The Dominican multi-hyphenate producer discusses representation, humanitarian work and the mentors like Forest Whitaker who shaped her Hollywood journey.

Jessica Medina has spent years on Hollywood’s big productions. She has worked on Marvel and DC projects and films with Forest Whitaker, John Travolta, John Cena, and Liam Neeson. Now, the Dominican actress is taking on some of the biggest opportunities of her career while increasingly using her platform to create opportunities for others.

Medina stars in the film Divided, her first leading film role, while also stepping behind the camera as a producer. Through her production company, JM Films, she is developing a television series dealing in part with human trafficking and says she wants to create more opportunities for Latinos and people who aren’t often represented on screen.

Away from entertainment, Medina serves as U.S. Director for Heaven’s Kitchen, helping the humanitarian organization provide food, clothing and other resources to communities around the world, including in her native Dominican Republic.

Jessica Medina Takes the Lead in Divided

For Medina, Divided represents an opportunity she had spent years working toward: the chance to show what she could do with a character who remains central to a story from beginning to end.

Asked how the opportunities she’s receiving today compare with earlier in her career, Medina said:

“Oh my God, it’s so different now because people really are able to see what I really can do. And I’m able to do more work and show my skill set. For Divided, I got a whole script, from the beginning all the way to the end, 98 pages. And to me, that was amazing, like a big deal, because I usually used to get a couple of lines, you know. But with Divided, I was from the beginning of the movie all the way to the finish. And as an actor that’s been doing this for a while, that was a big deal, for real.”

Medina plays Isabella, a deeply religious woman whose devotion to her family ultimately reveals a much darker side of the character.

The role also arrived at an extraordinary moment in Medina’s life. She says she was in the hospital when Brely Evans called her about the project.

“I was actually in the hospital when I booked this job, literally almost dying. And it was like 12 o’clock at night and Brely called me. She’s like, ‘Hey, I’m thinking about you. Do you want to play this role?’ She sent me the script. Isabella was so interesting because she was a woman of God, but at the same time, she was somebody that would do anything for her family, especially her husband.”

That duality allowed Medina to explore emotional territory she hadn’t previously been given the opportunity to show.

“You see the rage, the different beats as a woman of God, but at the same time, if you see the movie, you can see the other dark side of Isabella, which, me personally, I think every human definitely has that side of them. We have our good side, but also we have our dark side. I think for me to show that was interesting because, you know, you have to go to places from your past. I’m glad I did it because it pushed me as an actress to do something that I never did before.”

Divided also gave Medina her first opportunity to serve as a producer, something she credits Evans with making possible.

“Brely gave me my first opportunity of being a producer, and I’m so grateful for her because she’s an amazing person. It was very interesting to play so many parts and just to see the end product. It’s like a baby, you’re so proud of it. We did it, and it was so quick, everything. It was just interesting to see the final product and so many details that people don’t understand about what it is to be a producer.”

JM Films, Latino Representation and Human Trafficking

Producing is becoming much more than another credit for Medina.

Through JM Films, she says she wants to create opportunities for Latino performers and others who have traditionally struggled to find space on screen.

“I opened my production company, JM Films, with the idea of creating opportunities for Latinos and people that you don’t usually see on the screen, and for everybody, literally. For the outcasts and people that you will never see. So I’m proud of that.”

Medina is already developing a television series through the company that she wrote and plans to produce and star in. She said discussions with potential investors are underway.

“Now I’m creating a TV series. Actually, we’re talking with a few investors. I wrote the whole TV show. I’m producing it, and I’m starring in it too. So we’re working on that.”

The series incorporates human trafficking and cartel activity into a story based in Atlanta. Medina says JM Films is focused on stories inspired by things that happen in the real world.

Human trafficking, in particular, is an issue Medina says has personal significance because of experiences from earlier in her life.

“I think certain things I lived in my personal life when I was younger and the things I’ve been through, I think people need a voice, somebody that can really speak on that issue, especially in Atlanta, that people really don’t talk about. To me, that is really important, you know, because there are so many kids and people out there that have been trafficked.”

As a Latina, Medina says she is particularly interested in drawing attention to trafficking affecting Latino women and children and encouraging others with platforms of their own to become involved.

“I think as a Latina, in our community, we need a strong voice because there are so many Latino kids and women out there getting trafficked. A lot of people don’t know about that. If I can help speak on it, if I can tell the community or the government, ‘Hey, this is what’s happening,’ I think people will pay attention, and other Latinos in Hollywood or politics can really help our community, or any community that is having this issue.”

Medina pointed to Eduardo Verástegui and Sound of Freedom as an example of a Latino filmmaker using entertainment to bring attention to human trafficking.

“Definitely, the movie Sound of Freedom, that was produced by Eduardo Verástegui. Just seeing a Latino, and he’s a Christian too, produce an entire movie about human trafficking in Latin America, but based in the United States. That story is based on a real story because I did my research. I was really impressed with the job he has done and he continues to do. So he’s definitely one of my biggest inspirations, besides my personal reasons for writing these stories.”

Medina’s Humanitarian Work With Heaven’s Kitchen

Medina’s desire to help underserved communities isn’t limited to the stories she wants to put on screen.

As U.S. Director for Heaven’s Kitchen, Medina says she has helped the organization reach families across Venezuela, El Salvador, the Dominican Republic, Costa Rica, Colombia and Pakistan.

“What we’re doing in Heaven’s Kitchen is we are feeding hundreds of thousands of people and families all over the world. We’ve been to Venezuela, El Salvador, Dominican Republic, Costa Rica, Colombia, Pakistan. We go to different countries and we feed them, we give them clothes, and we actually help them become professionals and learn a skill set. For me as a human being, I just want to help a little and just help people in general. That’s the bottom line.”

Medina became involved after she began researching nonprofits and was introduced to Chef Roberto Mendoza. Discovering another Latino who shared many of her values and humanitarian goals immediately resonated with her.

“Somebody introduced me to Chef Roberto, and he’s a Latino as well. So to me, that was like, ‘Oh my God, a Latino that believes in the same concept as I believe.’ I think we can come together and create this beautiful thing. We just kind of united, two powerful people with the same cause and the same beliefs in God and helping families and kids. That’s how it started. And I’m so grateful to be part of this nonprofit.”

The organization’s work has also allowed Medina to give back directly to communities in the Dominican Republic, including her hometown of La Romana.

But Medina says her ambitions for the organization extend well beyond her home country.

“I think the more we can do, open schools, help with health, anything. Not just in my country, Dominican Republic, but we have done a lot there. We are helping La Romana, Puerto Plata. We have helped in different cities in the Dominican Republic, my country. But it’s not just my country. We just want to help the whole planet, if we could. That’s what I want, to continue helping.”

Medina also encouraged people interested in Heaven’s Kitchen to become involved themselves.

“If people want to donate, they can go to the website. If they want to talk to me or have any type of question, or anybody wants me to help out in some type of way, I’m here too.”

Mexicali Shows Audiences a Different Side of Medina

Alongside Divided, Medina recently appeared in Mexicali, reuniting her with director Luke LaFontaine and producer Jesse Johnson, collaborators she says she has worked with on several films.

For Medina, one of the attractions was getting the opportunity to shed the glamorous image audiences may associate with some of her previous roles.

“Oh my God, they’re great friends. They’re amazing, talented individuals. So talented, so kind, so humble. I’ve already done a few movies, like four movies with them. Actually, Luke called me, and this is what I love about this part, because usually people are used to seeing me sexy and running around. In this part, I got no makeup. I was just playing a humble farm girl that gets killed and shot.”

Medina says LaFontaine specifically wanted the role to showcase another dimension of her acting.

“It was so much fun because Luke was like, ‘Well, I want people to see your talent, how talented you are, because you really are. This is not a pretty part. This is more of a real part.’ And I was happy to do it. I think it looks amazing.”

Medina also appears in the first season of Love Don’t Pay the Bills, another recent project she encouraged audiences to seek out.

Forest Whitaker, Ty Walker and the Mentors Who Helped Medina

Medina has worked with major names throughout her career, but when asked which collaborators have left the greatest impression on her, she immediately returned to Forest Whitaker.

The Academy Award winner met Medina early in her career and encouraged her to leave Miami and pursue acting in Los Angeles. Medina previously described Whitaker as someone who continued to inspire her years after that initial encounter.

“First and foremost, Forest Whitaker was my first mentor and somebody that really changed my life and my career, who I still respect. Ty Walker gave me so many opportunities, my first stunt coordinating opportunity, and kind of mentored me into what producing is too. So I’m blessed to know him and to call him a friend. And another amazing big director, Joe Carnahan, who also mentored me and told me a few things, that I’m valuable. I can call them friends, not just colleagues. They’re amazing.”

For Medina, Ty Walker represents a different stage of that journey. By then, she had already established herself as a performer, but Walker gave her opportunities to begin taking on greater responsibility behind the camera, including her first opportunity in stunt coordination.

She also credits Walker with helping introduce her to producing, something that has since become an increasingly important part of her career.

“Ty Walker gave me so many opportunities. He gave me my first stunt coordinating opportunity, and he also really helped mentor me as I started learning about producing and understanding that side of filmmaking. That was important for me because it gave me the opportunity to grow and start doing more than what people were already used to seeing me do. He helped open that door for me and gave me the opportunity to learn. I’m very blessed to know him and to be able to call him a friend.”

That evolution can now be seen in Medina’s own work, as she increasingly balances performing with producing and developing projects of her own.

Joe Carnahan Reminded Medina of Her Value

Medina separately points to Joe Carnahan as another filmmaker who became an important mentor. For Medina, one of the things that stayed with her was Carnahan reminding her of the value she already brought to the industry.

“Joe Carnahan is another amazing director who mentored me. He talked to me about the business and reminded me that I’m valuable and that what I bring to this industry has value. Sometimes you need someone who has that experience to remind you of that and help you see it in yourself. That meant a lot to me. And now I’m fortunate that I can call him a friend, not just a colleague. That’s something I’m very grateful for.”

Jessica Medina’s Advice to the Next Generation of Latino Actors

After years of navigating Hollywood herself, Medina has a simple message for the next generation of Latino performers: don’t allow the industry to erase what makes them different.

“I would say don’t lose yourself. Always be yourself. A lot of the time when you get in the business, you’re going to hear a lot of no’s, and you’re going to hear a lot of, ‘You have to change this, change that.’ But always be yourself, be unique. I think by you being yourself and believing in yourself and what you bring to the table, because everybody is different, what you bring to the table originally is what’s going to make you different from the different actors.”

It’s advice informed by Medina’s own experiences entering the industry with a stronger accent and encountering people who had specific ideas about how a Latina actress was supposed to look and sound.

“I remember when I started, I still have an accent, but my accent was stronger. I didn’t look like Salma Hayek, so a lot of people were like, ‘Well, you need to get rid of the accent. You need to look this way.’ So one thing I think that really worked for me was being authentic and just being yourself. Believe in yourself and what you can do and who you are.”

For Medina, the qualities young performers can sometimes be pressured to change may ultimately be the same qualities that distinguish them.

“I think for the new generation out there, boys and girls, just be you and don’t let it change you. You’re going to see good things happening, because whatever it is that you bring to the table is what’s going to set you apart from the rest.”

From leading Divided to building JM Films and expanding her humanitarian work, Medina is using each new opportunity to create space for stories and voices that have too often been overlooked. And after years of learning from those who opened doors for her, she is increasingly focused on holding those doors open for the next generation.

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World premiere explores faith, family, immigration and Chicano life in California’s San Joaquin Valley

Los Angeles – The Latino Theater Company will present the world premiere of Speaking in Tongues, a new play by MacArthur “Genius Grant” recipient Luis Alfaro that turns its focus to the people, faith and tensions of a small Mexican-American agricultural community in California’s San Joaquin Valley.

Commissioned by Latino Theater Company and developed through its Circle of Imaginistas playwriting group, Speaking in Tongues will run October 17 through November 15 at the Los Angeles Theatre Center in Downtown Los Angeles, with previews October 15 and 16. José Luis Valenzuela directs.

Alfaro draws heavily on the geography and culture of the San Joaquin Valley, incorporating references to real communities, local businesses and regional traditions—from nearby McFarland and Tipton to Taqueria El Sol De Jalisco, La Barca Bakery and the Visalia Mall. Even the region’s distinctive “Tule fog” becomes part of the play’s sense of place.

The setting is particularly personal for Alfaro, a Chicano playwright born and raised in Los Angeles and the son of farmworkers from California’s San Joaquin Valley. His work has frequently explored the intersections of identity, labor, immigration, family and the relationship between people and the land.

Alfaro received a fellowship from the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, commonly known as the “genius grant,” recognizing exceptional creativity in his field. His extensive body of work includes Electricidad, Oedipus El Rey, Mojada, Delano, The Travelers, Body of Faith, Aztlan, Bruja and Straight as a Line. His plays have been produced by theaters throughout the United States, Latin America, Canada and Europe.

He previously served as associate artistic director of Center Theatre Group at the Music Center of Los Angeles County and is currently an associate professor at the University of Southern California.

Speaking in Tongues continues Alfaro’s ongoing exploration of communities often underrepresented on the American stage, placing a distinctly Chicano experience at the center of a story about faith, power, family and resilience.

Set inside a Pentecostal church on the edge of a cornfield in Earlimart, California, the play follows a congregation navigating faith, family, gender, immigration and a rapidly changing community.

At the center is Hermana Romie, played by Evelina Fernández, whose husband—the church’s pastor—has mysteriously disappeared. For years, Romie has secretly written his sermons while suppressing her own voice and talents to preserve the church’s patriarchal traditions.

As immigration raids threaten the community and Romie’s daughter, played by Esperanza América, prepares to leave for a secular life in Los Angeles, Romie begins to claim her own authority. Alongside Lucy Rodríguez as Hermana Cubby, Sal López as Hermano Mando and Geoffrey Rivas as Hermano Tico, the congregation confronts questions of faith, belonging and collective survival.

The production features scenic design by Prairie T. Trivuth, lighting design by “Lee” Xinyuan Li, sound design by Robert J. Revell, projections by Yee Eun Nam, costumes by Samantha Jo Joffray and choreography by Urbanie Lucero.

Speaking in Tongues opens Saturday, October 17 at 8 p.m. and runs Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. through November 15. Preview performances are October 15 and 16 at 8 p.m.

The Los Angeles Theatre Center is located at 514 S. Spring St., Los Angeles, CA 90013.

The Latino Theater Company, which operates the City of Los Angeles-owned Los Angeles Theatre Center, has produced hundreds of plays and created thousands of jobs since taking over operations of the Downtown venue in 2006. The City recently extended the company’s lease for an additional 30 years, through 2056.

For tickets and additional information, call (213) 489-0994 or visit Latino Theater Company.

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Free Opening Night screening brings film, literature, music and Mexican-American history together at LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes and the performance of Los Changuitos Feos de Tucson Youth Mariachi

LéaLA Spanish Language Book Fair & Literary Festival will open its 11th edition with a free screening of the award-winning documentary Ugly Little Monkeys – A True American Story on Sept. 24 at LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes in downtown Los Angeles.

Organized by the University of Guadalajara Foundation USA, LéaLA has built its reputation as a leading celebration of Spanish-language books, authors, arts and culture in Los Angeles. This year’s opening-night program expands that mission by demonstrating how stories can move across artistic disciplines — from the page to the screen and ultimately to the stage.

Admission to the three day festival is absolutely free with an added benefit to school children who are bused to participate in the book festival workshops, author readings and performances. Speaking with Marisol Schulz — Director, LéaLA, she expressed, “The greatest joy for me is to see the faces of the children and to know that they can say ‘I saw great authors speaking in my language’.

Directed by David E. Valdez and veteran actor and filmmaker Enrique Castillo, Ugly Little Monkeys chronicles the remarkable rise of Los Changuitos Feos de Tucson, the youth mariachi group that emerged from Tucson’s Mexican-American community in the 1960s and went on to international acclaim.

But the documentary is about far more than mariachi.

It explores identity, cultural pride, community, ambition and the Mexican-American experience through the story of young musicians who challenged stereotypes and opened doors for generations that followed.

The film features Edward James Olmos, Linda Ronstadt and Rubén Fuentes, as well as Ernesto Portillo Sr. and 19 original Changuitos. Wilfred Arvizu, author of Bless Me Father for You Have Sinned, which is the source material for the documentary, will also be in attendance at the opening-night event.

LéaLA’s decision to open its 2026 festival with the documentary gives that history a new platform — connecting the written word, filmmaking and live music in a single evening.

Following the screening, members of Los Changuitos Feos de Tucson will perform live, bringing the music that helped define their extraordinary journey to a new generation.

Opening Night LéaLA Schedule

4:00 PM — Welcome and opening remarks by LéaLA representatives
4:30 PM — Ugly Little Monkeys directors introduce the film
4:40 PM — Screening of Ugly Little Monkeys – A True American Story
6:30 PM — Live performance by Los Changuitos Feos de Tucson
7:00 PM — Cocktail reception

“I’m proud of this film and very grateful that this documentary was made,” said Olmos who also served as Executive Producer of the documentary.

The opening-night program brings together film, literature, music and Mexican-American history, reflecting LéaLA’s mission to amplify Spanish-language storytelling and Latino cultural voices.

The screening is free and open to the public. INFO HERE: https://lea-la.com/programa/

LéaLA 2026 runs Sept. 24–27 at LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes.

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American International Short Film Festival Returns to Los Angeles With 46 Films From 30 Countries

LOS ANGELES — The American International Short Film Festival (AISFF) returns to Los Angeles September 14–17 with 46 short films representing 30 countries, featuring industry panels, filmmaker networking and a live entertainment program, giving AISFF an international scope while maintaining its focus on emerging talent and short-form storytelling.

The festival, held at City Club Los Angeles, is partnering this year with the Alliance of Women Directors (AWD) as part of its programming focused on emerging filmmakers and women working behind the camera.

Founded by David Meiselman, AISFF positions short filmmaking as an entry point for emerging directors, writers, actors and producers looking to build audiences and industry connections.

“A short film can be a filmmaker’s calling card, but getting that film in front of the right people can change the trajectory of a career,” Meiselman said. “We created AISFF to give filmmakers a place where their work can be seen, their voices can be heard, and where they can make the connections that can move their careers forward.”

The festival’s international selection spans genres including drama, comedy, documentary, animation, horror, science fiction, thriller and music video, with awards recognizing filmmaking and performance across multiple categories.

On Wednesday, September 16,  AISFF will combine industry programming with an evening of live entertainment. The afternoon will feature a series of industry panels, culminating at 4 p.m. with a conversation featuring Peter Baxter, founder of the Slamdance Film Festival. 

The entertainment lineup includes musical performances by Adelaide Pilar and Las Chingonas, followed by a fashion presentation featuring Los Pachucos of Fullerton. The evening will also feature a burlesque performance by Ruby Champagne.

AISFF’s partnership with the Alliance of Women Directors further emphasizes opportunities for women filmmakers and visibility for women working in directing.

The combination of film screenings, industry programming and live performance gives AISFF a broader festival format, bringing filmmakers and audiences together beyond the traditional screening schedule.

For participating filmmakers, the festival’s four-day program includes screenings, networking opportunities, industry discussions and awards recognizing work across a range of categories.

AISFF 2026

American International Short Film Festival
September 14–17, 2026
City Club Los Angeles
Los Angeles, California

?? TICKETS ARE ON SALE NOW. Film fans, filmmakers and industry professionals can get tickets and view the complete festival schedule at AISFFLA.org.

Don’t miss four days of international short films, filmmaker conversations, industry panels and live entertainment in Los Angeles.

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LOS ANGELES — Independent bilingual comedy Comedia Del Adri has won Best TV Pilot and Best International Film at the Comedy Film Festival, as well as the Audience Award at FilmGate Miami, ahead of its Hollywood premiere at the TCL Chinese Theatre.

The Spanish-English series, written by and starring Adrian Manzano and directed by Chase Bradburn, will screen September 12 as part of the inaugural Indiewood Film Festival.

The 30-minute pilot is designed as the first episode of a nine-episode series following Adri, a middle-aged Mexican-Colombian comedian rebuilding his life and career in Mexico City. His relationship with Bella, a younger German woman, brings questions of family, identity and cultural differences into the story.

Manzano stars as Adri alongside Dilara Foscht as Bella, Alejandra Herrera as Maria, Byungsun Kim as Ramon and Mabel de la Luz. Manzano and Samira Mekibes Meza serve as producers.

The TCL Chinese Theatre screening takes place three days before the start of Latino Heritage Month on September 15 and is part of the inaugural Indiewood Film Festival’s independent film and television program.

Manzano said the project’s bilingual format and focus on Latino characters were central to its development.

“We’re making this show while ICE raids are tearing through our neighborhoods and Latinx families are living in fear of being separated,” Manzano said. “Getting to tell our own stories, in our own languages, and to laugh at ourselves instead of being laughed at, matters more right now than it ever has.”

Manzano, a Queens, New York native, is a writer, actor and filmmaker whose previous credits include the feature Sex, Love & Salsa, which received awards at international festivals including the Montreal Latino Film Festival and Stattkino Festival in Zurich. The film is currently in development as a television series.

His other credits include writing and directing The Gradua and writing Ilegítimo, which was sold to Panama’s Jacobo Silvera Productions. In 2026, he appears in Hard Redemption with Lou Ferrigno and Dustslickers.

The Hollywood screening gives Comedia Del Adri a showcase at one of the city’s best-known theatrical venues following its recent festival recognition.

‘COMEDIA DEL ADRI’
Indiewood Film Festival
September 12, 2026
TCL Chinese Theatre — Hollywood

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LOS ANGELES — Filmmaker Joaquim Adrià Pujol is bringing his acclaimed documentary Màquina to Hollywood, with the 90-minute film set for its Los Angeles premiere Sunday, September 13 at 9:45 p.m. during the Indiewood Film Festival.

The Spanish- and English-language documentary takes an unflinching look at addiction, alcoholism and generational trauma through an unusually personal lens: Pujol documents his own father and brother as they travel across the American West in an aging Winnebago en route to Colorado for ibogaine-assisted addiction treatment.

What could have been framed as a conventional addiction-recovery documentary instead becomes an intimate family drama — one that asks difficult questions about responsibility, codependency and the emotional toll of trying to save someone you love.

Pujol directs, produces and shoots the film, placing himself directly inside the story alongside his father, Xavi Pujol Berlanga, and brother, Marcel Enric Pujol. The result is a portrait of a family confronting its history in real time, with the filmmaker capturing the arguments, awkward silences, humor and tenderness that accompany their journey.

Even the vehicle becomes part of the narrative.

As the aging Winnebago repeatedly breaks down along the route, it emerges as a visual metaphor for a family struggling to keep itself moving forward.

Màquina also avoids presenting psychedelic-assisted treatment as a simplistic answer to addiction. Instead, the film examines what happens before, during and after the decision to seek help — and the complicated emotional terrain occupied by the people surrounding an addict.

That approach has already drawn critical attention. Film Threat gave the documentary a 9/10, calling it “a parade of stunning visual metaphors for the struggle with addiction.” The film has also received positive reviews from DMovies and High on Films.

At its heart, however, Màquina is a father-and-son story.

Pujol’s decision to make himself part of the film allows the documentary to move beyond the traditional observer role, confronting the inherited wounds, family dynamics and blurred boundaries that can accompany addiction. The film explores the difficult distinction between supporting someone and becoming consumed by their struggle.

The Los Angeles premiere comes as the documentary continues to build attention for its raw, observational approach and its refusal to package recovery into an easy Hollywood narrative.

The film features Xavi Pujol Berlanga, Marcel Enric Pujol, Joaquim Adrià Pujol, Charles B. Shaw, John Dias, John Anthony Dias, Hana Farky, Dennis Bouverie, Gerardo Ortiz, Bryan Davis and Shawn Johnson.

Vesta Tu?kut? produces alongside Pujol, with Silvija Vilkait?-Ramanausk? editing and acclaimed composer Jozef van Wissem providing the score. Pujol also serves as cinematographer.

Màquina is a 2025 U.S. documentary, presented in English and Spanish, with a runtime of 90 minutes.

Maquina — LOS ANGELES PREMIERE

Indiewood Film Festival
Sunday, September 13, 2026
9:45 p.m.
Hollywood, California

For Pujol, the journey at the center of Màquina is ultimately about more than addiction treatment. It is about the machinery of family itself — how it breaks down, how people carry one another, and whether something damaged can still be repaired.

The post Joaquim Adrià Pujol’s Addiction Doc ‘Màquina’ Set for LA Premiere at Indiewood Film Festival first appeared on .

By Bel Hernandez Castillo

LOS ANGELES — The 2026 Indiewood Film Festival is bringing two distinctly bicultural stories to Hollywood this September, with Del Zamora’s Chicano drama The Last Brown Beret and Varahi Pooja Mallipamula’s provocative dramedy IMPURE set to screen at the iconic TCL Chinese Theatres.

The films arrive at the festival following notable festival recognition and represent two generations and cultures grappling with identity, tradition, activism and the pressures of societal expectations.

‘The Last Brown Beret’

Written and directed by Del Zamora, The Last Brown Beret will make its Los Angeles premiere September 14 following its Grand Prize – Best Feature win at the 2026 Golden State Film Festival.

Inspired by Alfredo Ramos’ stage play The Last Angry Brown Hat, the film revisits the legacy of the Chicano civil rights movement through a group of former Brown Beret activists who reunite decades after their days of organizing and activism.

Following the funeral of a former member, the men gather in the garage where they once planned protests and debated how to change the world. Their reunion forces them to reckon with the movement they helped build, the sacrifices they made and the battles that remain unresolved.

Starring Daniel E. Mora, Randy Vasquez, Vance Valencia, Linda Lopez, David Castro, Karen E. Wright and Zamora, the film blends political history with an intimate exploration of friendship, aging, identity and the complicated legacy of activism.

The Last Brown Beret is presented by Nestorita Limited in association with Con Safos Production.

‘IMPURE’

Three days later, on September 17, IMPURE will make its Los Angeles premiere, bringing a very different—but equally personal—bicultural story to the festival.

Written and produced by Varahi Pooja Mallipamula and directed by Nishanti Evani, the dramedy centers on Sandhya, a 25-year-old woman from a traditional Telugu family whose wedding is called off after her ex-boyfriend publicly reveals that she is not a virgin.

The incident sparks a viral social-media controversy when Sandhya’s American cousin, Veera, speaks out against the double standard surrounding female sexuality. With Indian-American artist Raja Kumari amplifying the video, Sandhya becomes the target of public scrutiny and cultural judgment.

Set in Visakhapatnam, IMPURE uses comedy, romance and friendship to tackle female sexuality, patriarchy, marriage, reputation, family expectations and the complicated process of defining oneself between cultures.

The film stars Yashna Muthuluri, Mallipamula, Sai Krishna and Abhijith Sreenath, with Raja Kumari serving as music director and appearing in a cameo.

At the heart of IMPURE is a provocative redefinition of its title: “IMPURE” becomes “I’M PURE.”

Two Films, Two Generations, One Cultural Conversation

While The Last Brown Beret looks backward at a generation that fought to change society, IMPURE examines the cultural expectations confronting a younger generation determined to define itself.

Together, the films underscore the breadth of independent cinema—and the power of filmmakers to bring stories of identity, heritage and social change to the Hollywood screen.

Both films will screen as part of the 2026 Indiewood Film Festival at the TCL Chinese Theatres in Hollywood.

The Last Brown Beret
Los Angeles Premiere — September 14, 2026

IMPURE
Los Angeles Premiere — September 17, 2026

Indiewood Film Festival
TCL Chinese Theatres — Hollywood, California

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Mighty Aphrodite Pictures Sets October Shoot

Oscar-nominated actor Eric Roberts and emerging performer Ben King are set to star in filmmaker Jorge Xolalpa’s new comedy-drama Hello, My Name Is Richard!, with production slated to begin October 19 in Los Angeles, Latin Heat can exclusively reveal.

The film is being produced under Xolalpa’s Mighty Aphrodite Pictures, the Los Angeles-based banner behind the filmmaker’s growing slate of independently produced features.

King will star as Richard Brown, a young autistic man who decides to run for city council, while Roberts is set to play Albert.

Written and directed by Xolalpa, Hello, My Name Is Richard! is built around an unconventional political candidate whose determination to make a difference in his community becomes the catalyst for a story that balances comedy and drama with themes of inclusion, ambition, family and human connection.

Rather than treating Richard’s political aspirations simply as a campaign story, the film centers on the man behind the candidacy—and the personal drive that compels him to step into a world where his voice has not traditionally been heard.

The project represents another collaboration between Xolalpa and NYTA Films, which is financing the production. The companies have developed an established working relationship, with NYTA Films having financed Xolalpa’s previous five feature films.

That continued partnership underscores a production model Xolalpa has increasingly embraced: developing character-driven stories and moving them from script to screen through a combination of independent financing and a consistent creative team.

For King, the role marks a significant leading-man opportunity opposite a veteran performer whose filmography spans decades of film and television. Roberts, an Oscar nominee for Runaway Train, has built one of the industry’s most prolific careers, with hundreds of screen credits across features, television and independent productions.

Xolalpa’s Expanding Slate

Hello, My Name Is Richard! arrives as Xolalpa continues to expand his slate beyond his existing body of independent features.

The filmmaker recently secured an exclusive option agreement to develop the authorized feature film based on the life and legacy of U.S. Army Specialist Vanessa Guillén, partnering with producer Jolene Rodriguez on the project.

The Vanessa Guillén film will explore the life of the late Army soldier and the circumstances surrounding her death, a case that generated national attention and contributed to a larger conversation about accountability and protections for service members.

Taken together, the projects illustrate the breadth of Xolalpa’s current development strategy. While the Vanessa Guillén project tackles a real-life story with significant cultural and social implications, Hello, My Name Is Richard! takes a more intimate and comedic route, focusing on an individual pursuing a place in his community and the people surrounding him.

Both, however, share a central component of Xolalpa’s filmmaking: placing characters and perspectives that have historically received limited representation at the center of the story.

For Hello, My Name Is Richard!, that perspective belongs to Richard Brown, whose decision to seek public office becomes both a source of humor and a vehicle for exploring what it means to be seen, heard and taken seriously.

With principal photography now set for October, Xolalpa is moving quickly on what is shaping up to be another independently mounted feature from the filmmaker and Mighty Aphrodite Pictures.

Principal photography on Hello, My Name Is Richard! is scheduled to begin October 19 in Los Angeles.

The post EXCLUSIVE: Eric Roberts, Ben King Set to Lead Jorge Xolalpa’s ‘Hello, My Name Is Richard!’ first appeared on .

The Fast & Furious actor brings his famous recurring screen identity into a different position of power in the atmospheric prison mystery, while opening up about its haunted location, Latino representation and the hard lessons he has learned in Hollywood.

Hollywood’s “Hector” Returns

Noel Gugliemi has spent more than three decades becoming one of Hollywood’s most recognizable Latino character actors, often before audiences even knew his name. His face has appeared across studio blockbusters, crime dramas, comedies and television, frequently as a figure who enters a scene already carrying an implied history.

Online, Gugliemi is nearly as famous for repeatedly playing characters named Hector as he is for any individual film. Beginning most famously with the street-race organizer in 2001’s The Fast and the Furious, he has carried the name through numerous unrelated films and television series. Fans have even dubbed his loosely connected body of roles the “Hector Cinematic Universe.”

Gugliemi explained the pattern bluntly during an appearance on Drink Champs: “In Hollywood, they only know two names for Mexican actors, bro. It’s Hector and Carlos.”

After receiving scripts filled with those two names throughout his career, Gugliemi eventually embraced Hector as his signature and began requesting the name himself whenever he had the influence to do so. What began as repeated Latino typecasting became an instantly recognizable personal brand with genuine pop-culture staying power.

After receiving scripts filled with those two names throughout his career, Gugliemi eventually embraced Hector as his signature and began requesting the name himself whenever he had the influence to do so. What began as repeated Latino typecasting became an instantly recognizable personal brand with genuine pop-culture staying power.

Time of Death adds Hector Ramos to that legacy, but with an important reversal. This time, Gugliemi is not being typecast as a prisoner or gang member. He is one of the guards controlling the prison and a key figure in the mystery surrounding a vanished inmate, which is central to the film’s story.

“This time I’m the guard, not the prisoner,” Gugliemi told Latin Heat. “So that worked for me.”

A Mystery Buried Inside a Decaying Prison

Directed by Will Wernick, Time of Death stars Jack Ryan franchise star and HBO Max The Penguin actor Michael Kelly as Detective Frank Morley, who is sent to a decaying prison on the verge of shutdown after a prisoner vanishes without a trace.

What begins with the familiar machinery of a police investigation steadily develops into a more disorienting psychological mystery as Morley’s search for facts destabilizes his grasp on what is real. The story combines the propulsion of a missing-person investigation with the atmosphere of Gothic prison horror. Screenwriter Jason Rosen deserves particular credit for the film’s intelligent, layered writing and for giving Gugliemi a substantial role woven directly into the central mystery.

Legendary Usual Suspects actor Kevin Pollak brings decades of dramatic and thriller experience to Warden Beau LaRue; Meanwhile, known for his work on iconic films like Heat, and more recently Send Help, Dennis Haysbert lends his unmistakable authority to Officer Aarons; and American Pie franchise actress Mena Suvari appears as Dr. Allison Burrell.

For Gugliemi, whose extensive filmography also includes Training Day, Bruce Almighty, S.W.A.T., Crank and The Dark Knight Rises, he easily becomes part of that formidable ensemble star cast of actors, placing one of cinema’s most recognizable street-level character actors alongside performers whose voices and faces carry their own immediate weight.

During an exclusive interview with Latin Heat, Gugliemi spoke about making Time of Death, the puzzle at the center of its story and the camaraderie behind its grim setting. The conversation then widened into an powerfully candid discussion of Latino representation, the difference between visibility and genuine support, and the personal code that has allowed him to survive Hollywood long enough to tell the difference.

Becoming Hector Ramos

For a film built around uncertainty, Gugliemi is an ideal piece of the ensemble. Audiences immediately recognize the toughness and authenticity he brings into the frame, but Hector’s exact position within the mystery is less easily read.

“I like doing different films that are different from things that I’ve done before,” Gugliemi said. “I like the thriller, suspense side of it all. And just me being a prison guard—this time I’m the guard, not the prisoner.”

“I love doing out-of-the-box stuff, so getting to be a part of this film was an awesome experience, especially with the cast that we had and the location we were filming at.”

Hector works closely with the prison’s senior authority figures, played by Pollak and Haysbert.

“My character was the right-hand man of the two main prison guards there—the warden, Kevin Pollak, and Dennis Haysbert,” Gugliemi explained. “I was kind of like the right-hand man of those two.”

“I love that stuff where I’m the go-to guy and the one that’s making a lot of this stuff happen, because I’m the guinea pig in the story.”

Despite Hector’s proximity to those in power, Gugliemi said his character does not have a complete understanding of what is unfolding around him.

“I kind of knew what was going on, but didn’t know what was going on,” he said. “At the same time, I don’t want to spoil it for anyone, but I was part of the reveal later. So it was cool.”

A Puzzle That Demands the Audience’s Attention

Gugliemi sees the film as one that requires active participation from its audience, rewarding viewers who pay attention to details that only become fully legible once its pieces converge.

“It’s kind of like a figure-it-out puzzle as you’re watching the film,” he said. “You’ve got to put your thinking cap on, because you don’t really know what’s up until the end.”

“It’s one of those movies where you really have to keep on your toes, because if you miss a certain part, it’s not going to make sense. It’s one of those puzzles you’ve got to put together.”

Its prison setting turns the investigation into a pressure chamber, tightening the mystery until its late revelations force earlier moments to be reconsidered.

“It definitely has you wondering: Who did this? Who got away with that? What’s going on in the prison? What’s happening here?” Gugliemi said. “You don’t get it until you watch the end—then you get it.”

Filming Where “It All Went Down”

Production took place inside the former West Virginia Penitentiary in Moundsville, a Gothic stone facility that operated for more than a century. The prison witnessed executions by hanging and electric chair before closing, and now operates as a museum and tourist attraction known in part for its reported paranormal activity.

“We were at a real joint where it all went down,” Gugliemi said. “It’s a museum now, so they can walk you through it and tell you, ‘This death happened here, and that happened there.’ We got to hear and see some of that stuff firsthand.”

That physical authenticity gives Time of Death a scale and texture that would be difficult to reproduce on a conventional stage. The heavy stone, aging cells and execution history are not decorative production design; they are part of the environment surrounding the performances. The film’s most unsettling asset was already standing before the cameras arrived.

“They actually say it was a haunted prison,” Gugliemi recalled. “We didn’t have any incidents on set, but just to walk around it, you could feel the presence and how creepy it was.”

The Complicated Legacy of Hollywood’s “Hector”

The ease with which audiences associate Gugliemi with a particular kind of role makes him an especially revealing figure through whom to consider Latino representation.

His performances brought specificity and authenticity to characters that might otherwise have been anonymous stereotypes. At the same time, the repetition exposes the limited imagination with which Latino men have often been cast: criminality becomes not merely one story they can inhabit, but the default language through which the industry recognizes them.

The “Hector Cinematic Universe” joke sits directly inside that contradiction. It celebrates Gugliemi’s extraordinary recognizability and endurance while also revealing how routinely Hollywood recycles the same names, visual codes and assumptions when constructing Latino men.

Gugliemi has been savvy enough to turn that limitation into a career-long signature. The industry’s lack of imagination remains visible underneath the meme.

His own path into acting was anything but conventional. Of Mexican and Italian descent, Gugliemi was abandoned by his parents and experienced homelessness as a teenager before acting redirected the course of his life.

What began unexpectedly grew into a career spanning well over 100 screen credits. His role as Hector in The Fast and the Furious became the decisive acceleration point, making both his face and that character name part of popular culture.

Social Media Has Opened New Doors

“Now with Latino acting, it’s a lot different because of social media,” Gugliemi said. “A lot of people are blooming more than they were in the past because now we have an open gateway to be seen, to be heard, to tell our stories and catch people’s attention.”

“I like that things like that are happening.”

Yet access to an audience does not automatically create access to sustainable opportunity. Nor does the increased public language around representation prove that those who use it have consistently opened doors for others.

Gugliemi draws a sharp distinction between visibility and solidarity, and between appearing supportive in public and taking meaningful action when no one is watching.

“Where Are All of Our Latino Films?”

Speaking candidly, Gugliemi said some of the most important support in his own career came from outside the Latino community.

“Back in the early days, not a lot of Latinos helped Latinos,” he said. “I would be lying to you if I told you different. I got farther in this business because of Black and white people than my own people.”

His criticism shifts part of the conversation away from an exclusively external demand that Hollywood do better. Gugliemi also asks what Latino professionals who have attained influence have done with it.

For him, the scarcity of Latino-led films is not an abstract statistic. It is evidence of opportunities that were not created, careers that were not developed and power that was not passed forward.

“Where’s my proof? Where are all of our Latino films?” he asked. “We don’t have a lot of Latino films out there.”

“Back in the early days, I could name about 50 white movie stars and 50 Black movie stars, but you could only name about 10 or fewer Latino stars.”

Calling Out Performative Advocacy

Gugliemi is particularly skeptical of public advocacy that, in his view, is not matched by a person’s conduct or history when the cameras are off.

“Now that social media has come out and we cannot be ignored, people want to jump on the bandwagon and say, ‘It was always about our people,’” Gugliemi said. “No, it wasn’t—because if it was, where are our Latino films from back then, when you had power?”

In an industry where the language of representation can itself become part of a public image, Gugliemi said he has learned not to accept the right message as automatic evidence of the right behavior.

“When I see people on a podcast, a radio interview or in a magazine, I don’t know if I can get behind you because I don’t know you personally enough to know if you’re really about what you’re saying,” he explained.

“I thank you for saying the right stuff, but I don’t know if you’re really about that off camera the way you talk about it on camera.”

Praising Real Ones & Latino Trailblazers

That distinction allows Gugliemi to identify the people he believes have handled success correctly. Among the Latino performers whom he considers authentic in both their accomplishments and their willingness to support others, he specifically named Emilio Rivera and Danny Trejo.

Both actors built careers from the kinds of roles Hollywood frequently assigns Latino men, yet expanded their presence far beyond any single archetype and remained, in Gugliemi’s estimation, accessible and real.

“My platform is not my platform,” Gugliemi said. “My platform is to give my platform to someone else, pass the baton, help people succeed and let them know that you can do what I’m doing.”

“This is for everyone.”

“Emilio Rivera is one of them. Danny Trejo—that’s another one,” he continued. “These are guys who are men of integrity and have done it correctly. They’re real ones in the game.”

Learning to Protect a Good Heart

Gugliemi’s advice to young Latino actors is grounded in his own experience helping performers through Suspect Entertainment, which worked to place Latino talent in film and television.

He initially gave that time freely, connecting people to rooms they could not have entered alone because he wanted to see others succeed. .

“It’s okay to have a good heart, but you’ve got to know how to protect your heart,” Gugliemi said. “You’ve got to know who you’re helping and why.”

“You might be helping the wrong person achieve some goals and putting someone in a spot who shouldn’t be in that spot.”

His decision to charge for that work was not a rejection of community. It was a boundary: if someone proved disloyal or simply quit, he would no longer be left carrying the full cost of the time he had invested.

“Do a heart check and a personality check first before you help anybody,” he said. “Be careful. Recognize who you’re dealing with, who you’re talking to, who you’re messing with and who you shouldn’t be messing with.”

Integrity as a Path Forward

Gugliemi’s larger lesson is not to stop helping or to treat every relationship with suspicion. It is to move with integrity, evaluate character before extending opportunity and expect the same standard from others.

“Watch out for slime, and don’t be slimy yourself,” he said. “You know how you move forward in any business? Just be a man of integrity. Do what you say. If you say something, do it.”

For Gugliemi, integrity is not merely a private virtue. It is also how lasting professional relationships are built.

“That’s why people want to do favors for you and advance you, because people go, ‘I can trust this guy. He’s a man of integrity. She’s a woman of integrity,’” he said. “People naturally want to do favors.”

“And be nice to everybody. I don’t care if you’re the one washing the windows on the building or you own the building.”

The Film That Changed Everything

The Fast and the Furious remains the film Gugliemi credits with changing the momentum of his career.

“After Fast and the Furious, my phone started ringing a lot more,” he said. “That’s what kicked off the roller-coaster ride.”

The role gave him reach and longevity, but his ambitions now extend beyond waiting for Hollywood to imagine him differently. He is developing projects of his own that deliberately move him outside the criminal and street-oriented roles that made him recognizable.

Creating Roles Hollywood Has Not Offered Him

“I’m writing a film right now,” Gugliemi revealed. “It’s kind of like Pretty Woman. It’s a love story and a fish-out-of-water story.”

“The way I explain it in three sentences or less is: a gangster who works at a five-star restaurant steals Hollywood’s biggest main squeeze.”

He is also developing a faith-centered documentary that would allow audiences to see a different side of him.

“I’m also working on a documentary called What Is a Christian? I’m the host of that,” Gugliemi said. “There are stories I’m writing that are breaking character and putting me in a different limelight.”

“Because I always say that if no one is going to give you the opportunity, give the opportunity to yourself.”

That impulse toward self-determination connects the two sides of Gugliemi’s conversation. His criticism of Latino representation is ultimately about who receives the power to create opportunity, while his career advice is about what a person does once that power arrives.

It is not enough to be visible. Someone must use that visibility to widen the frame for other Latinos.

Hector Holds the Keys in ‘Time of Death’

For now, Time of Death offers audiences a different view of Gugliemi within the kind of dark, high-stakes world he knows how to command.

The film does not attempt to erase the screen identity he spent decades building. It shifts his position within it—from the man seemingly limited by his environment and his role, now in control of it. Something that at this stage of his career, Gugliemi seems adamant to represent behind the camera as well in his real life.

Hector may be another familiar name in Gugliemi’s filmography, but this time he holds the keys.

That combination makes Time of Death a particularly fitting new chapter in his career. It delivers the “Hector” audiences immediately recognize, places him within a polished ensemble mystery led by Kelly, Pollak, Haysbert and Suvari, and surrounds them with a real location whose history intensifies the film’s psychological unease.

For viewers encountering him through the film, Hector Ramos is an entry point into a career—and a larger conversation about representation—that extends far beyond the prison walls of the film, and the walls of Hollywood.

Time of Death is now available to rent or purchase on major digital platforms.

The post EXCLUSIVE: Hollywood’s “Hector” Noel Gugliemi Takes the Keys in ‘Time of Death’ first appeared on .

Mighty Aphrodite Pictures Taps Jolene Rodriguez to Produce

BREAKING NEWS

LATINOWood — Award-winning director, producer and bestselling author Jorge Xolalpa is taking on one of the most significant projects of his career. Xolalpa has secured the exclusive option agreement to develop the authorized feature film based on the life and legacy of U.S. Army Specialist Vanessa Guillén, whose 2020 disappearance and murder at Fort Hood ignited a national movement for justice, military accountability and systemic reform.

The option, signed with Vanessa’s sister Mayra Guillén, gives Xolalpa and his company, Mighty Aphrodite Pictures, the exclusive right to develop, package, pitch, negotiate and market the authorized film. The project will be developed in cooperation with the Guillén family, with their participation and support intended to help ensure that Vanessa’s story is told with authenticity and respect.

The deal comes after interest from multiple entertainment-industry players, with the Guillén family ultimately entrusting Xolalpa with the project. For the filmmaker, the significance goes well beyond adding another title to an increasingly ambitious independent film slate.

“This is far more than an opportunity to make a film. It’s a responsibility,” said Xolalpa, who heads Mighty Aphrodite Pictures. “From the very beginning, our commitment has been to honor Vanessa’s life with honesty, compassion, and authenticity. We are deeply grateful to Mayra and the Guillén family for placing their trust in us. Our promise is to tell Vanessa’s story in a way that preserves her legacy and inspires audiences for generations to come.”

A Story That Changed the Conversation

Vanessa Guillén was a 20-year-old U.S. Army Specialist stationed at Fort Hood, Texas, when she disappeared in April 2020. Her murder and the subsequent investigation thrust the experiences of military families into the national spotlight and prompted widespread questions about sexual harassment, reporting procedures and accountability within the military.

The Guillén family’s campaign for justice ultimately helped drive legislative change, including provisions addressing sexual harassment and assault within the armed forces.

The forthcoming film is expected to chronicle not only Vanessa’s life and death, but also the extraordinary advocacy of her family and the movement that grew around her name. That distinction is important to Xolalpa.

Rather than approaching the story solely as a tragedy, the filmmaker and the Guillén family are positioning the project as a story about Vanessa the person, her aspirations and her legacy — and the determination of a family that refused to let her disappearance be forgotten.

For Xolalpa, whose body of work has centered on underrepresented voices and culturally specific stories, the project represents a natural extension of his filmmaking mission.

His films have screened at more than 50 film festivals worldwide and earned dozens of awards and accolades. His work has consistently explored identity, immigration, resilience, belonging and the experiences of communities historically underrepresented on screen. Now, that approach is being applied to a story with national resonance.

Jolene Rodriguez Comes Aboard

Joining Xolalpa is producer Jolene Rodriguez (7th & Union) of Broken English Productions. Rodriguez brings significant industry credentials to the project and was previously named by Variety as one of its “10 Producers to Watch.”

Her involvement also marks the beginning of a broader creative partnership with Xolalpa.

The two filmmakers have entered into a three-film producing agreement, establishing a partnership that will see them collaborate on three feature films, with additional projects expected to be announced.

For Xolalpa and Rodriguez, the Vanessa Guillén film therefore represents both a major standalone project and the first chapter of a larger producing relationship. Mayra Guillén and Alejandra Palomera will serve as executive producers.

The option agreement was facilitated by Palomera Group and Levy Law PLLC, Mayra Guillén’s team.

Building a Latino Indie Film Powerhouse

The deal further positions Xolalpa’s Mighty Aphrodite Pictures as a company focused on commercially viable films with culturally specific stories and strong social relevance.

Xolalpa has spent more than a decade establishing himself as an independent filmmaker while expanding his work beyond directing. He is also the bestselling author of “Ni De Aquí, Ni De Allá: A Soul Suspended Between Two Worlds“, a memoir exploring identity, immigration and belonging.

Following the book’s release, Xolalpa embarked on a 25-city national tour, appearing at universities, cultural institutions, bookstores and community organizations across the country. His expanding literary slate includes the upcoming children’s book The Boy Who Reached the Stars and his debut novel, The Woman in My Mirror.

But it is the Vanessa Guillén project that could represent his most consequential cinematic opportunity to date.

For an independent filmmaker who has built his career around stories that challenge the industry’s traditional center of gravity, being selected by the Guillén family carries a significance that cannot be measured simply by budget or box office potential. It is a vote of confidence in the idea that who tells a story — and how that story is told — matters.

The post Jorge Xolalpa Lands Exclusive Option Deal to Develop Authorized Vanessa Guillén Bio Pic first appeared on .