1:59 pm By BiancaLaureano · Arts · 4 Comments
19 Oct 2009
***SPOILERS AHEAD***
Have you heard of the film The Ministers? I didn’t either until last Tuesday when John Leguizamo sent a tweet about the film. I immediately went to search for more information on the film and watch the trailer.
Once I realized that it was a new Franc. Reyes film, had an all-star cast of people of Color, and centered the stories of people living in NYC I knew I wanted to see the film. I very quickly began to realize that I had never heard of the film because I had not heard anyone talk about it nor had I seen any trailers. Marketing for the film was/is less than exceptional. All the more reason to have my time and money counted for on opening day.
As the week progressed and Friday got closer, lots of media was created online about how the film was not receiving any marketing as other films coming out the same day. One of the main contributors to the online community voices was Casper Martinez with Latino Film Chatter. Commentary went from anger to the lack of marketing for the film, to encouraging communities to see the film, to boycotting AMC theaters (specifically 42nd Street which is one of two theaters showing the film in NYC). The boycott did occur later in the evening on Friday, but I was not there to participate. You may view a video created by and with folks at Being Latino here.
Read more…
11:47 am By Jennifer Woodard Maderazo · Arts| Culture| Events| Germany| Movies| Peru · Comments Off
26 Feb 2009Young Peruvian director Claudia Llosa is getting a great start on a promising career. Her film The Milk of Sorrow (which has a more interesting title in Spanish — La Teta Asustada) was honored earlier this month at one of the world’s most important film festivals, the Berlinale in Berlin, with the top honor: the Golden Bear for best film:
In the politically tinged drama, which also has elements of magic realism, a disease is being passed from mother to daughter through breast milk. It turns out, the mothers were all victims of the decades-long battle between the Peruvian government and Shining Path terrorists.
Check out the trailer for La Teta after the jump. Read more…
1:31 pm By Maegan La Mala · Culture| Entertainment| Movies| mexico · Comments Off
29 Nov 2007
Mexico City is a film lover’s paradise, with myriad cinemas and a film festival every month. This month is no different, and with the arrival of a new festival celebrating work by Mexican Americans, the city is abuzz.
This year marks the first ever Mexico City Chicano Film Festival, which began on Tuesday and looks to be shaping up quite well. There are 10 documentary features, 7 fiction features and a slew of shorts, some of them in competition. The festival will also feature a retrospective of Chicano film classics, among them Un dia sin mexicanos, Selena and Zoot Suit. And — no podía faltar — Edward James Olmos will be there are a special guest.
This festival is to be applauded for opening up the world of Mexican American culture to Mexicans via film. There are so many misconceptions on the other side of the border about those born on this side, so efforts like this will help dispel stereotypes and bring appreciation of U.S. Latino culture. Though, speaking of stereotypes, they could use some help with their logo.
Via / Festival de Cine Chicano
1:02 pm By Jennifer Woodard Maderazo · Argentina| Celebrities| Movies · Comments Off
30 Jun 2006Acclaimed Argentine director Fabian Bielinsky, 47, died in his sleep on Wednesday in Sao Paulo of what appears to have been a heart attack.
Bielinsky was, after directing only two feature length films, one of Argentina’s most acclaimed directors, most notable for his film Nueve Reinas:
…winner of 21 international awards, and later for the police story El Aura (2005), for which he had just won six awards at the Cóndor de Plata awards ceremony.
2:47 pm By Jennifer Woodard Maderazo · Arts| Chile| Culture| Movies · Comments Off
30 May 2006
The Hollywood Reporter reports on new hope for the Chilean film industry via a cash injection from the Chilean goverment, and as evidenced by Chile’s increased presence in this year’s edition of the Cannes film festival:
After years of single-digit production volume, Chile now puts out at least a dozen features a year. The state-run Arts and Audiovisual Industry Council, which oversees financing, development and production for local film projects, estimates the nation will release 14 pictures this year.The recent upswing largely is because of more available state funding. Last year, various government funds provided a total of $5.2 million in financing to the film industry, a significant amount considering budgets range between $300,000-$1 million. Of the 14 feature films released last year, five received full state financing and five others had at least partial support.
3:26 pm By Jennifer Woodard Maderazo · Cuba| Movies · Comments Off
13 Mar 2006
Checking out another Latino blog, I was reminded of a very moving film I saw on television when I was in Spain a few months ago. It’s called “Suite Habana” and it’s a documentary — made with no dialogue whatsoever — which chronicles a day in the life of some of La Habana’s inhabitants.
…the characterization of each person is patiently constructed as morning passes to afternoon, afternoon to night. Just a sampling: a hospital launderer by day performs in drag by night; a railroad mechanic plays saxophone in his church’s choir; a young man does carpentry work on his family’s home before dancing ballet; an elderly woman keeps house for grandson and husband before painting in night’s silence.
What could be a very tedious film — a lot of scenes are shot in real time with little editing — is just the opposite. I was sucked in from the first moment by the voyeuristic feeling that this type of filmmaking gives you and the trueness of the characters. They exude authenticity because they are caught on film just living their daily lives.
The film, shot in 2003, seems to be pretty much unavailable here in the U.S., though it was shown at the Havana Film Festival and the Tribeca Film Festival in New York. If you have the opportunity to see it, do, because it’s a very rare and objective (as much as it can be) glimpse into the lives of Cubans on the island, and doesn’t get bogged down with politics. Sometimes silence is the best way to communicate.
Via / OffOffOff
6:40 pm By Jennifer Woodard Maderazo · Entertainment| Movies · 2 Comments
31 Jan 2006
Just a couple of Latino names on the Oscar nominee list this year:
Rodrigo Prieto (Mexico), Best Cinematography for Brokeback Mountain
Emmanuel Lubezki (Mexico) Best Cinematography for The New World
Gustavo Santalolla (Argentina) Best Soundtrack for Brokeback Mountain
If you like, you can also throw in “honorary Latino” Joaquin Phoenix (actor, “Walk the Line”) and Spaniard Alberto Iglesias (soundtrack, “The Constant Gardener”) para hacer bulto.
Via / MSN Latino
1:34 pm By Jennifer Woodard Maderazo · Activism| Entertainment| GLBT| Media · 2 Comments
27 Jan 2006
GLAAD (Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation) announced this week at Sundance its candidates for awards in excellence in fair and unbiased coverage of the LGBT community in Spanish language media. The awards cover all areas of media, including TV, film, traditional journalism and the internet. Some of the of the 45 nominees:
OUTSTANDING NOVELA
Los Sánchez (Azteca América)
Señora del Destino (Telemundo)
La Tormenta (Telemundo)
OUTSTANDING INDIVIDUAL EPISODE (in a series without a regular gay character)
“Los Colores del Arcoiris” Lo Que Callamos las Mujeres (Azteca América)
“Identidad Sexual” Mujer Casos de la Vida Real (Univision)
“La Reina de la Noche” Decisiones (Telemundo)
“La Soledad de Soledad” Lo Que Callamos las Mujeres (Azteca América)
“Todo sea por…” Decisiones (Telemundo)
5:24 pm By Jennifer Woodard Maderazo · Celebrities| Entertainment| Movies| TV · Comments Off
16 Jan 2006
I am excited about watching the Golden Globes tonight. I don’t know how it happened, but I went from totally hating awards shows to becoming obsessed with them when I hit 26 years of age. I think this might be an indication of a sharp decline in my social life. Or something.
Anyway, I was curious to know if there were any Latino nominees on the list this year, so I went to the web site. The first name on the list, Maria Bello, seemed promising. After checking the IMDB I find that the actress is actually Polish-Italian.
VivirLatino is a daily publication published by 2 Mujeres Media, dedicated to featuring all the latest politics, culture, entertainment of interest to the diverse and influential Latino and Latina community in the U.S.
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