Vanessa Erazo, it's my name

LatinoBuzz: Pamela Yates on How Her Documentary Helped Jail a Guatemalan Dictator for Genocide

Wed, 22 May 2013 23:05:17 -0400

LatinoBuzz: Pamela Yates on How Her Documentary Helped Jail a Guatemalan Dictator for Genocide:

Documentary films can be eye-opening, thrilling, informative, maddening, and impactful. But Pamela Yates’ film When the Mountains Tremble has gone beyond any filmmaker’s highest hopes.

A Theater Near You: Follow Guatemala’s Path Toward Justice With ‘When the Mountains Tremble’ and ‘Granito: How to Nail a Dictator’

Wed, 15 May 2013 00:00:00 -0400

A Theater Near You: Follow Guatemala’s Path Toward Justice With ‘When the Mountains Tremble’ and ‘Granito: How to Nail a Dictator’:

In the 1980s Guatemala was amidst a bloody civil war and ruled under a military dictatorship. Filmmaker Pamela Yates documented the tragedy, and her work eventually served as evidence in the Ríos Montt genocide trial that recently concluded. Learn where to watch her films here!

Aurora Guerrero on Making Mosquita y Mari & Challenging Hollywood's Lack of Diverse Stories

Wed, 08 May 2013 00:00:00 -0400

Aurora Guerrero on Making Mosquita y Mari & Challenging Hollywood's Lack of Diverse Stories:

Mosquita y Mari premiered at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival and played in theaters last summer. I spoke with its Director, Aurora Guerrero just ahead of the film’s digital release to talk about the challenges of making and distributing independent Latino films.

A Theater Near You: ‘Bread and Roses’

Wed, 01 May 2013 00:00:00 -0400

A Theater Near You: ‘Bread and Roses’:

Today is May Day - pay homage to worker and labor rights by watching ‘Bread and Roses.’

Indiewire’s “LatinoBuzz” asks: How Do We Turn a Latino Film Into a Latino Blockbuster? » Se Fija!

Wed, 01 May 2013 00:00:00 -0400

Indiewire’s “LatinoBuzz” asks: How Do We Turn a Latino Film Into a Latino Blockbuster? » Se Fija!:

Se Fija wrote about my Indiewire post on the theatrical distribution of Latino films.

Vanessa Erazo asked a very good question in a very good piece on IndieWire’s LatinoBuzz last week. It’s been a long, long time, she points out, since a movie by, about, and for Latinos has made any kind of splash in the theatrical arena.

LatinoBuzz: How Do We Turn a Latino Film Into a Latino Blockbuster?

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 00:00:00 -0400

LatinoBuzz: How Do We Turn a Latino Film Into a Latino Blockbuster?:

Historically, Latino films have struggled at the box office but once in a while there’s a breakout hit. Independent Latino films can’t spend a bunch of money on T.V. ads, print advertising, or make multiple copies to circulate in theaters. So, what’s the magic formula?

A Theater Near You: Selena

Tue, 16 Apr 2013 00:00:00 -0400

A Theater Near You: Selena:

Today would have been Selena’s 42nd birthday - remember her with the classic film Selena.

Edward James Olmos on Stand and Deliver's 25th Anniversary & the Release of Filly Brown

Mon, 15 Apr 2013 00:00:00 -0400

Edward James Olmos on Stand and Deliver's 25th Anniversary & the Release of Filly Brown:

“It’s an issue. Studios want to tell universal stories. We want to do the same thing. But, we want to use Latino stories with Latino faces to tell universal stories. We’re all part of one group. We are all humans and we all want to tell human stories.”

Five Films to Watch at the 2013 Havana Film Festival New York

Thu, 11 Apr 2013 00:00:00 -0400

Five Films to Watch at the 2013 Havana Film Festival New York:

The Havana Film Festival in New York is back! Opening Friday, April 12 and running through April 19 the festival will screen more than 45 films from and about Latin America, the Caribbean, and Latinos in the U.S. We know it’s overwhelming with so many awesome-sounding films so here’s our top picks of what not to miss at this year’s HFFNY. Pretty soon you’ll be yelling, ¡Películas o Muerte!

LatinoBuzz: Edward James Olmos on ‘Stand and Deliver’s 25th Anniversary & the Release of ‘Filly Brown’

Wed, 10 Apr 2013 22:46:47 -0400

LatinoBuzz: Edward James Olmos on ‘Stand and Deliver’s 25th Anniversary & the Release of ‘Filly Brown’:

I got the chance to chat with Edward James Olmos about the 25th anniversary of Stand and Deliver, the state of Latino filmmaking, and the upcoming release of Filly Brown, a film his son directed and starring EJO along with the late Jenny Rivera in her first (and sadly last) movie role.

Now in Theaters: Awesome-o Films from Chile, Argentina, Mexico, and España

Wed, 03 Apr 2013 00:00:00 -0400

Now in Theaters: Awesome-o Films from Chile, Argentina, Mexico, and España:

Four great Latin-American films (and one Spanish one) are playing in theaters across the country – including one by former The Mars Volta guitarist Omar Rodriguez-Lopez. Check them out!

A Theater Near You: ‘Inocente’ & ‘Entre Nos’

Mon, 01 Apr 2013 00:00:00 -0400

A Theater Near You: ‘Inocente’ & ‘Entre Nos’:

A Theater Near You is Remezcla’s twice-a-month guide to Latin movies you can watch without having to get off your couch. Check out two great films that put a face on homelessness: the Academy Award-winning short documentary Inocente, about a young Latina artist who is homeless and undocumented, and Entre Nos, based on the true story of a Colombian immigrant doing what she can to survive after her husband abandons her and her two young children.

LatinoBuzz: Viggo Mortensen On Playing Twins, His Love of Argentina, and Soccer

Thu, 21 Mar 2013 22:21:44 -0400

LatinoBuzz: Viggo Mortensen On Playing Twins, His Love of Argentina, and Soccer:

Viggo Mortensen, best known for his roles in Eastern Promises and The Lord of the Rings, is a huge soccer fan. He almost got thrown out of an airport once after loudly celebrating a goal by his favorite Argentinian club team, San Lorenzo. Coincidentally, it’s his love of soccer that brought him to his newest role—playing twins in the Argentinian thriller Everybody Has A Plan.

LatinoBuzz: Written For Latinos By Latinos, ‘East WillyB’ is Back With a New Season

Wed, 20 Mar 2013 00:00:00 -0400

LatinoBuzz: Written For Latinos By Latinos, ‘East WillyB’ is Back With a New Season:

The popular East WillyB web series is back with a new season. Often compared to Cheers, the series centers on a Puerto Rican bar in Bushwick owned by Willie Jr. who is fighting to keep the gentrification of the neighborhood from creeping into his bar.

A Theater Near You: Stand and Deliver’s 25th Anniversary

Fri, 15 Mar 2013 00:00:00 -0400

A Theater Near You: Stand and Deliver’s 25th Anniversary:

A Theater Near You is Remezcla’s guide to awesome Latin movies for the lazy and broke; you can watch these all at home. 25 years ago a small, independently made Latino film was released in theaters. Starring the legendary Edward James Olmos and a young Lou Diamond Phillips, Stand and Deliver tells the story of a Bolivian immigrant who teaches math at Garfield High School in East Los Angeles to mostly Latino students. For his portrayal of Jaime Escalante, high school math teacher, Edward James Olmos was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor.

LatinoBuzz: A Homeless, Undocumented, Young Latina Wins Big at the Oscars

Wed, 06 Mar 2013 22:14:40 -0500

LatinoBuzz: A Homeless, Undocumented, Young Latina Wins Big at the Oscars:

The Academy Awards are rarely a platform for independent films, let alone Latino films but this year was different for a young Latina artist named Inocente Izucar. The circumstances of her life, chronicled in the short documentary film Inocente, are heartbreaking. She has suffered physical abuse, chronic homelessness, and the constant fear of deportation since she and her family are undocumented.

Now In Theaters: ‘No’ (Starring Gael Garcia Bernal), ‘Bless Me, Ultima’, and ‘Los Condenados’

Tue, 05 Mar 2013 00:00:00 -0500

Now In Theaters: ‘No’ (Starring Gael Garcia Bernal), ‘Bless Me, Ultima’, and ‘Los Condenados’:

It’s an exciting week for Latino film. There are lots of options at the theater including the Oscar nominated NO (starring Gael García Bernal), the Puerto Rican thriller Los Condenados, and Bless Me, Ultima based on Rudolfo Anaya’s classic Chicano novel.

A Theater Near You: Blacktino

Thu, 28 Feb 2013 18:21:00 -0500

A Theater Near You: Blacktino:

Remezcla readers love to take in culture, but don’t always have the cash for tickets. That’s where we come in. A Theater Near You is Remezcla’s guide to awesome Latin movies for the lazy and broke; you can watch these all at home (because sabemos que son flojos). Here’s part two of our celebration of Afro-Latino films for Black History Month. Blacktino is that rare teen movie that gets it right. The characters are caught somewhere between adulthood and childhood, hating high school, but trying to have fun. The director, Aaron Burns, drew from his own experiences as a “blacktino nerd” and injects smart social commentary about race into the storyline.

I was on the Academic & The Artist, a weekly radio show on...

Thu, 28 Feb 2013 00:00:00 -0500

I was on the Academic & The Artist, a weekly radio show on KBEACH, Cal State Long Beach talking about Latino films. We discuss: NO – starring Gael Garcia Bernal, Clandestine Childhood, and the Oscar-winning short documentary Inocente. — 2/28/2013

The Academic & the Artist is dedicated to engaging individuals in a dialogue on community affairs and highlighting the benefits of being sensitive to and fluent in a multicultural and multilingual society. Hosted by Sergio C. Muñoz and Dr. José Moreno on KBeach Global Radio.

LatinoBuzz: But, You Don't Look Latina! Celebrating Afro-Latina Documentarians for Black History Month

Wed, 20 Feb 2013 20:13:26 -0500

LatinoBuzz: But, You Don't Look Latina! Celebrating Afro-Latina Documentarians for Black History Month:

Afro-Latinos contend with a host of issues. They have to fight for acceptance within the Latino community and sometimes even within their own family (lighter skin is often considered more desirable amongst Latinos). And to further complicate things many Latinos are unaware of or even deny their African roots. But outside of the Hollywood system, in the indie film world, there are Latinos who have embraced their African heritage and focused their cameras on Afro-Latinos. LatinoBuzz talked to some Afro-Latina filmmakers who have decided to tell their own stories. Who needs Hollywood anyway? Here are three documentaries that are currently in production.