having a bad day.
Book: ‘The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao’ because few books have ever made me both laugh out loud and sob hysterically.
Album: A mix of my husband Adam Schoenberg's music because it both moves and inspires me. Perfect for island solitude!
Companion: Maria Elena from ‘Vicky Cristina Barcelona’ because she would be fun, spontaneous, and crazy enough to help us survive!
Adel L. Morales – "Missing Grandma"
Album: ‘Paid In Full’ by Eric B. & Rakim. I remember running to Moody’s Record Shop on White Plains Road in the Boogie Down the day after I heard Marly Marl drop it on Wbls for the first time. I picked up the 12-inch single of “Eric B. Is President” (the album didn’t drop right away) and was immediately blown away by the art on the label: a giant brown hand coming down from the skies to drop off pyramids on a nearly deserted earth. I knew from the jump that Rakim was bringing a higher level of thought to the hip-hop game. His conversion to the Nations of God’s and Earths gave him a preacher-like authority, as he stood for my positive energy than anyone before him. The man was a pioneer and a lyrical genius. He was using internal rhymes in his songs while cats were still struggling with end rhymes. Eric B’s beats were dope & got insanely better on their follow-up album, “Follow the Leader.” After I ran home and played that track a bunch, I flipped it over to listen to the B-side, which was “My Melody” and I damn near had a heart attack. I couldn’t believe my ears! Did this Mc and DJ, with the hottest track in the streets, put an even hotter track on the B-side? It was like finding a gold nugget in a riverbed. The greatest rap duo ever in my book.
Book: ‘Random Family’ by Adrian Nicole LeBlanc is a fascinating true story of two couples set in the Bronx during the mid-1980’s to late-1990’s. Despite the accurate portrayal of the lives and the cycle of poor choices made by uneducated people, there is a tiny glimmer of hope for the next generation. It makes me hope that someone’s child will eventually figure a way out of the messes created by inner city issues, like the high school drop out rate, teen pregnancy, and drug dealing. It describes in great exactness the time period in which I grew up in the Bronx and allows me to appreciate the courses I travelled to navigate those dangerous waters.
Companion : Sancho Panza from ‘Don Quixote.’ He’s not afraid to get his hands dirty literally or figuratively. He is often the voice of truth when his partner would rather hear anything but. But, it is the ability to keep his master safe from enemies, as well as from himself that seals the deal for me.
Film: ‘Adrift in Tokyo’ by Satoshi Miki is one of my favorite films of all time. I would chose this one to take with me if I was stranded on an island because it encompasses some of the things that I find essential to enjoying life on this planet. Miki is able to do this in both dramatic and comedic ways. It is about making connections with the world around us and with the people in it. Spending time getting to know someone often feels like a lost art in today’s faster-paced world. Characters learn to express emotion and not hide behind “manliness.” They atone for sins they’ve committed and attempt to right the wrongs of their past. This film reminds me that happiness can be found in the tiniest moments of pleasure and this film delivers tons of them as the laughs are frequent and come from the silliest places at the weirdest times.
Jess Dela Merced – "Hypebeasts"
Album: ‘The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill’ had a lot of influence on me growing up and even more so today. I fall into many daydreams listening to it, imagining scenes to match or pretending some of the songs were soundtracks to my life. All her lyrics are starting to ring true as I grow older and the messages are always getting clearer with each listen. It's one of those albums that you can only fully comprehend once you're old and wrinkly.
Book: ‘Catcher in the Rye’ will always be my favorite book. I identify with Holden so much, not sure if that's a good thing, but if I could make any movie in the world, it would be an adaptation of that book. One day I will find the loophole to get to the rights!
Film: ‘Coming to America’ because I need to stay happy on that island and would probably reenact it word for word to keep myself entertained. Also so I can listen to Sexual Chocolate and Soul Glo repeatedly.
Companion: Any character Robin Williams has played. I guess Genie for obvious reasons.
Daniel Pfeffer – "Milk & Honey"
Album: If I was stranded, I'd bring Coltrane's ‘A Love Supreme’ for it's timeless effect, so whenever I was losing hope of rescue, I'd put that on to calm my nerves, and let me know it all doesn't matter in the end, because the beauty is within and all around you.
Book: My book would have to be ‘Drown’ by Junot Diaz, because it would let me remember where I'm from, the metro area, and what it feels like to have immigrant parents.
Film: I love so many films, but I think one that is just poetry in motion for me would be Spike Lee's ‘He Got Game’. Whenever I was feeling homesick I'd just watch that. Plus the soundtrack is so good on it from the classical to the hip hop, I could be forever entertained!
Companion: No matter where I am in the world, I'd have to ask Shailene Woodley to come along so we could plan a film together, in case we were ever rescued and brought back to civilization.
Cristina Kotz Cornejo – "Hermanas"
Film: I think it would need to be a good comedy, either "Dr. Strangelove," The Pink Panther" or maybe "Brazil" by Terry Gilliam - something absurd to keep me laughing – oh wait, I guess if I have to choose one then it’s The Pink Panther can’t get enough of Peter Sellers!
Book: 1984 by George Orwell to remind me of what the world I left behind is becoming and to make me appreciate the absence of “big brother,” the internet and all the noise of everyday life.
Album: It’s not easy to choose an album but if I had to choose one it would be one of my favorites from childhood, That’s the Way of the World by Earth Wind and Fire. It will keep me busy dancing and singing the nights away in paradise.
Companion: Ellen Ripley from Alien because with her there I would be sure to eventually get off the island although 1984 will make me want to stay put, oh the dichotomy of life!
Javier Melero De Luca – "Silencio Chino"
Ok, the question puts me in survival mode, not in a curatorial one. I am going to need entertainment to cope with solitude on an island!!
Film: ‘The Shawshank Redemption.’ So many IMDb people could not be wrong. It would remind me that a lot of men dream of being on an island anyway. ("The Lives of Others" if the previous was not available).
Companion: Someone hot and resourceful like Lara Croft, I could try and hit on her, maybe even have an offspring.
Book: No doubt, The Lord of the Flies. Deep, insightful, metaphorical and well written. Useful on the island too.
Album: Tough call but I would go for Gently Disturbed by Avishai Cohen. They’re Venezuelan folk music meets Israeli jazz. Just mind-bending. P.S. Can't i just grab mi iPad before crashing on the island???
Geoffrey Guerrero – "J-1"
Album: If I was stranded on a deserted island I would need to have the Buenavista Social club album because their rich Latin rhythms and passionate songs of romance and love would make life more enjoyable and welcoming. And, being stranded in said island, anything with some latin beats and conga drums goes a long way in making life a little easier.
Companion: If I had to choose a companion from the movies it would have to be two companions: Eva Mendez and Gina Rodriguez. After a long day of cutting wood and preparing dinner, there's no other people I would rather have at my side than these 2 gorgeous young ladies. Who knows, maybe I'll get a back massage if I'm lucky.
Book: The one book I must have on this island is Daniel Defoe's "Robinson Crusoe," because if I'm gonna be stuck on an island I need to know there's a chance I'll survive. Some people say life is all about survival of the fittest and this book is a powerful story of a man stranded on an island for many years and by some miracle he survives and escapes the island in one piece. Which I think we'd all agree would be the ideal situation if stranded on such an island.
Film: "Amores Perros" or "Rabia."
Dennis Shinners – "Barrio Boy"
Film: "Stand By Me", "Titanic", "The Empire Strikes Back" (original release) or the "Alien" box set, just keeping the first two films. They are all about friendship and survival.
Album: I'd love to cram a ton of music onto an iPod, but if not allowed, it would be Prince's "Purple Rain". Why? Well, it's Prince's "Purple Rain"! Probably my favorite album of all time, though it's really tough to narrow down a favorite, let alone a fave Prince record. I'd try to sneak The Cure's "Disintegration", U2's "The Joshua Tree", Biggie's "Ready to Die" and a Jobim record (for sunset listening) by customs too.
Book: I've got way more music than books so I might trade this for a Nirvana, Velvet Underground, Peter Gabriel or Smashing Pumpkins album, but at the risk of sounding cliche or obvious, "The Catcher In the Rye". This way I'll always have a piece of New York City with me.
Companion: Samwise Gamgee from "Lord of the Rings". He's beyond loyal and cooks too, which will come in handy.
Albert Espinosa – "Pitahaya"
Album: ‘Great Escape’ by Blur because each song is incredible.
Film: ‘Good Will Hunting’. The Death of Robin Williams deeply affected me profoundly.
Book: ‘Tuesdays with Morrie.’ This book changed my life.
Companion : Leo of the series ‘Red Band Society’. Red band society, Fox's series is like my life as a child. It’s my autobiography. I am very happy for the coincidence between the release of the series and the festival.
Laila Petrone Peynado – "Your Love"
Album: Anita Baker – ‘Giving You the Best that I Got.’ I love her voice and each song on this album has accompanied me through different stages of my life. If I had been a singer, I would have been honored to have had her voice and career.
Book - Paulo Coelho – ‘Eleven Minutes.’ You're right there with the protagonist. The storyline, the way it is written, compels you to imagine it visually.
Film : ‘Mo' Better Blues.’ It's a movie I can watch over and over again, it makes me laugh, it makes me cry, and the soundtrack by the amazing Branford Marsalis Quartet and Terence Blanchard is just wonderful.
Companion : Marcello Mastroianni. Marcello was one-of-a-kind actor and I could spend hours talking to him about his experiences working with some of the most influential directors and movies of our time.
Wu Tsang - "You're Dead to Me"
Album : I'm not into albums much, but I'd have several of my favorite underground DJ's, like DJ Total Freedom, Nguzunguzu and Juliana Huxtable create an original mix for me. My island soundtrack would feature lots of traditional Banda music, which I love. I've shot several of my films in Mexico, and Banda always brings me back, like a snapshot of a moment in time. Maybe I could have my mix delivered to the island by drone.
Book: A written retrospective on Rainer Werner Fassbinder would be ideal. I figure if I can't watch movies at least I can read about them and visualize them in my mind, on a loop. Ali: Fear Eats the Soul is my favorite. It's considered to be Fassbinder's masterpiece, but I'm always drawn to characters who let their hearts rule their heads. It's that blend of realism and romanticism, loneliness and love that would inspire and buoy me with no other constant but the waves lashing the shore.
Companion: My favorite character is always changing. But this week it's Sarah Linden from ‘The Killing.’ I guess I can relate to her troubled lonely existence. She's super flawed but also so powerful and talented, and deep down has a lot of heart and passion buried under that tough facade. I think we'd enjoy coping with our existentialism and creating our own mythology together on that island.
Jonathon Dillon – "Celluloid Dreams"
Album: Without a doubt, Louis Armstrong "The Definite Collection". I can say without a doubt Louis Armstrong is one of my favorite musicians of all time. When I hear that deep raspy voice I can't help but let all my worries fade away and transport to what life must have been like in the '30s.
Film: People laugh when I say this, but the film I define as one of the most perfectly executed pieces of cinema created is "Back to the Future." Head to tails, frame by frame, everything has purpose and continually pushes the story. Although Zemeckis has gone on to do other projects that he has received more acclaim for (i.e. "Forrest Gump"), I feel like I always watch "Back to the Future" and see something else he did that I didn't catch before that makes me stop and marvel at the film as a whole.
Book: Would graphic novels count? I grew up looking at comic books before I could even read, the visual imagery said it all, and the artwork would be just spell binding. I actually wanted to be a comic book artist as a kid, but then realized I couldn't sketch to save my life. I would lean towards Frank Miller's "Wolverine" or even Alan Moore's "Watchmen." If it had to be a book I'd probably want something on "How to Survive on an Island"....
Character: This is tough, and maybe I'm cheating, but the first feature I did the lead female protagonist was Katherine Parker (played by Rebecca Welsh). She was strong, independent, and above all, a survivor. I've always loved films with strong female characters, hence probably why I fell in love with this one from the moment of reading her on the page. And as they say, you are only as strong as the woman next to you. Honorable mention would obviously go to Marion Ravenwood (Karen Allen in "Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark"), and just about any of James Cameron's heroines.
Check out these filmmakers and many others at www.urbanworld.org
Written by Juan Caceres , LatinoBuzz is a weekly feature on SydneysBuzz that highlights Latino indie talent and upcoming trends in Latino film with the specific objective of presenting a broad range of Latino voices. Follow [At]LatinoBuzz on Twitter and Facebook...
Janine Salinas Schoenberg – "Jenny & Lalo"
Film: ‘Amelie’ - Because it's all I ever want to see when I'm having a bad day.
Book: ‘The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao’ because few books have ever made me both laugh out loud and sob hysterically.
Album: A mix of my husband Adam Schoenberg's music because it both moves and inspires me. Perfect for island solitude!
Companion: Maria Elena from ‘Vicky Cristina Barcelona’ because she would be fun, spontaneous, and crazy enough to help us survive!
Adel L. Morales – "Missing Grandma"
Album: ‘Paid In Full’ by Eric B. & Rakim. I remember running to Moody’s Record Shop on White Plains Road in the Boogie Down the day after I heard Marly Marl drop it on Wbls for the first time. I picked up the 12-inch single of “Eric B. Is President” (the album didn’t drop right away) and was immediately blown away by the art on the label: a giant brown hand coming down from the skies to drop off pyramids on a nearly deserted earth. I knew from the jump that Rakim was bringing a higher level of thought to the hip-hop game. His conversion to the Nations of God’s and Earths gave him a preacher-like authority, as he stood for my positive energy than anyone before him. The man was a pioneer and a lyrical genius. He was using internal rhymes in his songs while cats were still struggling with end rhymes. Eric B’s beats were dope & got insanely better on their follow-up album, “Follow the Leader.” After I ran home and played that track a bunch, I flipped it over to listen to the B-side, which was “My Melody” and I damn near had a heart attack. I couldn’t believe my ears! Did this Mc and DJ, with the hottest track in the streets, put an even hotter track on the B-side? It was like finding a gold nugget in a riverbed. The greatest rap duo ever in my book.
Book: ‘Random Family’ by Adrian Nicole LeBlanc is a fascinating true story of two couples set in the Bronx during the mid-1980’s to late-1990’s. Despite the accurate portrayal of the lives and the cycle of poor choices made by uneducated people, there is a tiny glimmer of hope for the next generation. It makes me hope that someone’s child will eventually figure a way out of the messes created by inner city issues, like the high school drop out rate, teen pregnancy, and drug dealing. It describes in great exactness the time period in which I grew up in the Bronx and allows me to appreciate the courses I travelled to navigate those dangerous waters.
Companion : Sancho Panza from ‘Don Quixote.’ He’s not afraid to get his hands dirty literally or figuratively. He is often the voice of truth when his partner would rather hear anything but. But, it is the ability to keep his master safe from enemies, as well as from himself that seals the deal for me.
Film: ‘Adrift in Tokyo’ by Satoshi Miki is one of my favorite films of all time. I would chose this one to take with me if I was stranded on an island because it encompasses some of the things that I find essential to enjoying life on this planet. Miki is able to do this in both dramatic and comedic ways. It is about making connections with the world around us and with the people in it. Spending time getting to know someone often feels like a lost art in today’s faster-paced world. Characters learn to express emotion and not hide behind “manliness.” They atone for sins they’ve committed and attempt to right the wrongs of their past. This film reminds me that happiness can be found in the tiniest moments of pleasure and this film delivers tons of them as the laughs are frequent and come from the silliest places at the weirdest times.
Jess Dela Merced – "Hypebeasts"
Album: ‘The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill’ had a lot of influence on me growing up and even more so today. I fall into many daydreams listening to it, imagining scenes to match or pretending some of the songs were soundtracks to my life. All her lyrics are starting to ring true as I grow older and the messages are always getting clearer with each listen. It's one of those albums that you can only fully comprehend once you're old and wrinkly.
Book: ‘Catcher in the Rye’ will always be my favorite book. I identify with Holden so much, not sure if that's a good thing, but if I could make any movie in the world, it would be an adaptation of that book. One day I will find the loophole to get to the rights!
Film: ‘Coming to America’ because I need to stay happy on that island and would probably reenact it word for word to keep myself entertained. Also so I can listen to Sexual Chocolate and Soul Glo repeatedly.
Companion: Any character Robin Williams has played. I guess Genie for obvious reasons.
Daniel Pfeffer – "Milk & Honey"
Album: If I was stranded, I'd bring Coltrane's ‘A Love Supreme’ for it's timeless effect, so whenever I was losing hope of rescue, I'd put that on to calm my nerves, and let me know it all doesn't matter in the end, because the beauty is within and all around you.
Book: My book would have to be ‘Drown’ by Junot Diaz, because it would let me remember where I'm from, the metro area, and what it feels like to have immigrant parents.
Film: I love so many films, but I think one that is just poetry in motion for me would be Spike Lee's ‘He Got Game’. Whenever I was feeling homesick I'd just watch that. Plus the soundtrack is so good on it from the classical to the hip hop, I could be forever entertained!
Companion: No matter where I am in the world, I'd have to ask Shailene Woodley to come along so we could plan a film together, in case we were ever rescued and brought back to civilization.
Cristina Kotz Cornejo – "Hermanas"
Film: I think it would need to be a good comedy, either "Dr. Strangelove," The Pink Panther" or maybe "Brazil" by Terry Gilliam - something absurd to keep me laughing – oh wait, I guess if I have to choose one then it’s The Pink Panther can’t get enough of Peter Sellers!
Book: 1984 by George Orwell to remind me of what the world I left behind is becoming and to make me appreciate the absence of “big brother,” the internet and all the noise of everyday life.
Album: It’s not easy to choose an album but if I had to choose one it would be one of my favorites from childhood, That’s the Way of the World by Earth Wind and Fire. It will keep me busy dancing and singing the nights away in paradise.
Companion: Ellen Ripley from Alien because with her there I would be sure to eventually get off the island although 1984 will make me want to stay put, oh the dichotomy of life!
Javier Melero De Luca – "Silencio Chino"
Ok, the question puts me in survival mode, not in a curatorial one. I am going to need entertainment to cope with solitude on an island!!
Film: ‘The Shawshank Redemption.’ So many IMDb people could not be wrong. It would remind me that a lot of men dream of being on an island anyway. ("The Lives of Others" if the previous was not available).
Companion: Someone hot and resourceful like Lara Croft, I could try and hit on her, maybe even have an offspring.
Book: No doubt, The Lord of the Flies. Deep, insightful, metaphorical and well written. Useful on the island too.
Album: Tough call but I would go for Gently Disturbed by Avishai Cohen. They’re Venezuelan folk music meets Israeli jazz. Just mind-bending. P.S. Can't i just grab mi iPad before crashing on the island???
Geoffrey Guerrero – "J-1"
Album: If I was stranded on a deserted island I would need to have the Buenavista Social club album because their rich Latin rhythms and passionate songs of romance and love would make life more enjoyable and welcoming. And, being stranded in said island, anything with some latin beats and conga drums goes a long way in making life a little easier.
Companion: If I had to choose a companion from the movies it would have to be two companions: Eva Mendez and Gina Rodriguez. After a long day of cutting wood and preparing dinner, there's no other people I would rather have at my side than these 2 gorgeous young ladies. Who knows, maybe I'll get a back massage if I'm lucky.
Book: The one book I must have on this island is Daniel Defoe's "Robinson Crusoe," because if I'm gonna be stuck on an island I need to know there's a chance I'll survive. Some people say life is all about survival of the fittest and this book is a powerful story of a man stranded on an island for many years and by some miracle he survives and escapes the island in one piece. Which I think we'd all agree would be the ideal situation if stranded on such an island.
Film: "Amores Perros" or "Rabia."
Dennis Shinners – "Barrio Boy"
Film: "Stand By Me", "Titanic", "The Empire Strikes Back" (original release) or the "Alien" box set, just keeping the first two films. They are all about friendship and survival.
Album: I'd love to cram a ton of music onto an iPod, but if not allowed, it would be Prince's "Purple Rain". Why? Well, it's Prince's "Purple Rain"! Probably my favorite album of all time, though it's really tough to narrow down a favorite, let alone a fave Prince record. I'd try to sneak The Cure's "Disintegration", U2's "The Joshua Tree", Biggie's "Ready to Die" and a Jobim record (for sunset listening) by customs too.
Book: I've got way more music than books so I might trade this for a Nirvana, Velvet Underground, Peter Gabriel or Smashing Pumpkins album, but at the risk of sounding cliche or obvious, "The Catcher In the Rye". This way I'll always have a piece of New York City with me.
Companion: Samwise Gamgee from "Lord of the Rings". He's beyond loyal and cooks too, which will come in handy.
Albert Espinosa – "Pitahaya"
Album: ‘Great Escape’ by Blur because each song is incredible.
Film: ‘Good Will Hunting’. The Death of Robin Williams deeply affected me profoundly.
Book: ‘Tuesdays with Morrie.’ This book changed my life.
Companion : Leo of the series ‘Red Band Society’. Red band society, Fox's series is like my life as a child. It’s my autobiography. I am very happy for the coincidence between the release of the series and the festival.
Laila Petrone Peynado – "Your Love"
Album: Anita Baker – ‘Giving You the Best that I Got.’ I love her voice and each song on this album has accompanied me through different stages of my life. If I had been a singer, I would have been honored to have had her voice and career.
Book - Paulo Coelho – ‘Eleven Minutes.’ You're right there with the protagonist. The storyline, the way it is written, compels you to imagine it visually.
Film : ‘Mo' Better Blues.’ It's a movie I can watch over and over again, it makes me laugh, it makes me cry, and the soundtrack by the amazing Branford Marsalis Quartet and Terence Blanchard is just wonderful.
Companion : Marcello Mastroianni. Marcello was one-of-a-kind actor and I could spend hours talking to him about his experiences working with some of the most influential directors and movies of our time.
Wu Tsang - "You're Dead to Me"
Album : I'm not into albums much, but I'd have several of my favorite underground DJ's, like DJ Total Freedom, Nguzunguzu and Juliana Huxtable create an original mix for me. My island soundtrack would feature lots of traditional Banda music, which I love. I've shot several of my films in Mexico, and Banda always brings me back, like a snapshot of a moment in time. Maybe I could have my mix delivered to the island by drone.
Book: A written retrospective on Rainer Werner Fassbinder would be ideal. I figure if I can't watch movies at least I can read about them and visualize them in my mind, on a loop. Ali: Fear Eats the Soul is my favorite. It's considered to be Fassbinder's masterpiece, but I'm always drawn to characters who let their hearts rule their heads. It's that blend of realism and romanticism, loneliness and love that would inspire and buoy me with no other constant but the waves lashing the shore.
Companion: My favorite character is always changing. But this week it's Sarah Linden from ‘The Killing.’ I guess I can relate to her troubled lonely existence. She's super flawed but also so powerful and talented, and deep down has a lot of heart and passion buried under that tough facade. I think we'd enjoy coping with our existentialism and creating our own mythology together on that island.
Jonathon Dillon – "Celluloid Dreams"
Album: Without a doubt, Louis Armstrong "The Definite Collection". I can say without a doubt Louis Armstrong is one of my favorite musicians of all time. When I hear that deep raspy voice I can't help but let all my worries fade away and transport to what life must have been like in the '30s.
Film: People laugh when I say this, but the film I define as one of the most perfectly executed pieces of cinema created is "Back to the Future." Head to tails, frame by frame, everything has purpose and continually pushes the story. Although Zemeckis has gone on to do other projects that he has received more acclaim for (i.e. "Forrest Gump"), I feel like I always watch "Back to the Future" and see something else he did that I didn't catch before that makes me stop and marvel at the film as a whole.
Book: Would graphic novels count? I grew up looking at comic books before I could even read, the visual imagery said it all, and the artwork would be just spell binding. I actually wanted to be a comic book artist as a kid, but then realized I couldn't sketch to save my life. I would lean towards Frank Miller's "Wolverine" or even Alan Moore's "Watchmen." If it had to be a book I'd probably want something on "How to Survive on an Island"....
Character: This is tough, and maybe I'm cheating, but the first feature I did the lead female protagonist was Katherine Parker (played by Rebecca Welsh). She was strong, independent, and above all, a survivor. I've always loved films with strong female characters, hence probably why I fell in love with this one from the moment of reading her on the page. And as they say, you are only as strong as the woman next to you. Honorable mention would obviously go to Marion Ravenwood (Karen Allen in "Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark"), and just about any of James Cameron's heroines.
Check out these filmmakers and many others at www.urbanworld.org
Written by Juan Caceres , LatinoBuzz is a weekly feature on SydneysBuzz that highlights Latino indie talent and upcoming trends in Latino film with the specific objective of presenting a broad range of Latino voices. Follow [At]LatinoBuzz on Twitter and Facebook...
- 9/10/2014
- by Juan Caceres
- Sydney's Buzz
LatinoBuzz got to see “Underwater Dreams” written and directed by Mary Mazzio, and narrated by Michael Peña. It is a beautiful story of how the sons of undocumented Mexican immigrants learned how to build an underwater robot from Home Depot parts. And then go on to defeat engineering powerhouse MIT in the process. It is a powerful conundrum of sheer beauty and heartbreak. At the end what we are left with, through tears, is some hope but so many questions about immigration reform. We urge you to see this film!
LatinoBuzz: How did you come across this subject?
Mary : A Teacher sent me the story many years ago. I looked into it and saw that CNN had done a piece as had Nightline. There was also a terrific article in Wired Magazine by Josh Davis. But no film. When I called the teachers involved (many years ago), they thanked me for calling and told me that there were in the middle of signing a deal with Warner Brothers, and that as they say “was that”… Until it wasn’t. I called every year to check in and every year Warner Brother would extend their option. Only when I called in late 2012, that had changed. The studio’s rights had lapsed and I was able to dive into the project. I was extraordinarily lucky.
LatinoBuzz: How invested were you with the protagonists? Are you still in their lives?
Mary: Both of the teachers – as well as the original four young men (and many students in their wake that they inspired), they are such remarkable people. Oscar and I were recently together on The Colbert Report and he was cool, calm and collected. So strong. The other three and I spent time together at the Nclr convention – and I was reminded, again, how similar we all are and how so often we analyze our differences in such a polarizing political climate but really, how alike we are. I admire the strength and courage that these boys (and teachers) all have – and the many students who came after them – how aspirational they are even when faced with artificial impediments to success.
LatinoBuzz: My favorite scene was when they went to visit MIT ( The Massachusetts Institute of Technology ) and how all their lives had taken other paths. It was melancholy -- how did you feel behind the camera hearing it?
Mary: Great question. Here were four young men who had the skill and smarts and practical common sense to compete against the likes of MIT in a sophisticated engineering competition, and how their lives turned out, 10 years later. The MIT students, all incredible bright and able, were pursuing extraordinary engineering paths. One young man invented the Ear Bud for Apple. Another joined a company looking for the missing Malaysian airliner. However, the four young men from Phoenix, Az – their professional path took a very different turn, due in large part to poverty and due in large part to poverty and due in another large part, to the issue of documentation. Here we have remarkable talent, from zip-codes and places that are often overlooked and America is in desperate need of this talent. By 2018, there will be over 1.2 million jobs open for scientists, engineers, computer programmers and mathematicians. American companies need this kind of talent to fuel innovation and growth. The critical question is this: How do we catalyze this talent? Nurture it? Create equal opportunities for college education (or even vocational education) for these kinds of students.
Listening to all of the students go around the room, talking about their lives and where they were. What really struck me in the moment, was that it was a discussion among peers, among engineers and MIT treated the Carl Hayden team as equals, as engineers and vice versa. So, even though the scene reveals the real disparity of what happens when you, as a student, are facing poverty and, more specifically, the inability to move forward because of documentation, there was also the fact that the MIT team and the Carl Hayden team approached each other as equals. I had the opportunity to screen the film on the west coast and several of MIT students appeared, one of them said to me: “I had no idea how important that competition would be or my roll in it. This is a really important story to tell”
LatinoBuzz: How did Michael Peña get involved?
Mary: Michael was my first choice to narrate this film and he also came aboard as an Executive Producer. I found his agent and manager and wrote them a three paragraph email about the project, about me, about my goals with the project. I received an email within the next 72 hours. Michael was in. His narration was brilliant, moving, accessible and at points, funny.
LatinoBuzz: What do you hope this achieves for immigrants?
Mary: If the film can help shine a spotlight on the incredible, but overlooked talent and capability of immigrants and specifically those from low income zip-codes, people who are not out of central casting who look the part. Talent comes in many different sizes and shapes and for us, as a nation, to overlook this talent, it is… well, “un-American”.
LatinoBuzz: What do you think we can do as artists for the undocumented?
Mary: Wow, what a question. I think the reason that people are drawn to the film is because it humanizes the issue. The four young men were teenage boys, funny, each with his own distinctive personality and you come to root for them, to love them, in the film, and if this film can serve as a reminder that people from low income communities or people who don’t look “the part”, have incredible talent that can move this country forward. Then we all have won. As I mentioned before, making this film reminded me, yet again, how alike we all are!
The film starts a 100 city tour of free screenings around the country in partnership with AMC Theaters and NBCUniversal. It is also On Demand with most cable providers as well. Details are on www.UnderwaterDreamsFilm.com.
Written by Juan Caceres , LatinoBuzz is a weekly feature on SydneysBuzz that highlights Latino indie talent and upcoming trends in Latino film with the specific objective of presenting a broad range of Latino voices. Follow [At]LatinoBuzz on Twitter and Facebook...
LatinoBuzz: How did you come across this subject?
Mary : A Teacher sent me the story many years ago. I looked into it and saw that CNN had done a piece as had Nightline. There was also a terrific article in Wired Magazine by Josh Davis. But no film. When I called the teachers involved (many years ago), they thanked me for calling and told me that there were in the middle of signing a deal with Warner Brothers, and that as they say “was that”… Until it wasn’t. I called every year to check in and every year Warner Brother would extend their option. Only when I called in late 2012, that had changed. The studio’s rights had lapsed and I was able to dive into the project. I was extraordinarily lucky.
LatinoBuzz: How invested were you with the protagonists? Are you still in their lives?
Mary: Both of the teachers – as well as the original four young men (and many students in their wake that they inspired), they are such remarkable people. Oscar and I were recently together on The Colbert Report and he was cool, calm and collected. So strong. The other three and I spent time together at the Nclr convention – and I was reminded, again, how similar we all are and how so often we analyze our differences in such a polarizing political climate but really, how alike we are. I admire the strength and courage that these boys (and teachers) all have – and the many students who came after them – how aspirational they are even when faced with artificial impediments to success.
LatinoBuzz: My favorite scene was when they went to visit MIT ( The Massachusetts Institute of Technology ) and how all their lives had taken other paths. It was melancholy -- how did you feel behind the camera hearing it?
Mary: Great question. Here were four young men who had the skill and smarts and practical common sense to compete against the likes of MIT in a sophisticated engineering competition, and how their lives turned out, 10 years later. The MIT students, all incredible bright and able, were pursuing extraordinary engineering paths. One young man invented the Ear Bud for Apple. Another joined a company looking for the missing Malaysian airliner. However, the four young men from Phoenix, Az – their professional path took a very different turn, due in large part to poverty and due in large part to poverty and due in another large part, to the issue of documentation. Here we have remarkable talent, from zip-codes and places that are often overlooked and America is in desperate need of this talent. By 2018, there will be over 1.2 million jobs open for scientists, engineers, computer programmers and mathematicians. American companies need this kind of talent to fuel innovation and growth. The critical question is this: How do we catalyze this talent? Nurture it? Create equal opportunities for college education (or even vocational education) for these kinds of students.
Listening to all of the students go around the room, talking about their lives and where they were. What really struck me in the moment, was that it was a discussion among peers, among engineers and MIT treated the Carl Hayden team as equals, as engineers and vice versa. So, even though the scene reveals the real disparity of what happens when you, as a student, are facing poverty and, more specifically, the inability to move forward because of documentation, there was also the fact that the MIT team and the Carl Hayden team approached each other as equals. I had the opportunity to screen the film on the west coast and several of MIT students appeared, one of them said to me: “I had no idea how important that competition would be or my roll in it. This is a really important story to tell”
LatinoBuzz: How did Michael Peña get involved?
Mary: Michael was my first choice to narrate this film and he also came aboard as an Executive Producer. I found his agent and manager and wrote them a three paragraph email about the project, about me, about my goals with the project. I received an email within the next 72 hours. Michael was in. His narration was brilliant, moving, accessible and at points, funny.
LatinoBuzz: What do you hope this achieves for immigrants?
Mary: If the film can help shine a spotlight on the incredible, but overlooked talent and capability of immigrants and specifically those from low income zip-codes, people who are not out of central casting who look the part. Talent comes in many different sizes and shapes and for us, as a nation, to overlook this talent, it is… well, “un-American”.
LatinoBuzz: What do you think we can do as artists for the undocumented?
Mary: Wow, what a question. I think the reason that people are drawn to the film is because it humanizes the issue. The four young men were teenage boys, funny, each with his own distinctive personality and you come to root for them, to love them, in the film, and if this film can serve as a reminder that people from low income communities or people who don’t look “the part”, have incredible talent that can move this country forward. Then we all have won. As I mentioned before, making this film reminded me, yet again, how alike we all are!
The film starts a 100 city tour of free screenings around the country in partnership with AMC Theaters and NBCUniversal. It is also On Demand with most cable providers as well. Details are on www.UnderwaterDreamsFilm.com.
Written by Juan Caceres , LatinoBuzz is a weekly feature on SydneysBuzz that highlights Latino indie talent and upcoming trends in Latino film with the specific objective of presenting a broad range of Latino voices. Follow [At]LatinoBuzz on Twitter and Facebook...
- 8/1/2014
- by Juan Caceres
- Sydney's Buzz
The summer just got hotter with the return of the “East Los High: Season 2!” Since the first class graduated they’ve had some bragging rights like being the number one show on Hulu Latino and top five overall in programming. Not too shabby for an all Latino cast who gained a legion of faithful fans called “ELHAddicts!” Well, there’s a new cast (and some familiar faces) to bring the ruckus to East Los High School! LatinoBuzz decided to welcome them by throwing them on a deserted island, (like we did these filmmakers Here ) to fend for themselves. They were allowed to pick a film, an album, a book and a companion from the movies to join them.
Andrea Sixtos
Film: That's an easy one… “Cast Away!” It's pretty much a survival guide on how to live on an island! I think I'd find it extremely resourceful. It's also one of my favorite movies, so it'd also be my entertainment. A two-in-one package, baby!
Album: I would take an album that would keep me relaxed, strong, hopeful and inspired just in case I start to lose faith that I'll ever get off the island. It would have to be “Diary” by Veronica Sixtos. I know it's my sister’s music and all but I'm not being biased. Her lyrics are so empowering, they give you strength and make you realize your worth in an honest and brave way. It would also remind me of the love I have for my family, which that in itself is all the inspiration I need to survive!
Book: I'm gonna be super practical with this one, I would bring the “Us Air Force Survival Handbook.” It covers shelter, nutrition, navigation, evasion, psychology, equipment, injury and illness. Boom! All I need. There's no way I'd be taking a fictional book when my life is at stake!
Companion: Katniss Everdeen from “The Hunger Games” of course! She's a survival genius. She can teach me everything she knows, and together, we'd become the strongest, smartest, deadliest, most wild women who ever lived. Who knows? Maybe we'll even build an island fortress and live there until we're ready to build a boat and leave.
Vannessa Vasquez
Film: I think, for me, it would have to be one of my all time favorite Disney movies "The Lion King.” One, it has great music to sing along to, and Simba also goes out to be on his own and meets Timon and Pumba. So if things ever get out of wack all I have to do is find some animal friends and sing "hakuna matata." That's pretty smart.
Album: Gloria Estefan's “Greatest Hits” album. Ever since I was a little girl one of my all time favorite artists has been Gloria. There's so much life in her music and it has an island feel to it. I can definitely see myself being stuck on a desert island singing, "Come on shake your body baby do that Conga!"
Book : My all time favorite book is “The Alchemist” by Paulo Coelho. It’s a book about following your dreams, trusting that life has a plan for you, all you have to do is have faith. It has so much knowledge of the universe and our spiritual journeys. I can read that book over and over and get something new from it each time.
Companion : I’ve seen Jack Sparrow in action. I would love to have him as my companion. I would never get bored. He's super funny, smart and witty. He definitely knows how to fight, so he would be a good protector. Plus his black eyeliner makes him super sexy. If we ever had to keep humanity going that wouldn't be a problem!
Ray Diaz
Film : It would be “Rush Hour!” There’s enough action and comedy in this film to last a lifetime. Just thinking about Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker puts a smile on my face. Not to mention that they would probably inspire me to make a game out of my time on this lonely island. The only tricky part would be choosing one, two or three. But maybe if I’m lucky I could just have the box set.
Album: When it comes to music, I have such eclectic taste, but Nelly’s “Country Grammar” album would have to be the winner here. I remember this album getting me so many girls that maybe even on a deserted island it could give me the same kind of luck.
Book : “Quarterback’s Demon” written by C.K Laurence would be the book I choose. It was the first book I read when I started modeling and it inspired me to be more then what I thought I could be.
Companion : The winner is Tom Hanks in “Cast Away”. Think it about it — “Cast Away”, “Captain Phillips”, and “Saving Private Ryan”. Tom has got your back! He’s been in these situations so many times that it would be a play ground for us out there with, “Rush Hour” on the palm tree screen and Nelly’s "Country Grammar" bumping out of two big coconuts.
Alex Segal
Film: “The Wizard of Oz”... The movie has always held a special meaning for me. Growing up, I watched it all the time. It always made me feel content, calm and at ease… Not to mention I'm a big Judy Garland fan.
Album: At the moment I am beyond obsessed with Sam Smith's “In The Lonely Hour”. Such amazing stuff... Love what he's doing. But an all time favorite would probably have to be Mariah Carey's “The # 1’s.” Her music would probably distract me from remembering that I'm stuck on a deserted island!
Book: I read “The Power of Now” a while ago and still go back and re-read it. Whatever you're going through, it's important to know that your mind is extremely powerful. This book would probably help me get through a lot of obstacles while being on this island.
Companion I would bring: I would probably bring Angelina Jolie… Not only is she pretty bad ass, I would also want to see what she's like behind all of that... Woman empowerment!!!
Vivian Lamolli
Film : I am going with “Hair”, the 1979 war comedy-drama and film adaption of the 1968 Original Broadway Musical. I had the pleasure of playing Dionne in the Tony award-winning musical and that time just brought so much light to my life. Since I might be spending time alone, that magic of togetherness and closeness of the tribe depicted, would completely continue to give me a mindset of happiness, beauty and family...even if I were on my last coconut.
Album : As a musician, I have a very eclectic style that I listen to, write, and perform. I would be bringing along "Vivian's Delightful, Meditative, and Explosive Mixed Tape." The mixed tape would include Amy Winehouse "Back to Black," Kings of Leon "Sex On Fire," Frank Ocean "Forrest Gump," Marc Anthony "Vivir lo Nuestro," Celia Cruz "La Vida Es Un Carnaval," Crystal Lewis "People Get Ready," Justin Timberlake “Señorita," Christina Aguilera “Fighter," Lauryn Hill "Doo Wop, That Thing," Michael Jackson "Do You Remember the Time," Young the Giant "Cough Syrup," 1 Musical Theatre Song "In the Heights Finale," Stacy Orrico “Genuine," Natalie Imbruglia “Torn," Alanis Morissette "Head Over Heels," Radiohead “Creep," Fiona Apple "Paper Bag," No Doubt “Spiderwebs," Shakira "Dare You,” and Jason Aldean "My Kinda Party." I handpicked most of these songs to perform at one point or another and they still speak to me. Without music it is a bland world and that is the last thing I would want to recreate on a secluded island... let's spice it up a bit!
Book : When I imagine myself keeping the faith and hope on this island where times will get rough, I imagine reading the book of Proverbs. The Bible would keep me company and serve as a ray of sunshine when in the midst of despair. When I was a little girl my father was away a lot whether it be on missions for the military or just training for the next one. The books he would read to me and my sister were thin children's books; each was a different Bible story. Boy, did I love those moments and everything brings me back home thinking and reading these stories.
Companion : I choose Jared Leto to be my shipwrecked buddy. I've been not only impressed with the man for years, but he has always peaked my interest from speaking about work to personal experiences. To have that type of storyteller and lover of the world with me would be absolutely mind-blowing. I'm sure he would present many ideas of how to survive or how not to stress under the circumstances, and just live in our present state-of-being.
Ashley Campuzano
Film: "Pearl Harbor" directed by Michael Bay. "Pearl Harbor" does a great job of portraying how everyday lives were affected by the horrific incidents of World War II. The film even depicts details from the point of view of President Fdr at the time of battle, before and after.
Book: "The Great Gatsby" has been one of my favorite novels since the first time I read it in high school. F. Scott Fitzgerald's writing style made it an easy read and completely relatable to anyone who has ever been in or contemplated love. ‘Gatsby,’ although false to his name, stood by everything he wanted and never backed down. He was resilient and knew what he wanted and for that I respect what he went through.
Album: I listen to Selena almost everyday to remind myself of what a great role model she was to the Latino community. Not only was her music catchy and loved by millions but she moved us Latinos by what she stood for. Her legacy reminds us of what hard work can attain. She inspires me daily to work hard for what I want and to never give up on my dreams.
Companion: I am an easygoing person and all I truly desire is to be constantly entertained. To me, Jim Carrey is the ultimate comedian and I would enjoy spending the rest of my days laughing with someone as brilliant as him. His acting inspires me to push myself to the limit. His performances can be breathtakingly hilarious, or positively heartbreaking, and for that he wins my heart.
Rick Mancia
Film: For my film, I'm going with "The Pursuit of Happiness”. This movie really hits home for me. I saw my pops work & fight adversity to provide us with a better life, much like Will Smith's character in it. I love the feeling I get seeing people achieve their dreams after working so hard despite adversity and keeping hope through it all. If I were stranded, hope is the only thing that would keep me going.
Book: I’ve been a musician most of my life so I listen to it all. It’s hard to pick one album; can I take a 80Gb iPod? If I had to pick one, I would go with "Vheissu" by Thrice. It's such a well balanced album beyond its time (2005). It’s one of those albums and bands that take you on an emotional roller coaster and that’s what I aim to do, make people feel things they're not used to feeling!
Album: Since I only read books from the Self Help section, I would choose "The Power of Now" by Eckhart Tolle. I'm a believer that now is the only moment. Therefore to keep myself sane on an island I'd have to be in the moment, thinking about how I got there would cause depression, thinking if I will ever get out would cause anxiety, but dealing with the tasks at hand would provide the most peace of mind possible.
Companion: I’m going to be cliché for my companion and go with Chuck Noland played by Tom Hanks in “Castaway.” Why? Well, I’m trying to survive and I don’t want to die! He seemed to do Ok and I'll need all the help I can get. And on the bright side, we'll be BFFs and have no need for Wilson.
Jeremy Chavarria
Film: It would probably be something romantic like “Twilight” or “The Notebook.” If I'm on an island with one person (a girl of course) the film would create a nice setting to go along with sounds of the waves, the sunset, coconuts, etc.
Album: You can't go wrong with Coldplay! “Parachutes” is one of my favorite albums. You just can't go wrong with them. Beautiful music with a beautiful setting and a beautiful woman. Can I get an “Amen?!”
Book: That's easy, my Bible! Arguably the most amazing love story ever told. Filled with lessons and examples of how to be better in all aspects of life in any given situation. My Foundation of who I am lies in that book. I can't live without it. My love letters in a book.
Companion: T hat's tough! From a film it would have to be Megan Fox. First name that came up to mind, but Superman would be cool.
Catch ‘East Los High: Season 2’ exclusively on Hulu.com at http://www.hulu.com/east-los-high starting today July 9th!
Written by Juan Caceres , LatinoBuzz is a weekly feature on SydneysBuzz that highlights Latino indie talent and upcoming trends in Latino film with the specific objective of presenting a broad range of Latino voices. Follow [At]LatinoBuzz on Twitter and Facebook...
Andrea Sixtos
Film: That's an easy one… “Cast Away!” It's pretty much a survival guide on how to live on an island! I think I'd find it extremely resourceful. It's also one of my favorite movies, so it'd also be my entertainment. A two-in-one package, baby!
Album: I would take an album that would keep me relaxed, strong, hopeful and inspired just in case I start to lose faith that I'll ever get off the island. It would have to be “Diary” by Veronica Sixtos. I know it's my sister’s music and all but I'm not being biased. Her lyrics are so empowering, they give you strength and make you realize your worth in an honest and brave way. It would also remind me of the love I have for my family, which that in itself is all the inspiration I need to survive!
Book: I'm gonna be super practical with this one, I would bring the “Us Air Force Survival Handbook.” It covers shelter, nutrition, navigation, evasion, psychology, equipment, injury and illness. Boom! All I need. There's no way I'd be taking a fictional book when my life is at stake!
Companion: Katniss Everdeen from “The Hunger Games” of course! She's a survival genius. She can teach me everything she knows, and together, we'd become the strongest, smartest, deadliest, most wild women who ever lived. Who knows? Maybe we'll even build an island fortress and live there until we're ready to build a boat and leave.
Vannessa Vasquez
Film: I think, for me, it would have to be one of my all time favorite Disney movies "The Lion King.” One, it has great music to sing along to, and Simba also goes out to be on his own and meets Timon and Pumba. So if things ever get out of wack all I have to do is find some animal friends and sing "hakuna matata." That's pretty smart.
Album: Gloria Estefan's “Greatest Hits” album. Ever since I was a little girl one of my all time favorite artists has been Gloria. There's so much life in her music and it has an island feel to it. I can definitely see myself being stuck on a desert island singing, "Come on shake your body baby do that Conga!"
Book : My all time favorite book is “The Alchemist” by Paulo Coelho. It’s a book about following your dreams, trusting that life has a plan for you, all you have to do is have faith. It has so much knowledge of the universe and our spiritual journeys. I can read that book over and over and get something new from it each time.
Companion : I’ve seen Jack Sparrow in action. I would love to have him as my companion. I would never get bored. He's super funny, smart and witty. He definitely knows how to fight, so he would be a good protector. Plus his black eyeliner makes him super sexy. If we ever had to keep humanity going that wouldn't be a problem!
Ray Diaz
Film : It would be “Rush Hour!” There’s enough action and comedy in this film to last a lifetime. Just thinking about Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker puts a smile on my face. Not to mention that they would probably inspire me to make a game out of my time on this lonely island. The only tricky part would be choosing one, two or three. But maybe if I’m lucky I could just have the box set.
Album: When it comes to music, I have such eclectic taste, but Nelly’s “Country Grammar” album would have to be the winner here. I remember this album getting me so many girls that maybe even on a deserted island it could give me the same kind of luck.
Book : “Quarterback’s Demon” written by C.K Laurence would be the book I choose. It was the first book I read when I started modeling and it inspired me to be more then what I thought I could be.
Companion : The winner is Tom Hanks in “Cast Away”. Think it about it — “Cast Away”, “Captain Phillips”, and “Saving Private Ryan”. Tom has got your back! He’s been in these situations so many times that it would be a play ground for us out there with, “Rush Hour” on the palm tree screen and Nelly’s "Country Grammar" bumping out of two big coconuts.
Alex Segal
Film: “The Wizard of Oz”... The movie has always held a special meaning for me. Growing up, I watched it all the time. It always made me feel content, calm and at ease… Not to mention I'm a big Judy Garland fan.
Album: At the moment I am beyond obsessed with Sam Smith's “In The Lonely Hour”. Such amazing stuff... Love what he's doing. But an all time favorite would probably have to be Mariah Carey's “The # 1’s.” Her music would probably distract me from remembering that I'm stuck on a deserted island!
Book: I read “The Power of Now” a while ago and still go back and re-read it. Whatever you're going through, it's important to know that your mind is extremely powerful. This book would probably help me get through a lot of obstacles while being on this island.
Companion I would bring: I would probably bring Angelina Jolie… Not only is she pretty bad ass, I would also want to see what she's like behind all of that... Woman empowerment!!!
Vivian Lamolli
Film : I am going with “Hair”, the 1979 war comedy-drama and film adaption of the 1968 Original Broadway Musical. I had the pleasure of playing Dionne in the Tony award-winning musical and that time just brought so much light to my life. Since I might be spending time alone, that magic of togetherness and closeness of the tribe depicted, would completely continue to give me a mindset of happiness, beauty and family...even if I were on my last coconut.
Album : As a musician, I have a very eclectic style that I listen to, write, and perform. I would be bringing along "Vivian's Delightful, Meditative, and Explosive Mixed Tape." The mixed tape would include Amy Winehouse "Back to Black," Kings of Leon "Sex On Fire," Frank Ocean "Forrest Gump," Marc Anthony "Vivir lo Nuestro," Celia Cruz "La Vida Es Un Carnaval," Crystal Lewis "People Get Ready," Justin Timberlake “Señorita," Christina Aguilera “Fighter," Lauryn Hill "Doo Wop, That Thing," Michael Jackson "Do You Remember the Time," Young the Giant "Cough Syrup," 1 Musical Theatre Song "In the Heights Finale," Stacy Orrico “Genuine," Natalie Imbruglia “Torn," Alanis Morissette "Head Over Heels," Radiohead “Creep," Fiona Apple "Paper Bag," No Doubt “Spiderwebs," Shakira "Dare You,” and Jason Aldean "My Kinda Party." I handpicked most of these songs to perform at one point or another and they still speak to me. Without music it is a bland world and that is the last thing I would want to recreate on a secluded island... let's spice it up a bit!
Book : When I imagine myself keeping the faith and hope on this island where times will get rough, I imagine reading the book of Proverbs. The Bible would keep me company and serve as a ray of sunshine when in the midst of despair. When I was a little girl my father was away a lot whether it be on missions for the military or just training for the next one. The books he would read to me and my sister were thin children's books; each was a different Bible story. Boy, did I love those moments and everything brings me back home thinking and reading these stories.
Companion : I choose Jared Leto to be my shipwrecked buddy. I've been not only impressed with the man for years, but he has always peaked my interest from speaking about work to personal experiences. To have that type of storyteller and lover of the world with me would be absolutely mind-blowing. I'm sure he would present many ideas of how to survive or how not to stress under the circumstances, and just live in our present state-of-being.
Ashley Campuzano
Film: "Pearl Harbor" directed by Michael Bay. "Pearl Harbor" does a great job of portraying how everyday lives were affected by the horrific incidents of World War II. The film even depicts details from the point of view of President Fdr at the time of battle, before and after.
Book: "The Great Gatsby" has been one of my favorite novels since the first time I read it in high school. F. Scott Fitzgerald's writing style made it an easy read and completely relatable to anyone who has ever been in or contemplated love. ‘Gatsby,’ although false to his name, stood by everything he wanted and never backed down. He was resilient and knew what he wanted and for that I respect what he went through.
Album: I listen to Selena almost everyday to remind myself of what a great role model she was to the Latino community. Not only was her music catchy and loved by millions but she moved us Latinos by what she stood for. Her legacy reminds us of what hard work can attain. She inspires me daily to work hard for what I want and to never give up on my dreams.
Companion: I am an easygoing person and all I truly desire is to be constantly entertained. To me, Jim Carrey is the ultimate comedian and I would enjoy spending the rest of my days laughing with someone as brilliant as him. His acting inspires me to push myself to the limit. His performances can be breathtakingly hilarious, or positively heartbreaking, and for that he wins my heart.
Rick Mancia
Film: For my film, I'm going with "The Pursuit of Happiness”. This movie really hits home for me. I saw my pops work & fight adversity to provide us with a better life, much like Will Smith's character in it. I love the feeling I get seeing people achieve their dreams after working so hard despite adversity and keeping hope through it all. If I were stranded, hope is the only thing that would keep me going.
Book: I’ve been a musician most of my life so I listen to it all. It’s hard to pick one album; can I take a 80Gb iPod? If I had to pick one, I would go with "Vheissu" by Thrice. It's such a well balanced album beyond its time (2005). It’s one of those albums and bands that take you on an emotional roller coaster and that’s what I aim to do, make people feel things they're not used to feeling!
Album: Since I only read books from the Self Help section, I would choose "The Power of Now" by Eckhart Tolle. I'm a believer that now is the only moment. Therefore to keep myself sane on an island I'd have to be in the moment, thinking about how I got there would cause depression, thinking if I will ever get out would cause anxiety, but dealing with the tasks at hand would provide the most peace of mind possible.
Companion: I’m going to be cliché for my companion and go with Chuck Noland played by Tom Hanks in “Castaway.” Why? Well, I’m trying to survive and I don’t want to die! He seemed to do Ok and I'll need all the help I can get. And on the bright side, we'll be BFFs and have no need for Wilson.
Jeremy Chavarria
Film: It would probably be something romantic like “Twilight” or “The Notebook.” If I'm on an island with one person (a girl of course) the film would create a nice setting to go along with sounds of the waves, the sunset, coconuts, etc.
Album: You can't go wrong with Coldplay! “Parachutes” is one of my favorite albums. You just can't go wrong with them. Beautiful music with a beautiful setting and a beautiful woman. Can I get an “Amen?!”
Book: That's easy, my Bible! Arguably the most amazing love story ever told. Filled with lessons and examples of how to be better in all aspects of life in any given situation. My Foundation of who I am lies in that book. I can't live without it. My love letters in a book.
Companion: T hat's tough! From a film it would have to be Megan Fox. First name that came up to mind, but Superman would be cool.
Catch ‘East Los High: Season 2’ exclusively on Hulu.com at http://www.hulu.com/east-los-high starting today July 9th!
Written by Juan Caceres , LatinoBuzz is a weekly feature on SydneysBuzz that highlights Latino indie talent and upcoming trends in Latino film with the specific objective of presenting a broad range of Latino voices. Follow [At]LatinoBuzz on Twitter and Facebook...
- 7/9/2014
- by Juan Caceres
- Sydney's Buzz
I came across an amazing beautiful photo essay by Angela Boatwright that she did on punk rockers. They had on all the typical attire you would expect and most were adorned with ill thought out piercings and tattoos. The difference here, tho’, was that these kids were all Latinos. The photos led me to a documentary series Boatwright did on Latino punk rockers that threw concerts in whatever backyard they could find in East Los Angeles. These kids took pride in being from places like Compton, Long Beach, South Gate, East Los and thought of each other as family. What I found incredibly moving was that beyond the ‘Suicidal Tendencies’, ‘Dead Kennedys’ & ‘Misfits’ T-Shirts, beyond the mosh pits and aggressive music were these expressively tenderhearted kids. There’s Anthony who was raised by an O.G. abuelo, ‘Nekro’ who plays acoustic guitar while his abuelita serenades him with a ranchera and sweet faced 14-year-old Lauren who has to be chaperoned by her mother to the gigs. Angela Boatwright shatters your perception of what it is to love punk rock music. As one purple haired young woman stated, “It’s bigger than us”.
LatinoBuzz: I love East L.A and try to go every time I’m in Cali but I had no idea about the backyard Latino punk movement. How did you come across this?
Angela: I discovered two articles online, they were written for L.A. Weekly by an awesome human named Javier Cabral.
LatinoBuzz: You are from Ohio, did you imagine you would be making a film in East La one day?
Angela: Not specifically, but in a way, yes. I lived in NYC for 19 years before I moved to L.A. so my teenage thoughts were more focused on the east coast, however I've always been into aggressive music so in that regard, documenting the East L.A. scene wasn't too far from my initial interests - geographically far but not spiritually.
LatinoBuzz: What was the most important thing you wanted to say about your subjects?
Angela: It seems incredibly obvious to me (and potentially to you and your readers) that music is almost never the "problem". These kids (and all kids, honestly) have valid, distinct and complicated lives. Life is difficult especially when you're young and especially when your dad is in jail, as in Lauren's case. Music is their salvation, their place to belong.
LatinoBuzz: How did you gain their trust?
Angela: I make sure and keep my word for starters (side note: I use the word "kids" in the general sense - many of these "kids" are in their early to mid 20s). And I listen to and attempt to remember the details of their stories. I was a very similar teenager, although I grew up on heavy metal and later, hardcore and grunge.
LatinoBuzz: Who did you relate to most?
Angela: I definitely related to each character (and several of the kids that weren't featured) in their own way. I suppose Lauren's story is the most like my own, however.
LatinoBuzz: I found the kids to be sweet and your affection for them shows. Do you think people pre-judge these kids?
Angela: Sure. And for a million reasons. But people pre-judge everyone, we all do it. It's awesome to get to know individuals you might never speak to or think about in real life through documentary filmmaking. I think that deep down we are all so incredibly similar, I want the audience to be able to relate to the kids as much as possible.
LatinoBuzz: Would you ever re-visit these kids on film later on in life to see where it took them?
Angela: Of course! I'm still in touch with all of them, there have already been some changes in their lives. I love projects through the passage of time. Almost everyone I've photographed personally I've kept in touch with. It's one of my favorite things about being a photographer.
LatinoBuzz: Who do you think they will become?
Angela: I have no idea! I hope they all go on to do amazing things!
LatinoBuzz: Your favorite moment in the film?
Angela: Haha, I spent so many hours editing the episodes - my most favorite moments are very quick and brief. I love the shot of the skinheads in the teaser, for example. I love that shot! There are tons of quotes and moments that didn't make the cut that I love, too. In Episode 3, I love the transition from Lauren's seemingly bratty attitude directly into her father's voice via telephone call from jail. That moment always hits my heart. I cry every time I watch that episode.
LatinoBuzz: Do you ever want to do a fiction narrative?
Angela: Maybe, sure!
LatinoBuzz: What was the Vans connection?
Angela: I had spent four years previous to the Vans project documenting metal bands that tour all over the world and funded it by myself. I was working with Vans photographing their Vans Girls' look-books around the same time. I asked the Vans Girls' art director if she could introduce me to anyone in the video department so that I could show them the teaser for my personal, heavy metal doc. The introduction was made, Vans loved the teaser and asked me to contribute to their 2014 documentary campaign.
To view more of Angela’s work take a visit to: http://www.angelaboatwright.com , and stay for a while!
Written by Juan Caceres . LatinoBuzz is a weekly feature on SydneysBuzz that highlights Latino indie talent and upcoming trends in Latino film with the specific objective of presenting a broad range of Latino voices. Follow [At]LatinoBuzz on Twitter and Facebook...
LatinoBuzz: I love East L.A and try to go every time I’m in Cali but I had no idea about the backyard Latino punk movement. How did you come across this?
Angela: I discovered two articles online, they were written for L.A. Weekly by an awesome human named Javier Cabral.
LatinoBuzz: You are from Ohio, did you imagine you would be making a film in East La one day?
Angela: Not specifically, but in a way, yes. I lived in NYC for 19 years before I moved to L.A. so my teenage thoughts were more focused on the east coast, however I've always been into aggressive music so in that regard, documenting the East L.A. scene wasn't too far from my initial interests - geographically far but not spiritually.
LatinoBuzz: What was the most important thing you wanted to say about your subjects?
Angela: It seems incredibly obvious to me (and potentially to you and your readers) that music is almost never the "problem". These kids (and all kids, honestly) have valid, distinct and complicated lives. Life is difficult especially when you're young and especially when your dad is in jail, as in Lauren's case. Music is their salvation, their place to belong.
LatinoBuzz: How did you gain their trust?
Angela: I make sure and keep my word for starters (side note: I use the word "kids" in the general sense - many of these "kids" are in their early to mid 20s). And I listen to and attempt to remember the details of their stories. I was a very similar teenager, although I grew up on heavy metal and later, hardcore and grunge.
LatinoBuzz: Who did you relate to most?
Angela: I definitely related to each character (and several of the kids that weren't featured) in their own way. I suppose Lauren's story is the most like my own, however.
LatinoBuzz: I found the kids to be sweet and your affection for them shows. Do you think people pre-judge these kids?
Angela: Sure. And for a million reasons. But people pre-judge everyone, we all do it. It's awesome to get to know individuals you might never speak to or think about in real life through documentary filmmaking. I think that deep down we are all so incredibly similar, I want the audience to be able to relate to the kids as much as possible.
LatinoBuzz: Would you ever re-visit these kids on film later on in life to see where it took them?
Angela: Of course! I'm still in touch with all of them, there have already been some changes in their lives. I love projects through the passage of time. Almost everyone I've photographed personally I've kept in touch with. It's one of my favorite things about being a photographer.
LatinoBuzz: Who do you think they will become?
Angela: I have no idea! I hope they all go on to do amazing things!
LatinoBuzz: Your favorite moment in the film?
Angela: Haha, I spent so many hours editing the episodes - my most favorite moments are very quick and brief. I love the shot of the skinheads in the teaser, for example. I love that shot! There are tons of quotes and moments that didn't make the cut that I love, too. In Episode 3, I love the transition from Lauren's seemingly bratty attitude directly into her father's voice via telephone call from jail. That moment always hits my heart. I cry every time I watch that episode.
LatinoBuzz: Do you ever want to do a fiction narrative?
Angela: Maybe, sure!
LatinoBuzz: What was the Vans connection?
Angela: I had spent four years previous to the Vans project documenting metal bands that tour all over the world and funded it by myself. I was working with Vans photographing their Vans Girls' look-books around the same time. I asked the Vans Girls' art director if she could introduce me to anyone in the video department so that I could show them the teaser for my personal, heavy metal doc. The introduction was made, Vans loved the teaser and asked me to contribute to their 2014 documentary campaign.
To view more of Angela’s work take a visit to: http://www.angelaboatwright.com , and stay for a while!
Written by Juan Caceres . LatinoBuzz is a weekly feature on SydneysBuzz that highlights Latino indie talent and upcoming trends in Latino film with the specific objective of presenting a broad range of Latino voices. Follow [At]LatinoBuzz on Twitter and Facebook...
- 6/25/2014
- by Juan Caceres
- Sydney's Buzz
As artists working with your significant other can only go two ways: The kiss of death or the most beautiful collaboration. There really is no in-between and nor should there be. It should ever be an “Ok” experience. If it was, there was no passion brought to your project. Oscar Torre felt inspired by his wife Chuti Tiu’s screenplay enough to inspire her back and both took a deep breath and embarked on making it a reality. That film is the award winning "Pretty Rosebud". Oddly enough it’s about the difficulty that is marriage and the importance for communication and interaction.
LatinoBuzz: Chuti/Oscar: Where did your love of film come from?
Oscar: With me it started as a child, going to the theater and being totally transported but also walking out of the theater thinking I was the protagonist in the film and reenacting the scenes.
Chuti: E.T. I liked movies before that one, but I thank E.T. I remember being moved so deeply, laughing so hard, and crying profusely - I never knew film could move people like that. Those are the films I love the most - the ones that deeply affect me. The ones where I feel as though I've been invited into a story, not just observing it. A more recent example is El Secreto de Sus Ojos (The Secret in Their Eyes) - I cried so hard my heart hurt.
LatinoBuzz: Chuti/Oscar: You are both actors, where did the idea to make a feature film come from?
Oscar: The idea was all Chuti's, I just helped giving her a little push to actually shoot it - she can tell you all about how it started better than I can.
Chuti: Years ago, I started learning the craft of screenwriting in the efforts to become a better actor, understand the filmmaking process, and to create my own acting work. "Pretty Rosebud" is one of the scripts I wrote, but it sat on the back burner for several years, until Oscar read it and said, "This is really good. But you better get this made soon, or else you'll be playing the Mom role instead of the lead." That put a fire beneath my butt to get moving!
LatinoBuzz: Chuti, where did the story come from and what did you want to say?
Chuti: There were several themes I wanted to explore with "Pretty Rosebud." I wanted to write a story that highlighted the cultural challenges that arise between immigrant parents and their Americanized children. One theme that we touch upon is how families keep secrets, and in doing so, things are often made worse, miscommunications occur and people get hurt. Also, I wanted to illuminate the tensions that come from within a marriage when the wife is the main or sole bread-winner and the husband isn't pulling his weight; some married women in this situation have been taught to work really hard, be self-sufficient, prove themselves and fight for equal pay only to find themselves bearing the brunt of financial and household pressure alone. Lastly, I wanted to show that there isn't a good or bad guy in a divorce; both parties bear responsibility, and forgiveness is key to moving on.
LatinoBuzz: Was the casting collaborative between you both?
Oscar: Definitely! We cast a lot of actors who we were friends with or had worked with at some point. Chuti and I had lengthy conversations of who would be best and why for each role.
LatinoBuzz: Do you want to continue directing? What stories would you like to tell?
Oscar: I plan to. I am not married to any particular genre. I am more interested in projects that capture my imagination and move me in a way that I can spend a year of my life working on it.
LatinoBuzz: Did the screenplay you wrote translate on screen as you imagined it?
Chuti: "Pretty Rosebud" ended up being even better than what I had initially conceived when I first wrote it. I had imagined every detail of each location, but of course, what we ended up with was different than what I made up in my head. Somehow, making things concrete flushed things out so much more, adding layers and complexity. For example, the marketing office that Cissy (the main character) works at is so much more interesting than what I'd envisioned. That goes to show you how the input and creativity of every member of a film crew can elevate a project to a higher level. We were blessed to have the crew we did.
LatinoBuzz: Was there a pressure to do the film justice being that your wife wrote it?
Oscar: I normally don't need any help to put pressure on myself but there was additional pressure because it was a film she always wanted to shoot and I wanted to tell this story as best as possible. When I told her that I'd like to direct it, I had already given it a lot of thought and honestly I felt that I was the best person for the job, plus I was cheap.
LatinoBuzz: What was the fund raising process?
Oscar: We financed a big part of the film through private equity and then found additional financing but it all started with us having enough faith in our film to put some of our own money into it (something that you're always told not to do) but it gave us the confidence to be able to ask others for money. We weren't asking for something that we weren't willing to do ourselves.
LatinoBuzz: What has been the most meaningful question you have been asked at a Q&A?
Chuti: Actually, it a question that's been asked several times, including in this interview, which is, "What are you trying to say?" Because all filmmakers have something to say, and our challenge is to get the message across effectively.
LatinoBuzz: What's next?
Chuti: We are in talks regarding the distribution of "Pretty Rosebud" across numerous platforms and are continuing our film festival run (our next one is the Asian Film Festival of Dallas in July.) I'm continuing to write several projects, one of which I've co-written with Oscar. I also star in a film written and directed by Cassie Jaye that shoots the end of the summer.
Oscar: I'm starring in a film called, "The Boatman", directed by Greg Morgan and once I wrap up with that, Chuti and I plan to star in a short film that I wrote and will also be directing it, Man/Woman. We also have another feature film, "Lunarticking" that we co-wrote with a friend and we plan to star in it at the end of 2014.
For more information at: http://prettyrosebud.com/
Written by Juan Caceres . LatinoBuzz is a weekly feature on SydneysBuzz that highlights Latino indie talent and upcoming trends in Latino film with the specific objective of presenting a broad range of Latino voices. Follow [At]LatinoBuzz on Twitter and Facebook...
LatinoBuzz: Chuti/Oscar: Where did your love of film come from?
Oscar: With me it started as a child, going to the theater and being totally transported but also walking out of the theater thinking I was the protagonist in the film and reenacting the scenes.
Chuti: E.T. I liked movies before that one, but I thank E.T. I remember being moved so deeply, laughing so hard, and crying profusely - I never knew film could move people like that. Those are the films I love the most - the ones that deeply affect me. The ones where I feel as though I've been invited into a story, not just observing it. A more recent example is El Secreto de Sus Ojos (The Secret in Their Eyes) - I cried so hard my heart hurt.
LatinoBuzz: Chuti/Oscar: You are both actors, where did the idea to make a feature film come from?
Oscar: The idea was all Chuti's, I just helped giving her a little push to actually shoot it - she can tell you all about how it started better than I can.
Chuti: Years ago, I started learning the craft of screenwriting in the efforts to become a better actor, understand the filmmaking process, and to create my own acting work. "Pretty Rosebud" is one of the scripts I wrote, but it sat on the back burner for several years, until Oscar read it and said, "This is really good. But you better get this made soon, or else you'll be playing the Mom role instead of the lead." That put a fire beneath my butt to get moving!
LatinoBuzz: Chuti, where did the story come from and what did you want to say?
Chuti: There were several themes I wanted to explore with "Pretty Rosebud." I wanted to write a story that highlighted the cultural challenges that arise between immigrant parents and their Americanized children. One theme that we touch upon is how families keep secrets, and in doing so, things are often made worse, miscommunications occur and people get hurt. Also, I wanted to illuminate the tensions that come from within a marriage when the wife is the main or sole bread-winner and the husband isn't pulling his weight; some married women in this situation have been taught to work really hard, be self-sufficient, prove themselves and fight for equal pay only to find themselves bearing the brunt of financial and household pressure alone. Lastly, I wanted to show that there isn't a good or bad guy in a divorce; both parties bear responsibility, and forgiveness is key to moving on.
LatinoBuzz: Was the casting collaborative between you both?
Oscar: Definitely! We cast a lot of actors who we were friends with or had worked with at some point. Chuti and I had lengthy conversations of who would be best and why for each role.
LatinoBuzz: Do you want to continue directing? What stories would you like to tell?
Oscar: I plan to. I am not married to any particular genre. I am more interested in projects that capture my imagination and move me in a way that I can spend a year of my life working on it.
LatinoBuzz: Did the screenplay you wrote translate on screen as you imagined it?
Chuti: "Pretty Rosebud" ended up being even better than what I had initially conceived when I first wrote it. I had imagined every detail of each location, but of course, what we ended up with was different than what I made up in my head. Somehow, making things concrete flushed things out so much more, adding layers and complexity. For example, the marketing office that Cissy (the main character) works at is so much more interesting than what I'd envisioned. That goes to show you how the input and creativity of every member of a film crew can elevate a project to a higher level. We were blessed to have the crew we did.
LatinoBuzz: Was there a pressure to do the film justice being that your wife wrote it?
Oscar: I normally don't need any help to put pressure on myself but there was additional pressure because it was a film she always wanted to shoot and I wanted to tell this story as best as possible. When I told her that I'd like to direct it, I had already given it a lot of thought and honestly I felt that I was the best person for the job, plus I was cheap.
LatinoBuzz: What was the fund raising process?
Oscar: We financed a big part of the film through private equity and then found additional financing but it all started with us having enough faith in our film to put some of our own money into it (something that you're always told not to do) but it gave us the confidence to be able to ask others for money. We weren't asking for something that we weren't willing to do ourselves.
LatinoBuzz: What has been the most meaningful question you have been asked at a Q&A?
Chuti: Actually, it a question that's been asked several times, including in this interview, which is, "What are you trying to say?" Because all filmmakers have something to say, and our challenge is to get the message across effectively.
LatinoBuzz: What's next?
Chuti: We are in talks regarding the distribution of "Pretty Rosebud" across numerous platforms and are continuing our film festival run (our next one is the Asian Film Festival of Dallas in July.) I'm continuing to write several projects, one of which I've co-written with Oscar. I also star in a film written and directed by Cassie Jaye that shoots the end of the summer.
Oscar: I'm starring in a film called, "The Boatman", directed by Greg Morgan and once I wrap up with that, Chuti and I plan to star in a short film that I wrote and will also be directing it, Man/Woman. We also have another feature film, "Lunarticking" that we co-wrote with a friend and we plan to star in it at the end of 2014.
For more information at: http://prettyrosebud.com/
Written by Juan Caceres . LatinoBuzz is a weekly feature on SydneysBuzz that highlights Latino indie talent and upcoming trends in Latino film with the specific objective of presenting a broad range of Latino voices. Follow [At]LatinoBuzz on Twitter and Facebook...
- 6/11/2014
- by Juan Caceres
- Sydney's Buzz
Emoticon;) is a female charged project led by Livia De Paolis whose end credits on the film fall under 'writer', 'director', 'producer', 'performed by' all behind her as the lead actress in this impressive first outing that premiered in competition at last year's Dances With Films Film Festival in Los Angeles in June. Emoticon;) is about Elena (De Paolis), a student struggling with her thesis on 'Modern means of communication' until she meets her new boyfriend's (Michael Cristofer) teenage kids who are dealing with their own identity issues and together they form and unlikely bond and embark on a journey of self discovery to better understand love and intimacy in a digital age. The cast is complimented by stage and screen veterans that include a wonderful Carol Kane, Sonia Braga and Daphne Rubin-Vega in what is a modern day New York story of people connecting the dots. LatinoBuzz met with tour-de-force Livia De Paolis and newcomer Diane Guerrero to find out more about their journey to Emoticon;).
LatinoBuzz: You are an actress, at what moment did you decide to write, direct and star in your own feature?
Livia: It was a bit of a process. Sarah Nerboso, my co-writer approached me and asked me to write something together. I said yes but we really didn’t do much about it for about one year. After that I realized that I really wanted to see this movie come to life and called her back, to finish the script. Once I got so invested in the writing of the script I was certainly going to figure out a way to make it happen. I knew I was going to act in it. As I did write it for myself, however the decision to direct came very last minute. As I was asking for help to anybody I knew, I realized everybody I’d talk to was kind of expecting for me to be the director. I think it was because I was very passionate about it and very assertive about what I wanted the movie to be. So at some point I embraced everybody’s expectation and decided to direct it myself. So, as I said it was a bit of a process. However I think the decision to make my own movie came from the fact that I was simply dissatisfied with the opportunity to act that were presented to me. Which, in all honesty were not a lot and not very fulfilling in any way. I would go to castings thinking: “What am I doing with myself? I don’t really want to get this job”. I think it was the best decision I could possibly take. I’m proud of it.
LatinoBuzz: How did you manage to assemble such a remarkable cast with the limited resources available?
Livia: I think the script was the basis for everything. I gave it to Casting Director James Calleri, who I knew because we worked together on a show at Rattlestick Theater. He was kind enough to read it and he liked it. He passed it on to the agencies. They liked it and provided me with fantastic casting options. So, I owe it James Calleri and his team. And to the wonderful actors who wanted to be in my movie, because they liked the script. It’s funny how everybody always asks me: “How did you get Carol Kane?” All I know is that I sent her the script and she said yes.
LatinoBuzz: What were your biggest challenges in making the film as a first time filmmaker?
Livia: Writing the script was a challenge. We rewrote it 19 times. Also having to be in control of every aspect of the production was extremely challenging. I’m glad I survived.
LatinoBuzz: What films influenced you in making Emoticon;) aesthetically. And did anyone in particular inspire you to pursue acting?
Livia: I always wanted to be an actress. My family was in the film industry in Italy so I always thought I was going to be an actress. I did admire Vivien Leigh while growing up, probably more then anybody else. But also Katherine Hepburn, Ingrid Bergman, Audrey Hepburn, Julie Andrews and of course Marilyn. Believe it or not I think the show 'Fame' was kind of influential. It was big in Italy and I would be watching it, dreaming of moving to NY to work in the theater. It’s crazy that I actually did it.
I only started pursuing an acting career after graduating from university. My parents really wanted me to graduate, it was important to them, and I’m actually glad I did get my degree. As for the movie I wanted to make a movie that was honest and transparent. That would show real people with their flaws, lies and heartaches. I wanted to show a longing for human connection. I wanted it to be soft spoken. And I wanted it to be an ensemble piece. I wanted it to be inclusive of all the different people that make up the city of New York. I was mostly inspired by Noah Baumbach’s movies, Todd Solondz, Miranda July, Robert Altman and the more light hearted Ingmar Bergman (Fanny and Alexander, Wild Strawberries). I was also influenced by one of the first movies from Italian filmmaker Gabriele Muccino (But Forever In My Mind).
LatinoBuzz: What do you want the audience to take away from the film?
Livia: I think my movie is trying to show how, as human beings we’re all magnificently flawed and inherently co-dependent. We need each other. And that’s a good thing. And I think it does matter to be reminded of that. I’d be happy if the audience would walk away with a more accepting attitude toward themselves, and toward whomever it is that they might be having a hard time forgiving. I think it’s good to be reminded that sometimes you think you’re going somewhere and you might actually end up somewhere else. And that is also a good thing.
LatinoBuzz: What advice would you give women aspiring to make the leap from actress to filmmaker?
Livia: Just do it. As actors we’re always told to be generous, with our performance and with ourselves.
So, to any actress that is thinking even remotely that maybe she’d like to tell a story her own way, I’d tell her to be generous and do it. We need more stories told from a feminine point of view. It is not easy. It is not as fun as acting is, I don’t think. It is a lot a work and it is big commitment. But it is so important. It is necessary. It can be done and it must be done.
LatinoBuzz: What got you into acting? Does your family support you in it?
Diane: I love entertaining people! It's who I am. I love making people happy and I like sharing my emotions and my heart with them whether they ask for it or not (haha). I figured what better way to do that than through acting. I think one of my best qualities is my ability to empathize with people. Perhaps it's because my journey has been so bumpy. Whatever the reason is, I am happiest when connecting with the human experience. It lets me know that I'm not alone in this world.
My family totally supports me and this path. As a little girl they saw I was passionate about the arts, and although they weren't proactive with taking me to castings and acting classes, they did let me be the household entertainment and even sing at the dinner table. When I told them I wanted to be an actress at 24 they wondered why it took me so long to come to the decision. The one thing that they stressed however was the importance to stay in school and making my own decisions. I definitely had to pave my own path which wasn't always the easiest thing to do.
LatinoBuzz: What was the one thing that made you connect to your character In Emoticon;)? And what do you find to be the most important trait you look for in a character?
Diane: What made me connect with Amanda in Emoticon;) was her desire to fit in and find her place in the world. The fact that she is a Latina longing for an understanding of herself in a 'white world'. Growing up I often wondered what it would be like to be adopted and grow up in a white family and how that would affect me. I felt a connection. It was also interesting to play someone so young. At first I felt insecure about being too old for the part but I soon learned that what acting is all about baby!?
At the moment I don't think I'm in the position to be picky about characters (I mean, lets be real). However I do get excited about characters that are a little rough around the edges and have tons of baggage. For my next role I'd like to play a Bag Lady.
LatinoBuzz: Have you found any challenges being a Latina in the industry?
Diane: It is challenging to be a Latina in this industry. There are very few parts to play and characters to play with. I think the way to over come it is by always showing up.
LatinoBuzz: Your dream role, dream director and dream co-star?
Diane: My dream role would be to play something mythical or regal. I would love to play a fairy, or a princess from a far away land. My dream director would be Pedro Almodovar for his mind bending narratives and Spike Lee for always keeping it real. My dream co-stars would be Penelope Cruz and Kevin Spacey.
LatinoBuzz: “In 5 years Diane Guerrero will...”
Diane: In 5 years Diane Guerrero will be consistently working in film, TV and theater. Working with great directors and actors who will help her grow as an actress.
LatinoBuzz: What are you working on next?
Diane: I recently finished the first season of the new Netflix series Orange is the New Black where I played the character of 'Mariza Ramos'.
Like Emoticon;) on Facebook and check here for screening information: Dances With Films.
Emoticon;) Opens in Theaters May 30th, 2014
L.A. Theater: http://www.laemmle.com/films/37737
NYC Theater: http://www.cinemavillage.com/chc/cv/show_movie.asp?movieid=3109
Written by Juan Caceres and Vanessa Erazo, LatinoBuzz is a weekly feature on SydneysBuzz that highlights Latino indie talent and upcoming trends in Latino film with the specific objective of presenting a broad range of Latino voices. Follow [At]LatinoBuzz on Twitter and Facebook.
LatinoBuzz: You are an actress, at what moment did you decide to write, direct and star in your own feature?
Livia: It was a bit of a process. Sarah Nerboso, my co-writer approached me and asked me to write something together. I said yes but we really didn’t do much about it for about one year. After that I realized that I really wanted to see this movie come to life and called her back, to finish the script. Once I got so invested in the writing of the script I was certainly going to figure out a way to make it happen. I knew I was going to act in it. As I did write it for myself, however the decision to direct came very last minute. As I was asking for help to anybody I knew, I realized everybody I’d talk to was kind of expecting for me to be the director. I think it was because I was very passionate about it and very assertive about what I wanted the movie to be. So at some point I embraced everybody’s expectation and decided to direct it myself. So, as I said it was a bit of a process. However I think the decision to make my own movie came from the fact that I was simply dissatisfied with the opportunity to act that were presented to me. Which, in all honesty were not a lot and not very fulfilling in any way. I would go to castings thinking: “What am I doing with myself? I don’t really want to get this job”. I think it was the best decision I could possibly take. I’m proud of it.
LatinoBuzz: How did you manage to assemble such a remarkable cast with the limited resources available?
Livia: I think the script was the basis for everything. I gave it to Casting Director James Calleri, who I knew because we worked together on a show at Rattlestick Theater. He was kind enough to read it and he liked it. He passed it on to the agencies. They liked it and provided me with fantastic casting options. So, I owe it James Calleri and his team. And to the wonderful actors who wanted to be in my movie, because they liked the script. It’s funny how everybody always asks me: “How did you get Carol Kane?” All I know is that I sent her the script and she said yes.
LatinoBuzz: What were your biggest challenges in making the film as a first time filmmaker?
Livia: Writing the script was a challenge. We rewrote it 19 times. Also having to be in control of every aspect of the production was extremely challenging. I’m glad I survived.
LatinoBuzz: What films influenced you in making Emoticon;) aesthetically. And did anyone in particular inspire you to pursue acting?
Livia: I always wanted to be an actress. My family was in the film industry in Italy so I always thought I was going to be an actress. I did admire Vivien Leigh while growing up, probably more then anybody else. But also Katherine Hepburn, Ingrid Bergman, Audrey Hepburn, Julie Andrews and of course Marilyn. Believe it or not I think the show 'Fame' was kind of influential. It was big in Italy and I would be watching it, dreaming of moving to NY to work in the theater. It’s crazy that I actually did it.
I only started pursuing an acting career after graduating from university. My parents really wanted me to graduate, it was important to them, and I’m actually glad I did get my degree. As for the movie I wanted to make a movie that was honest and transparent. That would show real people with their flaws, lies and heartaches. I wanted to show a longing for human connection. I wanted it to be soft spoken. And I wanted it to be an ensemble piece. I wanted it to be inclusive of all the different people that make up the city of New York. I was mostly inspired by Noah Baumbach’s movies, Todd Solondz, Miranda July, Robert Altman and the more light hearted Ingmar Bergman (Fanny and Alexander, Wild Strawberries). I was also influenced by one of the first movies from Italian filmmaker Gabriele Muccino (But Forever In My Mind).
LatinoBuzz: What do you want the audience to take away from the film?
Livia: I think my movie is trying to show how, as human beings we’re all magnificently flawed and inherently co-dependent. We need each other. And that’s a good thing. And I think it does matter to be reminded of that. I’d be happy if the audience would walk away with a more accepting attitude toward themselves, and toward whomever it is that they might be having a hard time forgiving. I think it’s good to be reminded that sometimes you think you’re going somewhere and you might actually end up somewhere else. And that is also a good thing.
LatinoBuzz: What advice would you give women aspiring to make the leap from actress to filmmaker?
Livia: Just do it. As actors we’re always told to be generous, with our performance and with ourselves.
So, to any actress that is thinking even remotely that maybe she’d like to tell a story her own way, I’d tell her to be generous and do it. We need more stories told from a feminine point of view. It is not easy. It is not as fun as acting is, I don’t think. It is a lot a work and it is big commitment. But it is so important. It is necessary. It can be done and it must be done.
LatinoBuzz: What got you into acting? Does your family support you in it?
Diane: I love entertaining people! It's who I am. I love making people happy and I like sharing my emotions and my heart with them whether they ask for it or not (haha). I figured what better way to do that than through acting. I think one of my best qualities is my ability to empathize with people. Perhaps it's because my journey has been so bumpy. Whatever the reason is, I am happiest when connecting with the human experience. It lets me know that I'm not alone in this world.
My family totally supports me and this path. As a little girl they saw I was passionate about the arts, and although they weren't proactive with taking me to castings and acting classes, they did let me be the household entertainment and even sing at the dinner table. When I told them I wanted to be an actress at 24 they wondered why it took me so long to come to the decision. The one thing that they stressed however was the importance to stay in school and making my own decisions. I definitely had to pave my own path which wasn't always the easiest thing to do.
LatinoBuzz: What was the one thing that made you connect to your character In Emoticon;)? And what do you find to be the most important trait you look for in a character?
Diane: What made me connect with Amanda in Emoticon;) was her desire to fit in and find her place in the world. The fact that she is a Latina longing for an understanding of herself in a 'white world'. Growing up I often wondered what it would be like to be adopted and grow up in a white family and how that would affect me. I felt a connection. It was also interesting to play someone so young. At first I felt insecure about being too old for the part but I soon learned that what acting is all about baby!?
At the moment I don't think I'm in the position to be picky about characters (I mean, lets be real). However I do get excited about characters that are a little rough around the edges and have tons of baggage. For my next role I'd like to play a Bag Lady.
LatinoBuzz: Have you found any challenges being a Latina in the industry?
Diane: It is challenging to be a Latina in this industry. There are very few parts to play and characters to play with. I think the way to over come it is by always showing up.
LatinoBuzz: Your dream role, dream director and dream co-star?
Diane: My dream role would be to play something mythical or regal. I would love to play a fairy, or a princess from a far away land. My dream director would be Pedro Almodovar for his mind bending narratives and Spike Lee for always keeping it real. My dream co-stars would be Penelope Cruz and Kevin Spacey.
LatinoBuzz: “In 5 years Diane Guerrero will...”
Diane: In 5 years Diane Guerrero will be consistently working in film, TV and theater. Working with great directors and actors who will help her grow as an actress.
LatinoBuzz: What are you working on next?
Diane: I recently finished the first season of the new Netflix series Orange is the New Black where I played the character of 'Mariza Ramos'.
Like Emoticon;) on Facebook and check here for screening information: Dances With Films.
Emoticon;) Opens in Theaters May 30th, 2014
L.A. Theater: http://www.laemmle.com/films/37737
NYC Theater: http://www.cinemavillage.com/chc/cv/show_movie.asp?movieid=3109
Written by Juan Caceres and Vanessa Erazo, LatinoBuzz is a weekly feature on SydneysBuzz that highlights Latino indie talent and upcoming trends in Latino film with the specific objective of presenting a broad range of Latino voices. Follow [At]LatinoBuzz on Twitter and Facebook.
- 5/28/2014
- by Juan Caceres
- Sydney's Buzz
Captive Beauty tells an unflinching and unforgettable story of four women – Catalina, Leidy, Diana and Marta - who are all serving time for various crimes in Medellin’s notorious and largest female prison. They are also participants of a week long beauty pageant held at the prison complete with catwalks and being pampered. Some of these women will never leave prison but the pageant serves to restore some dignity and let them feel like a queen for a moment. Jared Goodman shared his journey with us.
LatinoBuzz: Your first film was Road to the Big Leagues, what was it about documentaries that drew you to it?
Jared: Studying film in college left me eager to tell a story – I had just graduated, was always passionate about baseball, and after pitching the project to a Boston based production company, I found myself in the Dominican Republic playing with children, interviewing stars, and finding out what made them tick. All of this led to the creation of Road to the Big Leagues, a film about the fascinating journey of young Dominican players attempting to make it big. The experience was great, empowering and I quickly began hunting for another experience, another story to tell.
LatinoBuzz: You are from Boston, when and how did the idea to shoot in Medellín’s largest female prison about an inmate beauty pageant come up?
Jared: I simply came across an article about this beauty pageant in a prison and it instantly resonated with me – it had to be my next project. So many powerful themes were present that I just couldn’t ignore and in a matter of months Spencer Kehe (producer) and I were making arrangements to go to Medellin. Spencer was instrumental in getting us an incredible amount of access to the prison.
LatinoBuzz: Was shooting a documentary under those circumstances easy?
Jared: The prison was actually a relatively easy place to film. After the first couple of weeks the prisoners as well as the prison guards got so used to us that we were free to go pretty much anywhere and talk to anyone. I think that for the most part the majority of the prisoners liked us being there.
LatinoBuzz: What creative decisions do you make beforehand?
Jared: Going into production the main goal was to keep the camera running, and capture as many vérité scenes as possible. I knew that patience would be the key; that I had to simply let it all unfold in front of me and the building blocks of the film would present themselves. So in the beginning, we stayed in the prison every day, all day, for over a month, filming as much as possible. It wasn’t until we were about half way done with post production, once we had our story shaped, that we started styling the scenes with interesting cuts and experimenting with a strong score to help make the film more theatrical. Our editor, Daniel Rezende (City of God, The Motorcycle Diaries, and recently, The Tree of Life), is master time manipulator. He added so much to this film.
LatinoBuzz: How was finding funding for Captive Beauty?
Jared: Finding funding is always a challenge, but thankfully we had the support of a successful, New York based production company. Once we returned with great footage we were able to edit a trailer that helped us secure a large grant to help us complete post-production.
LatinoBuzz: I like that you didn't sensationalize their crimes. How did you get these women - convicted murderers, kidnappers etc to open up to you on camera?
Jared: For the first two weeks I didn’t ask our protagonists why they were in prison. I just wanted to get to know them as much as possible and develop a level of trust between us. Finally, once I did interview them, I found the result to be intensified. They were now telling their crimes to a friend and when they admitted to what they had done (murder, kidnapping, treason) they all came to tears and showed an incredible degree of openness and vulnerability. The strongest parts of this film are the interviews. The women are brutally honest.
LatinoBuzz: These women grew up in a beautiful country under brutal circumstances. How important was it to find those moments of humanity in them?
Jared: I came to learn quite a bit about the duality of mankind from making this film. Of course these women have a bad side to them, but with spending more time with them, I came to see more and more good in them. These moments naturally came out, and in order to tell a complete story they had to be included.
LatinoBuzz: Your first film is about shooting for your dreams and this was about dreams deferred, stolen or lost; what would you say you took away from the subject matters in both your films?
Jared: I’m drawn to the human spirit – how it is affected by struggle, how it embraces opportunity, and how it faces challenge. Yes, my first two films are at opposite ends of the spectrum, but to me it is imperative that I treat my subjects with dignity, regardless. This all leaves me with the experience of the human spirit, which fascinates and moves me personally, no what shape it takes.
LatinoBuzz: Have you ever thought to go back and see what became of these women?
Jared: I am friends with several of them. As each one is released, they reach out to me, and we catch up. Social media has thankfully made it possible for me to maintain a relationship with most everyone who I have worked with in my films over the years.
LatinoBuzz: Any other subject matter you would like to explore through the documentary lens?
Jared: So many! Currently I am helping produce a 30 for 30 doc for Espn with director Mario Diaz. I also have a new documentary that I hope to start shooting this summer in NYC and finally I have a narrative film that I am hopeful to begin production on some time in 2014 as well.
For the latest on the film give them a ‘Like at https://www.facebook.com/CaptiveBeauty
Written by Juan Caceres . LatinoBuzz is a weekly feature on SydneysBuzz that highlights Latino indie talent and upcoming trends in Latino film with the specific objective of presenting a broad range of Latino voices. Follow [At]LatinoBuzz on Twitter and Facebook...
LatinoBuzz: Your first film was Road to the Big Leagues, what was it about documentaries that drew you to it?
Jared: Studying film in college left me eager to tell a story – I had just graduated, was always passionate about baseball, and after pitching the project to a Boston based production company, I found myself in the Dominican Republic playing with children, interviewing stars, and finding out what made them tick. All of this led to the creation of Road to the Big Leagues, a film about the fascinating journey of young Dominican players attempting to make it big. The experience was great, empowering and I quickly began hunting for another experience, another story to tell.
LatinoBuzz: You are from Boston, when and how did the idea to shoot in Medellín’s largest female prison about an inmate beauty pageant come up?
Jared: I simply came across an article about this beauty pageant in a prison and it instantly resonated with me – it had to be my next project. So many powerful themes were present that I just couldn’t ignore and in a matter of months Spencer Kehe (producer) and I were making arrangements to go to Medellin. Spencer was instrumental in getting us an incredible amount of access to the prison.
LatinoBuzz: Was shooting a documentary under those circumstances easy?
Jared: The prison was actually a relatively easy place to film. After the first couple of weeks the prisoners as well as the prison guards got so used to us that we were free to go pretty much anywhere and talk to anyone. I think that for the most part the majority of the prisoners liked us being there.
LatinoBuzz: What creative decisions do you make beforehand?
Jared: Going into production the main goal was to keep the camera running, and capture as many vérité scenes as possible. I knew that patience would be the key; that I had to simply let it all unfold in front of me and the building blocks of the film would present themselves. So in the beginning, we stayed in the prison every day, all day, for over a month, filming as much as possible. It wasn’t until we were about half way done with post production, once we had our story shaped, that we started styling the scenes with interesting cuts and experimenting with a strong score to help make the film more theatrical. Our editor, Daniel Rezende (City of God, The Motorcycle Diaries, and recently, The Tree of Life), is master time manipulator. He added so much to this film.
LatinoBuzz: How was finding funding for Captive Beauty?
Jared: Finding funding is always a challenge, but thankfully we had the support of a successful, New York based production company. Once we returned with great footage we were able to edit a trailer that helped us secure a large grant to help us complete post-production.
LatinoBuzz: I like that you didn't sensationalize their crimes. How did you get these women - convicted murderers, kidnappers etc to open up to you on camera?
Jared: For the first two weeks I didn’t ask our protagonists why they were in prison. I just wanted to get to know them as much as possible and develop a level of trust between us. Finally, once I did interview them, I found the result to be intensified. They were now telling their crimes to a friend and when they admitted to what they had done (murder, kidnapping, treason) they all came to tears and showed an incredible degree of openness and vulnerability. The strongest parts of this film are the interviews. The women are brutally honest.
LatinoBuzz: These women grew up in a beautiful country under brutal circumstances. How important was it to find those moments of humanity in them?
Jared: I came to learn quite a bit about the duality of mankind from making this film. Of course these women have a bad side to them, but with spending more time with them, I came to see more and more good in them. These moments naturally came out, and in order to tell a complete story they had to be included.
LatinoBuzz: Your first film is about shooting for your dreams and this was about dreams deferred, stolen or lost; what would you say you took away from the subject matters in both your films?
Jared: I’m drawn to the human spirit – how it is affected by struggle, how it embraces opportunity, and how it faces challenge. Yes, my first two films are at opposite ends of the spectrum, but to me it is imperative that I treat my subjects with dignity, regardless. This all leaves me with the experience of the human spirit, which fascinates and moves me personally, no what shape it takes.
LatinoBuzz: Have you ever thought to go back and see what became of these women?
Jared: I am friends with several of them. As each one is released, they reach out to me, and we catch up. Social media has thankfully made it possible for me to maintain a relationship with most everyone who I have worked with in my films over the years.
LatinoBuzz: Any other subject matter you would like to explore through the documentary lens?
Jared: So many! Currently I am helping produce a 30 for 30 doc for Espn with director Mario Diaz. I also have a new documentary that I hope to start shooting this summer in NYC and finally I have a narrative film that I am hopeful to begin production on some time in 2014 as well.
For the latest on the film give them a ‘Like at https://www.facebook.com/CaptiveBeauty
Written by Juan Caceres . LatinoBuzz is a weekly feature on SydneysBuzz that highlights Latino indie talent and upcoming trends in Latino film with the specific objective of presenting a broad range of Latino voices. Follow [At]LatinoBuzz on Twitter and Facebook...
- 5/21/2014
- by Juan Caceres
- Sydney's Buzz
This Friday April 25th The Filadelfia celebrates its third annual edition with an impressive line up of the best of Latino film from Mexico to Chile to Colombia, The Us and even a film made with the youth of Philly. Opening night film will be the super 1943 classic ‘Maria Candelaria’ starring Dolores Del Rio. For those near the city of brotherly amor we’ve done ya homework and listed their films below!
Opening Night: Maria Candelaria (Mexico)
Starring Dolores del Rio and Pedro Armendáriz, Maria Candelaria was the first Mexican film to be screened at the Cannes International Film Festival, and the first Latin American film awarded the Gran Prix. Gabriel Figueroa, the film’s cinematographer, was nominated for an Academy Award for The Night of the Iguana, and is often referred to as “the Fourth Muralist” of Mexico.
A young journalist presses an old artist (Alberto Galán ) to show a portrait of a naked indigenous woman that he has in his study. The body of the movie is a flashback to Xochimilco, Mexico, in 1909. The film is set right before the Mexican Revolution, and Xochimilco is an area with beautiful landscapes inhabited mostly by indigenous people.
The woman in the painting is María Candelaria (Dolores del Rio), a young Indian woman who is constantly rejected by her own people for being the daughter of a prostitute. She and her lover, Lorenzo Rafael (Pedro Armendariz), face constant struggles throughout the film. They are honest and hardworking, yet nothing ever goes right for them. Don Damian (Miguel Inclán), a jealous Mestizo store owner who wants María for himself, prevents them from getting married. He kills a piglet that María and Lorenzo plan to sell for profit and he refuses to buy vegetables from them. When María falls ill with malaria, Don Damian refuses to give the couple the quinine medicine necessary to fight the disease. Lorenzo breaks into his shop to steal the medicine, and he also takes a wedding dress for María. Lorenzo goes to prison for stealing, and María agrees to model for the painter to pay for his release. The artist begins painting a portrait of María, but when he asks her to pose nude she refuses.
The artist finishes the painting with the nude body of another woman. When the people of Xochimilco see the painting, they assume it is María Candelaria and stone her to death.Finally, Lorenzo escapes from prison )to carry María's lifeless body through Xochimilco's canal of the dead.
Bad Hair/Pelo Malo (Venezuela)
The third film from the filmmaker and plastic artist Mariana Rondón, Pelo Malo stars Junior, a 9 year-old with "bad hair". He wants to have it straightened for his yearbook picture, like a fashionable pop singer. This puts him at odds with his mother Marta. The more Junior tries to look sharp and make his mother love him, the more she rejects him, until he is cornered, face to face with a painful decision.
To Kill A Man/Matar A Un Hombre (Chile)
Read the Review
Read the Interview with Dir. Alejandro Fernandez Almendras
A thriller about a hardworking family man Jorge who is just barely making ends meet. When he gets mugged by Kalule, a neighborhood delinquent, Jorge's son decides to confront Kalule, only to get himself shot in the process. Sentenced to a scant 2 years in prison for the offense, Kalule, released and now intent on revenge, goes on the warpath, terrorizing Jorge's family. With his wife, son and daughter at the mercy of a thug, Jorge has no choice but to take justice into his own hands, and live with the emotional and psychological consequences.
Lines of class and masculinity ignite friction in this rugged thriller, adeptly shot with a discerning eye. Director Alejandro Fernández Almendras elevates raw grit to a new level with a tone that is both elemental and prophetic. Rife with unnerving tension, To Kill a Man is ultimately a surprising exploration of the heavy burden of what it takes to do what the title suggests.
Anina (Colombia)
Read the Review
Anina Yatay Salas is a ten-year-old girl. All her names form palindromes, making her the butt of her classmates’ jokes, and especially of Yisel’s, who Anina sees as an “elephant.” One day, fed up with all the taunting, Anina starts a fight with Yisel during recess. The incident ends with the principal penalizing the girls and calling their parents.Anina receives her punishment inside a sealed black envelope, which she is told not to open until she meets with the principal again a week later.She is also forbidden to tell anyone about the envelope. Her classmates pressure her to find out what the punishment will be, while they imagine cruel physical torture.
Anina, in her anxiousness to find out what horrible punishment awaits her in the mysterious black envelope, will get mixed up in a series of troubles, involving secret loves, confessed hatreds, close friendships, dreadful enemies, some loving teachers, and also some evil teachers.Without her realizing it, Anina’s efforts to understand the content of the envelope turn into an attempt to understand the world and her place in it.
The Devil’S Music (USA)
When the new sound of jazz first spread across America in the early twentieth-century, it left delight – and controversy – in its wake.As jazz's popularity grew, so did campaigns to censor "the devil's music." This documentary classic has been hailed by the New York Times as a documentary that "addressing the complex interaction of race and class… engages viewers in a conversation as vigorous as the art it chronicles,” featuring timeless performances by artists such as Louis Armstrong and vocalist Rachelle Ferrelle, plus interviews with giants of social and musical criticism such as Albert Murray, Marian MacPartland, Studs Terkel, and Michael Eric Dyson. The Devil's Music is Written, Produced and Directed by Maria Agui Carter and Calvin A. Lindsay Jr., and Narrated by Dion Graham.
I, Undocumented/Yo, Indocumentada (Venezuela)
Yo Indocumentada (I, Undocumented) , exposes the struggles of transgender people in Venezuela. The film, Andrea Baranenko’s first feature-length production, tells the story of three Venezuelan women fighting for their right to have an identity.
Tamara Adrián, 58, is a lawyer; Desirée Pérez, 46, is a hairdresser; and Victoria González, 27, has been a visual arts student since 2009. These women share more than their nationality: they all carry identifications with masculine names that do not correspond to their actual identities. They are transgender women, who long ago assumed their gender and now defend it in a homophobic and transphobic society.
The House That Jack Built (USA )
Jack Maldonado is an ambitious Latino man who fueled by misguided nostalgia, buys a small apartment building in the Bronx and moves his family into the apartments to live rent-free. His parents, Carlos and Martha, sister Nadia, brother Richie and his wife Rosa, Grandmother/Abuela and cousins Hector and Manny, all under one roof. Tension builds quickly as Jack imposes his views on everyone around him, including his fiancée, Lily. All the while, he hides the fact that his corner store is a front for selling marijuana but soon has to deal with new unwanted competitive forces. It's only a matter of time before Jack's family and 'business' lives collide in tragic fashion.
Aqui Y Alla Crossing Borders (USA)
The “Aquí y Allá’ transnational public art project explored the impact of immigration in the lives of Mexican immigrant youth in Philadelphia in connection with youth in Chihuahua, Mexico. The documentary highlights the testimonials of the youth on both sides of the border working towards the creation of a collaborative mural in South Philadelphia.
Cesar’S Last Fast (USA)
Read the Review
In 1988, Cesar Chavez embarked on what would be his last act of protest in his remarkable life. Driven in part to pay penance for feeling he had not done enough, Chavez began his “Fast for Life,” a 36-day water-only hunger strike, to draw attention to the horrific effects of unfettered pesticide use on farm workers, their families, and their communities.
Using never-before-seen footage of Chavez during his fast and testimony from those closest to him, directors Richard Ray Perez and Lorena Parlee weave together the larger story of Chavez’s life, vision, and legacy. A deeply religious man, Chavez’s moral clarity in organizing and standing with farm workers at risk of his own life humbled his family, friends, and the world. Cesar’s Last Fast is a moving and definitive portrait of the leader of a people who became an American icon of struggle and freedom.
La Camioneta (Guantemala)
Every day dozens of decommissioned school buses leave the United States on a southward migration that carries them to Guatemala, where they are repaired, repainted, and resurrected as the brightly-colored camionetas that bring the vast majority of Guatemalans to work each day. La Camioneta follows one such bus on its transformative journey: a journey between North and South, between life and death, and through an unfolding collection of moments, people, and places that serve to quietly remind us of the interconnected worlds in which we live.
Forbidden Lovers Meant To Be (USA)
Working with talented high school students from North Philadelphia at Taller Puertorriqueño’s Youth Artist Program, filmmakers Joanna Siegel, Melissa Beatriz Skolnick, and Kate Zambon sought to capture the personal and artistic journeys of the youth through film. While facilitating collaborative film workshops with the students, themes of race/ethnicity, cultures, language, and identity emerged. Throughout this process of engaging in story development and visual representation, the students created a video of their own, while the filmmakers documented the process using metafilm techniques. The students' short film, Forbidden Lovers Meant to Be, highlights the talent and creativity of these youth. Forbidden Lovers Meant to Be was created by the spring 2012 Youth Artist Program participants: Amy Lee Flores, Ricardo Lopez, Michael Mendez, Zayris Rivera, Tashyra Suarez, Nestor Tamayo, Yoeni Torres, Karina Ureña Vargas, and Kara Williams. (Amy Lee Flores, Ricardo Lopez, Michael Mendez)
Tire Die (Argentina)
The first film of the first Latin American documentary film school (The Escuela Documental de Santa Fe), this documentary focuses on the children in the neighborhood known as Tire Dié in the city of Santa Fe, Argentina, who wait daily for the passing train to ask for money from the passengers, shouting “Tire dié!” (Toss me a dime!).
Dubbed as the father of the New Latin American Cinema, Fernando Birriwas one of the first filmmakers to document poverty and underdevelopment. Tire Dié was part of the exhibition, Latin American Visions, produced by International House, 1989-1991.
The Illiterates/Las Analfabetas (Chile)
Ximena, played by the incomparable Paulina García (Gloria) is an illiterate woman in her fifties, who has learned to live on her own to keep her illiteracy a secret. Jackeline, is a young unemployed elementary school teacher, who tries to convince Ximena to take reading classes. Persuading her proves to be an almost impossible task, till one day, Jackeline finds something Ximena has been keeping as her only treasure since she was a child: a letter Ximena’s father left when he abandoned her many years before. Thus, the two women embark on a learning journey where they discover that there are many ways of being illiterate, and that not knowing how to read is just one of them.
For the schedule please visit: http://flaff.org/
Written by Juan Caceres . LatinoBuzz is a weekly feature on SydneysBuzz that highlights Latino indie talent and upcoming trends in Latino film with the specific objective of presenting a broad range of Latino voices. Follow [At]LatinoBuzz on Twitter and Facebook...
Opening Night: Maria Candelaria (Mexico)
Starring Dolores del Rio and Pedro Armendáriz, Maria Candelaria was the first Mexican film to be screened at the Cannes International Film Festival, and the first Latin American film awarded the Gran Prix. Gabriel Figueroa, the film’s cinematographer, was nominated for an Academy Award for The Night of the Iguana, and is often referred to as “the Fourth Muralist” of Mexico.
A young journalist presses an old artist (Alberto Galán ) to show a portrait of a naked indigenous woman that he has in his study. The body of the movie is a flashback to Xochimilco, Mexico, in 1909. The film is set right before the Mexican Revolution, and Xochimilco is an area with beautiful landscapes inhabited mostly by indigenous people.
The woman in the painting is María Candelaria (Dolores del Rio), a young Indian woman who is constantly rejected by her own people for being the daughter of a prostitute. She and her lover, Lorenzo Rafael (Pedro Armendariz), face constant struggles throughout the film. They are honest and hardworking, yet nothing ever goes right for them. Don Damian (Miguel Inclán), a jealous Mestizo store owner who wants María for himself, prevents them from getting married. He kills a piglet that María and Lorenzo plan to sell for profit and he refuses to buy vegetables from them. When María falls ill with malaria, Don Damian refuses to give the couple the quinine medicine necessary to fight the disease. Lorenzo breaks into his shop to steal the medicine, and he also takes a wedding dress for María. Lorenzo goes to prison for stealing, and María agrees to model for the painter to pay for his release. The artist begins painting a portrait of María, but when he asks her to pose nude she refuses.
The artist finishes the painting with the nude body of another woman. When the people of Xochimilco see the painting, they assume it is María Candelaria and stone her to death.Finally, Lorenzo escapes from prison )to carry María's lifeless body through Xochimilco's canal of the dead.
Bad Hair/Pelo Malo (Venezuela)
The third film from the filmmaker and plastic artist Mariana Rondón, Pelo Malo stars Junior, a 9 year-old with "bad hair". He wants to have it straightened for his yearbook picture, like a fashionable pop singer. This puts him at odds with his mother Marta. The more Junior tries to look sharp and make his mother love him, the more she rejects him, until he is cornered, face to face with a painful decision.
To Kill A Man/Matar A Un Hombre (Chile)
Read the Review
Read the Interview with Dir. Alejandro Fernandez Almendras
A thriller about a hardworking family man Jorge who is just barely making ends meet. When he gets mugged by Kalule, a neighborhood delinquent, Jorge's son decides to confront Kalule, only to get himself shot in the process. Sentenced to a scant 2 years in prison for the offense, Kalule, released and now intent on revenge, goes on the warpath, terrorizing Jorge's family. With his wife, son and daughter at the mercy of a thug, Jorge has no choice but to take justice into his own hands, and live with the emotional and psychological consequences.
Lines of class and masculinity ignite friction in this rugged thriller, adeptly shot with a discerning eye. Director Alejandro Fernández Almendras elevates raw grit to a new level with a tone that is both elemental and prophetic. Rife with unnerving tension, To Kill a Man is ultimately a surprising exploration of the heavy burden of what it takes to do what the title suggests.
Anina (Colombia)
Read the Review
Anina Yatay Salas is a ten-year-old girl. All her names form palindromes, making her the butt of her classmates’ jokes, and especially of Yisel’s, who Anina sees as an “elephant.” One day, fed up with all the taunting, Anina starts a fight with Yisel during recess. The incident ends with the principal penalizing the girls and calling their parents.Anina receives her punishment inside a sealed black envelope, which she is told not to open until she meets with the principal again a week later.She is also forbidden to tell anyone about the envelope. Her classmates pressure her to find out what the punishment will be, while they imagine cruel physical torture.
Anina, in her anxiousness to find out what horrible punishment awaits her in the mysterious black envelope, will get mixed up in a series of troubles, involving secret loves, confessed hatreds, close friendships, dreadful enemies, some loving teachers, and also some evil teachers.Without her realizing it, Anina’s efforts to understand the content of the envelope turn into an attempt to understand the world and her place in it.
The Devil’S Music (USA)
When the new sound of jazz first spread across America in the early twentieth-century, it left delight – and controversy – in its wake.As jazz's popularity grew, so did campaigns to censor "the devil's music." This documentary classic has been hailed by the New York Times as a documentary that "addressing the complex interaction of race and class… engages viewers in a conversation as vigorous as the art it chronicles,” featuring timeless performances by artists such as Louis Armstrong and vocalist Rachelle Ferrelle, plus interviews with giants of social and musical criticism such as Albert Murray, Marian MacPartland, Studs Terkel, and Michael Eric Dyson. The Devil's Music is Written, Produced and Directed by Maria Agui Carter and Calvin A. Lindsay Jr., and Narrated by Dion Graham.
I, Undocumented/Yo, Indocumentada (Venezuela)
Yo Indocumentada (I, Undocumented) , exposes the struggles of transgender people in Venezuela. The film, Andrea Baranenko’s first feature-length production, tells the story of three Venezuelan women fighting for their right to have an identity.
Tamara Adrián, 58, is a lawyer; Desirée Pérez, 46, is a hairdresser; and Victoria González, 27, has been a visual arts student since 2009. These women share more than their nationality: they all carry identifications with masculine names that do not correspond to their actual identities. They are transgender women, who long ago assumed their gender and now defend it in a homophobic and transphobic society.
The House That Jack Built (USA )
Jack Maldonado is an ambitious Latino man who fueled by misguided nostalgia, buys a small apartment building in the Bronx and moves his family into the apartments to live rent-free. His parents, Carlos and Martha, sister Nadia, brother Richie and his wife Rosa, Grandmother/Abuela and cousins Hector and Manny, all under one roof. Tension builds quickly as Jack imposes his views on everyone around him, including his fiancée, Lily. All the while, he hides the fact that his corner store is a front for selling marijuana but soon has to deal with new unwanted competitive forces. It's only a matter of time before Jack's family and 'business' lives collide in tragic fashion.
Aqui Y Alla Crossing Borders (USA)
The “Aquí y Allá’ transnational public art project explored the impact of immigration in the lives of Mexican immigrant youth in Philadelphia in connection with youth in Chihuahua, Mexico. The documentary highlights the testimonials of the youth on both sides of the border working towards the creation of a collaborative mural in South Philadelphia.
Cesar’S Last Fast (USA)
Read the Review
In 1988, Cesar Chavez embarked on what would be his last act of protest in his remarkable life. Driven in part to pay penance for feeling he had not done enough, Chavez began his “Fast for Life,” a 36-day water-only hunger strike, to draw attention to the horrific effects of unfettered pesticide use on farm workers, their families, and their communities.
Using never-before-seen footage of Chavez during his fast and testimony from those closest to him, directors Richard Ray Perez and Lorena Parlee weave together the larger story of Chavez’s life, vision, and legacy. A deeply religious man, Chavez’s moral clarity in organizing and standing with farm workers at risk of his own life humbled his family, friends, and the world. Cesar’s Last Fast is a moving and definitive portrait of the leader of a people who became an American icon of struggle and freedom.
La Camioneta (Guantemala)
Every day dozens of decommissioned school buses leave the United States on a southward migration that carries them to Guatemala, where they are repaired, repainted, and resurrected as the brightly-colored camionetas that bring the vast majority of Guatemalans to work each day. La Camioneta follows one such bus on its transformative journey: a journey between North and South, between life and death, and through an unfolding collection of moments, people, and places that serve to quietly remind us of the interconnected worlds in which we live.
Forbidden Lovers Meant To Be (USA)
Working with talented high school students from North Philadelphia at Taller Puertorriqueño’s Youth Artist Program, filmmakers Joanna Siegel, Melissa Beatriz Skolnick, and Kate Zambon sought to capture the personal and artistic journeys of the youth through film. While facilitating collaborative film workshops with the students, themes of race/ethnicity, cultures, language, and identity emerged. Throughout this process of engaging in story development and visual representation, the students created a video of their own, while the filmmakers documented the process using metafilm techniques. The students' short film, Forbidden Lovers Meant to Be, highlights the talent and creativity of these youth. Forbidden Lovers Meant to Be was created by the spring 2012 Youth Artist Program participants: Amy Lee Flores, Ricardo Lopez, Michael Mendez, Zayris Rivera, Tashyra Suarez, Nestor Tamayo, Yoeni Torres, Karina Ureña Vargas, and Kara Williams. (Amy Lee Flores, Ricardo Lopez, Michael Mendez)
Tire Die (Argentina)
The first film of the first Latin American documentary film school (The Escuela Documental de Santa Fe), this documentary focuses on the children in the neighborhood known as Tire Dié in the city of Santa Fe, Argentina, who wait daily for the passing train to ask for money from the passengers, shouting “Tire dié!” (Toss me a dime!).
Dubbed as the father of the New Latin American Cinema, Fernando Birriwas one of the first filmmakers to document poverty and underdevelopment. Tire Dié was part of the exhibition, Latin American Visions, produced by International House, 1989-1991.
The Illiterates/Las Analfabetas (Chile)
Ximena, played by the incomparable Paulina García (Gloria) is an illiterate woman in her fifties, who has learned to live on her own to keep her illiteracy a secret. Jackeline, is a young unemployed elementary school teacher, who tries to convince Ximena to take reading classes. Persuading her proves to be an almost impossible task, till one day, Jackeline finds something Ximena has been keeping as her only treasure since she was a child: a letter Ximena’s father left when he abandoned her many years before. Thus, the two women embark on a learning journey where they discover that there are many ways of being illiterate, and that not knowing how to read is just one of them.
For the schedule please visit: http://flaff.org/
Written by Juan Caceres . LatinoBuzz is a weekly feature on SydneysBuzz that highlights Latino indie talent and upcoming trends in Latino film with the specific objective of presenting a broad range of Latino voices. Follow [At]LatinoBuzz on Twitter and Facebook...
- 4/23/2014
- by Juan Caceres
- Sydney's Buzz
Laura Checkoway had an idea for an article she wanted to write which took a new direction when she met Lucky Torres ( née Waleska Torres Ruiz) , a headstrong defiant girl from the Bronx who had a story to tell her. This article would set the documentary Lucky into motion. As a child, Lucky suffered years of abuse and spent her childhood in foster care before running from girlfriend to girlfriend. Laura became invested in Lucky‘s life as her world evolved like a roller coaster. Lucky is a compelling film about a powerful young woman who kept her son and sister from drowning in a sea of uncertainty despite being homeless and unemployed and with all the proud scars to show for it. Btw Checkoway also collaborated on ‘ My Infamous Life: The Autobiography of Mobb Deep's Prodigy’ which automatically makes her a goddess.
LatinoBuzz: Your intent was never to make a documentary but to write an article. After having met Lucky and realizing the process, were you ever concerned you would not finish the film or get the full story from her?
Laura: I often wondered if we’d come out of this process with a full film. But I guess that I would’ve kept going no matter how Lucky’s life unfolded until we did her story justice.
LatinoBuzz: The film doesn't have a happy ending per se, but definitely of some hope for her as a mother and person, what were your personal hopes for Lucky?
Laura: While making the film, I hoped a lot for Lucky—most generally that she would find her way, get out of her own way, and grow. I still have high hopes for her—that she learns to love herself more and more; that she finds some sense of healing and creates the home, family, and career that she longs for.
LatinoBuzz: How did Steve James (Hoop Dreams) come on board? What kind of advice did he offer for the film and to best handle the subject matter given how delicate it was/is?
Laura: Steve and I met at a Cinema Eye documentary filmmaker event and got into a conversation about making films about difficult people that aren’t the typically heroic protagonists we see in so many documentaries. After watching a rough cut of the film, he became an editorial advisor and mentor; then he came on as executive producer. He’s a master and gave insightful editorial advice at a time when the story needed fine-tuning.
LatinoBuzz: Do you want to ever move to narrative filmmaking?
Laura: I think I’ll stick with documentary but you never know…
LatinoBuzz: Do you think Lucky would have opened up as much had you been a male director?
Laura: Being a woman, I think Lucky felt like we were able to see eye to eye and she sensed that she could trust me. But more than gender, from what I’ve gathered at recent Q & A’s and press when Lucky has been asked about this, it’s my loyalty and open heart that helped her open up too.
LatinoBuzz: Is there anything you would've done differently as a filmmaker?
Laura: Wow, these questions are making me think. This was my first film so I was literally learning as I went. Looking at the footage and process now, there’s so much I could have done differently, but this was a very organic experience so it wouldn’t have happened any other way.
LatinoBuzz: You have some wonderful tender close up shots on Lucky where you get a sense of a person who is bursting with love inside for the people around her – do you think that the hair, tattoos, piercings are more 'armor' that she puts on everyday and not so much her “art”?
Laura: Yes, I see her tattoos as both armor and art.
LatinoBuzz: How did you go about the fundraising for the film?
Laura I self-financed the film with help from producer Neyda Martinez.
LatinoBuzz: How was Lucky received at screenings etc and how did she handle it?
Laura: The audience has a really powerful response to the film and it sparks a lot of conversation. At screenings, Lucky is applauded and admired for her strength and audiences have expressed a lot of gratitude to her for sharing her story and her pain. It’s a lot for Lucky to take in and there have been ups and downs but for the most part she’s handled it like the leader and eloquent speaker that she is… she’s so authentically herself.
LatinoBuzz: I loved the story between the two sisters (Lucky and Fantasy).
Laura: I love the bond between Lucky and Fantasy too.
LatinoBuzz: Would you ever re-visit this story in 5 years?
Laura: Yes.
Follow all the news on ‘Lucky’ at luckythedocumentary.com
Written by Juan Caceres . LatinoBuzz is a weekly feature on SydneysBuzz that highlights Latino indie talent and upcoming trends in Latino film with the specific objective of presenting a broad range of Latino voices. Follow [At]LatinoBuzz on Twitter and Facebook...
LatinoBuzz: Your intent was never to make a documentary but to write an article. After having met Lucky and realizing the process, were you ever concerned you would not finish the film or get the full story from her?
Laura: I often wondered if we’d come out of this process with a full film. But I guess that I would’ve kept going no matter how Lucky’s life unfolded until we did her story justice.
LatinoBuzz: The film doesn't have a happy ending per se, but definitely of some hope for her as a mother and person, what were your personal hopes for Lucky?
Laura: While making the film, I hoped a lot for Lucky—most generally that she would find her way, get out of her own way, and grow. I still have high hopes for her—that she learns to love herself more and more; that she finds some sense of healing and creates the home, family, and career that she longs for.
LatinoBuzz: How did Steve James (Hoop Dreams) come on board? What kind of advice did he offer for the film and to best handle the subject matter given how delicate it was/is?
Laura: Steve and I met at a Cinema Eye documentary filmmaker event and got into a conversation about making films about difficult people that aren’t the typically heroic protagonists we see in so many documentaries. After watching a rough cut of the film, he became an editorial advisor and mentor; then he came on as executive producer. He’s a master and gave insightful editorial advice at a time when the story needed fine-tuning.
LatinoBuzz: Do you want to ever move to narrative filmmaking?
Laura: I think I’ll stick with documentary but you never know…
LatinoBuzz: Do you think Lucky would have opened up as much had you been a male director?
Laura: Being a woman, I think Lucky felt like we were able to see eye to eye and she sensed that she could trust me. But more than gender, from what I’ve gathered at recent Q & A’s and press when Lucky has been asked about this, it’s my loyalty and open heart that helped her open up too.
LatinoBuzz: Is there anything you would've done differently as a filmmaker?
Laura: Wow, these questions are making me think. This was my first film so I was literally learning as I went. Looking at the footage and process now, there’s so much I could have done differently, but this was a very organic experience so it wouldn’t have happened any other way.
LatinoBuzz: You have some wonderful tender close up shots on Lucky where you get a sense of a person who is bursting with love inside for the people around her – do you think that the hair, tattoos, piercings are more 'armor' that she puts on everyday and not so much her “art”?
Laura: Yes, I see her tattoos as both armor and art.
LatinoBuzz: How did you go about the fundraising for the film?
Laura I self-financed the film with help from producer Neyda Martinez.
LatinoBuzz: How was Lucky received at screenings etc and how did she handle it?
Laura: The audience has a really powerful response to the film and it sparks a lot of conversation. At screenings, Lucky is applauded and admired for her strength and audiences have expressed a lot of gratitude to her for sharing her story and her pain. It’s a lot for Lucky to take in and there have been ups and downs but for the most part she’s handled it like the leader and eloquent speaker that she is… she’s so authentically herself.
LatinoBuzz: I loved the story between the two sisters (Lucky and Fantasy).
Laura: I love the bond between Lucky and Fantasy too.
LatinoBuzz: Would you ever re-visit this story in 5 years?
Laura: Yes.
Follow all the news on ‘Lucky’ at luckythedocumentary.com
Written by Juan Caceres . LatinoBuzz is a weekly feature on SydneysBuzz that highlights Latino indie talent and upcoming trends in Latino film with the specific objective of presenting a broad range of Latino voices. Follow [At]LatinoBuzz on Twitter and Facebook...
- 4/16/2014
- by Juan Caceres
- Sydney's Buzz
Let’s face facts, the days of the short film being your calling card are pretty much gone (along with the bank account you pillaged). The digital revolution did democratize filmmaking and it meant any Tom, Dick and Harry could pick up a camera and shoot a film. And they did, saturating the festival circuit and bringing about countless of needless short festivals in every neighborhood (this being especially true in NYC). In curating thousands of short films over the years, I’ve lost years of my life to the art. So, you can imagine the joy one gets when you come across those “bangers”. A film that never leaves you. Some of my dearest friends are people whose film I happened upon. There’s a support system that exists between people getting their short films out there. Maybe it’s the nerves. But there’s no competition to sell your film like with feature films. They just want their film to be seen and to share these small precious stories because they know they have about 10 minutes to leave a lasting impression. LatinoBuzz caught up with filmmakers whose short films are starting to make noise on the festival circuit and you will be pleasantly surprised at the disparity in their stories. Here’s to meeting these filmmakers with their features.
You're Dead to Me dir. by Wu Tsang (USA)
LatinoBuzz : Where did the idea come from to do a short film?
Wu: Initially I approached Adelina Anthony about co-writing a script about a “trans” character who is dealing with the death of a parent. It turned out that Adelina was already working on a beautiful script with a related theme and that ended up being the film we made! I really love this story, because it enabled me to play with elements of the supernatural to explore a very human story: dealing with irreconcilable feelings of losing someone, when you had already broken off the relationship before they died. Adelina's title "You're Dead to Me" refers to that experience, which can be especially painful when it comes to disowning a family member, because it is another thing entirely to process their physical passing.
LatinoBuzz: What do you want your short film to do for you?
Wu: I hope that this film can convey emotional truth about relationships between parents and transgender children, which can unfortunately sometimes be difficult. As a transgender filmmaker I have a personal stake in telling this story. On the other hand, I like that this film also plays with transgender identity to work within a ghost story genre convention. The ambiguity of who the missing child is (are they are boy or girl?) helps maintain the suspense. I studied some films closely, especially The Sixth Sense and The Others, as examples of when ghost characters can be ambiguous until the end of the story.
LatinoBuzz: What was the writing, funding and shooting process?
Wu: This project was developed through Film Independent's Project: Involve Fellowship, so there was a competitive process for us to team up and get our script green-lit. But once we did, we were able to work quickly with support from Find and the PBS National Minority Consortium. We had to work within some strict guidelines, but I always believe that rules provide a structure to be creative with (and against) the boundaries.
LatinoBuzz: Name one "Hustle"/"Guerrilla" moment where you did what you had to do to get the shot/scene?
Wu: Thanks to our stellar producer Melissa Haizlip, and the brilliance of our cinematographer Michelle Lawler, I don't recall having to cut any corners; we were able to get all the shots we needed. But we did have a few challenges with the location; at the last minute, we realized we didn't have a really crucial 'door buzzer' - and we ended up taping a chocolate bar to the wall - a little trick of lighting and sound effects, and voila!
- https://twitter.com/deadtomeshort
Milk and Honey dir. by Daniel Pfeffer (USA)
LatinoBuzz: Where did the idea come from to do a short film?
Daniel: ‘Milk and Honey’ stems from a feature film script titled: Mama Left Me in the 607. I have been writing various drafts of the feature film script for years. At one point, while juggling freelance locations work on major motion pictures, I decided to take the bull by the horns and make a short film inspired by the feature. They are very different films but I thought it was important to make a short representation of what could be a much bigger picture. It was important for me to be able to showcase out of film school, such a personal story, and let an audience see the unique world of my main character, Maya. I loosely based Maya on a girl I fell in love with growing up in Ithaca, New York. Milk and Honey is my first short film produced independently out of film school. I was eager to direct again and keep honing in on my craft. I wanted to make a short without any strings attached.
Latinobuzz: What do you want your short film to do for you?
Daniel: The short film genre has become beyond competitive, so it's hard to tell what opportunities can develop from making a short film. A part of me just feels honored and lucky as hell to be able to make a short outside of film school. It has been a blessing to get a team together and work towards one vision. On the other hand, I felt I had to make a short film to gain credibility and be able to market myself as a writer, producer, director. I wanted to keep expanding my network and create a new portfolio piece to compliment my feature film about an orphaned Puerto Rican girl, Maya, and how she copes with her problems in an abusive foster home.
Maya's story is based on a personal story, so I know the feature script might not sit well with producers and investors without a truly solid vision in place. I am marketing this film with attention to its unique setting, upstate New York. I would love to have my lead actors, Yainis Ynoa and Joshua Rivera come back for the feature, they are amazing to work with, incredibly talented, and have a special chemistry on screen. If I can use this short film to showcase my talent as a director/screenwriter to potential investors for a feature, then the short has been a success in my eyes.
LatinoBuzz: What was the writing, funding and shooting process?
Daniel: The short script writing process went through many stages. Because it was based off a longer screenplay, my first short draft had too many characters. It was overwhelming for a short film. My co-producer immediately advised me to cut characters for the sake of a better film. At first I craved to keep all the characters because the story and them were loosely based off my childhood. However, as I wrote the second draft I saw how much I could further develop my protagonist Maya, by eliminating the excess characters. It became clear this couldn't be a story about my youth, but had to be Maya's story and focus on her struggles and strength.
Funding the film was a battle because I didn't have any savings to back up my short. It's hard enough just to make rent in NYC, much less have savings for a short film. Instead I turned to Kickstarter and made a pledge video with my two lead actors, Yainis Ynoa and Joshua Rivera. We shot it the same week both of them had premiered their feature film Babygirl at the 2012 Tribeca Film Festival. It was a blessing having them on board, I couldn't have raised the funds without them. They provided a spirit and legitimacy that drew a lot of support and in turn a successful fundraising campaign. We didn't ask for too much money, but that was because Kickstarter doesn't grant you the funds if you don't make your goal! After working on major film productions for some pretty important producers in the metro area, I learned each departments' role on a set, and how truly important they were. I always tried to cut too many corners in film school, but this time I made sure I had the right players involved to be able to liberate myself as a director.
Making a short film on six thousand dollars is no easy feat, and we shot about five pages a day, which in hindsight, I do not recommend. On this production, I cut off some of the fat my other shorts suffered from. This time I was able to focus more on performances and storytelling, which I think should always be the ultimate goal! In the end, making a film is a team effort, so the struggle is always getting people involved that really want to bring your vision to life. There are always rifts, but the trick is to contain them, so the show can keep going. We filmed on all kinds of formats, RedCam, handicam, 8mm, Canon 7d and T2i - which later became a post production nightmare, but worth the sleepless nights to create a unique picture.
LatinoBuzz: Name one “Hustle”/”Guerrilla” moment where you did what you had to do to get the shot/scene?
Daniel: A memorable moment was getting the only "dolly" shot in the film. I wanted to backtrack on Yainis as she storms out of her house and charges down the middle of the street. Since most of the film was handheld, we couldn't get the movement right even after trying the backtrack on foot with various lenses. So we took a volvo station wagon and opened the back hatch, placed our cinematographer in the hatch and rolled the car on neutral without the engine running. The shot came out beautifully and ended up in the final cut of the short!
- http://milkandhoneythemovie.com/
Solecito dir. by Oscar Ruiz Navia (Colombia)
LatinoBuzz: Where did the idea come from to do a short film?
Oscar: I was doing casting in different schools and institutions for another feature film project (Los Hongos, currently in post production) and I met the 2 teenagers of the film who told me the story of their loving breaking up. I realized that they both didn’t have any communication and I decided to propose them to make a fiction film about how they could meet again.
LatinoBuzz: What do you want your short film to do for you?
Oscar: I wanted to explore the representation of reality with non-professional actors playing themselves. This is something I´ve been always interested in.
LatinoBuzz: What was the writing, funding and shooting process?
Oscar: I did the film with a very low budget. I got a small grant and support from Danish artist Olafour Eliasson and the support of Tine Fisher form Cph:dox. Then after I got some support for 2 companies in Colombia, besides my own, Contravia Films. These 2 companies were Burning Blue and Post Bros. I also got support from my habitual French co-producer Arizona Productions. The film was a miracle, it was made with 3 people on the set with our script and with a very small camera. It was selected in Director´s Fortnight at Cannes Film Festival 2013.
- http://contraviafilms.com.co
Tinto dir. by Felix Solis (Chile/USA)
LatinoBuzz: Where did the idea come from to do a short film?
Felix: My co-writer Liza Fernandez who also plays Anita in the short was invited to visit her mother who owns vineyard land in Isla de Maipo, Chile. It had been quite some time since she had been there. I was drawn to the idea of what happens to us when we return to a place we have not been to in a long time. Also, having been born and raised in the concrete jungles of NYC, I was also inspired by the location. Lush rolling hills, farm land, cattle and vegetation soils. And the idea of placing a city urbanite in the unfamiliar landscape of countryside.
LatinoBuzz: What do you want your short film to do for you?
Felix: My initial drive to make a short was to follow the natural progression I was going through as an actor of film and television. You spend long enough hours on a set, and if you are even remotely aware of your surroundings and the inner workings of film and tv, you see what needs to happen, you have make your own film. Now that the process is somewhat complete for me, I am finding myself wanting to share my story in the hopes of becoming a part of a generation of NYC based filmmakers that will leave behind a library of cinematic stories. Whether financing comes from within or from afar. The story will always be grounded in my company's (Subway token films) identity "everydayers, derailments, and street level miracles".
LatinoBuzz: What was the writing, funding and shooting process?
Felix: Well, the writing was relatively simple once we nailed the story we wanted to tell. There were specific variables that we knew were going to be unavoidable so that helped plot points. For example we were going to be on a vineyard. We were going to be in a foreign country. We were not going to have many locations. And we we're going to be doing most, if not all the work ourselves. These things helped narrow a script down to its basic core. Less is more.
As far as funding goes, there's the old adage "if you want something done right, do it yourself" I funded the entire project out of pocket. I used money I had saved from my years of working as an actor. One of the perks of living well below my means. The shooting process was as exciting an endeavor as anything I have ever had the pleasure of doing. I was blessed enough to put together a bare bones team that took very little time to trust me and feel connected to me in a way that allowed for all the things I didn't know, all the answers I didn't have, all my ignorance, to become learning moments and creative "explosions" if you will, that kept us from imploding. I also reminded myself of my theatre background, where it's all about the story and not one Individual aspect. We worked as a team top to bottom, don't get me wrong, there storms and catastrophes but we weathered them as a unit. This was my shooting process.
LatinoBuzz: Name one “Hustle”/”Guerrilla” moment where you did what you had to do to get the shot/scene?
Felix: This is a great question! On the property in Isla de Maipo, Chile there is a mega tall free standing water tank tower, and when I saw it, I knew I wanted a shot from atop it. I hoped to maybe get a sunset or a sunrise. It just felt right to have it. I didn't know where in the short I would use it but I knew I wanted it. I asked my Director of Photography, Miguel Alvarez, about it, and I seem to recall him saying, "who's going up there, you or me?" I said to him "Well, as a director I should be willing to do first, anything that I would asks my actors or crew to do for me" and we left it at that. One day I was prepping inside the mainstay house and was told Miguel was climbing the water tank tower, when I went out, he was half way up and I could do nothing but watch as he scaled to the top and began shooting the sunset. Our production designer, Nazanin Shirazi, sat worried for her Dp. I was worried too, but have to admit, I did wonder what the footage would look like. We also did lots of driving with the camera pointing out of the window, throughout the surrounding areas, which always garners some nasty stares for the locals.
One final thing, I must confess, I never got the chance to climb to the top of the water tank tower. I owe him one. - http://www.subwaytokenfilms.com/
Alta Exposición dir. by Cecilia Robles (USA)
LatinoBuzz: Where did the idea come from to do a short film?
Cecilia: Well, I studied filmmaking in Mexico, then France, then here in the USA. But this particular short is a stepping-stone between the novel and the feature film that is screaming to be produced. It turns out that in my younger years I was a daring and venturesome flight-attendant who happened to participate in, let's say peculiar activities. Since I could not tell anyone about my questionable adventures, I started compiling them on a diary. That diary became an erotic novel, ‘Bienvenidos a Bordo’ (Welcome on board) and then I adapted the best chapters into a full length screenplay (Alta EXPOSICiÓN. I know what you’re thinking…. And you know what? In my case it would have been true (wink-wink) The short allows me to introduce three of my favorite characters ;)
LatinoBuzz: What do you want your short film to do for you?
Cecilia: Well, as I said, I would love to raise interest in the short to find funds for the long. The long is too expensive for me to produce alone. Also, I'd love to direct the long, so I needed to showcase what I was able to do as a director. The motto of this project is to encourage people to act towards the realization of their dreams; to remind them that no one should live in autopilot, which is basically what I did to produce it.
LatinoBuzz: What was the writing, funding and shooting process?
Cecilia: As I said, I wrote a book, a screenplay and a wait for it...Also a TV series! Yes! It could be a franchise: Bienvenidos A Bordo - the novel, Alta EXPOSICIÓN - the film, and Te La Volaste - the TV series. I would say the three are based on the semi-autobiographical intimate and artistic exploits of a young airline stewardess who takes a turbulent journey into the depths of self-discovery. So, long story Short: it comes from my novel ;). The funding: financed it myself, but I consider the crew my co-producers for the very low rates they gave me. It was really, really extra low budget. Everything was shot Guerilla Style, I had no insurance (Thank God no one got hurt). There were 9 speaking roles and we used their clothes and I hand made the flight-attendant uniforms... We needed 7 locations, a theater, an apartment, a hotel room, a trapeze school, a bar, an art gallery, and most importantly: an airplane mockup!!!
We shot everything "a escondiditas", stole the shots everywhere except for the airplane cabin, which btw, I could have never afford it, alas I can't tell you how I got it, because I made a pact. :)
As for post, I did the editing. For the music, I hit the lottery with this amazing composer that was worth every single last penny of my miserable budget. As for the animated logo, I ended up becoming a friend of the animator because he really delivered for a ridiculous amount of $. The crew was minimal and everybody was very cooperative! Without my precious crew, my line producer and all the people that I convinced through exacerbated enthusiasm, I would have never been able to make it for that kind of money.
LatinoBuzz: Name one “Hustle”/”Guerrilla” moment where you did what you had to do to get the shot/scene?
Cecilia: All of them. It was such an intense and fast learning experience for me, that I created 12 vlogs and uploaded them on my blog. Basically I give quick tips about all that I learned on each step of the way. I just sat in front of my Mac shared some guerrilla-nugget-experiences throwing in some footage, pictures and advices for when wearing several hats at once. You can watch them here: http://ceciliarobles.com
Written by Juan Caceres . LatinoBuzz is a weekly feature on SydneysBuzz that highlights Latino indie talent and upcoming trends in Latino film with the specific objective of presenting a broad range of Latino voices. Follow [At]LatinoBuzz on Twitter and Facebook .
You're Dead to Me dir. by Wu Tsang (USA)
LatinoBuzz : Where did the idea come from to do a short film?
Wu: Initially I approached Adelina Anthony about co-writing a script about a “trans” character who is dealing with the death of a parent. It turned out that Adelina was already working on a beautiful script with a related theme and that ended up being the film we made! I really love this story, because it enabled me to play with elements of the supernatural to explore a very human story: dealing with irreconcilable feelings of losing someone, when you had already broken off the relationship before they died. Adelina's title "You're Dead to Me" refers to that experience, which can be especially painful when it comes to disowning a family member, because it is another thing entirely to process their physical passing.
LatinoBuzz: What do you want your short film to do for you?
Wu: I hope that this film can convey emotional truth about relationships between parents and transgender children, which can unfortunately sometimes be difficult. As a transgender filmmaker I have a personal stake in telling this story. On the other hand, I like that this film also plays with transgender identity to work within a ghost story genre convention. The ambiguity of who the missing child is (are they are boy or girl?) helps maintain the suspense. I studied some films closely, especially The Sixth Sense and The Others, as examples of when ghost characters can be ambiguous until the end of the story.
LatinoBuzz: What was the writing, funding and shooting process?
Wu: This project was developed through Film Independent's Project: Involve Fellowship, so there was a competitive process for us to team up and get our script green-lit. But once we did, we were able to work quickly with support from Find and the PBS National Minority Consortium. We had to work within some strict guidelines, but I always believe that rules provide a structure to be creative with (and against) the boundaries.
LatinoBuzz: Name one "Hustle"/"Guerrilla" moment where you did what you had to do to get the shot/scene?
Wu: Thanks to our stellar producer Melissa Haizlip, and the brilliance of our cinematographer Michelle Lawler, I don't recall having to cut any corners; we were able to get all the shots we needed. But we did have a few challenges with the location; at the last minute, we realized we didn't have a really crucial 'door buzzer' - and we ended up taping a chocolate bar to the wall - a little trick of lighting and sound effects, and voila!
- https://twitter.com/deadtomeshort
Milk and Honey dir. by Daniel Pfeffer (USA)
LatinoBuzz: Where did the idea come from to do a short film?
Daniel: ‘Milk and Honey’ stems from a feature film script titled: Mama Left Me in the 607. I have been writing various drafts of the feature film script for years. At one point, while juggling freelance locations work on major motion pictures, I decided to take the bull by the horns and make a short film inspired by the feature. They are very different films but I thought it was important to make a short representation of what could be a much bigger picture. It was important for me to be able to showcase out of film school, such a personal story, and let an audience see the unique world of my main character, Maya. I loosely based Maya on a girl I fell in love with growing up in Ithaca, New York. Milk and Honey is my first short film produced independently out of film school. I was eager to direct again and keep honing in on my craft. I wanted to make a short without any strings attached.
Latinobuzz: What do you want your short film to do for you?
Daniel: The short film genre has become beyond competitive, so it's hard to tell what opportunities can develop from making a short film. A part of me just feels honored and lucky as hell to be able to make a short outside of film school. It has been a blessing to get a team together and work towards one vision. On the other hand, I felt I had to make a short film to gain credibility and be able to market myself as a writer, producer, director. I wanted to keep expanding my network and create a new portfolio piece to compliment my feature film about an orphaned Puerto Rican girl, Maya, and how she copes with her problems in an abusive foster home.
Maya's story is based on a personal story, so I know the feature script might not sit well with producers and investors without a truly solid vision in place. I am marketing this film with attention to its unique setting, upstate New York. I would love to have my lead actors, Yainis Ynoa and Joshua Rivera come back for the feature, they are amazing to work with, incredibly talented, and have a special chemistry on screen. If I can use this short film to showcase my talent as a director/screenwriter to potential investors for a feature, then the short has been a success in my eyes.
LatinoBuzz: What was the writing, funding and shooting process?
Daniel: The short script writing process went through many stages. Because it was based off a longer screenplay, my first short draft had too many characters. It was overwhelming for a short film. My co-producer immediately advised me to cut characters for the sake of a better film. At first I craved to keep all the characters because the story and them were loosely based off my childhood. However, as I wrote the second draft I saw how much I could further develop my protagonist Maya, by eliminating the excess characters. It became clear this couldn't be a story about my youth, but had to be Maya's story and focus on her struggles and strength.
Funding the film was a battle because I didn't have any savings to back up my short. It's hard enough just to make rent in NYC, much less have savings for a short film. Instead I turned to Kickstarter and made a pledge video with my two lead actors, Yainis Ynoa and Joshua Rivera. We shot it the same week both of them had premiered their feature film Babygirl at the 2012 Tribeca Film Festival. It was a blessing having them on board, I couldn't have raised the funds without them. They provided a spirit and legitimacy that drew a lot of support and in turn a successful fundraising campaign. We didn't ask for too much money, but that was because Kickstarter doesn't grant you the funds if you don't make your goal! After working on major film productions for some pretty important producers in the metro area, I learned each departments' role on a set, and how truly important they were. I always tried to cut too many corners in film school, but this time I made sure I had the right players involved to be able to liberate myself as a director.
Making a short film on six thousand dollars is no easy feat, and we shot about five pages a day, which in hindsight, I do not recommend. On this production, I cut off some of the fat my other shorts suffered from. This time I was able to focus more on performances and storytelling, which I think should always be the ultimate goal! In the end, making a film is a team effort, so the struggle is always getting people involved that really want to bring your vision to life. There are always rifts, but the trick is to contain them, so the show can keep going. We filmed on all kinds of formats, RedCam, handicam, 8mm, Canon 7d and T2i - which later became a post production nightmare, but worth the sleepless nights to create a unique picture.
LatinoBuzz: Name one “Hustle”/”Guerrilla” moment where you did what you had to do to get the shot/scene?
Daniel: A memorable moment was getting the only "dolly" shot in the film. I wanted to backtrack on Yainis as she storms out of her house and charges down the middle of the street. Since most of the film was handheld, we couldn't get the movement right even after trying the backtrack on foot with various lenses. So we took a volvo station wagon and opened the back hatch, placed our cinematographer in the hatch and rolled the car on neutral without the engine running. The shot came out beautifully and ended up in the final cut of the short!
- http://milkandhoneythemovie.com/
Solecito dir. by Oscar Ruiz Navia (Colombia)
LatinoBuzz: Where did the idea come from to do a short film?
Oscar: I was doing casting in different schools and institutions for another feature film project (Los Hongos, currently in post production) and I met the 2 teenagers of the film who told me the story of their loving breaking up. I realized that they both didn’t have any communication and I decided to propose them to make a fiction film about how they could meet again.
LatinoBuzz: What do you want your short film to do for you?
Oscar: I wanted to explore the representation of reality with non-professional actors playing themselves. This is something I´ve been always interested in.
LatinoBuzz: What was the writing, funding and shooting process?
Oscar: I did the film with a very low budget. I got a small grant and support from Danish artist Olafour Eliasson and the support of Tine Fisher form Cph:dox. Then after I got some support for 2 companies in Colombia, besides my own, Contravia Films. These 2 companies were Burning Blue and Post Bros. I also got support from my habitual French co-producer Arizona Productions. The film was a miracle, it was made with 3 people on the set with our script and with a very small camera. It was selected in Director´s Fortnight at Cannes Film Festival 2013.
- http://contraviafilms.com.co
Tinto dir. by Felix Solis (Chile/USA)
LatinoBuzz: Where did the idea come from to do a short film?
Felix: My co-writer Liza Fernandez who also plays Anita in the short was invited to visit her mother who owns vineyard land in Isla de Maipo, Chile. It had been quite some time since she had been there. I was drawn to the idea of what happens to us when we return to a place we have not been to in a long time. Also, having been born and raised in the concrete jungles of NYC, I was also inspired by the location. Lush rolling hills, farm land, cattle and vegetation soils. And the idea of placing a city urbanite in the unfamiliar landscape of countryside.
LatinoBuzz: What do you want your short film to do for you?
Felix: My initial drive to make a short was to follow the natural progression I was going through as an actor of film and television. You spend long enough hours on a set, and if you are even remotely aware of your surroundings and the inner workings of film and tv, you see what needs to happen, you have make your own film. Now that the process is somewhat complete for me, I am finding myself wanting to share my story in the hopes of becoming a part of a generation of NYC based filmmakers that will leave behind a library of cinematic stories. Whether financing comes from within or from afar. The story will always be grounded in my company's (Subway token films) identity "everydayers, derailments, and street level miracles".
LatinoBuzz: What was the writing, funding and shooting process?
Felix: Well, the writing was relatively simple once we nailed the story we wanted to tell. There were specific variables that we knew were going to be unavoidable so that helped plot points. For example we were going to be on a vineyard. We were going to be in a foreign country. We were not going to have many locations. And we we're going to be doing most, if not all the work ourselves. These things helped narrow a script down to its basic core. Less is more.
As far as funding goes, there's the old adage "if you want something done right, do it yourself" I funded the entire project out of pocket. I used money I had saved from my years of working as an actor. One of the perks of living well below my means. The shooting process was as exciting an endeavor as anything I have ever had the pleasure of doing. I was blessed enough to put together a bare bones team that took very little time to trust me and feel connected to me in a way that allowed for all the things I didn't know, all the answers I didn't have, all my ignorance, to become learning moments and creative "explosions" if you will, that kept us from imploding. I also reminded myself of my theatre background, where it's all about the story and not one Individual aspect. We worked as a team top to bottom, don't get me wrong, there storms and catastrophes but we weathered them as a unit. This was my shooting process.
LatinoBuzz: Name one “Hustle”/”Guerrilla” moment where you did what you had to do to get the shot/scene?
Felix: This is a great question! On the property in Isla de Maipo, Chile there is a mega tall free standing water tank tower, and when I saw it, I knew I wanted a shot from atop it. I hoped to maybe get a sunset or a sunrise. It just felt right to have it. I didn't know where in the short I would use it but I knew I wanted it. I asked my Director of Photography, Miguel Alvarez, about it, and I seem to recall him saying, "who's going up there, you or me?" I said to him "Well, as a director I should be willing to do first, anything that I would asks my actors or crew to do for me" and we left it at that. One day I was prepping inside the mainstay house and was told Miguel was climbing the water tank tower, when I went out, he was half way up and I could do nothing but watch as he scaled to the top and began shooting the sunset. Our production designer, Nazanin Shirazi, sat worried for her Dp. I was worried too, but have to admit, I did wonder what the footage would look like. We also did lots of driving with the camera pointing out of the window, throughout the surrounding areas, which always garners some nasty stares for the locals.
One final thing, I must confess, I never got the chance to climb to the top of the water tank tower. I owe him one. - http://www.subwaytokenfilms.com/
Alta Exposición dir. by Cecilia Robles (USA)
LatinoBuzz: Where did the idea come from to do a short film?
Cecilia: Well, I studied filmmaking in Mexico, then France, then here in the USA. But this particular short is a stepping-stone between the novel and the feature film that is screaming to be produced. It turns out that in my younger years I was a daring and venturesome flight-attendant who happened to participate in, let's say peculiar activities. Since I could not tell anyone about my questionable adventures, I started compiling them on a diary. That diary became an erotic novel, ‘Bienvenidos a Bordo’ (Welcome on board) and then I adapted the best chapters into a full length screenplay (Alta EXPOSICiÓN. I know what you’re thinking…. And you know what? In my case it would have been true (wink-wink) The short allows me to introduce three of my favorite characters ;)
LatinoBuzz: What do you want your short film to do for you?
Cecilia: Well, as I said, I would love to raise interest in the short to find funds for the long. The long is too expensive for me to produce alone. Also, I'd love to direct the long, so I needed to showcase what I was able to do as a director. The motto of this project is to encourage people to act towards the realization of their dreams; to remind them that no one should live in autopilot, which is basically what I did to produce it.
LatinoBuzz: What was the writing, funding and shooting process?
Cecilia: As I said, I wrote a book, a screenplay and a wait for it...Also a TV series! Yes! It could be a franchise: Bienvenidos A Bordo - the novel, Alta EXPOSICIÓN - the film, and Te La Volaste - the TV series. I would say the three are based on the semi-autobiographical intimate and artistic exploits of a young airline stewardess who takes a turbulent journey into the depths of self-discovery. So, long story Short: it comes from my novel ;). The funding: financed it myself, but I consider the crew my co-producers for the very low rates they gave me. It was really, really extra low budget. Everything was shot Guerilla Style, I had no insurance (Thank God no one got hurt). There were 9 speaking roles and we used their clothes and I hand made the flight-attendant uniforms... We needed 7 locations, a theater, an apartment, a hotel room, a trapeze school, a bar, an art gallery, and most importantly: an airplane mockup!!!
We shot everything "a escondiditas", stole the shots everywhere except for the airplane cabin, which btw, I could have never afford it, alas I can't tell you how I got it, because I made a pact. :)
As for post, I did the editing. For the music, I hit the lottery with this amazing composer that was worth every single last penny of my miserable budget. As for the animated logo, I ended up becoming a friend of the animator because he really delivered for a ridiculous amount of $. The crew was minimal and everybody was very cooperative! Without my precious crew, my line producer and all the people that I convinced through exacerbated enthusiasm, I would have never been able to make it for that kind of money.
LatinoBuzz: Name one “Hustle”/”Guerrilla” moment where you did what you had to do to get the shot/scene?
Cecilia: All of them. It was such an intense and fast learning experience for me, that I created 12 vlogs and uploaded them on my blog. Basically I give quick tips about all that I learned on each step of the way. I just sat in front of my Mac shared some guerrilla-nugget-experiences throwing in some footage, pictures and advices for when wearing several hats at once. You can watch them here: http://ceciliarobles.com
Written by Juan Caceres . LatinoBuzz is a weekly feature on SydneysBuzz that highlights Latino indie talent and upcoming trends in Latino film with the specific objective of presenting a broad range of Latino voices. Follow [At]LatinoBuzz on Twitter and Facebook .
- 4/4/2014
- by Juan Caceres
- Sydney's Buzz
With Jenny from the block and her Nuyorican Productions outfit taking over the reins at NUVOtv (formerly Si TV) with a keen interest in the production and the creative direction of the English language show aimed at Latinos. NUVOtv recognized the neglect in support that the beyond bonkers, burgeoning American Latino film scene was experiencing, especially given the voids left behind recently by a few Latino film festivals.
This was an urgent cause for them. So in response, NUVOtv launched “Nu Point of View", a show to discover and showcase emerging talento. Judged by wonder woman Frida Torresblanco (Pan’s Labyrinth), Filly Brown filmmaker Michael D. Olmos and the incomparable Gregory Nava (basically every dope Latino film from the last 30 years). To present the show, Nuvo’ naturally went for the much hyped about Gina Rodriguez, a chi-town chica who after a stint in New York’s Nyu took her talents to La and has seen her smile grow wider with every new opportunity. After becoming the darling of Sundance with Olmos’ Filly Brown, she quickly followed up with a few TV spots and the indie Sleeping with the Fishes, she recently landed the lead in CW’s Jane the Virgin. This presenting gig with the NUVOtv family couldn’t be a more suited role for her.
LatinoBuzz: How did you feel when NUVOtv approached you with this idea and what did you feel you could bring to the table for these filmmakers?
Gina: When I sat down with NUVOtv and they told me about their idea for a televised film festival I was thrilled. Their ability to expose Latino talent to the world is a gift to our community so I was all in. I was discovered because of a Latino indie film. I was exposed to my dreams because someone took a risk on me and participating in a project that does just that, is where my heart feels the most joy (outside of acting :)). I believe I can be a contribution by being a living example of what we want to promote – responsible artists who have the desire to contribute positively to the image of Latinos in Hollywood.
LatinoBuzz: What do you hope Latino filmmakers get out of this show?
Gina: I hope that the show encourages quality art and the drive to create our own stories. And I'm not referring to "Latino" stories I'm referring to "our" stories, our human stories told from a new perspective. This festival inspires the American Latino, who has a dual identity, the chance to express that in an outlet that can reach millions. Once Latinos understand the power and resource of this outlet we will strive to put out our best work to take positive advantage of this amazing opportunity.
LatinoBuzz: Meeting all these superdope indie Latinos, does it ever make you lean towards being behind the camera at all?
Gina: My ambition is to motivate, inspire, encourage and embody my dreams and the dreams of others. I want to do that in all realms of the entertainment industry, whether that be productions of my own with my company ‘I Can and I Will Productions’, or discovering new talents that I can share my resources with. I will fight to continue to bring equality in opportunities to all races that are in need, including my fellow superdope Latino artists!
LatinoBuzz: Was there any particular story about a filmmaker’s hustle you loved most?
Gina: I have been drawn to all the stories of these incredibly talented filmmakers. I can say I was particularly drawn to Steven Krimmel, creator of the short film ‘Disconnection’. He’s half Latino and still struggles to connect to two cultures and be accepted in both, yet his art is from the voice of a human and that is how he connects. Oddly enough in his film ‘Disconnection’, all I could do was relate and I thought that was pretty badass.
For more info on screening times and submission requirements or how you can be the next Latino filmmaker showcased on “Nu Point Of View” visit: Here
And love Gina at https://www.facebook.com/HereIsGina
Written by Juan Caceres . LatinoBuzz is a weekly feature on SydneysBuzz that highlights Latino indie talent and upcoming trends in Latino film with the specific objective of presenting a broad range of Latino voices. Follow [At]LatinoBuzz on Twitter and Facebook .
This was an urgent cause for them. So in response, NUVOtv launched “Nu Point of View", a show to discover and showcase emerging talento. Judged by wonder woman Frida Torresblanco (Pan’s Labyrinth), Filly Brown filmmaker Michael D. Olmos and the incomparable Gregory Nava (basically every dope Latino film from the last 30 years). To present the show, Nuvo’ naturally went for the much hyped about Gina Rodriguez, a chi-town chica who after a stint in New York’s Nyu took her talents to La and has seen her smile grow wider with every new opportunity. After becoming the darling of Sundance with Olmos’ Filly Brown, she quickly followed up with a few TV spots and the indie Sleeping with the Fishes, she recently landed the lead in CW’s Jane the Virgin. This presenting gig with the NUVOtv family couldn’t be a more suited role for her.
LatinoBuzz: How did you feel when NUVOtv approached you with this idea and what did you feel you could bring to the table for these filmmakers?
Gina: When I sat down with NUVOtv and they told me about their idea for a televised film festival I was thrilled. Their ability to expose Latino talent to the world is a gift to our community so I was all in. I was discovered because of a Latino indie film. I was exposed to my dreams because someone took a risk on me and participating in a project that does just that, is where my heart feels the most joy (outside of acting :)). I believe I can be a contribution by being a living example of what we want to promote – responsible artists who have the desire to contribute positively to the image of Latinos in Hollywood.
LatinoBuzz: What do you hope Latino filmmakers get out of this show?
Gina: I hope that the show encourages quality art and the drive to create our own stories. And I'm not referring to "Latino" stories I'm referring to "our" stories, our human stories told from a new perspective. This festival inspires the American Latino, who has a dual identity, the chance to express that in an outlet that can reach millions. Once Latinos understand the power and resource of this outlet we will strive to put out our best work to take positive advantage of this amazing opportunity.
LatinoBuzz: Meeting all these superdope indie Latinos, does it ever make you lean towards being behind the camera at all?
Gina: My ambition is to motivate, inspire, encourage and embody my dreams and the dreams of others. I want to do that in all realms of the entertainment industry, whether that be productions of my own with my company ‘I Can and I Will Productions’, or discovering new talents that I can share my resources with. I will fight to continue to bring equality in opportunities to all races that are in need, including my fellow superdope Latino artists!
LatinoBuzz: Was there any particular story about a filmmaker’s hustle you loved most?
Gina: I have been drawn to all the stories of these incredibly talented filmmakers. I can say I was particularly drawn to Steven Krimmel, creator of the short film ‘Disconnection’. He’s half Latino and still struggles to connect to two cultures and be accepted in both, yet his art is from the voice of a human and that is how he connects. Oddly enough in his film ‘Disconnection’, all I could do was relate and I thought that was pretty badass.
For more info on screening times and submission requirements or how you can be the next Latino filmmaker showcased on “Nu Point Of View” visit: Here
And love Gina at https://www.facebook.com/HereIsGina
Written by Juan Caceres . LatinoBuzz is a weekly feature on SydneysBuzz that highlights Latino indie talent and upcoming trends in Latino film with the specific objective of presenting a broad range of Latino voices. Follow [At]LatinoBuzz on Twitter and Facebook .
- 3/26/2014
- by Juan Caceres
- Sydney's Buzz
We asked a few LatinoBuzz amigos to get their Robinson Crusoe on and pick a film, an album, a book and a companion from the movies to join them in their shenanigans were they to be stuck on a deserted island (and before anyone nitpicks, filmmakers are resourceful, so of course they built solar powered entertainment centers made from bamboos, coconuts and grass to watch movies and listen to baby making slow jams). We figured we'd start with the narrative filmmakers since they probably sit around thinking about this kinda stuff anyway.
Film: Choosing desert island items may mean sacrificing taste and/or reason, thinking about those items that you wouldn’t forgive yourself for not bringing them as your company, it´s like choosing the woman of your life. Here it goes: Hiroshima Mon Amour; there might be others I fancy as much as or more than (La Dolce Vita, Vertigo, M , some Lubitsch or Preminger), but I can think of no other as unique. I wouldn’t be able to choose any other without feeling Hiroshima’s absence - the best love film, the best movie about war, the best motion picture regarding the memory and its consequences. I can spend my whole life learning about film and the world because of Hiroshima...'.
Album: “Los Preludios de Debussy” by Claudio Arrau. These were so important to my life (I'm referring to my childhood of course) and I think no one does it better than Arrau. Same thing: it is endless. I think I could never tire of this and I could still wake up each and every morning amazed by it.
Book: “Sentimental Education”, by Flaubert. Similar to “Hiroshima”, a book that changed my outlook on literature and the world and I am certain it will keep transforming it forever.
Companion: Susie Diamond (Michelle Pfeiffer in 'The fabulous Baker Boys'). Since I saw the film (which I liked very much!) in the provincial movie theater of my childhood, I felt as Jack Baker´s relative and I loved Susie. If we had a piano, it would all be all be perfect. - Santiago Palavecino (Algunas chicas/Some Girls)
Film: This is a tricky question. I've always said that on a deserted island you should bring some porn. You could use that more than regular movies. But since I've got to pick a film I guess it'd be Jaws. Why? Because it's one of my favorites (I could also go with The Good, the Bad and the Ugly). But being on a deserted island, Jaws will remind me all the time what'll happen to me for sure if I try to get away!
Album: “ Appetite for Destruction” (Guns N' Roses). Hey, I was 13 when this came out. I listen to it every day while I work, anyways. My favorite, by far.
A Book: I'm going to cheat on this one: 'The Complete Works' by Jorge Luis Borges. The best writer, and enough labyrinths to get lost on endless nights.
Companion: Sherlock Holmes. He's always been my favorite, and also, since my guess is he'll be pretty useless in a deserted island, every time we fail to get out because of him I can get to tell him "Is that the best you can do, Sherlock? - Alejandro Brugués (Juan of the Dead)
Film: Los Olvidados- this is punk rock and Pachuco. Mexico City style before the bombed out bunkers of Sid & Nancy. Bunuel is a hero and I wanna buy Jaibo a beer and milk for the old poetic man!
Album: The Blade Runner album. I can play it over and over, get cranked up or mellow with Blade Runner Blues and the constant rain.
Book: '20 years of Joda' - poems of Jose Montoya, my pop. Epic stuff! 'Ran with Miguel Pinero in the Lower Eastside!”
Companion: Michael Corleone cause he's Mack in my book! Jaibo gets an honorable mention. - Richard Montoya (Water & Power )
Film: I´d choose Misery because a year can go by and I can watch it again eagerly. It's simple and the director (Rob Reiner) and Stephen King are both masters of suspense.
Album: I know this may be considered cheating but it would have to be 'The Best of David Bowie'. That way I have 2 CD's with nearly 40 songs!
Companion: There's many great people who I would to live with but on a deserted Island? It would have to be Mary Poppins for obvious reasons.
Book: And finally the book would be 'Blood Meridian' by Cormac McCarthy because it's one I haven't read yet. Analeine Cal y Mayor - (The Boy Who Smells Like Fish)
Film: I would say White Chicks. I’m going to need some humor! White Chicks is the movie that I put on when I need a good laugh. It does it for me every time. I grew up with characters like that; and admittedly, I can regress back to a few of them myself when no one is looking.
Album: ' Songs From the Capeman' - Paul Simon. I can’t get enough of that album. It instantly takes me to that world and electrifies that side of me that’s determined to make a change for Latinos. I want to keep that feeling with me alive eternally…wherever I’m at.”
Book: There are many but 'Anatomy of the Spirit' by Caroline Myss has been my compass. It taught me how to take control of my destiny by listening to my intuition and body. I stand by her quote: “Your biography becomes your biology.
Companion: The first person that came to mind when I read the question was silly Clarence from “It’s a Wonderful Life”. I guess I’m going to need an angel with me, and he’s perfect. He has a pure childlike spirit that would help me find gratitude in the most unlikely moments… even on a deserted island! That right there is the meaning of life. - Carmen Marron (Endgame)
Film: There are so many brilliant, groundbreaking favorite films that have influenced me (The 400 Blows; Jules and Jim ; Law of Desire; et al) but I wouldn't bring any of them. If I'm stuck on a deserted island, I'm bringing Neil Simon's Murder by Death so I can laugh my ass off. Not a great film at all, it's true, but it's a classic comedy.
Album: Oh, this is easy: Madonna's "Ray of Light." I am no Madonna fanatic, but "deserted island, " means beach + summer weather + Fire Island-like atmosphere. So somewhere nearby there's got to be gay guys partying and I will use Madonna to lure them to me so I can be rescued.
One Book: Varga Llosa's "Feast of the Goat" ("La Fiesta del Chivo") -- it's action-packed historical fiction. It will keep me occupied. One of my favorite novels.
Companion: Huckleberry Finn. He will be a great companion: not only will he tell great stories, but undoubtedly, the ever-resourceful Huck Finn will figure out how to build a raft and get us out off that island! - Terracino (Elliot Loves )
Film: Whenever anyone asks me this I always think of what use these items would serve practically on a deserted island, so I answered this in that respect. Tokyo Story - Yasujiro Ozu. This would be a great film to take on a deserted island because it's really about the unavoidable suffering of the cycle of life, which I'm sure you'd relate to if you were stuck on an island. I really could watch this film a million times over and notice something new every time. Watching most Ozu films is not unlike participating in a Zen meditation practice. It's patience and slowness and trying to empty your mind of thought until your left with the basics of existence. Kind of like sitting on a deserted island alone. I can watch the scene where Kyoto says “Life is disappointing, isn't it?” and Noriko smiles and says “Yes it is.” I can watch that endlessly and cry every time. It's so true.
Album: ' Tusk' - Fleetwood Mac. I could also deal with 'Rumours' but I picked 'Tusk' because it's longer and denser; probably better for an island. 'Sara' is maybe my favorite song in the world and so it would be nice to have that with me. I think channeling the powerful witchy energy of Stevie Nicks would be a real asset on an island. This album has so much strange material on - you wouldn't get bored too easily with it. It's also got a range of emotions so if you get too depressed on the island you can just put on 'Never Forget' and feel better. And 'Sisters of the Moon' would be good around a fire at night. Even though you're stuck on an island, it's good to create an ambiance to remind you that life is worth living.
Book: ' In Search of Lost Time' - Marcel Proust. I've only read 'Swann's Way' which is first part of this. My analyst recommend it to me when I was totally heartbroken after someone broke up with me. It really did the trick. This would be a good long epic read that has enough complex ideas in it to keep you occupied for a life time. Probably a good book (or set of books) to get back to nature with.
Companion: I'll say Terry Malloy from “On the Waterfront”. He'd be strong and good to have around to cut down trees and hunt and stuff. He's also easy on the eyes and someone that could do with a little lonely contemplation away from the loading docks. That doesn't sound half bad...stuck on like a tropical island with a young, cute Marlon Brando, watching Ozu, reading Proust and listening to Fleetwood Mac all day. Sign me up! - Joshua Sanchez (Four)
Film: My film would have to be Luis Buñuel's Los Olvidados. I have been a movie watcher since I was a child. Raised on mainstream American films and Wuxia flicks, it wasn't until I was a late teen that I took my first film class and was introduced to the work of Buñuel. Los Olvidados literally changed my perception of the world, both socially and visually. It was also the gateway for me to progress from movie watcher to film student.
Album: Music is my religion and I belong to the church of Robert Nesta Marley. I would prefer the whole anthology, but if I had to choose one album it would be “Exodus”. When on an island listen to island music.
Book: Right around the time I discovered the work of Buñuel, I was gifted Jose Montoya's 'In Formation: 20 years of Joda'. The book is a treasure of epic poems, sketches, and corridos. All testaments to the beauty and strength of Chicana/o culture. 20 years later I pay homage to both of these Maestros in my debut feature film, “Cry Now”. The film's protagonist is nicknamed 'Ojitos' during the course of the narrative, a reference to one of the characters in Los Olvidados. The late great Lupe Ontiveros playing the role of a sage loosely recites Montoya's mantra 'La Locura Cura' (In madness you find truth) while she councils our protagonist.
Companion: To bring it all full circle my fictitious character would have to be a Wuxia hero. As a child I was awe inspired by these bigger than life martial artists. As an adult, Ang Lee's “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” did the same. I know all would be as it should if Yu Shu Lien was on that island with me. - Alberto Barboza (Cry Now )
Film: Nothing But a Man (1964) It's a film that does an incredible job balancing a character-driven story within a politically charged context. It's a film I'm finding myself inspired by as I continue to write Los Valientes.
Album: I'm not a fan of albums, but if I had to choose one I guess I would have to go with any of Prince's albums. His music always puts me in a trance.
Book: My dream journal so I can look back look for signs of what is to become of my future.
Companion: Who better than TV's MacGyver. I'd put his ass to work on getting me off the island! -Aurora Guerrero (Mosquita y Mari)
Film: Hell in the Pacific so that I can be reminded that even in paradise there is a duality.
Album: “La Scala: Concert” by Ludovico Einaudi – I've listened to it a thousand times and each time I feel or discover something new.
Book: “ Voces Reunidas” by Antonio Porchia. Each time I read one of his poems I learn something new and I'm deeply moved.
Companion: Barbarella, so I could never be lonely and I could enjoy this planet-island – Diego Quemada-Díez (La jaula de oro/The Golden Dream)
Written by Juan Caceres . LatinoBuzz is a weekly feature on SydneysBuzz that highlights Latino indie talent and upcoming trends in Latino film with the specific objective of presenting a broad range of Latino voices. Follow [At]LatinoBuzz on Twitter and Facebook...
Film: Choosing desert island items may mean sacrificing taste and/or reason, thinking about those items that you wouldn’t forgive yourself for not bringing them as your company, it´s like choosing the woman of your life. Here it goes: Hiroshima Mon Amour; there might be others I fancy as much as or more than (La Dolce Vita, Vertigo, M , some Lubitsch or Preminger), but I can think of no other as unique. I wouldn’t be able to choose any other without feeling Hiroshima’s absence - the best love film, the best movie about war, the best motion picture regarding the memory and its consequences. I can spend my whole life learning about film and the world because of Hiroshima...'.
Album: “Los Preludios de Debussy” by Claudio Arrau. These were so important to my life (I'm referring to my childhood of course) and I think no one does it better than Arrau. Same thing: it is endless. I think I could never tire of this and I could still wake up each and every morning amazed by it.
Book: “Sentimental Education”, by Flaubert. Similar to “Hiroshima”, a book that changed my outlook on literature and the world and I am certain it will keep transforming it forever.
Companion: Susie Diamond (Michelle Pfeiffer in 'The fabulous Baker Boys'). Since I saw the film (which I liked very much!) in the provincial movie theater of my childhood, I felt as Jack Baker´s relative and I loved Susie. If we had a piano, it would all be all be perfect. - Santiago Palavecino (Algunas chicas/Some Girls)
Film: This is a tricky question. I've always said that on a deserted island you should bring some porn. You could use that more than regular movies. But since I've got to pick a film I guess it'd be Jaws. Why? Because it's one of my favorites (I could also go with The Good, the Bad and the Ugly). But being on a deserted island, Jaws will remind me all the time what'll happen to me for sure if I try to get away!
Album: “ Appetite for Destruction” (Guns N' Roses). Hey, I was 13 when this came out. I listen to it every day while I work, anyways. My favorite, by far.
A Book: I'm going to cheat on this one: 'The Complete Works' by Jorge Luis Borges. The best writer, and enough labyrinths to get lost on endless nights.
Companion: Sherlock Holmes. He's always been my favorite, and also, since my guess is he'll be pretty useless in a deserted island, every time we fail to get out because of him I can get to tell him "Is that the best you can do, Sherlock? - Alejandro Brugués (Juan of the Dead)
Film: Los Olvidados- this is punk rock and Pachuco. Mexico City style before the bombed out bunkers of Sid & Nancy. Bunuel is a hero and I wanna buy Jaibo a beer and milk for the old poetic man!
Album: The Blade Runner album. I can play it over and over, get cranked up or mellow with Blade Runner Blues and the constant rain.
Book: '20 years of Joda' - poems of Jose Montoya, my pop. Epic stuff! 'Ran with Miguel Pinero in the Lower Eastside!”
Companion: Michael Corleone cause he's Mack in my book! Jaibo gets an honorable mention. - Richard Montoya (Water & Power )
Film: I´d choose Misery because a year can go by and I can watch it again eagerly. It's simple and the director (Rob Reiner) and Stephen King are both masters of suspense.
Album: I know this may be considered cheating but it would have to be 'The Best of David Bowie'. That way I have 2 CD's with nearly 40 songs!
Companion: There's many great people who I would to live with but on a deserted Island? It would have to be Mary Poppins for obvious reasons.
Book: And finally the book would be 'Blood Meridian' by Cormac McCarthy because it's one I haven't read yet. Analeine Cal y Mayor - (The Boy Who Smells Like Fish)
Film: I would say White Chicks. I’m going to need some humor! White Chicks is the movie that I put on when I need a good laugh. It does it for me every time. I grew up with characters like that; and admittedly, I can regress back to a few of them myself when no one is looking.
Album: ' Songs From the Capeman' - Paul Simon. I can’t get enough of that album. It instantly takes me to that world and electrifies that side of me that’s determined to make a change for Latinos. I want to keep that feeling with me alive eternally…wherever I’m at.”
Book: There are many but 'Anatomy of the Spirit' by Caroline Myss has been my compass. It taught me how to take control of my destiny by listening to my intuition and body. I stand by her quote: “Your biography becomes your biology.
Companion: The first person that came to mind when I read the question was silly Clarence from “It’s a Wonderful Life”. I guess I’m going to need an angel with me, and he’s perfect. He has a pure childlike spirit that would help me find gratitude in the most unlikely moments… even on a deserted island! That right there is the meaning of life. - Carmen Marron (Endgame)
Film: There are so many brilliant, groundbreaking favorite films that have influenced me (The 400 Blows; Jules and Jim ; Law of Desire; et al) but I wouldn't bring any of them. If I'm stuck on a deserted island, I'm bringing Neil Simon's Murder by Death so I can laugh my ass off. Not a great film at all, it's true, but it's a classic comedy.
Album: Oh, this is easy: Madonna's "Ray of Light." I am no Madonna fanatic, but "deserted island, " means beach + summer weather + Fire Island-like atmosphere. So somewhere nearby there's got to be gay guys partying and I will use Madonna to lure them to me so I can be rescued.
One Book: Varga Llosa's "Feast of the Goat" ("La Fiesta del Chivo") -- it's action-packed historical fiction. It will keep me occupied. One of my favorite novels.
Companion: Huckleberry Finn. He will be a great companion: not only will he tell great stories, but undoubtedly, the ever-resourceful Huck Finn will figure out how to build a raft and get us out off that island! - Terracino (Elliot Loves )
Film: Whenever anyone asks me this I always think of what use these items would serve practically on a deserted island, so I answered this in that respect. Tokyo Story - Yasujiro Ozu. This would be a great film to take on a deserted island because it's really about the unavoidable suffering of the cycle of life, which I'm sure you'd relate to if you were stuck on an island. I really could watch this film a million times over and notice something new every time. Watching most Ozu films is not unlike participating in a Zen meditation practice. It's patience and slowness and trying to empty your mind of thought until your left with the basics of existence. Kind of like sitting on a deserted island alone. I can watch the scene where Kyoto says “Life is disappointing, isn't it?” and Noriko smiles and says “Yes it is.” I can watch that endlessly and cry every time. It's so true.
Album: ' Tusk' - Fleetwood Mac. I could also deal with 'Rumours' but I picked 'Tusk' because it's longer and denser; probably better for an island. 'Sara' is maybe my favorite song in the world and so it would be nice to have that with me. I think channeling the powerful witchy energy of Stevie Nicks would be a real asset on an island. This album has so much strange material on - you wouldn't get bored too easily with it. It's also got a range of emotions so if you get too depressed on the island you can just put on 'Never Forget' and feel better. And 'Sisters of the Moon' would be good around a fire at night. Even though you're stuck on an island, it's good to create an ambiance to remind you that life is worth living.
Book: ' In Search of Lost Time' - Marcel Proust. I've only read 'Swann's Way' which is first part of this. My analyst recommend it to me when I was totally heartbroken after someone broke up with me. It really did the trick. This would be a good long epic read that has enough complex ideas in it to keep you occupied for a life time. Probably a good book (or set of books) to get back to nature with.
Companion: I'll say Terry Malloy from “On the Waterfront”. He'd be strong and good to have around to cut down trees and hunt and stuff. He's also easy on the eyes and someone that could do with a little lonely contemplation away from the loading docks. That doesn't sound half bad...stuck on like a tropical island with a young, cute Marlon Brando, watching Ozu, reading Proust and listening to Fleetwood Mac all day. Sign me up! - Joshua Sanchez (Four)
Film: My film would have to be Luis Buñuel's Los Olvidados. I have been a movie watcher since I was a child. Raised on mainstream American films and Wuxia flicks, it wasn't until I was a late teen that I took my first film class and was introduced to the work of Buñuel. Los Olvidados literally changed my perception of the world, both socially and visually. It was also the gateway for me to progress from movie watcher to film student.
Album: Music is my religion and I belong to the church of Robert Nesta Marley. I would prefer the whole anthology, but if I had to choose one album it would be “Exodus”. When on an island listen to island music.
Book: Right around the time I discovered the work of Buñuel, I was gifted Jose Montoya's 'In Formation: 20 years of Joda'. The book is a treasure of epic poems, sketches, and corridos. All testaments to the beauty and strength of Chicana/o culture. 20 years later I pay homage to both of these Maestros in my debut feature film, “Cry Now”. The film's protagonist is nicknamed 'Ojitos' during the course of the narrative, a reference to one of the characters in Los Olvidados. The late great Lupe Ontiveros playing the role of a sage loosely recites Montoya's mantra 'La Locura Cura' (In madness you find truth) while she councils our protagonist.
Companion: To bring it all full circle my fictitious character would have to be a Wuxia hero. As a child I was awe inspired by these bigger than life martial artists. As an adult, Ang Lee's “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” did the same. I know all would be as it should if Yu Shu Lien was on that island with me. - Alberto Barboza (Cry Now )
Film: Nothing But a Man (1964) It's a film that does an incredible job balancing a character-driven story within a politically charged context. It's a film I'm finding myself inspired by as I continue to write Los Valientes.
Album: I'm not a fan of albums, but if I had to choose one I guess I would have to go with any of Prince's albums. His music always puts me in a trance.
Book: My dream journal so I can look back look for signs of what is to become of my future.
Companion: Who better than TV's MacGyver. I'd put his ass to work on getting me off the island! -Aurora Guerrero (Mosquita y Mari)
Film: Hell in the Pacific so that I can be reminded that even in paradise there is a duality.
Album: “La Scala: Concert” by Ludovico Einaudi – I've listened to it a thousand times and each time I feel or discover something new.
Book: “ Voces Reunidas” by Antonio Porchia. Each time I read one of his poems I learn something new and I'm deeply moved.
Companion: Barbarella, so I could never be lonely and I could enjoy this planet-island – Diego Quemada-Díez (La jaula de oro/The Golden Dream)
Written by Juan Caceres . LatinoBuzz is a weekly feature on SydneysBuzz that highlights Latino indie talent and upcoming trends in Latino film with the specific objective of presenting a broad range of Latino voices. Follow [At]LatinoBuzz on Twitter and Facebook...
- 3/5/2014
- by Juan Caceres
- Sydney's Buzz
East Los High returns this summer hotter than ever with a capital 'Ever' as romance, sex, dancing and mystery once again fill the halls with a new cast of students at East Los High! Ceci (Danielle Vega) returns to coach the Bomb Squad, struggling to take the unruly dance team to state championships. Working as a single mom, Ceci faces new challenges with a hot new boyfriend who turns out to be more than meets the eye. Things get heated as mysterious turns of events make it another breathtaking year. “East Los High” was created by Carlos Portugal and Kathleen Bedoya and is produced by Prajna Productions, The Alchemists, Into Action Films, and Population Media Center. Featuring an all Latino cast introducing Vannessa Vasquez, Andrea Sixtos, Ray Diaz, Alexandra Rodriguez, Ashley Campuzano, Rick Mancia, Jeremy Chavarria & Vivian Lamoli. Along with Danielle Vega, East Los High season 2 also sees the return of fan faves Team Jacob & Maya: Gabriel Chavarria, Alicia Sixtos and resident bad girl Tracy Perez as Vanessa. The new 12 episode season will tackle issues such as domestic abuse, coming out as gay in high school and bullying, promising to bring the high school drama to a whole new level.
Alexandra Rodriguez
Alicia Sixtos
Andrea Sixtos
Ashley Campuzano
Danielle Vega
Gabriel Chavarria
Jeremy Chavarria
Jessica Meza
Ray Diaz
Rene Alvorado
Rick Mancia
Tracy Perez
Vannessa Vasquez
Vivian Lamolli
If you missed season 1 catch up to speed at: http://www.hulu.com/east-los-high & give them some love at https://www.facebook.com/EastLosHigh
Written by Juan Caceres . LatinoBuzz is a weekly feature on SydneysBuzz that highlights Latino indie talent and upcoming trends in Latino film with the specific objective of presenting a broad range of Latino voices. Follow [At]LatinoBuzz on Twitter and Facebook .
Alexandra Rodriguez
Alicia Sixtos
Andrea Sixtos
Ashley Campuzano
Danielle Vega
Gabriel Chavarria
Jeremy Chavarria
Jessica Meza
Ray Diaz
Rene Alvorado
Rick Mancia
Tracy Perez
Vannessa Vasquez
Vivian Lamolli
If you missed season 1 catch up to speed at: http://www.hulu.com/east-los-high & give them some love at https://www.facebook.com/EastLosHigh
Written by Juan Caceres . LatinoBuzz is a weekly feature on SydneysBuzz that highlights Latino indie talent and upcoming trends in Latino film with the specific objective of presenting a broad range of Latino voices. Follow [At]LatinoBuzz on Twitter and Facebook .
- 2/21/2014
- by Juan Caceres
- Sydney's Buzz
'Las Marthas' follows two young women as they prepare to 'debut' at a Colonial Ball hosted by the elite Society of Martha Washington. The Ball is held each year in a month long celebration of George Washington's birthday. And these Mexican-Americans do not mess around when it comes to celebrating ol' Georgie's birthday. They go in. Elaborate one-of--a-kind gowns and all. Yes, Mexican-Americans celebrating the birth of a man who pretty much stretched the border a little further south to claim territories that once belonged to Mexico. This is not 'Bizarro World'. It's Laredo, Texas. What makes 'Las Marthas' unique is Chicana filmmaker Cristina Ibarra's skillful and mindful exploration of the complexities to find a fascinating coming of age story culturally steeped in history.
LatinoBuzz: If one is to judge by what's been show on film and television, it seems the border stories all have a recurring theme and there was little originality left. How did you stay away from the “other” Laredo, Texas border stories as much as possible?
Cristina Ibarra: Growing up along the Us/Mx border in El Paso, Texas I felt somewhat alienated by what I saw on television in both Mexico and the United States. Especially when it was news reports about the border region. But I didn’t really have the tools to express this discontent until I left home. Now that I am a filmmaker, I enjoy telling stories that break down some of the more common stereotypes. My producing partner, Erin Ploss-Campoamor, likes to quote novelist Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, who has this great Ted talk about the danger of perpetuating a “single story” about a culture. We feel like our film breaks down that “single story” about the border, and Latinos in particular. Which is not to say that we are dismissing the importance of films about immigration, the drug war or violence. We are simply adding a new voice to the mix. Deepening our perceptions about not just the border region and Latinos, but also reminding ourselves that as Americans, we live with multiple identities within us. My goal is to make films that embrace the nuances and contradictions of these many different stories.
LatinoBuzz: You've explored Documentaries and Narratives now, what's the biggest difference in your approach or even what are the similarities?
Cristina Ibarra: I feel like I use many of the same building blocks when it comes to story. For example, in both documentary and fiction films, we need to set up the world, connect with the protagonists, and understand their conflict. That is useful in both kinds of films, even if the production approach varies. Of course, the most striking difference is that in fiction, you have more control of the story before you go into production. You can build all of the necessary creative relationships before going into “battle,” so to speak. My documentary productions have evolved much more slowly, as I have gradually built relationships with my subjects. This kind of production is much more intimate. The relationship is a collaboration, as it develops, the story deepens. So the production process can be quite long. Documentaries work when you are able to capture and connect with a real person who is letting you into their world. But I feel like those skills translate well into narrative fiction films as well, where I often try to achieve a similar level of authenticity.
LatinoBuzz: What type of Stories do you want to keep creating?
Cristina Ibarra: Complex, nuanced stories…hybrids. I love exploring the borderland contradictions of my childhood. I enjoy working in both fiction and documentary. I want to continue to do both. But I’m also eager to experiment some day with combining the two and building a hybrid film. My childhood playgrounds were my father’s junkyards, or yonkes, one in Juarez, Mexico, the other in El Paso, Texas. I want to use his yonke as a metaphorical inspiration to mix and match used parts from my documentary and fiction work and recycle these elements into a new kind of storytelling approach. Erin and I have been talking about how we might do that in our next film 'Love & Monster Trucks'.
LatinoBuzz: How did you settle on these protagonists? Did you become close or keep a distance to allow them to be themselves?
Cristina Ibarra: As soon as I saw the colonial ball gowns that Linda Leyendecker Gutierrez designs, I was captivated. Then I was lucky, because I was able to meet many of the debutantes in Linda’s studio, when they came to get their gowns fitted. It was an incredible opportunity, because I was able to talk to these girls as they were undergoing this amazing transformation into young women. They were being taught how to present a very polished exterior. They were getting lessons in etiquette, how they speak to their elders, how to talk to the media. And here they are, meeting this strange filmmaker who is asking them to open up, and basically do the exact opposite of what they have just been taught. It was not easy. So I ended up following the two girls who opened up to me the most: Laura Garza Hovel, a legacy daughter, and Rosario Reyes, a guest representing Nuevo Laredo. And they naturally became the protagonists of the film. We just got lucky that they happened to come from two different positions in Society, because it helped create a richer and more complex coming-of-age portrait.
LatinoBuzz: Do you think perhaps, that maybe another filmmaker with a different sensibility or a different ideology might look on this Colonial Pageant and Ball in a much more negative light and shape the film in such a manner of how it may look to an outsider who is merely taking it at face value.
Cristina Ibarra: There have already been those kinds of news stories about the celebration, in which journalists portrayed the debutantes as frivolous, and questioned why their event was so expensive, considering all of the social and economic ills along the border. So the Society was very nervous about opening themselves up to criticism again. But I saw many other dimensions to the story that might not be so obvious to someone who just quickly parachutes in to cover the controversy and then leaves. My intention was always to examine this coming-of-age story in a much more intimate, complex and nuanced way. I absolutely agree that another filmmaker would bring another sensibility to the story. But it was important for me to stay true to my original intentions, even if it meant making a different kind of film than people expected.
LatinoBuzz: What type of Stories do you want to keep creating?
Cristina Ibarra: Complex, nuanced stories…hybrids. I love exploring the borderland contradictions of my childhood. I enjoy working in both fiction and documentary. I want to continue to do both. But I’m also eager to experiment some day with combining the two and building a hybrid film. My childhood playgrounds were my father’s junkyards, or 'yonkes', one in Juarez, Mexico, the other in El Paso, Texas. I want to use his yonke as a metaphorical inspiration to mix and match used parts from my documentary and fiction work and recycle these elements into a new kind of storytelling approach. Erin and I have been talking about how we might do that in our next film 'Love & Monster Trucks'.
LatinoBuzz: You have an impressive crew of notable filmmakers in their own right. How did you manage to get them to take this ride with you?
Cristina Ibarra: Sometimes the timing works out just right so that some of my best and most loved friends have been able to join me in between working on their own films. Natalia Almada, Eddie Martinez, Ray Santisteban, Craig Mardsen, Prashant Bhargava and, of course, Erin Ploss-Campoamor, all have their own stellar track records as filmmakers in their own right. Each relationship is different, but there is always love there. We each have to trust that we will bring our specific skills to the same vision. Filmmaking is a team effort for me. I love collaborating and working with friends who know what I am trying to do and love me for it.
LatinoBuzz: What is truth to you when it comes to writing?
Cristina Ibarra: Wow, this is a good question. Truth is an ideal and a principle to follow when writing. It doesn’t always look the same to every one person, but you know you have achieved it when your work connects with an audience. That spark of recognition and connection can be transformative.
LatinoBuzz: Who influences you aesthetically in both documentary and narrative?
Cristina Ibarra: All of my filmmaking friends influence my work in both forms. But there is one visionary artist, Lourdes Portillo, who has always been a beacon of light for me. She has such a wicked and brilliant sense of humor in all of her work. I also love that she is undeniably hybrid in her approach.
LatinoBuzz: I know you personally: As a Selena fan, did you hate Jennifer Lopez being cast in the movie? Did you hold that Selena lunch box of yours close to you and rock back and forth at night like a crumbling mess?
Cristina Ibarra: You are right, it is hard to please a Selena fan! I think I am in the minority here among my Chicana friends, but I actually really enjoy Jennifer Lopez as an actress, especially as Selena. She owned that role. I have some friends who worked on that film and we all love Jennifer Lopez from way back before she became J-Lo.
Watch Las Marthas for a limited time online and for local listings visit: http://www.pbs.org/independentlens/las-marthas/film.html & dig: https://www.facebook.com/lasmarthasmovie for further updates!
Written by Juan Caceres . LatinoBuzz is a weekly feature on SydneysBuzz that highlights Latino indie talent and upcoming trends in Latino film with the specific objective of presenting a broad range of Latino voices. Follow [At]LatinoBuzz on Twitter and Facebook .
LatinoBuzz: If one is to judge by what's been show on film and television, it seems the border stories all have a recurring theme and there was little originality left. How did you stay away from the “other” Laredo, Texas border stories as much as possible?
Cristina Ibarra: Growing up along the Us/Mx border in El Paso, Texas I felt somewhat alienated by what I saw on television in both Mexico and the United States. Especially when it was news reports about the border region. But I didn’t really have the tools to express this discontent until I left home. Now that I am a filmmaker, I enjoy telling stories that break down some of the more common stereotypes. My producing partner, Erin Ploss-Campoamor, likes to quote novelist Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, who has this great Ted talk about the danger of perpetuating a “single story” about a culture. We feel like our film breaks down that “single story” about the border, and Latinos in particular. Which is not to say that we are dismissing the importance of films about immigration, the drug war or violence. We are simply adding a new voice to the mix. Deepening our perceptions about not just the border region and Latinos, but also reminding ourselves that as Americans, we live with multiple identities within us. My goal is to make films that embrace the nuances and contradictions of these many different stories.
LatinoBuzz: You've explored Documentaries and Narratives now, what's the biggest difference in your approach or even what are the similarities?
Cristina Ibarra: I feel like I use many of the same building blocks when it comes to story. For example, in both documentary and fiction films, we need to set up the world, connect with the protagonists, and understand their conflict. That is useful in both kinds of films, even if the production approach varies. Of course, the most striking difference is that in fiction, you have more control of the story before you go into production. You can build all of the necessary creative relationships before going into “battle,” so to speak. My documentary productions have evolved much more slowly, as I have gradually built relationships with my subjects. This kind of production is much more intimate. The relationship is a collaboration, as it develops, the story deepens. So the production process can be quite long. Documentaries work when you are able to capture and connect with a real person who is letting you into their world. But I feel like those skills translate well into narrative fiction films as well, where I often try to achieve a similar level of authenticity.
LatinoBuzz: What type of Stories do you want to keep creating?
Cristina Ibarra: Complex, nuanced stories…hybrids. I love exploring the borderland contradictions of my childhood. I enjoy working in both fiction and documentary. I want to continue to do both. But I’m also eager to experiment some day with combining the two and building a hybrid film. My childhood playgrounds were my father’s junkyards, or yonkes, one in Juarez, Mexico, the other in El Paso, Texas. I want to use his yonke as a metaphorical inspiration to mix and match used parts from my documentary and fiction work and recycle these elements into a new kind of storytelling approach. Erin and I have been talking about how we might do that in our next film 'Love & Monster Trucks'.
LatinoBuzz: How did you settle on these protagonists? Did you become close or keep a distance to allow them to be themselves?
Cristina Ibarra: As soon as I saw the colonial ball gowns that Linda Leyendecker Gutierrez designs, I was captivated. Then I was lucky, because I was able to meet many of the debutantes in Linda’s studio, when they came to get their gowns fitted. It was an incredible opportunity, because I was able to talk to these girls as they were undergoing this amazing transformation into young women. They were being taught how to present a very polished exterior. They were getting lessons in etiquette, how they speak to their elders, how to talk to the media. And here they are, meeting this strange filmmaker who is asking them to open up, and basically do the exact opposite of what they have just been taught. It was not easy. So I ended up following the two girls who opened up to me the most: Laura Garza Hovel, a legacy daughter, and Rosario Reyes, a guest representing Nuevo Laredo. And they naturally became the protagonists of the film. We just got lucky that they happened to come from two different positions in Society, because it helped create a richer and more complex coming-of-age portrait.
LatinoBuzz: Do you think perhaps, that maybe another filmmaker with a different sensibility or a different ideology might look on this Colonial Pageant and Ball in a much more negative light and shape the film in such a manner of how it may look to an outsider who is merely taking it at face value.
Cristina Ibarra: There have already been those kinds of news stories about the celebration, in which journalists portrayed the debutantes as frivolous, and questioned why their event was so expensive, considering all of the social and economic ills along the border. So the Society was very nervous about opening themselves up to criticism again. But I saw many other dimensions to the story that might not be so obvious to someone who just quickly parachutes in to cover the controversy and then leaves. My intention was always to examine this coming-of-age story in a much more intimate, complex and nuanced way. I absolutely agree that another filmmaker would bring another sensibility to the story. But it was important for me to stay true to my original intentions, even if it meant making a different kind of film than people expected.
LatinoBuzz: What type of Stories do you want to keep creating?
Cristina Ibarra: Complex, nuanced stories…hybrids. I love exploring the borderland contradictions of my childhood. I enjoy working in both fiction and documentary. I want to continue to do both. But I’m also eager to experiment some day with combining the two and building a hybrid film. My childhood playgrounds were my father’s junkyards, or 'yonkes', one in Juarez, Mexico, the other in El Paso, Texas. I want to use his yonke as a metaphorical inspiration to mix and match used parts from my documentary and fiction work and recycle these elements into a new kind of storytelling approach. Erin and I have been talking about how we might do that in our next film 'Love & Monster Trucks'.
LatinoBuzz: You have an impressive crew of notable filmmakers in their own right. How did you manage to get them to take this ride with you?
Cristina Ibarra: Sometimes the timing works out just right so that some of my best and most loved friends have been able to join me in between working on their own films. Natalia Almada, Eddie Martinez, Ray Santisteban, Craig Mardsen, Prashant Bhargava and, of course, Erin Ploss-Campoamor, all have their own stellar track records as filmmakers in their own right. Each relationship is different, but there is always love there. We each have to trust that we will bring our specific skills to the same vision. Filmmaking is a team effort for me. I love collaborating and working with friends who know what I am trying to do and love me for it.
LatinoBuzz: What is truth to you when it comes to writing?
Cristina Ibarra: Wow, this is a good question. Truth is an ideal and a principle to follow when writing. It doesn’t always look the same to every one person, but you know you have achieved it when your work connects with an audience. That spark of recognition and connection can be transformative.
LatinoBuzz: Who influences you aesthetically in both documentary and narrative?
Cristina Ibarra: All of my filmmaking friends influence my work in both forms. But there is one visionary artist, Lourdes Portillo, who has always been a beacon of light for me. She has such a wicked and brilliant sense of humor in all of her work. I also love that she is undeniably hybrid in her approach.
LatinoBuzz: I know you personally: As a Selena fan, did you hate Jennifer Lopez being cast in the movie? Did you hold that Selena lunch box of yours close to you and rock back and forth at night like a crumbling mess?
Cristina Ibarra: You are right, it is hard to please a Selena fan! I think I am in the minority here among my Chicana friends, but I actually really enjoy Jennifer Lopez as an actress, especially as Selena. She owned that role. I have some friends who worked on that film and we all love Jennifer Lopez from way back before she became J-Lo.
Watch Las Marthas for a limited time online and for local listings visit: http://www.pbs.org/independentlens/las-marthas/film.html & dig: https://www.facebook.com/lasmarthasmovie for further updates!
Written by Juan Caceres . LatinoBuzz is a weekly feature on SydneysBuzz that highlights Latino indie talent and upcoming trends in Latino film with the specific objective of presenting a broad range of Latino voices. Follow [At]LatinoBuzz on Twitter and Facebook .
- 2/19/2014
- by Juan Caceres
- Sydney's Buzz
Growing up in East Los Angeles with a single mom, Richard Cabral was in a gang by 13 years old, made his first trip to jail at 14 and by 15 was addicted to crack cocaine. His teenage years were a series of trips in and out of jail. At the age of 20 Cabral was arrested and charged with attempted murder and would spend a year in jail while he awaited trial. If convicted, he was facing a sentence of 35 years to life. Making a plea deal gave him a reduced sentence of 5 years of which he would serve 27 months. Upon release he found a support system in Homeboy Industries, Father Gregory 'G-Dog' Boyle's charity, where ex-gang members are provided jobs as an alternative to gang life providing they stay clean. It was there that led to Cabral being cast as an extra in CSI: Miami. Earlier this month we saw the release of Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones featuring Richard in the role of Arturo. LatinoBuzz got to hear from Cabral about his transition in life.
Latinobuzz: You are from East La and joined a gang at 13 years old. What was it about that time and place that you felt that it was yours and your peers only option?
Richard: I feel that in all kids that I've came across, that at the age of 12-13 is a big transition . They begin forming the Young Adult there going to become, here molding . I can't put a "name" on it but it's something. Your trying to find yourself, were getting ready to go to High School and as this world teaches you, you must "belong" to something. (So we Belong to Something)
Latinobuzz: I did a piece on Father G-Dog – how important was Homeboy Industries to your spiritual evolution and why are organizations like them always in jeopardy of losing funding when they change so many lives?
Richard: 'Homeboy Industries' is a great organization but beyond that, it is Father Greg. He is the reason why I was given this second chance. Of course other things play a factor on this amazing journey I've gone through, but if there was no Father Greg there would be nothing. I believe 'organizations' like these are always in jeopardy because what we are taught in this sickening world (“Society”) is "greed" and we as people are not one. 'Majority of "minds" are warped into the belief of the only person worth helping is themself. People think others that come from gangs, poverty, drugs are below them. Which is bull-shit because the whole world is going through problems, were all suffering together, people are just too blind to see.
Latinobuzz: Is it crazy to think that you would be a part of a blockbuster film franchise when you were facing 35 years to life?
Richard: Ha! It's ludicrous to even say it in the same line:) Well, that's what we are taught to believe and that's what I would have stated when I was sitting in a cell. But the power of belief, of God is beyond what mere mortals can Imagine. There is no restrictions in my Life. If I do what I love, work night and day, and I'm open to the spirits. that's when the "Greats" take over.
Latinobuzz: How important is 'Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones' for Latino filmmaking?
Richard: Huge! This is the first time in history that Latinos have done it and made the "Studios" this amount of money and signed to a franchise. There is a wave of seasoned and young Latino actors right now! We're making money for the studios and were bringing the Noise, there's no stopping it.
Latinobuzz: What moment as being an artist impacted you the most?
Richard: The true meaning of an artist/actor is opening my heart to the audience and at the same time opening their heart. Through sharing my pain I can possibly heal your pain, there is no other feeling like it, money doesn't compare. This is the true meaning of Art. I will attempt to do it till my dying day. The theater is the 'church' and when I'm on that stage I am the Priest/Pastor, it is a pure spiritual journey for me.
Latinobuzz: You've cited Miguel Pinero and Stephen Adly Guirgis as writers that understood your world. What was it about these two, very much New Yorkers, made you feel that way?
Richard: Learning the craft as an actor in Los Angeles is a very hard thing to do, in my opinion. We all come from a certain world and when you start learning the craft, you need material to read/study that you can relate to. We do not have too many Latino writers on the West Coast that I was able to relate to (or at least, I didn't know at the time). I came from the streets, so the most published authors had no relation to my world. As soon as I picked up Pinero & Guirgis, it was all over. It was my world, just in a different location. They cracked me open inside and out. They talked about the "inside" of the barrio, the emotions, the stories that people know is happening but were too scared to talk about. "Sun Always Shines for The Cool" and "Den of Thieves" will always be my favorites/breakthroughs.
Latinobuzz: What's your dream role?
Richard: I can't point my finger on a “dream role”, but the day's that I'm able to fulfill the stories of the hood/barrio on film, those will be great days. The stories of why people from the barrio become what they've become. To show that sensitive side of a man, its always filled with macho bull-shit, but we must see the other side (Fathers and Sons). In film and television they never get the good stuff, while at least I feel on my behalf.
Latinobuzz: What do you want to leave behind when it's all said and done?
Richard: When I die I want a child that never met me, to hear were I came from and what I accomplished and for him or her to live their life to the fullest and do what they were put on this world to do. No limitations, blowing past everybody's expectations. Screw whatever body thinks!
Written by Juan Caceres. LatinoBuzz is a weekly feature on SydneysBuzz that highlights Latino indie talent and upcoming trends in Latino film with the specific objective of presenting a broad range of Latino voices. Follow @LatinoBuzz on Twitter and Facebook .
Latinobuzz: You are from East La and joined a gang at 13 years old. What was it about that time and place that you felt that it was yours and your peers only option?
Richard: I feel that in all kids that I've came across, that at the age of 12-13 is a big transition . They begin forming the Young Adult there going to become, here molding . I can't put a "name" on it but it's something. Your trying to find yourself, were getting ready to go to High School and as this world teaches you, you must "belong" to something. (So we Belong to Something)
Latinobuzz: I did a piece on Father G-Dog – how important was Homeboy Industries to your spiritual evolution and why are organizations like them always in jeopardy of losing funding when they change so many lives?
Richard: 'Homeboy Industries' is a great organization but beyond that, it is Father Greg. He is the reason why I was given this second chance. Of course other things play a factor on this amazing journey I've gone through, but if there was no Father Greg there would be nothing. I believe 'organizations' like these are always in jeopardy because what we are taught in this sickening world (“Society”) is "greed" and we as people are not one. 'Majority of "minds" are warped into the belief of the only person worth helping is themself. People think others that come from gangs, poverty, drugs are below them. Which is bull-shit because the whole world is going through problems, were all suffering together, people are just too blind to see.
Latinobuzz: Is it crazy to think that you would be a part of a blockbuster film franchise when you were facing 35 years to life?
Richard: Ha! It's ludicrous to even say it in the same line:) Well, that's what we are taught to believe and that's what I would have stated when I was sitting in a cell. But the power of belief, of God is beyond what mere mortals can Imagine. There is no restrictions in my Life. If I do what I love, work night and day, and I'm open to the spirits. that's when the "Greats" take over.
Latinobuzz: How important is 'Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones' for Latino filmmaking?
Richard: Huge! This is the first time in history that Latinos have done it and made the "Studios" this amount of money and signed to a franchise. There is a wave of seasoned and young Latino actors right now! We're making money for the studios and were bringing the Noise, there's no stopping it.
Latinobuzz: What moment as being an artist impacted you the most?
Richard: The true meaning of an artist/actor is opening my heart to the audience and at the same time opening their heart. Through sharing my pain I can possibly heal your pain, there is no other feeling like it, money doesn't compare. This is the true meaning of Art. I will attempt to do it till my dying day. The theater is the 'church' and when I'm on that stage I am the Priest/Pastor, it is a pure spiritual journey for me.
Latinobuzz: You've cited Miguel Pinero and Stephen Adly Guirgis as writers that understood your world. What was it about these two, very much New Yorkers, made you feel that way?
Richard: Learning the craft as an actor in Los Angeles is a very hard thing to do, in my opinion. We all come from a certain world and when you start learning the craft, you need material to read/study that you can relate to. We do not have too many Latino writers on the West Coast that I was able to relate to (or at least, I didn't know at the time). I came from the streets, so the most published authors had no relation to my world. As soon as I picked up Pinero & Guirgis, it was all over. It was my world, just in a different location. They cracked me open inside and out. They talked about the "inside" of the barrio, the emotions, the stories that people know is happening but were too scared to talk about. "Sun Always Shines for The Cool" and "Den of Thieves" will always be my favorites/breakthroughs.
Latinobuzz: What's your dream role?
Richard: I can't point my finger on a “dream role”, but the day's that I'm able to fulfill the stories of the hood/barrio on film, those will be great days. The stories of why people from the barrio become what they've become. To show that sensitive side of a man, its always filled with macho bull-shit, but we must see the other side (Fathers and Sons). In film and television they never get the good stuff, while at least I feel on my behalf.
Latinobuzz: What do you want to leave behind when it's all said and done?
Richard: When I die I want a child that never met me, to hear were I came from and what I accomplished and for him or her to live their life to the fullest and do what they were put on this world to do. No limitations, blowing past everybody's expectations. Screw whatever body thinks!
Written by Juan Caceres. LatinoBuzz is a weekly feature on SydneysBuzz that highlights Latino indie talent and upcoming trends in Latino film with the specific objective of presenting a broad range of Latino voices. Follow @LatinoBuzz on Twitter and Facebook .
- 1/23/2014
- by Juan Caceres
- Sydney's Buzz
Now that a new year is upon us let's reflect back on 2013. Something like a year in Latino film. Latin American filmmakers continued to kill it on the international film festival circuit. Chile, in particular, has been conquering the world one film festival award at a time.
Sadly, American Latino filmmakers were mostly absent from big name festivals like Sundance, Toronto, Berlin, and Cannes. Normally, the major Latino film festivals in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, and San Diego offer a home to these overlooked films. The surprising collapse of the New York International Latino Film Festival this past summer and with the Los Angeles Latino International Film Festival barely recovering from financial difficulties, the exhibition of American Latino indies remains in a precarious position.
Still, there is much to celebrate. Starting in the early part of the year, at Sundance, Chilean director Sebastian Silva joined a very elite club of filmmakers -- those who have premiered two films at the same festival. His mescaline-fueled odyssey Crystal Fairy won the World Cinema Dramatic Directing Award and the psychological thriller Magic, Magic starring Michael Cera went on to play Director's Fortnight in Cannes.
The Berlinale, in February, brought the much anticipated world premiere of Sebastian Lelio's fourth film Gloria and the charming Uruguayan family comedy Tanta Agua. Cementing 2013 as the year of Chile, actress Paulina Garcia won the Silver Bear for her dazzling and dynamic performance as a middle-aged divorcee in Gloria.
Mid-year, Mexican filmmakers took Cannes by storm again, winning the Best Director prize for the second year in a row. In 2013, the victor was Amat Escalante for his feature film Heli. The year prior Carlos Reygadas took home the prize for Post Tenebras Lux.
In the fall, Toronto spoiled us with Latin American riches. The gargantuan fest showcased more than 300 films from 70 different countries including the Mexican documentary El Alcalde, Venezuela's Pelo Malo (Bad Hair), Peruvian black comedy El Mudo (The Mute), the Brazilian drama O lobo atras da porta (A Wolf at the Door), and the world premiere of Fernando Eimbcke's Club Sandwich. Costa Rica made a first-time appearance at the Toronto Film Festival with Por las plumas (All About the Feathers) and the Dominican Republic showcased Cristo Rey.
Over Labor Day weekend, Eugenio Derbez, a Mexican actor most Americans had never heard of released his sleeper hit Instructions Not Included. Totally ignored by mainstream film critics, the Spanish-language family comedy went on to shatter box office records. It beat out Woody Allen's Blue Jasmine and critical darling 12 Years a Slave making it the top grossing indie film of the year. It also became the highest grossing Spanish-language film ever in the United States. A few weeks later, when Instructions opened in Derbez's home country, it became the most-watched Mexican film of all time.
Despite being snubbed by the Academy Awards (no Latin American productions made the shortlist for Best Foreign Language Film), Latino films ended the year on a high note. The triumph of our films abroad coupled with a Spanish-language box office hit at home bodes well for the Latino films of 2014.
In case you were living under a rock this past year and missed it all, we've got you covered. Thankfully, there are professionals who get paid to keep track of what Latino movies are receiving accolades, have the most buzz, and got picked up for distribution. LatinoBuzz went straight to the experts, film programmers, to ask, "What are your top 5 Latino films of 2013?"
Christine Davila, Director of Ambulante California
There is no shortage of original and compelling Us Latino writer/directors working across different genres out there, and this list proves it. These confident artists have captured fresh and mighty perspectives far too underrepresented, and they are storming through the cluster neck of homogeneity that continues to reign in film content.
Water & Power (Richard Montoya, USA)
Los Wild Ones (Elise Salomon, USA)
Delusions of Grandeur (Iris Almaraz, Gustavo Ramos, USA)
Sleeping with the Fishes (Nicole Gomez Fisher, USA)
The House that Jack Built (Henry Barrial, USA)
Marcela Goglio, Programmer at the Film Society of Lincoln Center
No special criteria in these choices, just some of the many accomplished Latin American films that, in my opinion, create universes or make statements in beautiful, original and/or powerful ways.
Viola (Matias Pineiro, Argentina)
El alcalde (Emiliano Altuna/Carlos Rossini/Diego Osorno, Mexico)
La eterna noche de las doce lunas (Priscilla Padilla, Colombia)
El futuro (Alicia Scherson, Chile)
Gloria (Sebastian Lelio, Chile)
Carlos A. Gutierrez, Co-founder and Executive Director of Cinema Tropical
For practical purposes, my list features five Latin American films (my area of expertise) that I highly recommend, and that screened in the U.S. in 2013 (in alphabetical order):
El Alcalde / The Mayor (Carlos F. Rossini, Emiliano Altuna and Diego Osorno, Mexico)
El otro dia / The Other Day (Ignacio Aguero, Chile)
Los mejores temas / Greatest Hits (Nicolas Pereda, Mexico)
Tanta Agua / So Much Water (Ana Guevara and Leticia Jorge, Uruguay)
Viola (Matias Pineiro, Argentina)
Lucho Ramirez, Founder & Executive Director of Cine+Mas Sf, presenter of the Cm San Francisco Latino Film Festival
There are so many works by Latino and Latin American filmmakers that merit the public and the tastemaker's attention. Compiling a list of 5 is difficult for me as a festival director because each film that we program is beloved. In addition, there are the other films I see at other fests or at theaters, particularly the bigger ones replete with distribution, celebrity, and marketing budgets. It's hard for independent, quality films to break through and that's part of the reason I seek those out. I believe there is an audience for artisanal films with substance, creativity, and diversity.
I went on memory for this list. Included are films that I saw this year that really stuck with me long after watching them. What's important to me is seeing images of Latinos by Latinos on the screen. This doesn't mean sanitized. Bless Me, Ultima is an important literary work. It was a huge accomplishment to get this on the screen for all us non-readers. Sex, Love, & Salsa packs all the punch of a big romantic comedy in very local and Latino way; Tlatelolco is a historical drama that's really well done, revisiting a chaotic time in Mexico's history but interpreted in a narrow sliver of a relationship that can't be; Porcelain Horse mixes sex, drugs, and rich-kid problems and really does something different with a crime-drama; Delusions of Grandeuer is purely Latino hipster fun.
Bless Me, Ultima (Carl Franklin, USA)
Sex, Love, & Salsa (Adrian Manzano, USA)
Tlatelolco, Summer of 68 (Carlos Bolado, Mexico)
Porcelain Horse (Javier Andrade, Ecuador)
Delusions of Grandeur (Iris Almaraz, Gustavo Ramos, USA)
Glenn Heath Jr., Artistic Director of the San Diego Latino Film Festival
De Jueves a Domingo is a fascinating and subtext-heavy debut from director Dominga Sotomayor Castillo about a family road trip that could be the beginning of the end. In Viola Shakespeare is reinvented, it's art house cinema meets the off-note pacing of jazz. My Sister's Quinceañera is an honest and poignant look at the complexities of family and identity in small town America. Aqui y Alla is riveting in its acute understanding of how the mundane adds up to something grand. Fecha de Caducidad is dark comedy at its finest.
De Jueves a Domingo (Dominga Sotomayor Castillo, Chile)
Viola (Matias Pineiro, Argentina)
My Sister's Quinceanera (Aaron Douglas Johnston, USA)
Aqui y Alla (Antonio Mendez Esparza, Mexico)
Fecha de Caducidad (Kenya Marquez , Mexico)
Diana Vargas, Artistic Director at the Havana Film Festival New York
In Gloria Paulina Garcia's performance is unforgettable and the way the director talks about the middle life crisis of a woman that seems unremarkable until she finds out she can make her own choices and maybe to be single is not that bad, haha. La Sirga portrays the crude reality of the Colombian conflict without showing explicit violence, through impeccable cinematography. In a cinema verite style, La jaula de oro shows 3 Guatemalan adolescents experiencing the harshness of the journey of those who want to immigrate to U.S. 7 Cajas, the biggest Paraguayan box office hit, is as entertaining as well done. With an impeccable screenplay and Guarani dialogues, the film shows a country that usually don't have a strong representation in the festivals around the world. Sibila de Teresa Arredondo (Chile). Sibila Arguedas is the widow of one of the most iconic public figures in Peruvian literature. She's also Chilean and a political prisoner, accused of being a Sendero Luminoso collaborator. This documentary made by Sibila's niece brings to light one of the most fascinating, enimagtic and contradictory characters of the last century.
Gloria (Sebastian Lelio, Chile)
La Sirga (William Vega, Colombia).
La jaula de oro (Diego Quemada-Diez, Mexico)
7 Cajas (Tana Schembori, Juan Carlos Maneglia, Paraguay)
Sibila (Teresa Arredondo, Chile)
Juan Caceres, Director of Programming at the New York International Latino Film Festival
2013 was a great year for Latin American films. Ecuador, Panama, Guatemala and Paraguay, countries with no real infrastructure for filmmaking, all were present in festivals. Chile in particular showed no sign of slowing down their own presence on the festival circuit, taking home prizes at the major festivals. I think it's no coincidence that they share this wonderful genuine camaraderie where there is a support system that includes producing each others projects to simply rooting for one another when it comes to award nominations (you can go to all their Fb pages and occasionally they have each others films as their cover pics! It's uber dope). It's as real as it gets and I think it's something lacking here in the Us. So my list is the Chilean films you should not miss.
Gloria, (Sebastian Lelio, Chile)
No (Pablo Larrain, Chile)
Il Futuro / The Future (Alicia Scherson, Chile)
El verano de los peces voladores / The Summer of Flying Fish (Marcela Said, Chile)
Las cosas como son / Things The Way They Are (Fernando Lavanderos, Chile)
Marlene Dermer, Director/Programmer at the Los Angeles Latino International Film Festival
It has been really hard to narrow it to five I have to say. I find Latino cinema and its creators in a wonderful period. It’s alive and beats like a heart. There is so much talent in our communities and they are doing some of the most interesting work in world cinema. It's thought provoking or personal and universal. It's also tough to include U.S. works with Latin American work because there are many more countries and many with support. This year in our festival we had the largest showcase of U.S.A. films which was very exciting to see. As a programmer for 22 years I find it stimulating to discover all these new voices coming up in our community and truly sharing the screens at festivals and theaters around the world. There is a new generation in every country, that is very exciting and promising for the future of cinema, our community and the audio visual world.
Club Sandwich (Fernando Eimbcke, Mexico)
Pelo Malo (Mariana Rondón, Venezuela)
Gloria (Sebastian Lelio, Chile)
O lobo atras da porta (Fernando Coimbra, Brazil)
Tanta Agua / So Much Water (Ana Guevara and Leticia Jorge, Uruguay)
Written by Vanessa Erazo. LatinoBuzz is a weekly feature on SydneysBuzz that highlights Latino indie talent and upcoming trends in Latino film with the specific objective of presenting a broad range of Latino voices. Follow @LatinoBuzz on Twitter and Facebook.
Sadly, American Latino filmmakers were mostly absent from big name festivals like Sundance, Toronto, Berlin, and Cannes. Normally, the major Latino film festivals in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, and San Diego offer a home to these overlooked films. The surprising collapse of the New York International Latino Film Festival this past summer and with the Los Angeles Latino International Film Festival barely recovering from financial difficulties, the exhibition of American Latino indies remains in a precarious position.
Still, there is much to celebrate. Starting in the early part of the year, at Sundance, Chilean director Sebastian Silva joined a very elite club of filmmakers -- those who have premiered two films at the same festival. His mescaline-fueled odyssey Crystal Fairy won the World Cinema Dramatic Directing Award and the psychological thriller Magic, Magic starring Michael Cera went on to play Director's Fortnight in Cannes.
The Berlinale, in February, brought the much anticipated world premiere of Sebastian Lelio's fourth film Gloria and the charming Uruguayan family comedy Tanta Agua. Cementing 2013 as the year of Chile, actress Paulina Garcia won the Silver Bear for her dazzling and dynamic performance as a middle-aged divorcee in Gloria.
Mid-year, Mexican filmmakers took Cannes by storm again, winning the Best Director prize for the second year in a row. In 2013, the victor was Amat Escalante for his feature film Heli. The year prior Carlos Reygadas took home the prize for Post Tenebras Lux.
In the fall, Toronto spoiled us with Latin American riches. The gargantuan fest showcased more than 300 films from 70 different countries including the Mexican documentary El Alcalde, Venezuela's Pelo Malo (Bad Hair), Peruvian black comedy El Mudo (The Mute), the Brazilian drama O lobo atras da porta (A Wolf at the Door), and the world premiere of Fernando Eimbcke's Club Sandwich. Costa Rica made a first-time appearance at the Toronto Film Festival with Por las plumas (All About the Feathers) and the Dominican Republic showcased Cristo Rey.
Over Labor Day weekend, Eugenio Derbez, a Mexican actor most Americans had never heard of released his sleeper hit Instructions Not Included. Totally ignored by mainstream film critics, the Spanish-language family comedy went on to shatter box office records. It beat out Woody Allen's Blue Jasmine and critical darling 12 Years a Slave making it the top grossing indie film of the year. It also became the highest grossing Spanish-language film ever in the United States. A few weeks later, when Instructions opened in Derbez's home country, it became the most-watched Mexican film of all time.
Despite being snubbed by the Academy Awards (no Latin American productions made the shortlist for Best Foreign Language Film), Latino films ended the year on a high note. The triumph of our films abroad coupled with a Spanish-language box office hit at home bodes well for the Latino films of 2014.
In case you were living under a rock this past year and missed it all, we've got you covered. Thankfully, there are professionals who get paid to keep track of what Latino movies are receiving accolades, have the most buzz, and got picked up for distribution. LatinoBuzz went straight to the experts, film programmers, to ask, "What are your top 5 Latino films of 2013?"
Christine Davila, Director of Ambulante California
There is no shortage of original and compelling Us Latino writer/directors working across different genres out there, and this list proves it. These confident artists have captured fresh and mighty perspectives far too underrepresented, and they are storming through the cluster neck of homogeneity that continues to reign in film content.
Water & Power (Richard Montoya, USA)
Los Wild Ones (Elise Salomon, USA)
Delusions of Grandeur (Iris Almaraz, Gustavo Ramos, USA)
Sleeping with the Fishes (Nicole Gomez Fisher, USA)
The House that Jack Built (Henry Barrial, USA)
Marcela Goglio, Programmer at the Film Society of Lincoln Center
No special criteria in these choices, just some of the many accomplished Latin American films that, in my opinion, create universes or make statements in beautiful, original and/or powerful ways.
Viola (Matias Pineiro, Argentina)
El alcalde (Emiliano Altuna/Carlos Rossini/Diego Osorno, Mexico)
La eterna noche de las doce lunas (Priscilla Padilla, Colombia)
El futuro (Alicia Scherson, Chile)
Gloria (Sebastian Lelio, Chile)
Carlos A. Gutierrez, Co-founder and Executive Director of Cinema Tropical
For practical purposes, my list features five Latin American films (my area of expertise) that I highly recommend, and that screened in the U.S. in 2013 (in alphabetical order):
El Alcalde / The Mayor (Carlos F. Rossini, Emiliano Altuna and Diego Osorno, Mexico)
El otro dia / The Other Day (Ignacio Aguero, Chile)
Los mejores temas / Greatest Hits (Nicolas Pereda, Mexico)
Tanta Agua / So Much Water (Ana Guevara and Leticia Jorge, Uruguay)
Viola (Matias Pineiro, Argentina)
Lucho Ramirez, Founder & Executive Director of Cine+Mas Sf, presenter of the Cm San Francisco Latino Film Festival
There are so many works by Latino and Latin American filmmakers that merit the public and the tastemaker's attention. Compiling a list of 5 is difficult for me as a festival director because each film that we program is beloved. In addition, there are the other films I see at other fests or at theaters, particularly the bigger ones replete with distribution, celebrity, and marketing budgets. It's hard for independent, quality films to break through and that's part of the reason I seek those out. I believe there is an audience for artisanal films with substance, creativity, and diversity.
I went on memory for this list. Included are films that I saw this year that really stuck with me long after watching them. What's important to me is seeing images of Latinos by Latinos on the screen. This doesn't mean sanitized. Bless Me, Ultima is an important literary work. It was a huge accomplishment to get this on the screen for all us non-readers. Sex, Love, & Salsa packs all the punch of a big romantic comedy in very local and Latino way; Tlatelolco is a historical drama that's really well done, revisiting a chaotic time in Mexico's history but interpreted in a narrow sliver of a relationship that can't be; Porcelain Horse mixes sex, drugs, and rich-kid problems and really does something different with a crime-drama; Delusions of Grandeuer is purely Latino hipster fun.
Bless Me, Ultima (Carl Franklin, USA)
Sex, Love, & Salsa (Adrian Manzano, USA)
Tlatelolco, Summer of 68 (Carlos Bolado, Mexico)
Porcelain Horse (Javier Andrade, Ecuador)
Delusions of Grandeur (Iris Almaraz, Gustavo Ramos, USA)
Glenn Heath Jr., Artistic Director of the San Diego Latino Film Festival
De Jueves a Domingo is a fascinating and subtext-heavy debut from director Dominga Sotomayor Castillo about a family road trip that could be the beginning of the end. In Viola Shakespeare is reinvented, it's art house cinema meets the off-note pacing of jazz. My Sister's Quinceañera is an honest and poignant look at the complexities of family and identity in small town America. Aqui y Alla is riveting in its acute understanding of how the mundane adds up to something grand. Fecha de Caducidad is dark comedy at its finest.
De Jueves a Domingo (Dominga Sotomayor Castillo, Chile)
Viola (Matias Pineiro, Argentina)
My Sister's Quinceanera (Aaron Douglas Johnston, USA)
Aqui y Alla (Antonio Mendez Esparza, Mexico)
Fecha de Caducidad (Kenya Marquez , Mexico)
Diana Vargas, Artistic Director at the Havana Film Festival New York
In Gloria Paulina Garcia's performance is unforgettable and the way the director talks about the middle life crisis of a woman that seems unremarkable until she finds out she can make her own choices and maybe to be single is not that bad, haha. La Sirga portrays the crude reality of the Colombian conflict without showing explicit violence, through impeccable cinematography. In a cinema verite style, La jaula de oro shows 3 Guatemalan adolescents experiencing the harshness of the journey of those who want to immigrate to U.S. 7 Cajas, the biggest Paraguayan box office hit, is as entertaining as well done. With an impeccable screenplay and Guarani dialogues, the film shows a country that usually don't have a strong representation in the festivals around the world. Sibila de Teresa Arredondo (Chile). Sibila Arguedas is the widow of one of the most iconic public figures in Peruvian literature. She's also Chilean and a political prisoner, accused of being a Sendero Luminoso collaborator. This documentary made by Sibila's niece brings to light one of the most fascinating, enimagtic and contradictory characters of the last century.
Gloria (Sebastian Lelio, Chile)
La Sirga (William Vega, Colombia).
La jaula de oro (Diego Quemada-Diez, Mexico)
7 Cajas (Tana Schembori, Juan Carlos Maneglia, Paraguay)
Sibila (Teresa Arredondo, Chile)
Juan Caceres, Director of Programming at the New York International Latino Film Festival
2013 was a great year for Latin American films. Ecuador, Panama, Guatemala and Paraguay, countries with no real infrastructure for filmmaking, all were present in festivals. Chile in particular showed no sign of slowing down their own presence on the festival circuit, taking home prizes at the major festivals. I think it's no coincidence that they share this wonderful genuine camaraderie where there is a support system that includes producing each others projects to simply rooting for one another when it comes to award nominations (you can go to all their Fb pages and occasionally they have each others films as their cover pics! It's uber dope). It's as real as it gets and I think it's something lacking here in the Us. So my list is the Chilean films you should not miss.
Gloria, (Sebastian Lelio, Chile)
No (Pablo Larrain, Chile)
Il Futuro / The Future (Alicia Scherson, Chile)
El verano de los peces voladores / The Summer of Flying Fish (Marcela Said, Chile)
Las cosas como son / Things The Way They Are (Fernando Lavanderos, Chile)
Marlene Dermer, Director/Programmer at the Los Angeles Latino International Film Festival
It has been really hard to narrow it to five I have to say. I find Latino cinema and its creators in a wonderful period. It’s alive and beats like a heart. There is so much talent in our communities and they are doing some of the most interesting work in world cinema. It's thought provoking or personal and universal. It's also tough to include U.S. works with Latin American work because there are many more countries and many with support. This year in our festival we had the largest showcase of U.S.A. films which was very exciting to see. As a programmer for 22 years I find it stimulating to discover all these new voices coming up in our community and truly sharing the screens at festivals and theaters around the world. There is a new generation in every country, that is very exciting and promising for the future of cinema, our community and the audio visual world.
Club Sandwich (Fernando Eimbcke, Mexico)
Pelo Malo (Mariana Rondón, Venezuela)
Gloria (Sebastian Lelio, Chile)
O lobo atras da porta (Fernando Coimbra, Brazil)
Tanta Agua / So Much Water (Ana Guevara and Leticia Jorge, Uruguay)
Written by Vanessa Erazo. LatinoBuzz is a weekly feature on SydneysBuzz that highlights Latino indie talent and upcoming trends in Latino film with the specific objective of presenting a broad range of Latino voices. Follow @LatinoBuzz on Twitter and Facebook.
- 1/1/2014
- by Vanessa Erazo
- Sydney's Buzz
Luciana Faulhaber was born the youngest to a single mom in Rio de Janeiro, Brasil where she quickly learned to fend for herself. After moving to New York to study upon receiving full academic scholarship to Fordham University, she would eventually take a job teaching underprivileged kids and those with special needs until she was summoned by the universe to the arts. Faulhaber would appear in Iron Man 3 and shot for Vogue Italia before she would be cast in The Night Crew by filmmaker Christian Sesma (Check out 'I'm Not Like That No More'). The actioner about a group of rag tag bounty hunters features Luke Goss (Hellboy 2), Bokeem Woodbine (Southland), co-writer Paul Sloan and Machete himself Danny Trejo where according to Sesma, “lots of sh*t get's blown up”. LatinoBuzz spoke to the carioca about her work and her role as 'Rose'.
LatinoBuzz: When did the acting thing hit you? And why do you Have to do this?
Luciana: I always kept creative through childhood and college. My parents have always been supportive of the arts as a hobby. So I went on to have a serious degree and become a teacher. One day the father of one of my students walks by my classroom and asked if I wanted to be in a commercial. I joked and said "why not? Have you seen my salary?" It turned out to be a national commercial which got me into the actors union. I remembered getting that letter unexpectedly from SAG in the mail and I couldn't remember the last time I was that happy. Next day I decide to join a conservatory acting school at nights after work and ended up being taught by the brilliant Bill Esper. Six months later my life was upside down. I called it quits on the job, the ivy league graduate degree and the picket fence life that was never for me. That was truly a new beginning.
LatinoBuzz: Something I always ask, what does being Latina in this industry mean to you? What do you want to see more from Latinos in film?
Luciana: T here is a difference between Latinos in film and films about Latinos. The Latino population is reaching a 50% mark in the make up of America and we buy more movie tickets than any other ethnic group. That should be represented on screen. As a teacher I learned that most of this Latino generation is an English speaker, general classroom educated, who dream of being more than the stereotypical maid and drug dealers we end up representing on screen. That is old news. It's time the industry catches up. This is an era of a the Latino generation that is in search of that American dream. Latinos are everywhere, in every profession, and that should be reflected on the screen. I would like to see a time where we wouldn't just fill a quota but be considered for any role.
LatinoBuzz: Tell me about your role in The Night Crew.
Luciana: I play 'Rose' in The Night Crew. She is the only female member of the 'Crew' and fits in like one of the boys. Rose is a true fighter. She is tough, relentless and keeps the boys in check so expect lots of action and gun play from this one. But Rose also has another side of her that is feminine and womanly which she keeps guarded and protected until she falls in love with one of the crew members. For the sake of the Crew they try to keep those feelings at bay but love must always prevail. At least I believe so and fortunately so does Paul Sloan and Christian Sesma the writers of The Night Crew. I got really lucky with this character. She gets to show all sides of the same person and there is nothing more human than that. I can't get over how blessed I am to be working with this team. Christian Sesma, A.J Rickert-Epstein and Luke Goss are just a brilliant team. It has been a wonderful learning and collaborative experience and indie film gives you space for that.
LatinoBuzz: I remember that it was a short window from audition to shooting The Night Crew. How did you adjust?
Luciana: Yes! The phone call was quite a surprise. I was ready to hop on a plane to spend Thanksgiving with my amazing American family at Plow Farms in Plowville, Pa when it happened. This is where we will be shooting our feature Don't Look next year. We successfully Kickstarted for. I canceled the same morning I was suppose to fly out and jokingly told Christian he took me off the plane. It was the most romantic thing anyone has ever done for me. Then I called Mama Brenda, my sis Lindsay and my family in Brazil to tell them all the good news. The hardest part was to be good on Thanksgiving and not jump on the delicious meal my friends cooked up for us. I was so excited I barely slept those few days before we hit the road to Palm Springs where we are shooting now.
LatinoBuzz: You have to pick a director, co-star and story. Go!
Luciana: Oh man that is so hard! The list would go on and on. I was so lucky this year to work with people like my amazing friend Shane Black and Robert Downey Jr, Ben Kingsley, Alec Smight, Ted Danson, Georgia Fox, George Eads and now Christian Sesma, Danny Trejo, Luke Goss, Bokeem Woodbine and Paul Sloan. I am over the moon and to them I would like to say thank you for being part of my journey. In the hopes this lucky streak continues, I would love to work with people like Wes Anderson, Jose Padilha, Quentin Tarantino and James Wan.
These guys have such an unique style I think would be a wonderful and freeing experience. Now in terms of co-stars this might make me sound like a big nerd but I would have loved to dance with Fred Astaire and dream of finding love in a black and white picture. I also want to make movies in Brazil. We are expanding in talent, experience and opportunity and I want to be part of telling the stories of my people. Brazilians are amongst the top 5 highest immigration groups here in America.
LatinoBuzz: What's your theme song? (And it can't be 'Girl from Ipanema'!)
Luciana: I have one for each moment just like a movie. But I particularly enjoy music that carries a female voice. Girl power stuff really. Lorde's last album is one I have played a bunch this year and Taylor Swifts (Red) has played everyday this year (I do love her stuff, 'have to admit!). I also love the indie stuff with Vampire Weekend, Phoenix and other bands a such. However, what I like most is discovering new music and I'm lucky some of my friends are amazing at it like Kaylin Lee Clinton. Her new album Painted Road is also on repeat on my list.
LatinoBuzz: “Five years from now Luciana will be...”
Luciana: A household name. Making multiple movies a year, on a TV show, doing more charity work to use her powers for good. Having her mom and sis here whenever they missed each other. Then she gets to go home to her family: the love of her life, Spike the dog and a kid or two. That to me would be having it all!
Keep up with Luciana at http://www.lucianafaulhaber.com/ and The Night Crew on the Fb page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Nightcrew/177404398973101
Written by Juan Caceres . LatinoBuzz is a weekly feature on SydneysBuzz that highlights Latino indie talent and upcoming trends in Latino film with the specific objective of presenting a broad range of Latino voices. Follow [At]LatinoBuzz on Twitter and Facebook .
LatinoBuzz: When did the acting thing hit you? And why do you Have to do this?
Luciana: I always kept creative through childhood and college. My parents have always been supportive of the arts as a hobby. So I went on to have a serious degree and become a teacher. One day the father of one of my students walks by my classroom and asked if I wanted to be in a commercial. I joked and said "why not? Have you seen my salary?" It turned out to be a national commercial which got me into the actors union. I remembered getting that letter unexpectedly from SAG in the mail and I couldn't remember the last time I was that happy. Next day I decide to join a conservatory acting school at nights after work and ended up being taught by the brilliant Bill Esper. Six months later my life was upside down. I called it quits on the job, the ivy league graduate degree and the picket fence life that was never for me. That was truly a new beginning.
LatinoBuzz: Something I always ask, what does being Latina in this industry mean to you? What do you want to see more from Latinos in film?
Luciana: T here is a difference between Latinos in film and films about Latinos. The Latino population is reaching a 50% mark in the make up of America and we buy more movie tickets than any other ethnic group. That should be represented on screen. As a teacher I learned that most of this Latino generation is an English speaker, general classroom educated, who dream of being more than the stereotypical maid and drug dealers we end up representing on screen. That is old news. It's time the industry catches up. This is an era of a the Latino generation that is in search of that American dream. Latinos are everywhere, in every profession, and that should be reflected on the screen. I would like to see a time where we wouldn't just fill a quota but be considered for any role.
LatinoBuzz: Tell me about your role in The Night Crew.
Luciana: I play 'Rose' in The Night Crew. She is the only female member of the 'Crew' and fits in like one of the boys. Rose is a true fighter. She is tough, relentless and keeps the boys in check so expect lots of action and gun play from this one. But Rose also has another side of her that is feminine and womanly which she keeps guarded and protected until she falls in love with one of the crew members. For the sake of the Crew they try to keep those feelings at bay but love must always prevail. At least I believe so and fortunately so does Paul Sloan and Christian Sesma the writers of The Night Crew. I got really lucky with this character. She gets to show all sides of the same person and there is nothing more human than that. I can't get over how blessed I am to be working with this team. Christian Sesma, A.J Rickert-Epstein and Luke Goss are just a brilliant team. It has been a wonderful learning and collaborative experience and indie film gives you space for that.
LatinoBuzz: I remember that it was a short window from audition to shooting The Night Crew. How did you adjust?
Luciana: Yes! The phone call was quite a surprise. I was ready to hop on a plane to spend Thanksgiving with my amazing American family at Plow Farms in Plowville, Pa when it happened. This is where we will be shooting our feature Don't Look next year. We successfully Kickstarted for. I canceled the same morning I was suppose to fly out and jokingly told Christian he took me off the plane. It was the most romantic thing anyone has ever done for me. Then I called Mama Brenda, my sis Lindsay and my family in Brazil to tell them all the good news. The hardest part was to be good on Thanksgiving and not jump on the delicious meal my friends cooked up for us. I was so excited I barely slept those few days before we hit the road to Palm Springs where we are shooting now.
LatinoBuzz: You have to pick a director, co-star and story. Go!
Luciana: Oh man that is so hard! The list would go on and on. I was so lucky this year to work with people like my amazing friend Shane Black and Robert Downey Jr, Ben Kingsley, Alec Smight, Ted Danson, Georgia Fox, George Eads and now Christian Sesma, Danny Trejo, Luke Goss, Bokeem Woodbine and Paul Sloan. I am over the moon and to them I would like to say thank you for being part of my journey. In the hopes this lucky streak continues, I would love to work with people like Wes Anderson, Jose Padilha, Quentin Tarantino and James Wan.
These guys have such an unique style I think would be a wonderful and freeing experience. Now in terms of co-stars this might make me sound like a big nerd but I would have loved to dance with Fred Astaire and dream of finding love in a black and white picture. I also want to make movies in Brazil. We are expanding in talent, experience and opportunity and I want to be part of telling the stories of my people. Brazilians are amongst the top 5 highest immigration groups here in America.
LatinoBuzz: What's your theme song? (And it can't be 'Girl from Ipanema'!)
Luciana: I have one for each moment just like a movie. But I particularly enjoy music that carries a female voice. Girl power stuff really. Lorde's last album is one I have played a bunch this year and Taylor Swifts (Red) has played everyday this year (I do love her stuff, 'have to admit!). I also love the indie stuff with Vampire Weekend, Phoenix and other bands a such. However, what I like most is discovering new music and I'm lucky some of my friends are amazing at it like Kaylin Lee Clinton. Her new album Painted Road is also on repeat on my list.
LatinoBuzz: “Five years from now Luciana will be...”
Luciana: A household name. Making multiple movies a year, on a TV show, doing more charity work to use her powers for good. Having her mom and sis here whenever they missed each other. Then she gets to go home to her family: the love of her life, Spike the dog and a kid or two. That to me would be having it all!
Keep up with Luciana at http://www.lucianafaulhaber.com/ and The Night Crew on the Fb page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Nightcrew/177404398973101
Written by Juan Caceres . LatinoBuzz is a weekly feature on SydneysBuzz that highlights Latino indie talent and upcoming trends in Latino film with the specific objective of presenting a broad range of Latino voices. Follow [At]LatinoBuzz on Twitter and Facebook .
- 12/18/2013
- by Juan Caceres
- Sydney's Buzz
The International Puerto Rican Heritage Film Festival (Iprhff) kicks off Wednesday Nov. 13th in Nueva York City celebrating the best in Boricua filmmaking. Opening with crowd-pleaser El Clown, Iprhff started just 3 years ago to pay tribute to the legacy of Puerto Ricans, they have a steady roster of films showcasing “pioneering, historically significant films and documentaries, contemporary shorts and features, and other innovative films”. This years spokesperson is no other Rockaway Beach native, Lauren Velez (Dexter). While the festival is still in its young stages and some of these films have been in release (and some shot years ago) it's still a treat for those yet to discover them. LatinoBuzz picked out some of our faves.
Babygirl, (81 minutes)
Director: Macdara Vallely
Producer: Alan Maher, R. Paul Miller, Felix Werner, Kathrin Werner
Set in the Bronx, Babygirl is a bitter-sweet drama about teenager Lena who, since she can remember, has watched her mom Lucy squander her life on a series of deadbeat men. When Victor, her mom’s latest boy toy, starts hitting on her Lena sets up an elaborate honey-trap, hoping to show her mom what a scumbag the guy really is. But the plan backfires. Trapped in a twisted love-triangle between Victor and her mom, Lena finally realizes that the only way out is to stand up and finally confront some difficult home truths. Baby girl premiered at last years Tribeca where lead actress Yainis Ynoa was greatly acclaimed but oddly enough the film didn't get the festival attention it deserved, it did get a limited release.
Trailer
El Clown , (105 minutes)
Director: Pedro Adorno, Emilio Rodriguez
Producer: Emilio Rodriguez
El Clown, Emilio Rodriguez and Pedro Adorno’s tale of a circus clown’s rise to stardom as a pitchman, tracks the erosion of creativity through corporate branding with a healthy dose of absurdism. Pic’s sly portrait of the artist as a conflicted clown is rich in the meticulous craftsmanship it celebrates, its consummate slapstick deflating any overwrought Pagliacci operatics or facile art-vs.-commerce preciousness. Intelligent crowd-pleaser reps a rousing triumph for the burgeoning Puerto Rican film industry and, with savvy handling, could conjure a niche for itself under the indie big top. —Variety
Trailer
Lemon , (85 minutes)
Director: Laura Brownson, Beth Levinson
Producer: Dan Cogan, Stan Lathan, Russell Simmons
Three-time felon. One-time Tony award winner. Lemon Andersen is a pioneering poet whose words speak for a generation. But Lemon has landed back in the ‘hood, living in the projects with thirteen family members and desperate for a way out. So he turns to the only thing he has left, his pen and his past. In this intricately crafted documentary, Lemon follows one man’s harrowing journey to bring his life story to the stage while battling the demons from his past.
Trailer
Read our interview with Lemon Andersen Here
Machetero , (99 minutes)
Director: Vagabond Beaumont
Producer: Vagabond Beaumont
Post 9/11 definitions, ideas and notions of terrorism are challenged in this highly controversial and experimental film. Machetero is an allegorical narrative that follows French journalist Jean Dumont played by Isaach de Bankolé (The Keeper, Ghost Dog, Coffee and Cigarettes, Mandalay) to a New York prison where he interviews Pedro Taino a so called “Puerto Rican Terrorist” played by Not4Prophet (lead singer of the Puerto Punk band Ricanstruction). Pedro is a self-described Machetero fighting to free Puerto Rico from the yoke of United States colonialism. He is obsessed with freedom, freedom for his country, his people and for himself. Jean questions Pedro about his decisions to use violence as a means to achieve that freedom. As Jean and Pedro speak, another story unfolds. A ghetto youth played by Kelvin Fernandez (in his first starring role) grows up in the ghetto streets and crosses paths with Pedro. Pedro sees potential in the ghetto youth and reawakens a revolutionary spirit instilled in from childhood by a mentor in Puerto Rico.
Trailer
Read our interview with Vagabond Beaumont Here
For their roster and schedule check them out Here
Written by Juan Caceres. LatinoBuzz is a weekly feature on SydneysBuzz that highlights Latino indie talent and upcoming trends in Latino film with the specific objective of presenting a broad range of Latino voices. Follow @LatinoBuzz on Twitter and Facebook.
Babygirl, (81 minutes)
Director: Macdara Vallely
Producer: Alan Maher, R. Paul Miller, Felix Werner, Kathrin Werner
Set in the Bronx, Babygirl is a bitter-sweet drama about teenager Lena who, since she can remember, has watched her mom Lucy squander her life on a series of deadbeat men. When Victor, her mom’s latest boy toy, starts hitting on her Lena sets up an elaborate honey-trap, hoping to show her mom what a scumbag the guy really is. But the plan backfires. Trapped in a twisted love-triangle between Victor and her mom, Lena finally realizes that the only way out is to stand up and finally confront some difficult home truths. Baby girl premiered at last years Tribeca where lead actress Yainis Ynoa was greatly acclaimed but oddly enough the film didn't get the festival attention it deserved, it did get a limited release.
Trailer
El Clown , (105 minutes)
Director: Pedro Adorno, Emilio Rodriguez
Producer: Emilio Rodriguez
El Clown, Emilio Rodriguez and Pedro Adorno’s tale of a circus clown’s rise to stardom as a pitchman, tracks the erosion of creativity through corporate branding with a healthy dose of absurdism. Pic’s sly portrait of the artist as a conflicted clown is rich in the meticulous craftsmanship it celebrates, its consummate slapstick deflating any overwrought Pagliacci operatics or facile art-vs.-commerce preciousness. Intelligent crowd-pleaser reps a rousing triumph for the burgeoning Puerto Rican film industry and, with savvy handling, could conjure a niche for itself under the indie big top. —Variety
Trailer
Lemon , (85 minutes)
Director: Laura Brownson, Beth Levinson
Producer: Dan Cogan, Stan Lathan, Russell Simmons
Three-time felon. One-time Tony award winner. Lemon Andersen is a pioneering poet whose words speak for a generation. But Lemon has landed back in the ‘hood, living in the projects with thirteen family members and desperate for a way out. So he turns to the only thing he has left, his pen and his past. In this intricately crafted documentary, Lemon follows one man’s harrowing journey to bring his life story to the stage while battling the demons from his past.
Trailer
Read our interview with Lemon Andersen Here
Machetero , (99 minutes)
Director: Vagabond Beaumont
Producer: Vagabond Beaumont
Post 9/11 definitions, ideas and notions of terrorism are challenged in this highly controversial and experimental film. Machetero is an allegorical narrative that follows French journalist Jean Dumont played by Isaach de Bankolé (The Keeper, Ghost Dog, Coffee and Cigarettes, Mandalay) to a New York prison where he interviews Pedro Taino a so called “Puerto Rican Terrorist” played by Not4Prophet (lead singer of the Puerto Punk band Ricanstruction). Pedro is a self-described Machetero fighting to free Puerto Rico from the yoke of United States colonialism. He is obsessed with freedom, freedom for his country, his people and for himself. Jean questions Pedro about his decisions to use violence as a means to achieve that freedom. As Jean and Pedro speak, another story unfolds. A ghetto youth played by Kelvin Fernandez (in his first starring role) grows up in the ghetto streets and crosses paths with Pedro. Pedro sees potential in the ghetto youth and reawakens a revolutionary spirit instilled in from childhood by a mentor in Puerto Rico.
Trailer
Read our interview with Vagabond Beaumont Here
For their roster and schedule check them out Here
Written by Juan Caceres. LatinoBuzz is a weekly feature on SydneysBuzz that highlights Latino indie talent and upcoming trends in Latino film with the specific objective of presenting a broad range of Latino voices. Follow @LatinoBuzz on Twitter and Facebook.
- 11/13/2013
- by Juan Caceres
- Sydney's Buzz
I met Alain Alfaro some years back after he came to see one of my short films at a festival. He was getting ready to shoot a short film with a mutual friend, actor George Ruiz. It was to be a romantic comedy called 'Waiting For Her', which he said he had to make to convince his mother he was not on drugs after she saw his previous “experimental” film. As a filmmaker he often writes, produces, directs, shoots and edits all of his projects. His newest work, a web series entitled Henry, was an official selection at this year's New York Television Festival to great success and which I was fortunate (or crazy enough) to get involved in.
Along with the rise of quality Latino web content out there, Henry, starring Jaime Fernandez in the titular role, is starting to make its mark. So, I asked Alain from his P.O.V what are his rules of putting together a successful web series from scratch.
1. “Expect Nothing In Return This is your gift to the world. You most likely won't get rich or famous off of it. Ask yourself if this is something you would do with or without the money, attention, or that development deal. Find a personal connection to the material and tell your story.”
2. “So have something to say this will help when you start to promote it around. A consistent theme will keep your series in tact. It may change as you go along and that's fine. Find interest and meaning in what you're saying and have fun expressing it. Make each episode about One thing - pick a theme, plot line or scenario and stick with just that. Keep the story-telling simple and to the point. If a picture is worth a thousand words, imagine 24 of them per second. Trust your frame, trust that your material is sufficient. Don't give your audience so much to digest. Assume that there's a world of activity happening around them. Your video should represent just one other thing to focus on. And keep it funny! This is just a personal opinion of mine. Nobody wants to take ten minutes out of their day to be depressed by their friend's boyfriend's web series. Be easy on the drama. Keep them laughing, keep them coming back. Once you've got them comfortable, then you ease in that real message that you want to say.”
3. “Work the tools, don't let the tools work you, it doesn't cost much to create a great-looking video these days. Take advantage of all the fun, affordable tools that we have available to us but keep it minimal always. Less is more. Trust your story and don't saturate your production with unnecessary fancy camera moves. To fit in a tip within a tip, don't hurt your pockets so much either. Having a low budget will force creative solutions, which will lead to happy surprises. Remember, making a series is an ongoing thing. Pace yourself and avoid getting tainted. Make sure to capture the best audio that you can while on set (stay away from Adr as much as possible). A bad image can be passed off as an artistic choice, but bad audio is bad audio and it will make your piece seem amateur.”
4. “Set deadlines don't get lost in your own creative cycle. Release it. A deadline is a great way to push yourself harder. Stay true to it and enforce it among the other people in your team. The concept of perfection can be dangerous for an artist. Once your piece is in the hands of the audience, it is no longer yours. Do your best to create something memorable, then send it off to the real world and watch it get all grown up and be proud of it.”
5. “Keep it short and concise whether or not the "YouTube Audience" has a short attention span is still up for debate, but the truth is that most people are watching a web series on the go. This is your calling card as a filmmaker. Your digital elevator pitch. Ten minutes or under is a good time frame for a web series episode. If you're projecting an episode being longer than this, make sure it's extraordinary. Get to the point fast. Today's audience just gets it. Anytime someone sits to watch something they're bringing a lifetime of movie-watching from over 100 years worth of titles. The cinematic language is embedded in all of us. Be ahead of your audience in your story-telling.”
View his work here: www.alignfilms.com and check out Henry at Henrywebseries.com.
Written by Juan Caceres , LatinoBuzz is a weekly feature on SydneysBuzz that highlights Latino indie talent and upcoming trends in Latino film with the specific objective of presenting a broad range of Latino voices. Follow [At]LatinoBuzz on Twitter and Facebook .
Along with the rise of quality Latino web content out there, Henry, starring Jaime Fernandez in the titular role, is starting to make its mark. So, I asked Alain from his P.O.V what are his rules of putting together a successful web series from scratch.
1. “Expect Nothing In Return This is your gift to the world. You most likely won't get rich or famous off of it. Ask yourself if this is something you would do with or without the money, attention, or that development deal. Find a personal connection to the material and tell your story.”
2. “So have something to say this will help when you start to promote it around. A consistent theme will keep your series in tact. It may change as you go along and that's fine. Find interest and meaning in what you're saying and have fun expressing it. Make each episode about One thing - pick a theme, plot line or scenario and stick with just that. Keep the story-telling simple and to the point. If a picture is worth a thousand words, imagine 24 of them per second. Trust your frame, trust that your material is sufficient. Don't give your audience so much to digest. Assume that there's a world of activity happening around them. Your video should represent just one other thing to focus on. And keep it funny! This is just a personal opinion of mine. Nobody wants to take ten minutes out of their day to be depressed by their friend's boyfriend's web series. Be easy on the drama. Keep them laughing, keep them coming back. Once you've got them comfortable, then you ease in that real message that you want to say.”
3. “Work the tools, don't let the tools work you, it doesn't cost much to create a great-looking video these days. Take advantage of all the fun, affordable tools that we have available to us but keep it minimal always. Less is more. Trust your story and don't saturate your production with unnecessary fancy camera moves. To fit in a tip within a tip, don't hurt your pockets so much either. Having a low budget will force creative solutions, which will lead to happy surprises. Remember, making a series is an ongoing thing. Pace yourself and avoid getting tainted. Make sure to capture the best audio that you can while on set (stay away from Adr as much as possible). A bad image can be passed off as an artistic choice, but bad audio is bad audio and it will make your piece seem amateur.”
4. “Set deadlines don't get lost in your own creative cycle. Release it. A deadline is a great way to push yourself harder. Stay true to it and enforce it among the other people in your team. The concept of perfection can be dangerous for an artist. Once your piece is in the hands of the audience, it is no longer yours. Do your best to create something memorable, then send it off to the real world and watch it get all grown up and be proud of it.”
5. “Keep it short and concise whether or not the "YouTube Audience" has a short attention span is still up for debate, but the truth is that most people are watching a web series on the go. This is your calling card as a filmmaker. Your digital elevator pitch. Ten minutes or under is a good time frame for a web series episode. If you're projecting an episode being longer than this, make sure it's extraordinary. Get to the point fast. Today's audience just gets it. Anytime someone sits to watch something they're bringing a lifetime of movie-watching from over 100 years worth of titles. The cinematic language is embedded in all of us. Be ahead of your audience in your story-telling.”
View his work here: www.alignfilms.com and check out Henry at Henrywebseries.com.
Written by Juan Caceres , LatinoBuzz is a weekly feature on SydneysBuzz that highlights Latino indie talent and upcoming trends in Latino film with the specific objective of presenting a broad range of Latino voices. Follow [At]LatinoBuzz on Twitter and Facebook .
- 11/6/2013
- by Juan Caceres
- Sydney's Buzz
San Antonio filmmaker Bryan Ramirez has dug filmmaking since he was a kid when he would spend time creating Ninja Maniacs (which I'm dying to see!). After graduating Full Sail Film School in Orlando, he stayed true to his roots and never did the 'Hollywood' thing. Instead he gathered friends in Tejas to make his first feature film debut, the award winning Mission Park which has had a successful festival run and got picked up by AMC Independent to be released in September. The crime drama stars Jeremy Ray Valdez (Walkout), Walter Perez (The Avengers), Fernanda Romero (Drag me to Hell), Joseph Julian Soria (Crank: High Voltage) and Will Rothhaar (Battle Los Angeles). It also features Vivica A. Fox, Will Estes and Sean Patrick Flanery. So, we asked Ramirez to tell us his 5 rules of making a film.
“It starts with the script, it speaks to you as you write it, let it tell the story. When writing and reading a script, the characters come to life, you see them, hear them and feel them. You have to be true to this when casting. If they offer you a big name but you don't think they'll fit your vision. They won't fit. There are other options and you must be adamant about who you want.”
“Your vision is your vision. You have be able to tell your story the way you want to tell it. It has to look and feel the way you want it to. Make sure you get a Dp who trusts your vision and assist you in bringing it to life. At the same time you have to trust your Dp, he may have an idea that will blow your mind.”
“Collaborate, but don't lose control of the set. You're the Director, a lot of times an actor will have an idea of how they want to bring a character. Hear them out, this just means that they are as deeply involved as you are and they will move mountains for you in order to bring the words to life.”
Watch the trailer for Mission Park
“Hire a seasoned Ad, and trust him 100%. Remember though, you set the pace of your crew, if you're excited to be there, know your shots, know your blocking, and know your story, they will all keep pace with you. The moment you lose control or show signs of confusion, don't know what you want or how to get it, you will lose your crews respect and the actors trust.”
“If you're just starting out and want to be a director, watch movies, a lot of movies. Then watch them with no sound, look at the shot selection, the actor's facial movement and body motions, the set, the props, even the lighting. How do all these elements help tell the story?"
For all the good stuff, check out: http://missionparkthemovie.com/
Written by Juan Caceres and Vanessa Erazo, LatinoBuzz is a weekly feature on SydneysBuzz that highlights Latino indie talent and upcoming trends in Latino film with the specific objective of presenting a broad range of Latino voices. Follow @LatinoBuzz on Twitter and Facebook.
“It starts with the script, it speaks to you as you write it, let it tell the story. When writing and reading a script, the characters come to life, you see them, hear them and feel them. You have to be true to this when casting. If they offer you a big name but you don't think they'll fit your vision. They won't fit. There are other options and you must be adamant about who you want.”
“Your vision is your vision. You have be able to tell your story the way you want to tell it. It has to look and feel the way you want it to. Make sure you get a Dp who trusts your vision and assist you in bringing it to life. At the same time you have to trust your Dp, he may have an idea that will blow your mind.”
“Collaborate, but don't lose control of the set. You're the Director, a lot of times an actor will have an idea of how they want to bring a character. Hear them out, this just means that they are as deeply involved as you are and they will move mountains for you in order to bring the words to life.”
Watch the trailer for Mission Park
“Hire a seasoned Ad, and trust him 100%. Remember though, you set the pace of your crew, if you're excited to be there, know your shots, know your blocking, and know your story, they will all keep pace with you. The moment you lose control or show signs of confusion, don't know what you want or how to get it, you will lose your crews respect and the actors trust.”
“If you're just starting out and want to be a director, watch movies, a lot of movies. Then watch them with no sound, look at the shot selection, the actor's facial movement and body motions, the set, the props, even the lighting. How do all these elements help tell the story?"
For all the good stuff, check out: http://missionparkthemovie.com/
Written by Juan Caceres and Vanessa Erazo, LatinoBuzz is a weekly feature on SydneysBuzz that highlights Latino indie talent and upcoming trends in Latino film with the specific objective of presenting a broad range of Latino voices. Follow @LatinoBuzz on Twitter and Facebook.
- 7/31/2013
- by Juan Caceres
- Sydney's Buzz
LatinoBuzz: Alex Rivera & Greg Berger on Making Political Films & Joining a Cheese-Making Collective
Greg “Gringoyo” Berger is an American filmmaker living in Mexico who makes social justice films. He doesn’t take himself too seriously and understands his position as an outsider in the country, often calling himself a revolutionary tourist.
Recently, in light of the drastic and violent effects the drug war has inflicted upon Mexico, he has focused his camera on narcos and failed drug policies. But, unlike his prior more conventional documentaries, his style has evolved to include satire and humor to get his point across.
Berger will be screening several of his short films next week at the Museum of the Moving Image in Queens together with Alex Rivera, director of the science fiction film Sleep Dealer. Set in Mexico, it is not your run-of-the-mill sci-fi movie. It’s in Spanish, it’s political and it imagines the near future, a world of cyberbraceros, coyoteks, remotely-controlled drones, aqua-terrorists, and closed borders. Both filmmakers use an imaginative and original lens to look at political issues. And, it turns out they are old college friends.
LatinoBuzz talked to Berger and Rivera about their free screening named “Bordering on Absurd,” what inspired them to make political films, and their college days spent in a cheese-making collective. Yeah, read on. It gets hilarious.
LatinoBuzz: How did the two of you meet? Have you collaborated on films before?
Rivera: We met at Hampshire College in the early nineteen-nineties. Back then, you needed a hand crank to power up the internet, and moving images were recorded in flip books. Even so, we managed to discover a set of shared interests in media, performance, and politics. While we've never produced a film together, we've always been in creative dialogue. Greg is a maniac. In a good way.
Berger: Alex is a maniac too, but he tries to pawn it off on me. During our time at Hampshire College I noticed that Alex had a unique talent for creative community organizing and was a political thinker. We became friends and lived in a kind of co-op housing unit on campus, spending most of our time creating film and performance projects around political issues that we felt passionate about. It seemed like every week we were building a 50 foot version of something for an “urgent” radical media project. For some reason, whatever we were building was always big. And we set up lots of front groups to try and siphon funds from the student activities budget for our projects. We had a cheese-making collective that never made any cheese. We learned to be resourceful. We each had sections of our final-year film projects that needed to be filmed in Florida. Alex needed to interview Jorge Ramos at Univision and I needed to film workers in the Florida citrus industry. We financed our trip by “volunteering” for an interstate car transportation service. We had to smile and convince a Massachusetts State Trooper to let us drive his elderly mom's 1980s Lincoln Town Car to Miami. I remember him looking us over suspiciously as we smiled and explained to him the urgent nature of our film projects. It was sort of like our first pitch to a grant-giving organization. He let us drive the car, which is a better outcome than lots of funding meetings I've had since.
LatinoBuzz: Can you explain the meaning of the title of the screening: “Bordering on Absurd”? And, how did the screening come about? Whose idea was it?
Rivera: I'll let Greg field this one.
Berger: Gonzalo Casals, the Deputy Executive Director at El Museo del Barrio in Manhattan, thought it was kind of absurd that Alex and I have collaborated for so many years but never screened our work together! He has been supportive of both of us for many years. Gonzalo is a big fan of The Museum of the Moving Image in Astoria, and worked with the team there to make this happen.
Actually, the title “Bordering on Absurd” is a reference to what it sounds like: absurd and surreal politics around the border as a constant theme in Alex's work. And also to my political comedies. The multiple meanings of the U.S.-Mexico border, as a symbol of economic inequality, and as a barrier that unjustly separates families, is a common theme in Alex's work. I use political satire to cover Mexican social movements and the push to end the farcical “War on Drugs.”
A few years ago I decided to give up long-format political documentary filmmaking and focus on political satire. I used to think that if you pointed out how awful something was, people would be moved to change it. I don't think that's true anymore. I've watched the city where I live, Cuernavaca, fall to pieces during the War on Drugs. My friends, family, and neighbors there don't want to hear more stories about how horrible things are. They want hope. Movements to end intolerable situations have to provide hope and even be fun, and so I only use comedy to cover social movements these days.
But what's really absurd is how many “far-fetched” elements of Alex's science fiction work have actually become reality. The remote labor systems, outsourced military contractors, and drone warfare in Sleep Dealer have all turned out to be features of our contemporary historical moment. That's not just bordering on absurd. That's beyond absurd.
LatinoBuzz: Can you talk a little bit about the films you will be showing? What do they have in common? Why did you choose them?
Rivera: Well, as I mentioned, we've always been in creative dialogue, both of us seeking ways to use humor, satire, and genre to directly address contentious political issues. And we've both, for various reasons, ended up in something of a “mental borderland” - working on images and stories and themes that connect the U.S. and Mexico.
Berger: Over the last decade I have been involved with a project in Mexico called The School for Authentic Journalism that is a affiliated with the online newspaper Narco News. I will be screening several short parodies that cover the movements to end the War on Drugs in Mexico, all of which grew out of my work with those projects. Those films include Spring Breakers Without Borders, Narco-Mania, and Foreigner Watch. I will also be screening Now! (¡Ahora!) which I will talk more about in a bit.
LatinoBuzz: When you do a screening like this (which is free) what is your objective?
Rivera: To learn from the audience. To come away a little more fired up to make new work.
Berger: The short term objective is to not get booed offstage. Over the last few years I have been concentrating on internet distribution and distribution via “self-piracy” in Mexico City's bootleg DVD markets. (By that I mean working with networks of bootleg DVD stands to make sure my films are outside every subway station in Mexico City.) Finding mass audiences is important if you want to use film as a political organizing tool, but there's no substitute for screening work in front of a live audience. I steal most of my best ideas from live audiences.
I am also looking forward to speaking with Alex in front of an audience about what we can do to use film as a tool for political movements. I just hope that Gonzalo doesn't have any Jerry Springer type surprises lined up for the event.
LatinoBuzz: Which came first your interest in politics or becoming a filmmaker? Were your films always political or did you evolve as a filmmaker?
Rivera: For a long time I've worked from the belief that Every Film Is Political. It's impossible to make a non-political film. Every time you make a decision about theme, location, cast, etc., you're making a decision that puts certain people and certain points-of-view in the center of the frame. And inevitably, you're also pushing other people and themes to the margins. Always. So the question any thoughtful filmmaker must confront is: who do I want to put in the center? Whose point-of-view do I want to explore?
Berger: I agree with Alex completely. Every film promotes a political worldview. I have been interested in grassroots politics since attending the massive anti-nuclear, anti-Reagan march in New York when I was nine years old. And filmmaking since before I was born. My mother grew up just a few blocks from the Museum of the Moving Image, in a poor, single-parent household, and the movie palace in Astoria was her lifeline to an imaginary world. The local movie theatre in Astoria saved her life, in many ways. She passed her love of film to me.
But for me, learning to become a strategic political filmmaker has been a much more arduous task. Every film is political, but it is much more difficult to produce films alongside social movements that have an impact on the real world, on the work and trajectory of movements.
For me, this became a matter of life or death when the Drug War started to accelerate in Cuernavaca, where I live, about five years ago. Several people I know have been murdered and kidnapped, and at one point I had to pass through two military checkpoints every morning to take my son to school. All because of a ridiculous and failed War on Drugs. That's when I decided that simply “reporting” through film was no longer enough. If I was going to bother to make films, I wanted them to have strategic value and to form part of a broader movement for change. That's what we do at the School for Authentic Journalism, where I co-direct the video program... it's kind of a laboratory for strategic filmmaking.
I put myself in my films, creating characters that satirize misguided U.S. attitudes or policy in Mexico and Latin America. My goal is to use myself as a kind of punching bag to attract attention to movements whose stories need to be told to audiences less interested in “serious” documentaries.
LatinoBuzz: Do you consider yourself an activist who makes films or simply a filmmaker?
Rivera: An aspiring thoughtful filmmaker.
Berger: A comedian and aspiring organizer!
LatinoBuzz: Alex, you are not Mexican. Can you talk about why the U.S.-Mexico border has been such an important part of your work?
Rivera: My father is Peruvian, my mom was born in Brooklyn, of Scottish descent. I grew up in something of a “borderland” with icons of Peru around the house in which I watched “Gilligan's Island.” But that's not the real reason to be interested in the border, and interested in the relationship between the U.S. and Mexico. Anyone who's seriously interested in the future of America - and therefore the future of the world - needs to consider the deep, deep connections between the U.S., Mexico, and Latin America. These are histories that are as intertwined as those of Great Britain and India. Or Palestine and Israel. You can't understand one without the other.
LatinoBuzz: Greg, can you explain your nickname Gringoyo and where that came from?
Berger: Well, in Mexico “Goyo” is short for “Gregorio,” and I happen to be one of those gringos who can't hide my gringo-ness no matter what I do, so soon after moving to Mexico in 1998 I said “fuck it” and turned the words Gringo and Goyo into a compound word and my nickname. It also has become a plausible way to separate myself from the dimwitted characters I create in my films. In 2003, I made my first political comedy short, Gringotón, which is about a good-natured but clueless gringo in Mexico City during the Iraq War. Soon after, two people who later became good friends and collaborators, worked hard to convince me to stop making “serious” documentaries and to use these characters like the one in Gringotón to cover the stories of social movements. Those two people were Al Giordano, the founder of the School of Authentic Journalism, and Oscar Olivera, the Bolivian union leader known for his role in the mass movement against water privatization in Cochabamba in the year 2000. Oscar is also a professor of the School of Authentic Journalism. In 2009, as the Drug War heated up in Mexico and comedy seemed a better vocation in the midst of so much pain and suffering, I finally took their advice. So now, I blame all my stupid mistakes on “Gringoyo,” my alter-ego.
LatinoBuzz: Greg, can you talk about how you became interested in Mexico and how you ended up living there?
Berger: It's basically Alex's fault. Alex should actually apologize to the 150 million residents of Mexico for bringing me there and subjecting them to my unpleasant presence.
In 1998, Alex was in the very beginning of his work on what was to become his film Sleep Dealer, and he was learning more about Mexico and brushing up his Spanish, and he invited me to come down to study Spanish with him. I was trying to produce my own films in the U.S. but was barely able to scrape by as a production assistant on horrible commercials and films. So I went to Mexico and loved it. It was the late 90s, and just a few years earlier the Zapatistas in Chiapas had set in motion a series of events that kind of filled social movements throughout Mexico with an infectious feeling of hope, that change from the bottom up was possible. Lots of local struggles felt emboldened by what was going on. So I stayed and began to film these movements, like the famous uprising in the town of Atenco in 2001. These movements became my political teachers and my film school at the same time. Eventually, I met Estela Kempis, a doctor and advocate for reproductive rights, and we started a family together in Morelos.
LatinoBuzz: Greg, your film Now! (¡Ahora!) compares the dreamers to the civil rights movement. What are the similarities of those struggles? Do you think the dreamers should be using similar or different tactics to the civil rights movement?
Let me just start off by saying that the dreamers have become teachers to all of us who strive to become more effective organizers. They are the most inspiring and effective grassroots political movement in North America right now. I love what they are doing. There is nothing about strategy and tactics that I could teach them... quite the opposite, so I won't presume to say what they should or shouldn't do.
And I'd love to explain the context of this film, which is basically a shot by shot recreation of the famous 1965 documentary Now! by Santiago Álvarez.
For those that don't know the story, after the Cuban Revolution, Santiago Álvarez became the unlikely director of newsreel production at the Icaic, the Cuban Film Institute. He was 40 years old and had never made a film in his life. With limited resources and a U.S. blockade to contend with, Álvarez made use of the materials available to him, which often consisted of a few scratched LP records, cutouts from Life magazine, and newsreel footage brought into Cuba by friends and allies. He once said, “give me two photos, a song, and a moviola (film editing device,) and I'll give you a film.” And that's literally what he did!
In 1965, he took images of the U.S. civil rights movement and cut it to a track recorded by pioneering African-American singer Lena Horne called “Now!” The song is something in itself...the melody is actually from the Hebrew song “Hava Nagilah.” Lena Horne had to contend with the apartheid-like conditions of the U.S. entertainment industry and was blacklisted for years, but the content of what she sang was generally never overtly political. But “Now!” was like a bomb. And Santiago Álvarez took that musical bomb and managed to discover the essence of it and turn it into a film montage of the civil rights movement that became an effective and gut-punching document of that struggle. It's an amazing film, and some film scholars call it the first true music video ever made in the sense that it wasn't just a filmed performance but a film that was actually cut to the rhythm of the music to bring out the essence of the song.
Álvarez took the newsreel format and made it both effective political propaganda for the masses and high art at the same time. By some accounts, lots of people would show up to a film in Havana just to see his newsreels, and then leave before the feature.
I teach film at the State University of Morelos in Mexico, and two years ago in a political filmmaking class my students and I began to study the actions of the dreamers in the U.S. Many of my students feel a strong affinity for the dreamers. Almost all of my students, regardless of social class or background, have family in the U.S. and have seen or felt firsthand the suffering that the border and accelerated deportations have created. The parallels between what the dreamers are doing and the civil rights movement of the 50s and 60s is clear. It's something that lots of people see. It's obviously different in its objective conditions and long term goals and in lots of other ways, but like the civil rights movement 50 years ago, they are winning and inspiring millions as they forge ahead. They are inspiring my students in Mexico. I assigned to them a project to try and find stills and videos of the immigrants' movements in the U.S. that matched in content and composition the film Now! which we were studying. We managed to recreate about 10% of the film.
Then, a few months ago, as the fame of the dreamers grew and the Senate began to debate immigration reform, I dusted off that old class assignment and finished the film.
As a political film this is really a celebration of the dreamers and of all movements of undocumented people in the U.S., and a reminder that they walk in the footsteps of the U.S. civil rights movement. And notwithstanding setbacks and the continued struggle against white supremacy in the U.S., the civil rights movement of 50 years ago was basically victorious, and so will the immigrants' movements of today.
But also, when I watch this new film we've created, an homage to the dreamers and to Álvarez's masterwork, I think about all the layers of history and the way movements and organizers and media makers can speak to each other across time and space. A Cuban filmmaker in Cuba takes a song written by an African-American and makes it into a film about the U.S. civil rights movement, and then a group of Mexican students work on an updated version of the film 50 years later featuring images of a movement of immigrants with roots from around the world in the U.S. It's very cool to watch.
Join Alex Rivera and Greg Berger for “Bordering on Absurd” a free film screening and conversation at The Museum of the Moving Image on Friday, August 9, 2013. For more information check out the Facebook invite.
Written by Juan Caceres and Vanessa Erazo, LatinoBuzz is a weekly feature on SydneysBuzz that highlights Latino indie talent and upcoming trends in Latino film with the specific objective of presenting a broad range of Latino voices. Follow @LatinoBuzz on Twitter and Facebook.
Recently, in light of the drastic and violent effects the drug war has inflicted upon Mexico, he has focused his camera on narcos and failed drug policies. But, unlike his prior more conventional documentaries, his style has evolved to include satire and humor to get his point across.
Berger will be screening several of his short films next week at the Museum of the Moving Image in Queens together with Alex Rivera, director of the science fiction film Sleep Dealer. Set in Mexico, it is not your run-of-the-mill sci-fi movie. It’s in Spanish, it’s political and it imagines the near future, a world of cyberbraceros, coyoteks, remotely-controlled drones, aqua-terrorists, and closed borders. Both filmmakers use an imaginative and original lens to look at political issues. And, it turns out they are old college friends.
LatinoBuzz talked to Berger and Rivera about their free screening named “Bordering on Absurd,” what inspired them to make political films, and their college days spent in a cheese-making collective. Yeah, read on. It gets hilarious.
LatinoBuzz: How did the two of you meet? Have you collaborated on films before?
Rivera: We met at Hampshire College in the early nineteen-nineties. Back then, you needed a hand crank to power up the internet, and moving images were recorded in flip books. Even so, we managed to discover a set of shared interests in media, performance, and politics. While we've never produced a film together, we've always been in creative dialogue. Greg is a maniac. In a good way.
Berger: Alex is a maniac too, but he tries to pawn it off on me. During our time at Hampshire College I noticed that Alex had a unique talent for creative community organizing and was a political thinker. We became friends and lived in a kind of co-op housing unit on campus, spending most of our time creating film and performance projects around political issues that we felt passionate about. It seemed like every week we were building a 50 foot version of something for an “urgent” radical media project. For some reason, whatever we were building was always big. And we set up lots of front groups to try and siphon funds from the student activities budget for our projects. We had a cheese-making collective that never made any cheese. We learned to be resourceful. We each had sections of our final-year film projects that needed to be filmed in Florida. Alex needed to interview Jorge Ramos at Univision and I needed to film workers in the Florida citrus industry. We financed our trip by “volunteering” for an interstate car transportation service. We had to smile and convince a Massachusetts State Trooper to let us drive his elderly mom's 1980s Lincoln Town Car to Miami. I remember him looking us over suspiciously as we smiled and explained to him the urgent nature of our film projects. It was sort of like our first pitch to a grant-giving organization. He let us drive the car, which is a better outcome than lots of funding meetings I've had since.
LatinoBuzz: Can you explain the meaning of the title of the screening: “Bordering on Absurd”? And, how did the screening come about? Whose idea was it?
Rivera: I'll let Greg field this one.
Berger: Gonzalo Casals, the Deputy Executive Director at El Museo del Barrio in Manhattan, thought it was kind of absurd that Alex and I have collaborated for so many years but never screened our work together! He has been supportive of both of us for many years. Gonzalo is a big fan of The Museum of the Moving Image in Astoria, and worked with the team there to make this happen.
Actually, the title “Bordering on Absurd” is a reference to what it sounds like: absurd and surreal politics around the border as a constant theme in Alex's work. And also to my political comedies. The multiple meanings of the U.S.-Mexico border, as a symbol of economic inequality, and as a barrier that unjustly separates families, is a common theme in Alex's work. I use political satire to cover Mexican social movements and the push to end the farcical “War on Drugs.”
A few years ago I decided to give up long-format political documentary filmmaking and focus on political satire. I used to think that if you pointed out how awful something was, people would be moved to change it. I don't think that's true anymore. I've watched the city where I live, Cuernavaca, fall to pieces during the War on Drugs. My friends, family, and neighbors there don't want to hear more stories about how horrible things are. They want hope. Movements to end intolerable situations have to provide hope and even be fun, and so I only use comedy to cover social movements these days.
But what's really absurd is how many “far-fetched” elements of Alex's science fiction work have actually become reality. The remote labor systems, outsourced military contractors, and drone warfare in Sleep Dealer have all turned out to be features of our contemporary historical moment. That's not just bordering on absurd. That's beyond absurd.
LatinoBuzz: Can you talk a little bit about the films you will be showing? What do they have in common? Why did you choose them?
Rivera: Well, as I mentioned, we've always been in creative dialogue, both of us seeking ways to use humor, satire, and genre to directly address contentious political issues. And we've both, for various reasons, ended up in something of a “mental borderland” - working on images and stories and themes that connect the U.S. and Mexico.
Berger: Over the last decade I have been involved with a project in Mexico called The School for Authentic Journalism that is a affiliated with the online newspaper Narco News. I will be screening several short parodies that cover the movements to end the War on Drugs in Mexico, all of which grew out of my work with those projects. Those films include Spring Breakers Without Borders, Narco-Mania, and Foreigner Watch. I will also be screening Now! (¡Ahora!) which I will talk more about in a bit.
LatinoBuzz: When you do a screening like this (which is free) what is your objective?
Rivera: To learn from the audience. To come away a little more fired up to make new work.
Berger: The short term objective is to not get booed offstage. Over the last few years I have been concentrating on internet distribution and distribution via “self-piracy” in Mexico City's bootleg DVD markets. (By that I mean working with networks of bootleg DVD stands to make sure my films are outside every subway station in Mexico City.) Finding mass audiences is important if you want to use film as a political organizing tool, but there's no substitute for screening work in front of a live audience. I steal most of my best ideas from live audiences.
I am also looking forward to speaking with Alex in front of an audience about what we can do to use film as a tool for political movements. I just hope that Gonzalo doesn't have any Jerry Springer type surprises lined up for the event.
LatinoBuzz: Which came first your interest in politics or becoming a filmmaker? Were your films always political or did you evolve as a filmmaker?
Rivera: For a long time I've worked from the belief that Every Film Is Political. It's impossible to make a non-political film. Every time you make a decision about theme, location, cast, etc., you're making a decision that puts certain people and certain points-of-view in the center of the frame. And inevitably, you're also pushing other people and themes to the margins. Always. So the question any thoughtful filmmaker must confront is: who do I want to put in the center? Whose point-of-view do I want to explore?
Berger: I agree with Alex completely. Every film promotes a political worldview. I have been interested in grassroots politics since attending the massive anti-nuclear, anti-Reagan march in New York when I was nine years old. And filmmaking since before I was born. My mother grew up just a few blocks from the Museum of the Moving Image, in a poor, single-parent household, and the movie palace in Astoria was her lifeline to an imaginary world. The local movie theatre in Astoria saved her life, in many ways. She passed her love of film to me.
But for me, learning to become a strategic political filmmaker has been a much more arduous task. Every film is political, but it is much more difficult to produce films alongside social movements that have an impact on the real world, on the work and trajectory of movements.
For me, this became a matter of life or death when the Drug War started to accelerate in Cuernavaca, where I live, about five years ago. Several people I know have been murdered and kidnapped, and at one point I had to pass through two military checkpoints every morning to take my son to school. All because of a ridiculous and failed War on Drugs. That's when I decided that simply “reporting” through film was no longer enough. If I was going to bother to make films, I wanted them to have strategic value and to form part of a broader movement for change. That's what we do at the School for Authentic Journalism, where I co-direct the video program... it's kind of a laboratory for strategic filmmaking.
I put myself in my films, creating characters that satirize misguided U.S. attitudes or policy in Mexico and Latin America. My goal is to use myself as a kind of punching bag to attract attention to movements whose stories need to be told to audiences less interested in “serious” documentaries.
LatinoBuzz: Do you consider yourself an activist who makes films or simply a filmmaker?
Rivera: An aspiring thoughtful filmmaker.
Berger: A comedian and aspiring organizer!
LatinoBuzz: Alex, you are not Mexican. Can you talk about why the U.S.-Mexico border has been such an important part of your work?
Rivera: My father is Peruvian, my mom was born in Brooklyn, of Scottish descent. I grew up in something of a “borderland” with icons of Peru around the house in which I watched “Gilligan's Island.” But that's not the real reason to be interested in the border, and interested in the relationship between the U.S. and Mexico. Anyone who's seriously interested in the future of America - and therefore the future of the world - needs to consider the deep, deep connections between the U.S., Mexico, and Latin America. These are histories that are as intertwined as those of Great Britain and India. Or Palestine and Israel. You can't understand one without the other.
LatinoBuzz: Greg, can you explain your nickname Gringoyo and where that came from?
Berger: Well, in Mexico “Goyo” is short for “Gregorio,” and I happen to be one of those gringos who can't hide my gringo-ness no matter what I do, so soon after moving to Mexico in 1998 I said “fuck it” and turned the words Gringo and Goyo into a compound word and my nickname. It also has become a plausible way to separate myself from the dimwitted characters I create in my films. In 2003, I made my first political comedy short, Gringotón, which is about a good-natured but clueless gringo in Mexico City during the Iraq War. Soon after, two people who later became good friends and collaborators, worked hard to convince me to stop making “serious” documentaries and to use these characters like the one in Gringotón to cover the stories of social movements. Those two people were Al Giordano, the founder of the School of Authentic Journalism, and Oscar Olivera, the Bolivian union leader known for his role in the mass movement against water privatization in Cochabamba in the year 2000. Oscar is also a professor of the School of Authentic Journalism. In 2009, as the Drug War heated up in Mexico and comedy seemed a better vocation in the midst of so much pain and suffering, I finally took their advice. So now, I blame all my stupid mistakes on “Gringoyo,” my alter-ego.
LatinoBuzz: Greg, can you talk about how you became interested in Mexico and how you ended up living there?
Berger: It's basically Alex's fault. Alex should actually apologize to the 150 million residents of Mexico for bringing me there and subjecting them to my unpleasant presence.
In 1998, Alex was in the very beginning of his work on what was to become his film Sleep Dealer, and he was learning more about Mexico and brushing up his Spanish, and he invited me to come down to study Spanish with him. I was trying to produce my own films in the U.S. but was barely able to scrape by as a production assistant on horrible commercials and films. So I went to Mexico and loved it. It was the late 90s, and just a few years earlier the Zapatistas in Chiapas had set in motion a series of events that kind of filled social movements throughout Mexico with an infectious feeling of hope, that change from the bottom up was possible. Lots of local struggles felt emboldened by what was going on. So I stayed and began to film these movements, like the famous uprising in the town of Atenco in 2001. These movements became my political teachers and my film school at the same time. Eventually, I met Estela Kempis, a doctor and advocate for reproductive rights, and we started a family together in Morelos.
LatinoBuzz: Greg, your film Now! (¡Ahora!) compares the dreamers to the civil rights movement. What are the similarities of those struggles? Do you think the dreamers should be using similar or different tactics to the civil rights movement?
Let me just start off by saying that the dreamers have become teachers to all of us who strive to become more effective organizers. They are the most inspiring and effective grassroots political movement in North America right now. I love what they are doing. There is nothing about strategy and tactics that I could teach them... quite the opposite, so I won't presume to say what they should or shouldn't do.
And I'd love to explain the context of this film, which is basically a shot by shot recreation of the famous 1965 documentary Now! by Santiago Álvarez.
For those that don't know the story, after the Cuban Revolution, Santiago Álvarez became the unlikely director of newsreel production at the Icaic, the Cuban Film Institute. He was 40 years old and had never made a film in his life. With limited resources and a U.S. blockade to contend with, Álvarez made use of the materials available to him, which often consisted of a few scratched LP records, cutouts from Life magazine, and newsreel footage brought into Cuba by friends and allies. He once said, “give me two photos, a song, and a moviola (film editing device,) and I'll give you a film.” And that's literally what he did!
In 1965, he took images of the U.S. civil rights movement and cut it to a track recorded by pioneering African-American singer Lena Horne called “Now!” The song is something in itself...the melody is actually from the Hebrew song “Hava Nagilah.” Lena Horne had to contend with the apartheid-like conditions of the U.S. entertainment industry and was blacklisted for years, but the content of what she sang was generally never overtly political. But “Now!” was like a bomb. And Santiago Álvarez took that musical bomb and managed to discover the essence of it and turn it into a film montage of the civil rights movement that became an effective and gut-punching document of that struggle. It's an amazing film, and some film scholars call it the first true music video ever made in the sense that it wasn't just a filmed performance but a film that was actually cut to the rhythm of the music to bring out the essence of the song.
Álvarez took the newsreel format and made it both effective political propaganda for the masses and high art at the same time. By some accounts, lots of people would show up to a film in Havana just to see his newsreels, and then leave before the feature.
I teach film at the State University of Morelos in Mexico, and two years ago in a political filmmaking class my students and I began to study the actions of the dreamers in the U.S. Many of my students feel a strong affinity for the dreamers. Almost all of my students, regardless of social class or background, have family in the U.S. and have seen or felt firsthand the suffering that the border and accelerated deportations have created. The parallels between what the dreamers are doing and the civil rights movement of the 50s and 60s is clear. It's something that lots of people see. It's obviously different in its objective conditions and long term goals and in lots of other ways, but like the civil rights movement 50 years ago, they are winning and inspiring millions as they forge ahead. They are inspiring my students in Mexico. I assigned to them a project to try and find stills and videos of the immigrants' movements in the U.S. that matched in content and composition the film Now! which we were studying. We managed to recreate about 10% of the film.
Then, a few months ago, as the fame of the dreamers grew and the Senate began to debate immigration reform, I dusted off that old class assignment and finished the film.
As a political film this is really a celebration of the dreamers and of all movements of undocumented people in the U.S., and a reminder that they walk in the footsteps of the U.S. civil rights movement. And notwithstanding setbacks and the continued struggle against white supremacy in the U.S., the civil rights movement of 50 years ago was basically victorious, and so will the immigrants' movements of today.
But also, when I watch this new film we've created, an homage to the dreamers and to Álvarez's masterwork, I think about all the layers of history and the way movements and organizers and media makers can speak to each other across time and space. A Cuban filmmaker in Cuba takes a song written by an African-American and makes it into a film about the U.S. civil rights movement, and then a group of Mexican students work on an updated version of the film 50 years later featuring images of a movement of immigrants with roots from around the world in the U.S. It's very cool to watch.
Join Alex Rivera and Greg Berger for “Bordering on Absurd” a free film screening and conversation at The Museum of the Moving Image on Friday, August 9, 2013. For more information check out the Facebook invite.
Written by Juan Caceres and Vanessa Erazo, LatinoBuzz is a weekly feature on SydneysBuzz that highlights Latino indie talent and upcoming trends in Latino film with the specific objective of presenting a broad range of Latino voices. Follow @LatinoBuzz on Twitter and Facebook.
- 7/31/2013
- by Vanessa Erazo
- Sydney's Buzz
Running concurrently with the Rio International Film Festival, the Ifp & the Latin American Training Center (Latc) seek three U.S. producers to attend the RioMarket October 1-4, 2013. Click here for more information.
Conceived to boost international co-productions/ventures and encourage production in Latin America, Latc assists Ifp producers in understanding feasibility of Brazilian partnerships for their projects and expanding their international contacts while in Rio. The producers also participate in one-on-one business meetings and network opportunities in the RioMarket and attend previously scheduled meetings organized by Latc. The Rio Festival offers participating Ifp producers four nights hotel and festival accreditation. Producers are expected to participate in a panel on October 3rd on "Trends in Us Independent Filmmaking" and also consider Brazilian projects for possible co-production.
Applicants should have at least one feature-film producing credit and be a current Ifp member. All applications are due in house by Friday, July 26th. Final applicants are subject to approval by the RioMarket. To apply, please send a resume and one page cover letter explaining your interest in the program to Amy Dotson, Deputy Director & Head of Programming at adotson[a]ifp.org.
Written by Juan Caceres and Vanessa Erazo, LatinoBuzz is a weekly feature on SydneysBuzz that highlights emerging and established Latino indie talent and upcoming trends in Latino film with the specific objective of presenting a broad range of Latino voices. Follow @LatinoBuzz on twitter. ...
Conceived to boost international co-productions/ventures and encourage production in Latin America, Latc assists Ifp producers in understanding feasibility of Brazilian partnerships for their projects and expanding their international contacts while in Rio. The producers also participate in one-on-one business meetings and network opportunities in the RioMarket and attend previously scheduled meetings organized by Latc. The Rio Festival offers participating Ifp producers four nights hotel and festival accreditation. Producers are expected to participate in a panel on October 3rd on "Trends in Us Independent Filmmaking" and also consider Brazilian projects for possible co-production.
Applicants should have at least one feature-film producing credit and be a current Ifp member. All applications are due in house by Friday, July 26th. Final applicants are subject to approval by the RioMarket. To apply, please send a resume and one page cover letter explaining your interest in the program to Amy Dotson, Deputy Director & Head of Programming at adotson[a]ifp.org.
Written by Juan Caceres and Vanessa Erazo, LatinoBuzz is a weekly feature on SydneysBuzz that highlights emerging and established Latino indie talent and upcoming trends in Latino film with the specific objective of presenting a broad range of Latino voices. Follow @LatinoBuzz on twitter. ...
- 7/24/2013
- by Vanessa Erazo
- Sydney's Buzz
For more than a decade, the annual Latin Alternative Music Conference (Lamc) has brought together the musical innovators and genre-benders at the forefront of a musical movement known simply as Latin alternative. It is a catch-all term, not a genre in itself. Some sing indie pop in Spanish while others take Latin beats like cumbia, regional Mexican music, or salsa and remix them with hip-hop, punk, electronica and everything in between.
The conference, organized by Los Angeles-based Nacional Records, took over NYC this past week and was a sweaty, sweltering marathon of acoustic showcases, electro-cumbia light shows, rainy SummerStage performances, and out-of-control dance parties. The long standing conference is a testament to the vitality of the Latino independent music scene.
Although the mainstream is still catching up to this “new” musical movement, Latino filmmakers have already tapped into this vast musical resource. Aurora Guerrero, director of Mosquita y Mari, told LatinoBuzz in a previous interview that, “I’m constantly on SoundCloud or Remezcla looking to see what new music is being produced by Latino artists. I’m not interested in producing soundtracks or scores that have been recycled in U.S. Latino films throughout the years. I’m looking for music that’s cutting-edge and contemporary.” Her film, a thoughtful portrait of two teenage Chicanas living in Los Angeles, is set to the music of local ska bands, the melancholy vocals of Carla Morrison, and other genre-remixing Latino artists.
The marriage of Latino independent music with Latino independent film seems natural. Both try to “hop borders” as Jon Pareles wrote in the New York Times and exist out of a desire to reach beyond the cultural boundaries in which they currently reside. It’s also a mutually beneficial relationship. Filmmakers deal with lower fees versus trying to license more commercial music while providing much-needed exposure to up-and-coming bands.
By happenstance Latinbeat, the Film Society of Lincoln Center’s week-long showcase of Latin American independent films, overlapped with Lamc over the weekend. It was a Lindie (a.k.a. Latino indie) takeover.
Latinbeat runs through Sunday, July 21 and there is still a ton to see. Here are the highlights.
Viola
Matías Piñeiro | 2012 | 65 mins
Wednesday, July 17 and Thursday, July 18 at 11:15am 1:45pm 4:15pm 6:45pm 9:30pm
A web of romantic intrigue and revelation is delicately unraveled in this dazzling riff on Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night. Screening with Rosalinda (Matías Piñeiro, 2010, 43m).
Tanta Agua (So Much Water)
Ana Guevara | Leticia Jorge | 2013 | 100 mins
Filmmakers in person for Q&A. Thursday, July 18 at 8:30pm | Saturday, July 20 at 2:30pm
A divorced father’s vacation with his two children is marred by a storm that keep the three cooped up together as he desperately tries to remain enthusiastic and not let anything ruin their plans.
The Tears
Pablo Delgado Sanchez | 2012 | 66 mins
Filmmaker in person for Q&A. Thursday, July 18 at 6:30pm | Saturday, July 20 at 5:00pm
A camping trip in the woods becomes a painful but ultimately healing rite of passage for two brothers who are struggling to cope with their disturbing family environment in Sanchez’s taut, suspenseful debut feature.
Bring Me the Head of the Machine Gun Woman
Ernesto Díaz Espinoza | 2013 | 75 mins
Filmmaker in person for Q&A. Saturday, July 20 at 9:30pm | Sunday, July 21 at 8:30pm
This exuberant tribute to Peckinpah’s similarly titled 1974 film combines the plot of a Western with a video game aesthetic and structure in the story of a nerdy DJ who must undertake an action-packed mission to save his own life.
Magical Words (Breaking a Spell)
Mercedes Moncada | 2012 | 83 mins
Filmmaker in person for Q&A. Friday, July 19 at 6:30pm | Sunday, July 21 at 1:30pm
Moncada crafts a poignant and engaging personal perspective on her native Nicaragua from the 1979 Sandinista revolution through to modern times, weaving herself into the story at every historic step.
Written by Juan Caceres and Vanessa Erazo, LatinoBuzz is a weekly feature on SydneysBuzz that highlights Latino indie talent and upcoming trends in Latino film with the specific objective of presenting a broad range of Latino voices. Follow @LatinoBuzz on Twitter and Facebook.
The conference, organized by Los Angeles-based Nacional Records, took over NYC this past week and was a sweaty, sweltering marathon of acoustic showcases, electro-cumbia light shows, rainy SummerStage performances, and out-of-control dance parties. The long standing conference is a testament to the vitality of the Latino independent music scene.
Although the mainstream is still catching up to this “new” musical movement, Latino filmmakers have already tapped into this vast musical resource. Aurora Guerrero, director of Mosquita y Mari, told LatinoBuzz in a previous interview that, “I’m constantly on SoundCloud or Remezcla looking to see what new music is being produced by Latino artists. I’m not interested in producing soundtracks or scores that have been recycled in U.S. Latino films throughout the years. I’m looking for music that’s cutting-edge and contemporary.” Her film, a thoughtful portrait of two teenage Chicanas living in Los Angeles, is set to the music of local ska bands, the melancholy vocals of Carla Morrison, and other genre-remixing Latino artists.
The marriage of Latino independent music with Latino independent film seems natural. Both try to “hop borders” as Jon Pareles wrote in the New York Times and exist out of a desire to reach beyond the cultural boundaries in which they currently reside. It’s also a mutually beneficial relationship. Filmmakers deal with lower fees versus trying to license more commercial music while providing much-needed exposure to up-and-coming bands.
By happenstance Latinbeat, the Film Society of Lincoln Center’s week-long showcase of Latin American independent films, overlapped with Lamc over the weekend. It was a Lindie (a.k.a. Latino indie) takeover.
Latinbeat runs through Sunday, July 21 and there is still a ton to see. Here are the highlights.
Viola
Matías Piñeiro | 2012 | 65 mins
Wednesday, July 17 and Thursday, July 18 at 11:15am 1:45pm 4:15pm 6:45pm 9:30pm
A web of romantic intrigue and revelation is delicately unraveled in this dazzling riff on Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night. Screening with Rosalinda (Matías Piñeiro, 2010, 43m).
Tanta Agua (So Much Water)
Ana Guevara | Leticia Jorge | 2013 | 100 mins
Filmmakers in person for Q&A. Thursday, July 18 at 8:30pm | Saturday, July 20 at 2:30pm
A divorced father’s vacation with his two children is marred by a storm that keep the three cooped up together as he desperately tries to remain enthusiastic and not let anything ruin their plans.
The Tears
Pablo Delgado Sanchez | 2012 | 66 mins
Filmmaker in person for Q&A. Thursday, July 18 at 6:30pm | Saturday, July 20 at 5:00pm
A camping trip in the woods becomes a painful but ultimately healing rite of passage for two brothers who are struggling to cope with their disturbing family environment in Sanchez’s taut, suspenseful debut feature.
Bring Me the Head of the Machine Gun Woman
Ernesto Díaz Espinoza | 2013 | 75 mins
Filmmaker in person for Q&A. Saturday, July 20 at 9:30pm | Sunday, July 21 at 8:30pm
This exuberant tribute to Peckinpah’s similarly titled 1974 film combines the plot of a Western with a video game aesthetic and structure in the story of a nerdy DJ who must undertake an action-packed mission to save his own life.
Magical Words (Breaking a Spell)
Mercedes Moncada | 2012 | 83 mins
Filmmaker in person for Q&A. Friday, July 19 at 6:30pm | Sunday, July 21 at 1:30pm
Moncada crafts a poignant and engaging personal perspective on her native Nicaragua from the 1979 Sandinista revolution through to modern times, weaving herself into the story at every historic step.
Written by Juan Caceres and Vanessa Erazo, LatinoBuzz is a weekly feature on SydneysBuzz that highlights Latino indie talent and upcoming trends in Latino film with the specific objective of presenting a broad range of Latino voices. Follow @LatinoBuzz on Twitter and Facebook.
- 7/17/2013
- by Vanessa Erazo
- Sydney's Buzz
Now that Doma has been ruled unconstitutional, the City of Angels keeps the celebration going with The 31st Annual Outfest Film Festival showcasing the best in Lgbt filmmaking from the Us & across the world. Outfest has also been consistent in its support for the Latino gay & lesbian film community which, sad to say, is more than most Latino film festivals have shown (Really?! Still? I've never met your family but trust me, one of your primos is gay). This year Outfest solidifies that commitment by not only having an diverse range of gay themed or gay helmed films, but the opening night film is C.O.G written and directed by Kyle Patrick Alvarez, winner of the prestigious "Someone to Watch" Award at the 2010 Independent Spirit Awards for his writing and directorial debut film Easier With Practice. C.O.G is the first film adaptation of the highly esteemed author David Sedaris' work. Festivals like Outfest (and its life partner Newfest in NYC) exist to promote, share and foster Lgbt visibility in the media from all races and places. LatinoBuzz checked out the line-up at this years Outfest to see Wtf is Latino!
C.O.G – Dir. by Kyle Patrick Alvarez (USA)
David has it all figured out. His plan—more a Steinbeckian dream—is to spend his summer working on an apple farm in Oregon with his best friend, Jennifer. When she bails out on him, David is left to dirty his hands alone, watched over by Hobbs, the old farm owner and the first in a series of questionable mentors he encounters. First there’s Curly, the friendly forklift operator with a unique hobby, and then Jon, the born-again rock hound who helps David in a time of need. C.O.G tells the story of a prideful young man and what’s left of him after all he believes is chipped away piece by piece.
Pitstop – Dir. by Yen Tan (USA)
Recovering from an ill-fated affair with a married man, Gabe finds solace in the relationship he maintains with his ex-wife and daughter. On the other side of town, Ernesto evades life at home with his current live-in ex-boyfriend by spending much of his spare time in the hospital with an ailing past love. Impervious to the monotony of their blue-collar world, they maintain an unwavering yearning for romance.
Who's Afraid Of Vagina Wolf? - Dir. by Anna Margarita Albelo (USA)
As another birthday rolls around, forty-year-old filmmaker Anna returns to her never-changing list of resolutions: lose twenty pounds, get a girlfriend, and direct a feature film. This year, Anna plans to knock (at least) two of those resolutions out with one stone, as she begins writing a lesbian remake of Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, devised to win the affections of her leading lady, Katia. With Anna planning to act opposite her beautiful crush, her two best friends, Penelope and Chloe, round out the four-person cast. Unfortunately, things don’t run smoothly, as egos begin to clash and crew members start sleeping with one another. Will Anna go yet-another year without accomplishing any of her resolutions?
Valencia - Dir. by Lares Feliciano, Dia Felix etc. (USA)
Valencia the novel put the experiences of an entire generation of lesbians on paper through the lens of one hard-loving and hard-drinking dyke. Punk rockers, riot grrls, and simple, artsy freaks suddenly had a heroine to look up to and a mecca to head toward. This highly anticipated film adaptation of Valencia gives a whole new generation of fabulous, artsy, genderqueer folks an opportunity to reinterpret and reinvent the tales of this iconic novel one chapter at a time.
Reaching For The Moon (Flores Raras) – Dir. by Bruno Barreto (Brazil)
Seasoned Brazilian helmer Bruno Barreto brings to life 1950s Rio in this beautifully drawn tale of poet Elizabeth Bishop and her love affair with architect Lota de Macedo Soares, the designer of Rio’s famed Flamengo Park. Based on the bestselling Brazilian novel Rare and Commonplace Flowers, the film follows Bishop as a creative block prompts her to accept the invitation of a college friend to stay with her and her partner, Lota, on a sprawling country estate. Quintessentially American Bishop is a fish out of water in her new lush and bohemian setting, until the instant chemistry between her and Lota boils over.
Animals – Dir. by Marçal Forés (Spain)
There are maladjusted teens, and then there’s Pol, whose best friend is a walking, talking stuffed bear who sounds like Hal, the evil computer in 2001: A Space Odyssey. (Ted, this ain’t.) As Pol tries to unravel the meaning behind a strange series of circumstances involving his gay friend, a local girl’s death, a sexy new transfer student and his English teacher (Martin Freeman, The Hobbit), he finds that nothing in this weird, weird world is what it seems. Evoking the strange and sometimes sinister mood of Donnie Darko, American Beauty, Elephant and Kaboom, Animals is like a mysterious dream you’ll want to have over and over again
Iglu (Igloo) – Dir. by Diego Ruiz (Chile)
Daniel, a young, handsome and talented illustrator, is deeply depressed in the aftermath of his relationship with an older man, his college professor. Salvation comes through his neighbor Paula, an agoraphobic therapist, with whom Daniel begins an intense relationship. Igloo explores a young man’s complex relationships with sexuality, intimacy and addiction, and how his memories and present day relationships help him embrace a new life. In his directorial debut, established Chilean actor Diego Ruiz plays the lead role of Daniel (he also co-wrote the script) in an imaginative and moving story of identity and self-acceptance.
La Partida (The Last March) – Dir. by Antonio Hens (Cuba)
Reinier works as a callboy in order to support his wife and child, but he ends up gambling most of his money away. Sex with men is strictly business until he befriends a cute soccer player named Yosvani, who works for his girlfriend’s father, a corrupt debt collector. When Reinier’s gambling habit gets him in serious trouble, Yosvani tries to convince Reinier to run away with him. Set in the bustling streets of Cuba, The Last Match offers a visceral romance ripe with unexpected turns and dangerous temptations.
Al Cielo (To Heaven) – Dir. by Diego Prado (Argentina)
In this breezy and beautifully crafted Argentine feature, a punk-loving teenager wrestles with the nerve-wracking uncertainty of first love. Torn between accepting the strict teachings of his church and embracing a handsome local guitarist, Andrés finds himself in existential limbo, unable to make a move without instantly regretting his choices. Balancing teen angst with warm observations, To Heaven concludes in strikingly romantic fashion, satisfying our expectations in ways only the best of coming-of-age dramas can do.
transVISIBLE:The Bamby Salcedo Story - Dir. by Dante Alencastre (USA)
An icon of L.A.'s transgender community, Latina activist Bamby Salcedo sparkles in Dante Alencastre’s candid documentary. Beginning with Bamby’s life on the drug-addled streets of Guadalajara and then journeying through her recovery and out-spoken activism, Transvisible’s riveting one-on-one interviews reveal a selfless HIV advocate and tireless transgender community spokeswoman. (Her work at the Children's Hospital, Los Angeles and as a coordinator for Angels of Change are just two of many notable causes.) Bamby’s story is one of inspiration and hope.
And rounding out the Latino hotness are the Short films...
Tableau (USA), You're Dead to Me (USA), Scaffolding (Spain), The Companion (Peru), Elliot King is Third (USA), Miguel Alvarez Wears a Wig (Greece/Spain) Rad Queers (USA).
OutFest runs July 11th-21st. For more info on Outfest please visit: www.Outfest.org
Written by Juan Caceres and Vanessa Erazo, LatinoBuzz is a weekly feature on SydneysBuzz that highlights Latino indie talent and upcoming trends in Latino film with the specific objective of presenting a broad range of Latino voices. Follow @LatinoBuzz on Twitter and Facebook.
C.O.G – Dir. by Kyle Patrick Alvarez (USA)
David has it all figured out. His plan—more a Steinbeckian dream—is to spend his summer working on an apple farm in Oregon with his best friend, Jennifer. When she bails out on him, David is left to dirty his hands alone, watched over by Hobbs, the old farm owner and the first in a series of questionable mentors he encounters. First there’s Curly, the friendly forklift operator with a unique hobby, and then Jon, the born-again rock hound who helps David in a time of need. C.O.G tells the story of a prideful young man and what’s left of him after all he believes is chipped away piece by piece.
Pitstop – Dir. by Yen Tan (USA)
Recovering from an ill-fated affair with a married man, Gabe finds solace in the relationship he maintains with his ex-wife and daughter. On the other side of town, Ernesto evades life at home with his current live-in ex-boyfriend by spending much of his spare time in the hospital with an ailing past love. Impervious to the monotony of their blue-collar world, they maintain an unwavering yearning for romance.
Who's Afraid Of Vagina Wolf? - Dir. by Anna Margarita Albelo (USA)
As another birthday rolls around, forty-year-old filmmaker Anna returns to her never-changing list of resolutions: lose twenty pounds, get a girlfriend, and direct a feature film. This year, Anna plans to knock (at least) two of those resolutions out with one stone, as she begins writing a lesbian remake of Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, devised to win the affections of her leading lady, Katia. With Anna planning to act opposite her beautiful crush, her two best friends, Penelope and Chloe, round out the four-person cast. Unfortunately, things don’t run smoothly, as egos begin to clash and crew members start sleeping with one another. Will Anna go yet-another year without accomplishing any of her resolutions?
Valencia - Dir. by Lares Feliciano, Dia Felix etc. (USA)
Valencia the novel put the experiences of an entire generation of lesbians on paper through the lens of one hard-loving and hard-drinking dyke. Punk rockers, riot grrls, and simple, artsy freaks suddenly had a heroine to look up to and a mecca to head toward. This highly anticipated film adaptation of Valencia gives a whole new generation of fabulous, artsy, genderqueer folks an opportunity to reinterpret and reinvent the tales of this iconic novel one chapter at a time.
Reaching For The Moon (Flores Raras) – Dir. by Bruno Barreto (Brazil)
Seasoned Brazilian helmer Bruno Barreto brings to life 1950s Rio in this beautifully drawn tale of poet Elizabeth Bishop and her love affair with architect Lota de Macedo Soares, the designer of Rio’s famed Flamengo Park. Based on the bestselling Brazilian novel Rare and Commonplace Flowers, the film follows Bishop as a creative block prompts her to accept the invitation of a college friend to stay with her and her partner, Lota, on a sprawling country estate. Quintessentially American Bishop is a fish out of water in her new lush and bohemian setting, until the instant chemistry between her and Lota boils over.
Animals – Dir. by Marçal Forés (Spain)
There are maladjusted teens, and then there’s Pol, whose best friend is a walking, talking stuffed bear who sounds like Hal, the evil computer in 2001: A Space Odyssey. (Ted, this ain’t.) As Pol tries to unravel the meaning behind a strange series of circumstances involving his gay friend, a local girl’s death, a sexy new transfer student and his English teacher (Martin Freeman, The Hobbit), he finds that nothing in this weird, weird world is what it seems. Evoking the strange and sometimes sinister mood of Donnie Darko, American Beauty, Elephant and Kaboom, Animals is like a mysterious dream you’ll want to have over and over again
Iglu (Igloo) – Dir. by Diego Ruiz (Chile)
Daniel, a young, handsome and talented illustrator, is deeply depressed in the aftermath of his relationship with an older man, his college professor. Salvation comes through his neighbor Paula, an agoraphobic therapist, with whom Daniel begins an intense relationship. Igloo explores a young man’s complex relationships with sexuality, intimacy and addiction, and how his memories and present day relationships help him embrace a new life. In his directorial debut, established Chilean actor Diego Ruiz plays the lead role of Daniel (he also co-wrote the script) in an imaginative and moving story of identity and self-acceptance.
La Partida (The Last March) – Dir. by Antonio Hens (Cuba)
Reinier works as a callboy in order to support his wife and child, but he ends up gambling most of his money away. Sex with men is strictly business until he befriends a cute soccer player named Yosvani, who works for his girlfriend’s father, a corrupt debt collector. When Reinier’s gambling habit gets him in serious trouble, Yosvani tries to convince Reinier to run away with him. Set in the bustling streets of Cuba, The Last Match offers a visceral romance ripe with unexpected turns and dangerous temptations.
Al Cielo (To Heaven) – Dir. by Diego Prado (Argentina)
In this breezy and beautifully crafted Argentine feature, a punk-loving teenager wrestles with the nerve-wracking uncertainty of first love. Torn between accepting the strict teachings of his church and embracing a handsome local guitarist, Andrés finds himself in existential limbo, unable to make a move without instantly regretting his choices. Balancing teen angst with warm observations, To Heaven concludes in strikingly romantic fashion, satisfying our expectations in ways only the best of coming-of-age dramas can do.
transVISIBLE:The Bamby Salcedo Story - Dir. by Dante Alencastre (USA)
An icon of L.A.'s transgender community, Latina activist Bamby Salcedo sparkles in Dante Alencastre’s candid documentary. Beginning with Bamby’s life on the drug-addled streets of Guadalajara and then journeying through her recovery and out-spoken activism, Transvisible’s riveting one-on-one interviews reveal a selfless HIV advocate and tireless transgender community spokeswoman. (Her work at the Children's Hospital, Los Angeles and as a coordinator for Angels of Change are just two of many notable causes.) Bamby’s story is one of inspiration and hope.
And rounding out the Latino hotness are the Short films...
Tableau (USA), You're Dead to Me (USA), Scaffolding (Spain), The Companion (Peru), Elliot King is Third (USA), Miguel Alvarez Wears a Wig (Greece/Spain) Rad Queers (USA).
OutFest runs July 11th-21st. For more info on Outfest please visit: www.Outfest.org
Written by Juan Caceres and Vanessa Erazo, LatinoBuzz is a weekly feature on SydneysBuzz that highlights Latino indie talent and upcoming trends in Latino film with the specific objective of presenting a broad range of Latino voices. Follow @LatinoBuzz on Twitter and Facebook.
- 7/10/2013
- by Juan Caceres
- Sydney's Buzz
Based on Bron, a series which took place on the border of Sweden and Denmark, FX will be premiering its newest drama The Bridge next week. Highlighting the U.S.-Mexico border and starring Oscar-nominated Demián Bichir (A Better Life) it tells the story of two homicide detectives who work on opposite sides of the bridge that connects El Paso with Ciudad Juarez.
Attempting to target Latinos while at the same time appealing to a general audience the show’s creators have brought together a talented multinational cast and crew. Mexican filmmaker, Gerardo Naranjo of the much acclaimed indie Miss Bala is directing the series. The actors including Diane Kruger (Inglourious Basterds) and Catalina Sandino Moreno (Maria Full of Grace) along with Demián Bichir organically switch between English and Spanish. In the history of English-language television in the U.S. it has been rare for a network to showcase a bilingual program. Hopefully, the content will be compelling enough for American audiences to move past their supposed discomfort with reading subtitles.
The sneak peek videos released by FX are in both English and Spanish and reveal the look of the show. It’s a dark, moody crime drama with a bilingual twist that showcases the expansive landscapes of the border.
Some bloggers on the site Latino Rebels fear this will be another typical view of the border where, “American cops are decent, but Mexican cops are corrupt.” The show’s director, Naranjo, admits that there is crime and corruption in Mexico and especially Ciudad Juarez but wants to move away from stereotypes. He says that he aims to demonstrate that there is good and bad in both countries and that Ciudad Juarez, despite its reputation, is full of vitality.
We are willing to give the show a chance. Let’s hope Naranjo get its right and is able to strike a balance between everyday life on the border and it’s seedy underworld of crime, human trafficking, and drug smuggling.
The Bridge premieres Wednesday, July 10 at 10 p.m. on FX. It will also air on MundoFox dubbed in Spanish.
Follow @TheBridgeFX on Twitter and like the page on Facebook.
Written by Juan Caceres and Vanessa Erazo, LatinoBuzz is a weekly feature on SydneysBuzz that highlights Latino indie talent and upcoming trends in Latino film with the specific objective of presenting a broad range of Latino voices. Follow @LatinoBuzz on Twitter and Facebook.
Attempting to target Latinos while at the same time appealing to a general audience the show’s creators have brought together a talented multinational cast and crew. Mexican filmmaker, Gerardo Naranjo of the much acclaimed indie Miss Bala is directing the series. The actors including Diane Kruger (Inglourious Basterds) and Catalina Sandino Moreno (Maria Full of Grace) along with Demián Bichir organically switch between English and Spanish. In the history of English-language television in the U.S. it has been rare for a network to showcase a bilingual program. Hopefully, the content will be compelling enough for American audiences to move past their supposed discomfort with reading subtitles.
The sneak peek videos released by FX are in both English and Spanish and reveal the look of the show. It’s a dark, moody crime drama with a bilingual twist that showcases the expansive landscapes of the border.
Some bloggers on the site Latino Rebels fear this will be another typical view of the border where, “American cops are decent, but Mexican cops are corrupt.” The show’s director, Naranjo, admits that there is crime and corruption in Mexico and especially Ciudad Juarez but wants to move away from stereotypes. He says that he aims to demonstrate that there is good and bad in both countries and that Ciudad Juarez, despite its reputation, is full of vitality.
We are willing to give the show a chance. Let’s hope Naranjo get its right and is able to strike a balance between everyday life on the border and it’s seedy underworld of crime, human trafficking, and drug smuggling.
The Bridge premieres Wednesday, July 10 at 10 p.m. on FX. It will also air on MundoFox dubbed in Spanish.
Follow @TheBridgeFX on Twitter and like the page on Facebook.
Written by Juan Caceres and Vanessa Erazo, LatinoBuzz is a weekly feature on SydneysBuzz that highlights Latino indie talent and upcoming trends in Latino film with the specific objective of presenting a broad range of Latino voices. Follow @LatinoBuzz on Twitter and Facebook.
- 7/3/2013
- by Vanessa Erazo
- Sydney's Buzz
'Love, Concord', had its World Premiere last summer at the HBO New York International Latino Film Festival and quickly became one of the most endeared films selected with staff and audiences alike. A bitter sweet film about surviving your last year of high school and finding first love and then receiving your first broken heart courtesy of said first love, the characters in filmmaker Gus Guardado Jr's semi-autobiographical 'Love, Concord' are multidimensional and never cynical about what lies ahead in life. It's about that special time in a teenagers life, where some will grow together and some will grow apart. Some will move on and others get left behind. Funny and heartwarming, Guardado has crafted a genuinely universal story where the characters just happen to be Latino and shied away from falling into stereotypical pitfalls that plague so many American-Latino films. Starring Jorge Diaz (East Los High) & introducing the delightful Angelina Leon, 'Love, Concord' is now out on DVD.
LatinoBuzz: Which filmmakers made you want to do "this"?
Gus: Well obviously John Hughes made me want to make 'Love, Concord' as he's a clear influence in the film. But Robert Rodriguez is also a big reason I wanted to do this. His book 'Rebel Without a Crew' was a huge motivating force. It doesn't hurt that he was the only mainstream Latino filmmaker at the time when I read the book which was the summer of 97! Another major influence is Alexander Payne, his movie 'Election' was such a hilarious movie but with a deep and heartfelt message. That's what I hoped to achieve with 'Love, Concord'. Tell a silly story with toilet humor moments, but also have a deep message about how difficult finding one's voice and someone to love in high school can be.
LatinoBuzz: You worked as a high school video production teacher, at what point did you decide it was time to make 'Love, Concord'? And what was that process?
Gus: Well actually I still am a high school video teacher, but it was when I was fired from being a video teacher at my alma mater Saint Mary's College of California and couldn't find full time work due to the great recession that I decided it was time to make my own opportunity and make a feature film. What helped was that I had already written a second draft of the screenplay by the time I was fired and that I managed to save a lot of money by living within in my means when I got my first professional job teaching. So that mixed a lot of grassroots fund raising like hosting a comedy night, selling almost my entire library of DVDs, and doing an Indiegogo campaign is what allowed me to raise the modest budget I had. I also called out every favor I could from friends and family, so that saved us a ton of money too. Another way we did the film so affordably was we used a lot of my Dp, Producer, and 1st Ad's connections to get crew members who either volunteered or worked for cheap. These were educated and trained filmmakers who either did the job for the experience or to help out a friend. I even had a lot of former students from St. Mary's as crew or be extras all because they believed in not only the project, but in wanting to help their teacher reach his dream.
LatinoBuzz: How important was it to have Concord, CA be a part of the story? And did you get the community to support you?
Gus: It was incredibly important to shoot in Concord. Mainly because I grew up there and for the story to ring true I couldn't imagine shooting it anywhere else. Also, because growing up loving movies and realizing at an early age I wanted to be a filmmaker, I had always hoped a movie would someday be made about my home town. But no one ever did one, so I saw it as a fitting opportunity that my first feature film be made about and in my home town. Lastly, it was just practical to shoot in Concord and the surrounding cities because I live in Pittsburg, the neighboring city to Concord.
LatinoBuzz: The film is affectionately influenced by the likes of John Hughes, Cameron Crowe, Amy Heckerling etc - pick a film to remake and who do you cast? Go.
Gus: Oh this is a tough one for several reasons. First I'm not a big fan of remakes, I feel that once a great movie is made, why mess with it? Also having now made a feature film that I had to painstakingly write from scratch, it's almost kinda like cheating in a way. But I suppose if I was for some reason forced to remake an 80's movie at gun point, I'd pick 'Better Off Dead'. I love John Hughes' work too much to ever want to attempt to redo it, but 'Better Off Dead' is so funny! And I very much empathized with John Cusack's character as I was pretty much beat up by girls in high school. Plus I just love the random humor in it, like the moving diner dish the mom serves, and the hilarious Asian race car driver who talks like a sports announcer. Brilliant! Who would I cast for it? Well obviously Jorge Diaz as the star because this role requires a humorous personality, but one which also needs you to feel pity for which, as we see in 'Love, Concord' he did extremely well. I'd love to work with Miguel Angel Caballero again so perhaps he'd be great for the Cusack's funny druggie friend 'Charles De Mar' as people haven't exploited Miguel's amazing comical timing enough yet. The man just nails it in 'Love, Concord' and seeing him play a quirky stoner would be a great gift to audiences. I'd love to cast Angelina Leon as she just has to be in all my movies from now on as she's just too talented not to be. Oh, and if the sky's the limit I would obviously cast Salma Hayek, if only to be able to meet her. She's a teenage crush so of course I'd find a role for her, haha.
LatinoBuzz: I love Gerry & Melinda as characters. They were, at heart two great kids. Do you feel making films featuring Latino characters is something you inherently want to do?
Gus: I do inherently want to make films with Latino characters. It's kind of my dogma now to make movies that don't have negatively stereotypical Latino characters, ie: the Cholo, the drug dealer, the jaintor, the border crosser, etc. I want American audiences to be exposed to the amazing positive Latino characters that I have actually met and lived with, etc. Latinos are the largest minority group in this country, and we're going to eventually overtake Anglos to be the majority of this country and if we as Latinos continue to make movies with these pathetic one dimensional Latino characters we're just shooting ourselves in the foot. We need to show young audiences, both Latino or otherwise, that Latinos are more than the glorified losers Hollywood makes us out to be most of the time.
LatinoBuzz: Did you intend to break a certain mold there is as far as Latino filmmaking?
Gus: I wouldn't say I'm trying to break a certain mold as an "overall" Latino filmmaker. Because there are so many amazingly talented international Latino filmmakers, making envelope pushing films. But I hesitantly would say that yes, I guess I am trying to break the American Latino filmmaking mold. Again, I'm just tired of Latino films or filmmakers choosing to focus on the negative stereotypes for their stories. I won't name names because unfortunately you write what you know, and perhaps some of those filmmakers are making and telling personal stories. But knowing how hard it is to not only make a film, but get it released to a large audience, my question at this point in my life is: "Do we really need another La gang war movie?", "Do we really need another Latino drug dealer with a heart of gold movie?"
LatinoBuzz: Are there any trends in filmmaking you deplore?
Gus: Well I'd say negative Latino stereotypes but I don't want to sound like a broken record. I think one major trend in filmmaking I deplore right now is the dumbing down of stories. I really think a combination of lazy writers and Hollywood not respecting audiences' intelligence that has made for some really lame storytelling in movies. I was at the movies seeing a drama, and there was this ridiculous plot twist which was done to squeeze in a plot point for the character, rather than find a creative and believable way to further the story. And when it happened, I literally laughed out loud. And I was the only person who did, because it was meant to be a dramatic moment, but it was so predictable and lazy that I couldn't help it.
That and 3D. Sure popcorn movies like Avatar are fun to watch in 3D, but redoing neo-classics like the Lion King in 3D is just annoying. 3D does not make those movies any better. They're just ways the studios want to cash in on the trend, and as an Indie filmmakers it's annoying. But who knows, for the ability to make more indie films I might sell out and make 'Love, Concord' 3D, haha.
LatinoBuzz: Your lead actors went to St Marys like yourself - was that a coincidence?
Gus: Yes and no. I met Angelina at St. Mary's because she was assigned to me as my Ta. And when I did a mock audition one day in class, the person I booked to come audition flaked on me. So I asked Angelina to fill in as she mentioned having taken theater classes. And she blew me away! After that audition I was convinced she was my Melinda. As for Jorge, I actually shot a student film for a St. Mary's student and he was cast in it. However, he played a bed stricken catatonic character so I didn't really have a lasting memory of him. About three years later my producer Virginia (Saenz McCarthy) re-introduced me to him because she had met him in her Sundance Travel course at St. Marys. She was sure he'd be great for the role of Gerry and she was right. He auditioned first and again blew me away, did a call back audition with Angelina another with Miguel and then we cast him. So Jorge was sort of a coincidence, but Angelina definitely wasn't. What can I say, St. Mary's turns out some smart and talented peeps!
LatinoBuzz: Whatever happened to the real life Melinda?
Gus: Well there's no real Melinda, however, the person who most influenced the character of Melinda is a teacher coincidentally enough at the same high school district that I teach at.We lost touch, but we're on speaking terms which is better than most high school romances. I suppose. Plus I hear she's a great teacher, which is not surprising. She always had a knack for explaining things to people even when we were in high school.
LatinoBuzz: What's the next project for you?
Gus: Well I'm finally writing another narrative feature film, now that Love, Concord has distribution I can focus on the next projects. My problem is I have a lot of ideas swimming in my head and it's hard for me to decide which one I potentially want to spend the next three years of my life devoted to. But the leading contender has another high school setting. The American high school experience is such fertile ground for story telling that I can't help but want to go back to it. However, to prove I'm not a one trick pony I'm also considering a story about a character's experience dealing with the Great Recession (you write what you know). Lastly,my co-producer Jimmy Freeman has a great documentary idea I want to help him produce so we may be starting that this summer! Either way the experience of doing ;Love, Concord' has taught me that I won't rest until I make another feature. It's a lot of hard work, especially for indie filmmakers, but with some luck and persistence, it's so rewarding.
For info on how to pick up a copy of 'Love, Concord' give them a 'Like' here.
Written by Juan Caceres and Vanessa Erazo, LatinoBuzz is a weekly feature on SydneysBuzz that highlights Latino indie talent and upcoming trends in Latino film with the specific objective of presenting a broad range of Latino voices. Follow @LatinoBuzz on Twitter and Facebook.
LatinoBuzz: Which filmmakers made you want to do "this"?
Gus: Well obviously John Hughes made me want to make 'Love, Concord' as he's a clear influence in the film. But Robert Rodriguez is also a big reason I wanted to do this. His book 'Rebel Without a Crew' was a huge motivating force. It doesn't hurt that he was the only mainstream Latino filmmaker at the time when I read the book which was the summer of 97! Another major influence is Alexander Payne, his movie 'Election' was such a hilarious movie but with a deep and heartfelt message. That's what I hoped to achieve with 'Love, Concord'. Tell a silly story with toilet humor moments, but also have a deep message about how difficult finding one's voice and someone to love in high school can be.
LatinoBuzz: You worked as a high school video production teacher, at what point did you decide it was time to make 'Love, Concord'? And what was that process?
Gus: Well actually I still am a high school video teacher, but it was when I was fired from being a video teacher at my alma mater Saint Mary's College of California and couldn't find full time work due to the great recession that I decided it was time to make my own opportunity and make a feature film. What helped was that I had already written a second draft of the screenplay by the time I was fired and that I managed to save a lot of money by living within in my means when I got my first professional job teaching. So that mixed a lot of grassroots fund raising like hosting a comedy night, selling almost my entire library of DVDs, and doing an Indiegogo campaign is what allowed me to raise the modest budget I had. I also called out every favor I could from friends and family, so that saved us a ton of money too. Another way we did the film so affordably was we used a lot of my Dp, Producer, and 1st Ad's connections to get crew members who either volunteered or worked for cheap. These were educated and trained filmmakers who either did the job for the experience or to help out a friend. I even had a lot of former students from St. Mary's as crew or be extras all because they believed in not only the project, but in wanting to help their teacher reach his dream.
LatinoBuzz: How important was it to have Concord, CA be a part of the story? And did you get the community to support you?
Gus: It was incredibly important to shoot in Concord. Mainly because I grew up there and for the story to ring true I couldn't imagine shooting it anywhere else. Also, because growing up loving movies and realizing at an early age I wanted to be a filmmaker, I had always hoped a movie would someday be made about my home town. But no one ever did one, so I saw it as a fitting opportunity that my first feature film be made about and in my home town. Lastly, it was just practical to shoot in Concord and the surrounding cities because I live in Pittsburg, the neighboring city to Concord.
LatinoBuzz: The film is affectionately influenced by the likes of John Hughes, Cameron Crowe, Amy Heckerling etc - pick a film to remake and who do you cast? Go.
Gus: Oh this is a tough one for several reasons. First I'm not a big fan of remakes, I feel that once a great movie is made, why mess with it? Also having now made a feature film that I had to painstakingly write from scratch, it's almost kinda like cheating in a way. But I suppose if I was for some reason forced to remake an 80's movie at gun point, I'd pick 'Better Off Dead'. I love John Hughes' work too much to ever want to attempt to redo it, but 'Better Off Dead' is so funny! And I very much empathized with John Cusack's character as I was pretty much beat up by girls in high school. Plus I just love the random humor in it, like the moving diner dish the mom serves, and the hilarious Asian race car driver who talks like a sports announcer. Brilliant! Who would I cast for it? Well obviously Jorge Diaz as the star because this role requires a humorous personality, but one which also needs you to feel pity for which, as we see in 'Love, Concord' he did extremely well. I'd love to work with Miguel Angel Caballero again so perhaps he'd be great for the Cusack's funny druggie friend 'Charles De Mar' as people haven't exploited Miguel's amazing comical timing enough yet. The man just nails it in 'Love, Concord' and seeing him play a quirky stoner would be a great gift to audiences. I'd love to cast Angelina Leon as she just has to be in all my movies from now on as she's just too talented not to be. Oh, and if the sky's the limit I would obviously cast Salma Hayek, if only to be able to meet her. She's a teenage crush so of course I'd find a role for her, haha.
LatinoBuzz: I love Gerry & Melinda as characters. They were, at heart two great kids. Do you feel making films featuring Latino characters is something you inherently want to do?
Gus: I do inherently want to make films with Latino characters. It's kind of my dogma now to make movies that don't have negatively stereotypical Latino characters, ie: the Cholo, the drug dealer, the jaintor, the border crosser, etc. I want American audiences to be exposed to the amazing positive Latino characters that I have actually met and lived with, etc. Latinos are the largest minority group in this country, and we're going to eventually overtake Anglos to be the majority of this country and if we as Latinos continue to make movies with these pathetic one dimensional Latino characters we're just shooting ourselves in the foot. We need to show young audiences, both Latino or otherwise, that Latinos are more than the glorified losers Hollywood makes us out to be most of the time.
LatinoBuzz: Did you intend to break a certain mold there is as far as Latino filmmaking?
Gus: I wouldn't say I'm trying to break a certain mold as an "overall" Latino filmmaker. Because there are so many amazingly talented international Latino filmmakers, making envelope pushing films. But I hesitantly would say that yes, I guess I am trying to break the American Latino filmmaking mold. Again, I'm just tired of Latino films or filmmakers choosing to focus on the negative stereotypes for their stories. I won't name names because unfortunately you write what you know, and perhaps some of those filmmakers are making and telling personal stories. But knowing how hard it is to not only make a film, but get it released to a large audience, my question at this point in my life is: "Do we really need another La gang war movie?", "Do we really need another Latino drug dealer with a heart of gold movie?"
LatinoBuzz: Are there any trends in filmmaking you deplore?
Gus: Well I'd say negative Latino stereotypes but I don't want to sound like a broken record. I think one major trend in filmmaking I deplore right now is the dumbing down of stories. I really think a combination of lazy writers and Hollywood not respecting audiences' intelligence that has made for some really lame storytelling in movies. I was at the movies seeing a drama, and there was this ridiculous plot twist which was done to squeeze in a plot point for the character, rather than find a creative and believable way to further the story. And when it happened, I literally laughed out loud. And I was the only person who did, because it was meant to be a dramatic moment, but it was so predictable and lazy that I couldn't help it.
That and 3D. Sure popcorn movies like Avatar are fun to watch in 3D, but redoing neo-classics like the Lion King in 3D is just annoying. 3D does not make those movies any better. They're just ways the studios want to cash in on the trend, and as an Indie filmmakers it's annoying. But who knows, for the ability to make more indie films I might sell out and make 'Love, Concord' 3D, haha.
LatinoBuzz: Your lead actors went to St Marys like yourself - was that a coincidence?
Gus: Yes and no. I met Angelina at St. Mary's because she was assigned to me as my Ta. And when I did a mock audition one day in class, the person I booked to come audition flaked on me. So I asked Angelina to fill in as she mentioned having taken theater classes. And she blew me away! After that audition I was convinced she was my Melinda. As for Jorge, I actually shot a student film for a St. Mary's student and he was cast in it. However, he played a bed stricken catatonic character so I didn't really have a lasting memory of him. About three years later my producer Virginia (Saenz McCarthy) re-introduced me to him because she had met him in her Sundance Travel course at St. Marys. She was sure he'd be great for the role of Gerry and she was right. He auditioned first and again blew me away, did a call back audition with Angelina another with Miguel and then we cast him. So Jorge was sort of a coincidence, but Angelina definitely wasn't. What can I say, St. Mary's turns out some smart and talented peeps!
LatinoBuzz: Whatever happened to the real life Melinda?
Gus: Well there's no real Melinda, however, the person who most influenced the character of Melinda is a teacher coincidentally enough at the same high school district that I teach at.We lost touch, but we're on speaking terms which is better than most high school romances. I suppose. Plus I hear she's a great teacher, which is not surprising. She always had a knack for explaining things to people even when we were in high school.
LatinoBuzz: What's the next project for you?
Gus: Well I'm finally writing another narrative feature film, now that Love, Concord has distribution I can focus on the next projects. My problem is I have a lot of ideas swimming in my head and it's hard for me to decide which one I potentially want to spend the next three years of my life devoted to. But the leading contender has another high school setting. The American high school experience is such fertile ground for story telling that I can't help but want to go back to it. However, to prove I'm not a one trick pony I'm also considering a story about a character's experience dealing with the Great Recession (you write what you know). Lastly,my co-producer Jimmy Freeman has a great documentary idea I want to help him produce so we may be starting that this summer! Either way the experience of doing ;Love, Concord' has taught me that I won't rest until I make another feature. It's a lot of hard work, especially for indie filmmakers, but with some luck and persistence, it's so rewarding.
For info on how to pick up a copy of 'Love, Concord' give them a 'Like' here.
Written by Juan Caceres and Vanessa Erazo, LatinoBuzz is a weekly feature on SydneysBuzz that highlights Latino indie talent and upcoming trends in Latino film with the specific objective of presenting a broad range of Latino voices. Follow @LatinoBuzz on Twitter and Facebook.
- 6/26/2013
- by Juan Caceres
- Sydney's Buzz
Everywhere you turn marketers, advertisers, film studios, and television networks are courting the purported trillion dollar purchasing power of Latinos in the United States. Despite the tremendous power we hold as consumers of media there still is a lack of Latino cultural producers in this country. We simply don’t have enough Latino film directors, screenwriters, film critics, programmers, and funders.
Simultaneously, independent filmmaking in Latin America is reaching new heights. The amount of projects coming out of the region continues to increase and the films are receiving international acclaim at top tier film festivals. So, what is going on? What are we doing wrong in the U.S. and how can we fix it?
This is exactly what the organizers of the New York Latino Film Summit are trying to figure out. They have invited New York-based Latino film & media arts professionals to a special gathering that will take place on Friday, June 21, and Saturday, June 22 at the Film Society of Lincoln Center. They hope to, “provide a space where professionals can convene to engage in an open dialogue concerning the current and future state of U.S. Latinos in multimedia by reevaluating and adopting comprehensive strategies that address critical issues...”
Over the course of two days several roundtables will take place. The aim is to stimulate a discussion amongst the participants of the summit and to pinpoint the obstacles that stand in the way of creating meaningful and innovative Latino media content and a vibrant U.S.-based Latino film community.
The roundtables will tackle such questions as:
● Who has access to a film career?
● How can we democratize access to filmmaking?
● What stories are we telling?
● Are we limiting the stories Latinos can tell?
● Who is documenting our cinema?
● How are film festivals programming our films?
● How can we create more critical content on Latino films and filmmakers?
In order to take on these issues it is imperative that a wide range of voices and perspectives be part of the discussion. Don’t underestimate the power of your own voice. We need you there! And, come say hi, LatinoBuzz will be there too.
For further information and to register go here. Invite your friends on the Facebook event page.
New York Latino Film Summit: Changing Our Paradigms
Free and open to Latino film and media arts professionals and students (registration necessary).
Day 1: Friday, June 21, 6pm – 8pm
Amphitheater at the Film Society of Lincoln Center's Elinor Bunin Munroe Film Center
144 West 65th Street (between Broadway and Amsterdam Ave.)
1. Welcome and Introduction, 6pm
2. New Cultural Frontiers, 6:30pm - 8pm
Today, what defines our Latinidad exceeds the traditional categories imposed on the Latino identity. This session will ask participants to question how we define ourselves, how we are defined by others, who validates our authenticity, and what it means to appropriate the label.
Day 2: Saturday, June 22, 10:30am - 8pm
Furman Gallery, adjacent to the Film Society of Lincoln Center's Walter Reade Theater
165 West 65th Street (between Broadway and Amsterdam Ave.)
3. Access and Accessibility, 10:30am - 12pm
Who has access to a film career? Who and how does a filmmaker get validated to talk about our community? How can we democratize access to filmmaking? How can the audience get access to the work of Latino media makers.
4. Storytelling and Narratives, 1pm - 3pm
What stories are we telling? Are we pushing the envelope? Are we limited by our own narratives? Are we limiting the stories Latinos versus Latin Americans can tell? How are we being represented and who is representing us? Who is deciding what our storylines and our aesthetics are?
5. Validation and Audience Development, 3pm - 5pm
Who is validating our cinema? Who is documenting our cinema? How are we programming our films and directors? How can we create more critical content on the films and filmmakers? How do we engage audiences in a more effective way?
6. Plenary Session: Community Building, 5pm- 7pm
The summit organizing committee consists of: Andrea Betanzos (Assistant Director, Cinema Tropical), Carlos A. Gutiérrez (Co-founder and Director, Cinema Tropical), Paula Heredia (director/editor, Heredia Pictures), and Lucila Moctezuma (Production Assistance Program Manager, Women Make Movies)
Written by Juan Caceres and Vanessa Erazo, LatinoBuzz is a weekly feature on SydneysBuzz that highlights Latino indie talent and upcoming trends in Latino film with the specific objective of presenting a broad range of Latino voices. Follow @LatinoBuzz on Twitter and Facebook.
Simultaneously, independent filmmaking in Latin America is reaching new heights. The amount of projects coming out of the region continues to increase and the films are receiving international acclaim at top tier film festivals. So, what is going on? What are we doing wrong in the U.S. and how can we fix it?
This is exactly what the organizers of the New York Latino Film Summit are trying to figure out. They have invited New York-based Latino film & media arts professionals to a special gathering that will take place on Friday, June 21, and Saturday, June 22 at the Film Society of Lincoln Center. They hope to, “provide a space where professionals can convene to engage in an open dialogue concerning the current and future state of U.S. Latinos in multimedia by reevaluating and adopting comprehensive strategies that address critical issues...”
Over the course of two days several roundtables will take place. The aim is to stimulate a discussion amongst the participants of the summit and to pinpoint the obstacles that stand in the way of creating meaningful and innovative Latino media content and a vibrant U.S.-based Latino film community.
The roundtables will tackle such questions as:
● Who has access to a film career?
● How can we democratize access to filmmaking?
● What stories are we telling?
● Are we limiting the stories Latinos can tell?
● Who is documenting our cinema?
● How are film festivals programming our films?
● How can we create more critical content on Latino films and filmmakers?
In order to take on these issues it is imperative that a wide range of voices and perspectives be part of the discussion. Don’t underestimate the power of your own voice. We need you there! And, come say hi, LatinoBuzz will be there too.
For further information and to register go here. Invite your friends on the Facebook event page.
New York Latino Film Summit: Changing Our Paradigms
Free and open to Latino film and media arts professionals and students (registration necessary).
Day 1: Friday, June 21, 6pm – 8pm
Amphitheater at the Film Society of Lincoln Center's Elinor Bunin Munroe Film Center
144 West 65th Street (between Broadway and Amsterdam Ave.)
1. Welcome and Introduction, 6pm
2. New Cultural Frontiers, 6:30pm - 8pm
Today, what defines our Latinidad exceeds the traditional categories imposed on the Latino identity. This session will ask participants to question how we define ourselves, how we are defined by others, who validates our authenticity, and what it means to appropriate the label.
Day 2: Saturday, June 22, 10:30am - 8pm
Furman Gallery, adjacent to the Film Society of Lincoln Center's Walter Reade Theater
165 West 65th Street (between Broadway and Amsterdam Ave.)
3. Access and Accessibility, 10:30am - 12pm
Who has access to a film career? Who and how does a filmmaker get validated to talk about our community? How can we democratize access to filmmaking? How can the audience get access to the work of Latino media makers.
4. Storytelling and Narratives, 1pm - 3pm
What stories are we telling? Are we pushing the envelope? Are we limited by our own narratives? Are we limiting the stories Latinos versus Latin Americans can tell? How are we being represented and who is representing us? Who is deciding what our storylines and our aesthetics are?
5. Validation and Audience Development, 3pm - 5pm
Who is validating our cinema? Who is documenting our cinema? How are we programming our films and directors? How can we create more critical content on the films and filmmakers? How do we engage audiences in a more effective way?
6. Plenary Session: Community Building, 5pm- 7pm
The summit organizing committee consists of: Andrea Betanzos (Assistant Director, Cinema Tropical), Carlos A. Gutiérrez (Co-founder and Director, Cinema Tropical), Paula Heredia (director/editor, Heredia Pictures), and Lucila Moctezuma (Production Assistance Program Manager, Women Make Movies)
Written by Juan Caceres and Vanessa Erazo, LatinoBuzz is a weekly feature on SydneysBuzz that highlights Latino indie talent and upcoming trends in Latino film with the specific objective of presenting a broad range of Latino voices. Follow @LatinoBuzz on Twitter and Facebook.
- 6/18/2013
- by Vanessa Erazo
- Sydney's Buzz
Latin Americans have an iffy relationship with Spain. We get it, colonialism leaves scars. But, like it or not, they share language, culture, and DNA. They also share a faltering economy (along with the rest of the world). In times like these, when it’s hard for anyone to put together enough money to make a movie, collaboration is key. Spanish and Latin American co-productions are at an all-time high. This in part has led to a resurgence in the amount of movies produced each year in both Spain and Latin America.
Why a co-production?
There are many benefits to collaborating: pooling of financial resources, more options for government incentives and subsidies, better chances at entering each other’s markets, and risk reduction. Particularly in smaller Latin American countries where a weak film industry provides few funding opportunities and finding crews with professional experience is difficult, a co-production with Spain is a no-brainer. But, this is not without controversy.
Spanish Conquistadors or Equal Partners?
There are critics who warn about reproducing dependency on Spain (some dare to use the word neo-colonialism) and reinforcing economic disparities between the two regions. There is also concern about the effect outside sources of funding can have on content. Many wonder how much editorial control comes with allowing Spain to bankroll a project. Despite the criticism and concern Spanish-Latin American co-productions continue to increase and can offer lots of lessons to U.S. producers looking to team up with their southern neighbors.
How does it work?
As a result of the creation of a film institute (the Icaa or Instituto de la Cinematografía y de las Artes Audiovisuales) and policy changes in the eighties, Spain spearheaded a multinational organization called Caaci (La Conferencia de Autoridades Audiovisuales y Cinematográficas de Iberoamerica, or Conference of Ibero-American Audiovisual and Film Institutes). Its members are Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Honduras, México, Panamá, Perú, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Spain, Uruguay, and Venezuela. Caaci brokered the creation of conventions and co-production treaties amongst its member countries. On top of these multilateral agreements, Spain has several bilateral agreements with individual Latin American countries. Depending on which agreement or convention is applied the conditions are:
(Taken from ‘Industry Report: Produce - Coproduce. How to coproduce with Spain”)
For bilateral agreements; the minor producer’s participation cannot account for less than 20%, while the main producer’s cannot account for more than 80%, only allowing co-productions with real creative participation. For multilateral agreements, where the European or Ibero American Conventions are applied; the minor producer’s participation cannot account for less than 10%, while the main producer’s cannot exceed 70%. In this last case, certain financial co-productions are permitted.
Ibermedia is another source of funding that pools financial contributions from Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Chile, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Guatemala, México, Panamá, Paraguay, Perú, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Spain, Uruguay, and Venezuela. Although the fund receives contributions from each member country, the majority of the money comes from Spain and mostly goes to production costs. Ibermedia also grants financing for a film's development, distribution, exhibition and promotion. The main requirements are:
(Taken from ‘The New International Co-Production Scenario’ and ‘Co-Production and the Cultural Politics of Constructing an Ibero-American Audiovisual Space' by Tamara Falicov.
Co-productions must be among at least three countries. Films must be in Spanish or Portuguese. The director, actors, and technical crew must be from an Ibero-American country. Beneficiaries are limited to independent production companies in countries that are members of the Ibermedia Program. Repayable loans are allocated to each co-producer on the basis of their financial contribution in the co-production. Up to 50 percent of the funding may be awarded by Ibermedia; the rest must come from additional financing sources Films receiving funding are typically very low-budget, and Ibermedia’s contributions range from $30,000 to $200,000 per project
What about us in the U.S.?
It may be hard to believe but the U.S. has no co-production treaties. None! Still, Americans can enter as a third-party in treaty co-productions giving access to the same tax incentives and expanded market access as their partners. With an eye towards fostering collaborations in the absence of treaties, Independent Filmmaker Project (Ifp) offers the No Borders International Co-Production Market, “the oldest and most prominent co-production market in the U.S.” Ifp also operates the International Alliance Program with partners in various regions, the Latin American Training Center (Latc) acts as the official partner for Latin America. And for Latin American immigrants and U.S-born Latinos who are eligible for dual citizenship, opportunities abound.
Written by Juan Caceres and Vanessa Erazo, LatinoBuzz is a weekly feature on SydneysBuzz that highlights emerging and established Latino indie talent and upcoming trends in Latino film with the specific objective of presenting a broad range of Latino voices. Follow@LatinoBuzzon twitter.
Notable Spanish-Latin American Co-productions
El espinazo del diablo (The Devil’s Backbone, dir. Guillermo del Toro, Spain-Mexico, 2001)
La ciénaga (The Swamp, dir. Lucrecia Martel, Argentina-Spain-France, 2001)
El crimen del Padre Amaro (The Crime of Father Amaro, dir. Carlos Carrera, Mexico-Spain-Argentina-France, 2002)
Whisky (dir. Juan Pablo Rebella and Pablo Stoll, Uruguay-Spain, 2004)
Xxy (dir. Lucía Puenzo, Argentina-Spain, 2007)...
Why a co-production?
There are many benefits to collaborating: pooling of financial resources, more options for government incentives and subsidies, better chances at entering each other’s markets, and risk reduction. Particularly in smaller Latin American countries where a weak film industry provides few funding opportunities and finding crews with professional experience is difficult, a co-production with Spain is a no-brainer. But, this is not without controversy.
Spanish Conquistadors or Equal Partners?
There are critics who warn about reproducing dependency on Spain (some dare to use the word neo-colonialism) and reinforcing economic disparities between the two regions. There is also concern about the effect outside sources of funding can have on content. Many wonder how much editorial control comes with allowing Spain to bankroll a project. Despite the criticism and concern Spanish-Latin American co-productions continue to increase and can offer lots of lessons to U.S. producers looking to team up with their southern neighbors.
How does it work?
As a result of the creation of a film institute (the Icaa or Instituto de la Cinematografía y de las Artes Audiovisuales) and policy changes in the eighties, Spain spearheaded a multinational organization called Caaci (La Conferencia de Autoridades Audiovisuales y Cinematográficas de Iberoamerica, or Conference of Ibero-American Audiovisual and Film Institutes). Its members are Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Honduras, México, Panamá, Perú, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Spain, Uruguay, and Venezuela. Caaci brokered the creation of conventions and co-production treaties amongst its member countries. On top of these multilateral agreements, Spain has several bilateral agreements with individual Latin American countries. Depending on which agreement or convention is applied the conditions are:
(Taken from ‘Industry Report: Produce - Coproduce. How to coproduce with Spain”)
For bilateral agreements; the minor producer’s participation cannot account for less than 20%, while the main producer’s cannot account for more than 80%, only allowing co-productions with real creative participation. For multilateral agreements, where the European or Ibero American Conventions are applied; the minor producer’s participation cannot account for less than 10%, while the main producer’s cannot exceed 70%. In this last case, certain financial co-productions are permitted.
Ibermedia is another source of funding that pools financial contributions from Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Chile, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Guatemala, México, Panamá, Paraguay, Perú, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Spain, Uruguay, and Venezuela. Although the fund receives contributions from each member country, the majority of the money comes from Spain and mostly goes to production costs. Ibermedia also grants financing for a film's development, distribution, exhibition and promotion. The main requirements are:
(Taken from ‘The New International Co-Production Scenario’ and ‘Co-Production and the Cultural Politics of Constructing an Ibero-American Audiovisual Space' by Tamara Falicov.
Co-productions must be among at least three countries. Films must be in Spanish or Portuguese. The director, actors, and technical crew must be from an Ibero-American country. Beneficiaries are limited to independent production companies in countries that are members of the Ibermedia Program. Repayable loans are allocated to each co-producer on the basis of their financial contribution in the co-production. Up to 50 percent of the funding may be awarded by Ibermedia; the rest must come from additional financing sources Films receiving funding are typically very low-budget, and Ibermedia’s contributions range from $30,000 to $200,000 per project
What about us in the U.S.?
It may be hard to believe but the U.S. has no co-production treaties. None! Still, Americans can enter as a third-party in treaty co-productions giving access to the same tax incentives and expanded market access as their partners. With an eye towards fostering collaborations in the absence of treaties, Independent Filmmaker Project (Ifp) offers the No Borders International Co-Production Market, “the oldest and most prominent co-production market in the U.S.” Ifp also operates the International Alliance Program with partners in various regions, the Latin American Training Center (Latc) acts as the official partner for Latin America. And for Latin American immigrants and U.S-born Latinos who are eligible for dual citizenship, opportunities abound.
Written by Juan Caceres and Vanessa Erazo, LatinoBuzz is a weekly feature on SydneysBuzz that highlights emerging and established Latino indie talent and upcoming trends in Latino film with the specific objective of presenting a broad range of Latino voices. Follow@LatinoBuzzon twitter.
Notable Spanish-Latin American Co-productions
El espinazo del diablo (The Devil’s Backbone, dir. Guillermo del Toro, Spain-Mexico, 2001)
La ciénaga (The Swamp, dir. Lucrecia Martel, Argentina-Spain-France, 2001)
El crimen del Padre Amaro (The Crime of Father Amaro, dir. Carlos Carrera, Mexico-Spain-Argentina-France, 2002)
Whisky (dir. Juan Pablo Rebella and Pablo Stoll, Uruguay-Spain, 2004)
Xxy (dir. Lucía Puenzo, Argentina-Spain, 2007)...
- 6/13/2013
- by Vanessa Erazo
- Sydney's Buzz
To say Machetero, the award winning debut feature film by Vagabond, is unique in nearly every way is an understatement. Machetero is film that is a punk style, gritty and technically not structured in a traditional manner but yet with specific and intentional use of voice over, text and songs to shape the narrative in what Vagabond describes as an 'Avant Garde Musical'. The subject is set around an idea that resonates even more today with the question of who is considered a “Freedom Fighter” and who is considered a “Terrorist” in the face of land occupation but uses the resistance movement in Puerto Rico to Us colonialism as its theme - a controversial subject matter that hasn't been explored much in fictional cinema. Vagabond made Machetero, guerilla, no budget, “what-the-hell-is-a-permit?” style with friends for over ten years believing with drive and passion that it would find its audience one day.
LatinoBuzz: How important was this film for you to hold on and believe in it for so long?
Vagabond: I wrote the script for Machetero in 2002 and I've been working on and off on this film for about 10 years. Machetero was initially conceived as a short film and so there was no intent to make it a feature but the first cut I did of the film was 45 minutes and making it shorter was not an option because the ideas we were exploring about terrorism and terrorists in a post 9/11 world were so dense. Our only option at that point was to improvise what we had into a feature length film. Holding on for that long and believing in the film was easy. On an artistic or creative level I wasn't trying to make Machetero I was trying to let the film make itself and allowing for that process took more time than someone might take with a project. I learned to be patient with Machetero and the reward for that patience was an understanding that I make films because I have a question that only the process of making a film can answer. The other element that tested my patience was that I work within the constraints of having very little in the way of resources and almost no money and that dictated the pace of production. The real test to my belief and my patience came after I made the film and I got rejection letter after rejection letter from Us based film festivals. I was happy with the film, I thought I did some interesting things with structure and storytelling but it didn't seem to click with anyone in the Us. It shocked me because I had Isaach de Bankolé in the film and he's worked with some of the most interesting filmmakers in the world, Jim Jarmusch, Claire Denis, Lars Von Trier, Nicolas Roeg, Michael Mann. I mean, Isaach is no slouch, he's careful who he works with and he chose to work with me on Machetero but it didn't seem to do anything for me in terms of having a name or a star helping you to get into festivals or get the film some recognition. That was something that kind of shook my belief. It wasn't until we started doing festivals outside the Us that we started to get some traction and my faith for staying the course was five awards overseas.
LatinoBuzz: How important is it that Latinos support a project such as this?
Vagabond: If we're talking about Latino's supporting this project because it's made by Latino's and the subject matter is Latino in nature then I think that happens organically. I'm self-releasing Machetero and I went to the Puerto Rican Day parade to promote it by handing out thousands of postcards and for the most part when I told people this was my film, 95% of them were genuinely interested in supporting it. i think that Latinos are like anyone else, they want to see their own do well. If we're talking about Latino support in terms of helping a film or filmmaker into mainstream success, I'm not sure how important it is for Latinos to support a project, because I don't think that Latino support of a project helps brings mainstream attention or success. And that's not just something that's true for Latino's but true for African American filmmakers as well. There isn't an pipeline in place in the Us by which Latino or African American films or filmmakers are lifted up by their own and guided into wider recognition. I think we as people of color like to believe the myth, that if we are supported by our own people then we can create that pipeline. But the pipeline doesn't exist and wishing it, doesn't make it so. There aren't any mechanisms that Latinos or African Americans have that act as a conduit to finding a wider audience. There is no apparatus that we've built that allows us to decide who we want to uplift and represent us outside of our own community. There are no places that people outside of our community go to find out, who we as a community, are supporting. i think that part of the fault for that, is on us as a community for not creating a pipeline that feeds the mainstream. However, i also i think, that a large of part of why that pipeline doesn't exist is that the mainstream likes to choose who and what it likes, to represent us, so that it can maintain it's own power.
LatinoBuzz: Do you think more films should be made about the political history in Latin America and the Caribbean?
Vagabond: Yeah I do. I think there's such a lack of films on the political history of Latin America and the Caribbean coming from filmmakers in that region or from out of that diaspora and I think that we need a barrage of them. My film is often criticized by people for not being everything to everyone, not so much because they find Machetero lacking but because our representation on so many issues is lacking. Especially on a political and historical front. Puerto Ricans aren't used to seeing their political history told and so they don't know when they might see themselves or their stories in a film again. I wasn't surprised to hear people ask me why i didn't shine a light on every aspect of Puerto Rico's history because there are no films about Puerto Rico's political history. So the criticism that's being leveled at me and at Machetero is one that's coming out of frustration, out of the lack, out of the need. Once I tell them that I did all that I could with what I had they begin to realize that Machetero is just one film trying to fill a space that needs to be filled by dozens of films by Puerto Rican filmmakers. This isn't just a problem in Puerto Rico but also in the Dominican Republic and Haiti and Jamaica and El Salvador and Guatemala and Nicaragua and a number of other places. The need for these people to have their own political history included in a cinematic form is dire. And not by someone coming off the almighty mountain of Hollywood in some twisted version of Cinematic Manifest Destiny but a cinema that comes from the people of those countries shaping their own national cinema.
LatinoBuzz: What story do you want to tell next?
Vagabond: I'm working on trying to put together a few projects. One of the projects I'm working on is a film about former Us held Puerto Rican Political Prisoner of War Dylcia Pagán. It's called Freedom On Layaway and it's a documentary that focuses on her arrest, imprisonment and release but the documentary is framed within a narrative structure. I'm also working on a crime genre film about a young man who is forced into a life of crime in order to save his family but it's difficult because he's got a strict ethical code that he lives by and that creates conflict with the criminals he runs with. If my luck holds I may be able to shoot that starting this fall. If that doesn't happen I'll try and shoot another film that I have on deck that's the modern day retelling of the Jesus Christ story. Except Jesus is Puerto Rican and born in a Casita in the South Bronx and his disciples are considered a terrorist cell. Needless to say he's crucified all over again because people don't seem to learn from history. A real dream project of mine though is a film about the FBI assassination of Puerto Rican independence leader Filiberto Ojeda Rios. Filiberto was kind of like the Puerto Rican 'Che Guevara'. He was killed on September 23rd, a Puerto Rican national holiday known as El Grito De Lares, a holiday marking the violent uprising against Spanish colonial rule in 1868. Filiberto was on the FBI's most wanted list and even though he lived in clandestinity, he wrote articles and gave radio and television interviews. As he lay shot and bleeding to death in his home his last audio speech could be heard at the Grito De Lares celebration just a short distance away. When Dylcia Pagán commented on the assassination she said it wasn't just an attack on Filiberto but an attempt to kill the independence movement in Puerto Rico. It just doesn't get any more political, historical, dramatic or cinematic than that.
Naturally Vagabond would self distribute, grass roots style at the Clemente Soto Velez Theater - which holds greater meaning that the theater is named after a Puerto Rican nationalist, writer and activist - in NYC's Lower East Side on June 12th for an initial one week run through June 19th. Screenings will include Q&A's. For more info check out their website: www.machetero-movie.com and 'Like' them at www.facebook.com/MacHetero.Movie.
Written by Juan Caceres and Vanessa Erazo, LatinoBuzz is a weekly feature on SydneysBuzz that highlights Latino indie talent and upcoming trends in Latino film with the specific objective of presenting a broad range of Latino voices. Follow @LatinoBuzz on Twitter and Facebook.
LatinoBuzz: How important was this film for you to hold on and believe in it for so long?
Vagabond: I wrote the script for Machetero in 2002 and I've been working on and off on this film for about 10 years. Machetero was initially conceived as a short film and so there was no intent to make it a feature but the first cut I did of the film was 45 minutes and making it shorter was not an option because the ideas we were exploring about terrorism and terrorists in a post 9/11 world were so dense. Our only option at that point was to improvise what we had into a feature length film. Holding on for that long and believing in the film was easy. On an artistic or creative level I wasn't trying to make Machetero I was trying to let the film make itself and allowing for that process took more time than someone might take with a project. I learned to be patient with Machetero and the reward for that patience was an understanding that I make films because I have a question that only the process of making a film can answer. The other element that tested my patience was that I work within the constraints of having very little in the way of resources and almost no money and that dictated the pace of production. The real test to my belief and my patience came after I made the film and I got rejection letter after rejection letter from Us based film festivals. I was happy with the film, I thought I did some interesting things with structure and storytelling but it didn't seem to click with anyone in the Us. It shocked me because I had Isaach de Bankolé in the film and he's worked with some of the most interesting filmmakers in the world, Jim Jarmusch, Claire Denis, Lars Von Trier, Nicolas Roeg, Michael Mann. I mean, Isaach is no slouch, he's careful who he works with and he chose to work with me on Machetero but it didn't seem to do anything for me in terms of having a name or a star helping you to get into festivals or get the film some recognition. That was something that kind of shook my belief. It wasn't until we started doing festivals outside the Us that we started to get some traction and my faith for staying the course was five awards overseas.
LatinoBuzz: How important is it that Latinos support a project such as this?
Vagabond: If we're talking about Latino's supporting this project because it's made by Latino's and the subject matter is Latino in nature then I think that happens organically. I'm self-releasing Machetero and I went to the Puerto Rican Day parade to promote it by handing out thousands of postcards and for the most part when I told people this was my film, 95% of them were genuinely interested in supporting it. i think that Latinos are like anyone else, they want to see their own do well. If we're talking about Latino support in terms of helping a film or filmmaker into mainstream success, I'm not sure how important it is for Latinos to support a project, because I don't think that Latino support of a project helps brings mainstream attention or success. And that's not just something that's true for Latino's but true for African American filmmakers as well. There isn't an pipeline in place in the Us by which Latino or African American films or filmmakers are lifted up by their own and guided into wider recognition. I think we as people of color like to believe the myth, that if we are supported by our own people then we can create that pipeline. But the pipeline doesn't exist and wishing it, doesn't make it so. There aren't any mechanisms that Latinos or African Americans have that act as a conduit to finding a wider audience. There is no apparatus that we've built that allows us to decide who we want to uplift and represent us outside of our own community. There are no places that people outside of our community go to find out, who we as a community, are supporting. i think that part of the fault for that, is on us as a community for not creating a pipeline that feeds the mainstream. However, i also i think, that a large of part of why that pipeline doesn't exist is that the mainstream likes to choose who and what it likes, to represent us, so that it can maintain it's own power.
LatinoBuzz: Do you think more films should be made about the political history in Latin America and the Caribbean?
Vagabond: Yeah I do. I think there's such a lack of films on the political history of Latin America and the Caribbean coming from filmmakers in that region or from out of that diaspora and I think that we need a barrage of them. My film is often criticized by people for not being everything to everyone, not so much because they find Machetero lacking but because our representation on so many issues is lacking. Especially on a political and historical front. Puerto Ricans aren't used to seeing their political history told and so they don't know when they might see themselves or their stories in a film again. I wasn't surprised to hear people ask me why i didn't shine a light on every aspect of Puerto Rico's history because there are no films about Puerto Rico's political history. So the criticism that's being leveled at me and at Machetero is one that's coming out of frustration, out of the lack, out of the need. Once I tell them that I did all that I could with what I had they begin to realize that Machetero is just one film trying to fill a space that needs to be filled by dozens of films by Puerto Rican filmmakers. This isn't just a problem in Puerto Rico but also in the Dominican Republic and Haiti and Jamaica and El Salvador and Guatemala and Nicaragua and a number of other places. The need for these people to have their own political history included in a cinematic form is dire. And not by someone coming off the almighty mountain of Hollywood in some twisted version of Cinematic Manifest Destiny but a cinema that comes from the people of those countries shaping their own national cinema.
LatinoBuzz: What story do you want to tell next?
Vagabond: I'm working on trying to put together a few projects. One of the projects I'm working on is a film about former Us held Puerto Rican Political Prisoner of War Dylcia Pagán. It's called Freedom On Layaway and it's a documentary that focuses on her arrest, imprisonment and release but the documentary is framed within a narrative structure. I'm also working on a crime genre film about a young man who is forced into a life of crime in order to save his family but it's difficult because he's got a strict ethical code that he lives by and that creates conflict with the criminals he runs with. If my luck holds I may be able to shoot that starting this fall. If that doesn't happen I'll try and shoot another film that I have on deck that's the modern day retelling of the Jesus Christ story. Except Jesus is Puerto Rican and born in a Casita in the South Bronx and his disciples are considered a terrorist cell. Needless to say he's crucified all over again because people don't seem to learn from history. A real dream project of mine though is a film about the FBI assassination of Puerto Rican independence leader Filiberto Ojeda Rios. Filiberto was kind of like the Puerto Rican 'Che Guevara'. He was killed on September 23rd, a Puerto Rican national holiday known as El Grito De Lares, a holiday marking the violent uprising against Spanish colonial rule in 1868. Filiberto was on the FBI's most wanted list and even though he lived in clandestinity, he wrote articles and gave radio and television interviews. As he lay shot and bleeding to death in his home his last audio speech could be heard at the Grito De Lares celebration just a short distance away. When Dylcia Pagán commented on the assassination she said it wasn't just an attack on Filiberto but an attempt to kill the independence movement in Puerto Rico. It just doesn't get any more political, historical, dramatic or cinematic than that.
Naturally Vagabond would self distribute, grass roots style at the Clemente Soto Velez Theater - which holds greater meaning that the theater is named after a Puerto Rican nationalist, writer and activist - in NYC's Lower East Side on June 12th for an initial one week run through June 19th. Screenings will include Q&A's. For more info check out their website: www.machetero-movie.com and 'Like' them at www.facebook.com/MacHetero.Movie.
Written by Juan Caceres and Vanessa Erazo, LatinoBuzz is a weekly feature on SydneysBuzz that highlights Latino indie talent and upcoming trends in Latino film with the specific objective of presenting a broad range of Latino voices. Follow @LatinoBuzz on Twitter and Facebook.
- 6/12/2013
- by Juan Caceres
- Sydney's Buzz
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