Award-winning filmmaker and storyteller Jorge Xolalpa has signed a groundbreaking distribution agreement with Lumexx Media, paving the way for his complete eight-film canon to premiere on Apple TV+ in 2026. The multi-picture deal marks a career-defining milestone for one of independent cinema’s most daring and emotionally resonant voices, offering Xolalpa’s decade of work its first unified global streaming home.

Xolalpa is a Mexican-born, Los Angeles–based filmmaker, writer, and producer whose films explore identity, resilience, and the immigrant experience. Known for his emotionally charged narratives and minimalist visual approach, his work has screened internationally and earned accolades for authenticity and heart.

The partnership represents not only a major win for the filmmaker, but also a significant moment for contemporary Latino cinema, bringing long-overdue visibility to a body of work that blends profound humanism with gripping narrative artistry.

The collection of short and feature films spans Xolalpa’s evolution as a writer-director: a filmmaker who has consistently infused his stories with emotional realism, social consciousness, and an unmistakable minimalist visual style. Although Jorge did not attend film school, his writing and directing method have been critically acclaimed in the industry. His thematic is constantly very dark and dramatic. Jorge’s has publicly admitted that he is heavily inspired by the works of Woody Allen, David Fincher, and Darren Aronofsky.

The list of his films that are part of the distribution deal include:

Blue Line Station (2016) — A high-school couple embarks on an unexpected journey to Planned Parenthood as they face the realities of an unwanted pregnancy.

Valentina (2017) –When her daughter is kidnapped, Valentina must outsmart the system to raise the ransom money and save her child.

Sweet Caroline (2018) — A once-happy couple is thrust into psychological darkness after a devastating tragedy shatters their world.

Your Iron Lady (2020) — Inspired by true resilience, the film follows Teresa, an immigrant mother of four, who makes the brave decision to leave her abusive husband upon arriving in the U.S.

Melancolia (2021) — A hospice nurse haunted by grief struggles to care for the dying while navigating the trauma of losing her daughter in a school shooting.

Union Station (2023) — Two strangers stranded in Los Angeles confront one transformative night that forces them to reclaim their lives and face their fears.

Lolita (2025) — After serving nine years in prison, Jesús fights to reintegrate into society and regain custody of his daughter, Lolita.

Huehxolotl (2027) — Currently in pre-production for an early 2026 shoot, the epic expands Xolalpa’s cinematic universe, tapping into myth, heritage, and identity.

For Xolalpa his has been a long-awaited and well earned moment. For years, Jorge Xolalpa stayed patient. Despite doubts surrounding his work, he continued to create, refine, and believe.

His  perseverance forms the emotional spine of the announcement. Now, Xolapa feels the world will finally discover his work through this new partnership.  For Xolalpa, the moment is nothing short of a transformative.

“Partnering with Lumexx Media and Apple TV+ feels like the beginning of a new chapter,” said Xolalpa. “Every one of these films was made with heart, faith, and defiance. To see them finally brought together on a global platform is nothing short of a dream realized.”

Lumexx Media is a global entertainment company specializing in premium independent film distribution and strategic streaming partnerships. Under the new agreement, Lumexx Media and Apple TV+ will execute a coordinated international marketing campaign ahead of the 2026 premiere. The partnership cements Xolalpa’s rising prominence among contemporary Latino filmmakers whose work is reshaping independent cinema and expanding representation across global streaming platforms. 

“Jorge Xolalpa represents the fearless new wave of independent auteurs,”  echoed Lumexx Media CEO Marco Medina. “His films are deeply human and profoundly cinematic—exactly the kind of storytelling that transcends borders. We’re honored to introduce his vision to a worldwide audience.”

Xolalpa is also an author who is currently embarking on a book tour promoting his first book Ni De Aquí, Ni De Allá: A Soul Suspended Between Two Worlds a raw, intimate memoir about identity, resilience, and the healing power of storytelling.

The post Jorge Xolalpa Secures Landmark Deal with Lumexx Media to Bring Eight-Film Catalogue to Apple TV+ in 2026 first appeared on .

By Elia Esparza

She was 53. Shawna Baca died Sunday, May 28, 2024, after battling an aggressive and terminal cancer.

A gifted cinematographer, writer and director, Shawna was born on September 9, 1970, and was raised in Montebello, California. She founded 4 Elements Productions where she amassed 14 producer credits with several of her award-winning short films having garnered recognition at national and international film festivals and showcased around the globe. 

 She is best known for short films, Girl Please! (2006), Isabel (2007) 3:52 (2005), and Rose’s Garden (2003). Her 3:52 stars America Ferrara and was the recipient of the 2006 Audience Award from the San Diego Women Film Festival and the Tabloid Witch Award, an Honorable Mention in 2007. 

In 2007, Shawna was selected by Steven Spielberg and Mark Burnett from more than 20,000 filmmakers to be part of his 2007 FOX reality show, On The Lot after catching their attention with her short film, Isabel.

Her other producing credits include Laseerium, Désirée, The Lesson, Bearspring, Her Morbid Desires, We Are All Latino, Tomoko’s Kitchen, Dolorosas, Man, Where’s My Shoe?, Impersonal Impression

Los Angeles’ La Opinion newspaper awarded Shawna the “Mujeres Destacadas” Award. She was also honored at the Latina Symposium (Washington D.C.) with an award and recognition for being a “Latina Entrepreneur,” and given a scholarship to the prestigious Tuck School of Business Executive Education Program at Dartmouth University by Latina Style magazine. 

She is the author of a transformational 2020 memoir, “Fear Less: An Agoraphobic’s Journey Out of Mental Purgatory,” which chronicles her debilitating panic attacks and agoraphobia at the age of 21 that left her sequestered in her home for over a year. It was at this time that her Indigenous mother took her to see a “medicine man” (shaman) on the Pala Indian reservation and cured her in a sweat lodge ceremony. Shawna states in her book, that this shaman, “…cured me that night in a sweat lodge ceremony, which was nothing short of a modern-day exorcism.”

This experience led her on a lifelong journey of exploration into Indigenous shamanism, spirituality and the unknown. 

How this writer met Shawna was through her book and it was such a gift to be able to talk about our childhood traumas and losses. For me, it was a cherished gift to have someone else to talk about life challenges and dealing with ongoing childhood PTSD. 

A book excerpt, “Fear Less: Conquering the Demons of Mental Purgatory” goes on to detail a labyrinthine journey that explores my road to healing using various Western and Eastern modalities, conventional therapist, twelve step programs, and spiritual healers, all of whom helped me learn how to deprogram the emotional condition that resulted from childhood trauma and a series of loses and to instill tools to reprogram new life conditions and achieve breakthroughs that re-awakened my true self. It is a gritty inner exploration into the darkness that lived inside me, and how I challenged and re-framed my mind to face those inner demons to cultivate new life conditions.” 

How did Shawna got into filmmaking? Her book states that she got her first taste of filmmaking at the tender age of six when John Cassavetes rented her uncle’s house to make the movie, A Killing of a Chinese Bookie. Four years later, her uncle lost her at the wrap party for One from the Heart, where she met Francis Ford Coppola. When he asked what she wanted to be when she grew up, she answered confidently, “You.” He tried to talk her out of it, but she held her ground. And, how grateful we are that she did.

Shawna was born in east Los Angeles. She’s part Apache, Yaqui, Spanish and French. Family legend has it that Shawna was named after a medicine woman named Schwanawa who healed her great grandmother after an illness. A promise was made by her great grandfather that one of their daughter’s would be named after her. 

Shawna was the chosen one to fulfill her great grandfather’s promise… may your celestial angel spirits from your indigenous birthrights—guide your mystical journey home. 

Godspeed, Shawna. Thank you for your contributions. You will be missed.

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The acclaimed Mexican director and producer Patricia Riggen has a body of work as a director and producer that is enviable. This year the Imagen Awards have nominated Riggen for the 38th Annual Imagen Award for Best Director – Television for her moving work on the critically acclaimed streaming series Little America on Apple TV. The Imagen Award will take place in Los Angeles on Sunday, December 3rd at the Millennium Biltmore Hotel. This is Riggen’s 4th Imagen Award nomination for a Best Director and has previously won for the feature films Under the Same Moon (2008), Girl in Progress (2012), and The 33 (2016).

The Imagen Awards recognize excellence in Latine representation in the entertainment industry, and have chosen Riggen as a finalist in the Best Director category this year for her exceptional contributions in television. Little America has garnered widespread acclaim for its compelling storytelling that explores the diverse and inspiring stories of immigrants in the United States, offering a unique perspective on the American experience.

Riggen’s nomination is a testament to her talent and consistent dedication to bringing these powerful Latino/e/x narratives to the screen. She masterfully directed the 2nd season finale episode (episode 8) of the Apple TV produced series.

The Little America episode, entitled ‘The Indoor Arm’, tells the true story of Celia (played by Victoria Canal), an El Salvadorian arm amputee who struggles to adjust to her new life after immigrating to America to be with her sister Marianna (played by Teresa Ruiz). This very important episode shines a light on the struggles, triumphs and self-acceptance of an immigrant in the U.S who also deals with daily physical challenges. Both Latina actresses in this episode are also nominated for an Imagen Award. Actress Victoria Canal is nominated for Best Actress – Comedy (Television) in her first acting role ever and the wonderful Teresa Ruiz for Best Supporting Actress – Comedy (Television). The episode also features moving performances by Academy Award nominee June Squibb (Mrs. Danforth) and award-winning actor James Saito (Ray).

“I’m honored to have been nominated once again for an Imagen Award. The support and encouragement that Helen Hernandez and the Imagen Foundation has given me throughout my career is truly humbling. Filming this episode of the “Little America” series holds a very special place in my heart. Having the opportunity to tell a true story about the struggles immigrants in the U.S. have always faced but with the added element of showing the struggles and triumphs of individuals with different abilities was so important to me.  We rarely see stories like this on screen.” – shared Patricia Riggen.

Born in Guadalajara, Mexico, Riggen is no stranger to accolades, having previously received numerous awards for her work as a director and producer. Riggen gained widespread acclaim with her feature film La Misma Luna (Under the Same Moon), which was acquired in an unprecedented sale by Fox Searchlight at the Sundance Film Festival in 2008 and became one of the first  Spanish-language box office sensations in the United States. Riggen’s remarkable career includes receiving a Student Academy Award for her short film, La Milpa (The Cornfield) and earning the Jury Prize at the Sundance for her documentary Family Portrait.

Her filmography includes the features Girl in Progress and the Disney Channel hit Lemonade Mouth, recognized with a DGA Award nomination. In 2015, Patricia helmed The 33, a film recounting the Chilean mining accident in 2010, followed by the successful Sony Pictures feature film Miracles from Heaven, which grossed over $73 million at the box office. Her versatility extends to directing both streaming and network episodic television, where she has excelled with series such as Amazon’s Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan and most recently Hulu’s Dopesick. Currently, Riggen is working on her sixth feature film project, G20, an action-packed thriller featuring Oscar winner Viola Davis, scheduled for release in 2024.

For more information about Little America CLICK HERE.

For more information about the 38th Annual Imagen Awards: 

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It would not be a cliché to say that triple threat performer/director Karina Noelle Castillo was ever not destined to be a part of the film, TV, multi media digital industry. Her career accomplishments have solely been as a result of her training, talent and tenacious determination.  But coming from a family of noted entertainment industry professionals, veteran actor/writer/director Enrique Castillo (Deja Vu, Blood in Blood Out, Weeds), media maven/producer Bel Hernandez (TheTRENDTalk, Latin Heat Entertainment), and highly regarded theater actor Sol Castillo (American Mariachi), one can say it was almost Karina’s birthright. 

Yet, despite who she’s related to in Hollywood, the best way to describe Karina is that she is first and foremost, a Los Angeles born Chicana, who is building an impressive career as an actor, producer, director and is also and entrepreneur with her  own clothing (Humana/Xicana brand). She graduated from the prestigious Los Angeles County High School for the Arts and California Institute of Arts, where she studied as a Theatre Major.

Karina started booking TV roles as a teenager at the age of 13. And has racked up an impressive list of TV credits working on programs such as: NCIS, S.W.A.T., Rebel, L.A.’s Finest, Pump, Superstore, The Good Doctor, Grey’s Anatomy, General Hospital, and Criminal Minds, to name a few. In 2015, she had a recurring role in Empty Space in the role of Martina for eight episodes.  

In 2015, she was cast in The Last Dinner, a horror short film. Her introduction to the horror/thriller genres and she loved it! Her other shorts she acted in are: Romantick, Vici, Ten Thousand Miles, Hero Complex, and Wake which inspired her to venture out on her own and direct, write and star in first short film Outside Your Door in 2020 about two young adults who try to manage their complicated feelings in the midst of a passionate but ultimately doomed romance.  

Currently, Karina has making the transition from acting to filmmaking. “More often than not in acting, you’re just one piece of the entirety of the art of filmmaking. I love the idea of being able to take an idea from its infancy and then create the final product and it’s thrilling to see my name behind it. To have my stamp on it, is exciting.”

Her second project currently in pre-preproduction, The Wall, is a 15-minute short, and officially her second horror/thriller short film outside of film school. 

Why the scary genre?

“I’ve always been a big fan of thriller/horror films and they are a fan favorite. They provide the opportunity to wrap serious themes in an entertaining package,” she said. “Thus, reaching a wider audience whose cup of tea isn’t always the more serious dramas. For this film, I drew inspiration from the classics like The Exorcist and Rosemary’s Baby, as well as the more modern films like The Babadook.

Karina grew up in the era and was a huge fan of Goosebumps and other R.L. Stine books. 

“I then ended up becoming a bit obsessed with gothic horrors, especially the Anne Rice universe starting with Interview with a Vampire and then moving on to the rest of the series,” she said. “I interspersed these with the classics like Dracula, Frankenstein, Phantom of the Opera, etc. I think the latest horror novel that terrified me was Bob Woodward’s Fear: Trump in the Whitehouse.” 

She gave us a good chuckle here — despite the fact we know she’s serious about culture, community activism and politics. She’s sincere in her desire to want the best to represent Latinos and people of color.

This year Karina was the recipient of the MACEF (Mexican American Cultural Education Foundation) grant recipients, where she was awarded $10,000 to help produce her short film. She was award the MACEF Premier Entertainment/ Dr. Ruiz Film Production Grant which was a great start, however Karina knew that to be able to afford the special effect she has planned for her film, she needed to raise more funds. 

The Wall is a tense psychological thriller with a searing message about the repercussions of denial and repression after trauma. It is intense but relatable film. “My goal in this,” stated Karina, “and all of my films is to shine a light on mental health, and to feature people of color in leading roles with as much nuance and truthful representation as possible”

“I wish I was a writer who gets obsessed with some historical subject and does heavy research to write about some sort of World War II story involving espionage or something like that,” she explained. “But I just write what I know. What’ I’ve experienced. It’s how I process things in my past, mistakes I’ve made, scenarios I wish I could have done better in my 20’s instead of ‘performing’ aka faking it, just like Lara is doing.” 

In further explaining her script, Karina reiterates that The Wall is not about mental illness but rather, the “importance of addressing your own individual mental health. It’s about the damage denial and repression after trauma causes”, she tells us. 

“Neither characters, Lara or Samuel, are mentally ill,” stated Karina.  “They are people who like the majority of us, sacrifice their own peace of mind to keep their relationships and homes together. So many of us make little tiny choices every day to either ignore our feelings or placate people, or to convince ourselves that ‘everything is OK’.” 

“After many years those small choices become a mountain of unaddressed issues, and our mental health suffers because of it. Eventually all of those things that we don’t address will boil over, and that manifests differently depending on the person.”

The Wall’s theme has relevance to a wide audience because most of us have experienced the harm that denial and repression can cause. If we allow the trauma to fester, it could swallow you whole without mental health professional assistance. But with proper treatments, most can face their fears and it can be a glorious rebirth. That’s the beauty of the promise of The Wall.

For now, The Wall is slated for its world premiere as part of the Mexican American Film and Television Festival in 2023 which happens May 13 and 14 at Ralieigh Studios in Hollywood. 

“Of course, for The Wall, it is all dependent on how well we do with our crowdfunding campaign and in finishing the film in time for submission,” stated Karina. “I’m honestly just grateful to be selected as one of their recipients… Just being supported by them and having the board believe in my project is heartening enough. Any other festivals would be more icing on the cake.”

Karina Noelle Castillo is undeniably at the forefront of rising talents and film directors in Hollywood. She is the CEO and founder of Another Killer Winter, a production company focused on projects that explore the bitter-sweetness of humanity with an emphasis on looking through the female lens. She has has also extended her directing talents to include the TheTRENDTalk TV show which airs on MeTV and all social media platforms. She produced and starred in the web series Buzzchat premiered on the FYI channel as a featured segment of talk show KikiMobile in 2017.

To be a part of Karina’s latest film project, please click The Wall for more details. Karina Noelle Castillo is repped by @citizenskull.liz, @soverigntalentgroup. 

The Wall Cast: 

Karina Noelle Castillo as Lara

Andrew Lee as Samuel

Leonora Anzaldua, Producer and DP

Aram Ramirez is 2^nd Unit Camera

The Wall Crowdfunding Campaign

The post Actor/Director Karina Noelle Castillo On Her Psychological Thriller ‘The Wall’ first appeared on .

By Roberto Leal

Andrew Gutierrez, the winner of the first annual Mexican American Film and TV Festival Illustrious Award for Best Director, is a filmmaker who is much in the mold of his director influences: Orson Welles, Terence Mallick, Francis Ford Coppola and Steven Spielberg.  The great movie directors, like those mentioned, are equal parts orchestra leaders, artists, coaches, mediators, traffic cops, psychologists, and visionaries. These are the “colors”, if you will, on a cinematic palette that a director must choose from and utilize to conceive, visualize, compose and then orchestrate them into a coherent and relevant piece of filmmaking. 

In his short, powerfully dense, diamond-hard and hauntingly poetic film, Paz, Gutierrez proves beyond a doubt he has mastered the use of the director’s palette and can create compelling storytelling images on the canvas of the cinema.

A True Story Rooted in a Painful Past

The logline for Paz simply reads: A young woman has to choose to leave a physically abusive father or stay to protect her siblings. That Sophie’s Choice-like dilemma is based on Gutierrez’s mother’s difficult real-life story. 

“I think it is important to talk about where the idea came from,” explains Gutierrez. “It wasn’t just my imagination but it was my mother’s life.” The screenplay for Paz had its genesis in a few stories Gutiérrez wrote down after talking to his mother several times. Then other harrowing stories began to surface. “It’s those anecdotes that found their way into this screenplay,” says Gutierrez. “It all helped to shape her into a great, loving person, the kind of person I am honored to know and have as a mother.”

On Set

Heidi Martin (The Advocate, Superficially Deep) had the daunting task of portraying Linda, the abused daughter. It was a role which Martin had no life experience  to draw on.

“My goal in portraying Linda was to live out an honest and raw performance”, says Martin. “I immersed myself into research and character analysis”, she recalls. “I wanted to know the intimate parts of who Linda was and what made her so unique. This process allowed me to live out the life of Linda honestly and genuinely.” 

Martin remembers how Gutierrez helped her refine the truth of her character.  “Before every scene, we’d talk about the character and the story, and we’d bounce ideas off each other. And that’s the best part! The collaboration between actor and director is essential to bringing the story to life.”

Armando DuBon, Jr. (The Red Veil, Reckoning), who plays Antonio, the abusive and controlling father with eerily chilling effect, faced a different challenge in having to portray and inhabit an unsympathetic character.

“Playing Antonio was gratifying in research, commitment and collaboration for the role,” explains DuBon. “After several discussions with Andrew about his grandfather, it was really about identifying with an energy like that in my past or present life, and understanding where it comes from and why it’s exhibited.” DuBon further explains, “I understood what baggage Antonio was carrying and why his behavior was exhibited in such a harsh and dark way.”

Elena Sahagun (Miracle at Gate 213), who plays the mother, Maria, gives an excellent performance as the anguished mother doing a high wire tightrope act trying to balance herself between enabling her cruel husband and protecting her innocent children. 

The performances that came as a result of Gutierrez guiding, collaborating and giving Martin and DuBon the freedom to find and inhabit their characters is fully realized in two pitch-perfect performances in which not a single false note is heard. Kudos to the director and to the entire cast of Paz.

The Composing of Paz

Gutierrez and his cinematographer, Yiyao Zhu, spent a great deal of time before a day’s shooting meticulously and tirelessly figuring out how to shoot a particular scene, what lighting to use, which camera angle, and how to best frame a shot to deliver the most emotional impact. “My mother’s description of that time in her life was always predicated with, it was a dark time… I took that literally,” recounts Gutierrez.  “And I used that in the lighting design in our film. That is why the house is always dark, even during the day.

Gutierrez and Zhu also spent many hours in art museums searching for some “painterly” inspiration from the old master artists. They finally settled on the iconic Renaissance master, Rembrandt. “We were fascinated and inspired by Rembrandt’s chiaroscuro technique of light and dark in his paintings,” says Gutierrez, “We used it in the lighting design of the house.” The dark interiors are a perfect metaphor for the sense of claustrophobia and being trapped in a foreboding home.

Gutierrez also uses water as a symbol to convey, on a subliminal level, something about the interior nature of Linda. Gutierrez bookends the beginning and end of Paz with lovely shots of huge bodies of water. Water is the symbol of spiritual cleansing, baptism, and rebirth. Gutierrez uses a glass of water in a nightmare sequence to evoke a revealing emotion in Linda. “Water is significant,” explains Gutierrez. “After Linda’s nightmare where does she go to remove the lasting feeling of being trapped and scared? She gets a glass of water.”

The evocative closing shot is of Linda’s hand playing with the sunlight, her fingers fluttering in the wind like a child reaching for freedom.

“As a director, I always try to find stories that uplift and tap into the enduring spirit people experience in life”, concludes Gutierrez.  “Telling the story of my mother’s courage and determination to find hope and peace is why I titled the film Paz because in Spanish it means peace.“

You can view Paz by clicking on this link: https://www.kcet.org/shows/fine-cut/clip/paz

Andrew Gutierrez currently has three projects in development: Static, an episodic science fiction program, Free Wind a modern feminist Western and Boleros, a love letter to the music he grew up with.

The post Andrew Gutierrez Wins Best Director at Mexican American Film & TV Festival first appeared on .

JANUARY 4

Spanish director, writer, producer, and actor Carlos Saura born January 4, 1932 is one of Spain’s most revered and respected film directors, beloved worldwide. Born in Huesca, Spain, the 89-year-old filmmaker has many notable works he is known for — Los Golfos, La Tarde del Olvido, Peppermint Frappé, The Hunt, and La Prima Angelica. 

In 1950, teenager Saura started making illustrated feature films with a 16mm camera. He hails from a family of great talents. His mother,  who was a pianist, instilled in him the love of music, and his brother Antonio, a painter, contributed a passion for art.

In 1979, Saura received an Academy Award Nomination for Best Foreign Language film for Mama Cumple 100 Años. In 2018, he directed Renzo Piano: An Architect for Santander, a documentary. 

Saura, along with Luis Buñuel and Pedro Almodovar, is considered among Spain’s most renowned filmmakers. His films have won many international awards. In 1990, he won two Goya awards as a best-adapted screenplay writer and best director. In total, he has garnered 55 film industry awards, including a BAFTA, and dozens of nominations. Stanley Kubrick was a deep admirer of Saura, overseeing the Spanish versions of A Clockwork Orange (1971), Barry London (1975), and The Shining (1980).

Saura is currently working on the film, Picasso, Dora y el Guernica, which he wrote and will direct and produce.

He has had a long relationship with the legendary actress Geraldine Chaplin (The Crown), who is the daughter of Charlie Chaplin. They have a son, Shane Saura. 

The post Happy Birthday, Maestro Carlos Saura! first appeared on .

Los Angeles, CA —  Award-winning filmmaker Patricia Cardoso will be the guest speaker during the first day of the UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television’s (UCLA TFT) two-day virtual Orientation, on Tuesday, Sept. 29. She will welcome students to a new academic year and accept the Distinguished Alumna Award. 

“We are extremely happy to welcome Patricia Cardoso back to campus virtually to receive our Distinguished Alumna Award and to be our special guest speaker,” says UCLA TFT Interim Dean Brian Kite. “Her groundbreaking films, including Real Women Have Curves, have no doubt served as inspiration for so many of our students and I know they will be excited to hear and learn about her filmmaking journey.”    

“I am honored to receive the UCLA TFT Distinguished Alumna Award and thrilled to share my experiences with the students,” Cardoso says. “I knew nothing about filmmaking before I stepped into campus and didn’t speak much English, but despite this, at UCLA, I learned my craft, found my voice as a storyteller and developed lifelong friendships.” 

Cardoso’s 2002 film Real Women Have Curves was a critical and box-office success. In 2019, the film, which has become a landmark of Latino cinema, was added to the Library of Congress’ National Film Registry, making Cardoso the first Latina director to have that honor. She was also the first Latina director to win a Sundance Audience Award and a Student Academy Award. A Fulbright scholar, anthropologist and 1994 graduate of UCLA TFT, her student films The Air Globes and The Water Carrier won several awards and played at festivals around the world; her anthropological approach to directing continues to guide her film and television work. Cardoso’s directing credits include episodes of The Society, Queen Sugar and Tales of the City, and the feature El Paseo de Teresa, a film that has the distinction of earning the highest box-office revenue for a female director in Colombia.  

In addition to her work as a filmmaker, Cardoso is currently a professor at UC Riverside and previously taught at UCLA and USC. She is a member of the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences and the Directors Guild of America. 

The post Award-Winning Filmmaker Patricia Cardoso Speaks Today At UCLA School of Theater, Film and TV first appeared on .

The Directors Guild of America is both a craft union and a Guild that protects the creative and economic rights of film, TV, commercial, and new media directors and their teams. It is the most powerful and richest union in the United States. Its membership is 71% white males. As a Mexican-American director member, I’d like to talk about my complex relationship with one of most prestigious organizations in Hollywood.

I was a sensitive 7-year-old boy who was deeply affected by the movies I saw.  My home was broken. My mom and dad split up when I was a young kid, but I have vivid memories of them together.  I clearly also recall their divorce and many influences that shaped my life after that. The movies played a big role in molding me.  I got lost in the films. Cinema was in my soul. I fantasized of becoming an actor and film director someday.  

My family lived in Boyle Heights.  My dad was a contractor and my mom was a teacher’s aide at LAUSD.  My dad made decent money.  We went places.   Disneyland, Knotts Berry Farm, Magic Mountain were common visits for us. We spent a lot of time all over LA, from Malibu to East LA, visiting the very best of our favorite restaurants — The Velvet Turtle, Barragan’s, The Pantry, Philippe’s and Little Joes in Chinatown. Surf and turf were my fancy; it still is today. My parents taught me confidence. I belonged anywhere I chose to belong. I could become anything if I worked hard enough.  This is how I grew up.  “Positivity,” “equality,”“confidence” were the words that guided me — they still do today. 

I got hooked on drama class in the eighth grade.  By ninth grade I was pursuing my acting career. At 19 I was in a play, Caught in the Middle With No Way Out, at the Harold Clurman Theatre off Broadway in New York.  By 21, I was a star in Angeltown alongside actress Theresa Saldana.  By 27, I wrote, produced, directed and starred in my first film, My Father’s Love.  I believed in myself. Opportunities were as much mine as they were anyone’s. I didn’t know anything different. 

However, for the first time in my life I have come to question my belief in inherent equal opportunities.  After I became a member of the Directors Guild of America, I began to question whether this is a room I belonged in, whether or not I truly stood side by side with fellow members.

The Directors Guild of America, or the DGA as it is commonly known, is a guild for the biggest and most talented directors in the world — film and TV’s very best. In my opinion, you don’t win an Oscar without first winning a DGA award.  In 2013 my dream came true; I became a member after years of hard work paying my dues.  After having had one of my films, Down for Life, accepted into Sundance and world premiered at Toronto in 2009; after winning the Golden Eagle award in 2001 from Nosotros for “Outstanding Independent Filmmaker” for feature My Fathers Love; after multiple film festival wins; after being hired to direct 2nd unit on a feature film (which was signatory to the DGA), I was finally eligible.   

I didn’t hesitate to submit my request for consideration to join.  It wasn’t easy.  In addition to my work, I needed three endorsements from other directors who were current union members. That took time.  But I eventually got it done. I’m still extremely grateful to those who finally signed my endorsement. Thank you to the lone three who supported me.

One of the most momentous days of my life was the day I received my package in the mail from the DGA.  I was accepted!  Now I just had to raise the money to join.  I could make payments. Great.  That was awesome. It was happening! I was now a member of a group composed of the creative greats that I had admired all my life.  Like all the great directors, I would now have a spotlight to show my work.  I was surely going to meet studio heads and showrunners. I was going to meet executives. I was surely going to work on big studio lots as a director, not a PA, not a grip, not a tour guide. 

I wholeheartedly believed I arrived until the reality of being a Latino in the Directors Guild of America set in. I enthusiastically attended all the meetings I could.  First perk, they feed you at every meeting.  Second perk, I was invited to watch the latest movies.  I was beyond excited to meet and see the work of my fellow directors.  On occasion, some of the screenings were followed by a Q and A with the director.  This was the biggest thrill — Steven Spielberg, Martin Scorsese, Robert Zemeckis, Bradley Cooper! I could listen and learn from the best. 

However, something was missing. I didn’t hear or see many movies from anyone who looked like me or had a diverse cultural perspective.  I quickly noticed the token diversity when I walked in the rooms and attended events. It is, for the most part, white males, perhaps a couple of Blacks, one or two Asians; I rarely noted anyone who looked like me — Latino. 

My ego got the best of me. I was a rare sight at the DGA because I was different.  I initially rationalized it by telling myself, perhaps I worked harder than other Latinos.  I broke barriers and got myself into the rooms that many Latinos hadn’t yet.  So I was going to make myself known.  I would also crack the door open for other Latinos who need a little support.  Being the proud confident kid from Boyle Heights, was resilient and determined. I was ambitious, full of hope.

I emailed my hero directors. I asked to shadow. I asked to be mentored. I was ignored.  Emails went unanswered. I requested guidance from the DGA executives, board members, western director council members.  How do I join these studio programs for directors that are in collaboration with the DGA?  A white woman, one of the people composing the diversity task force suggested, “Go be a production assistant at Warner Brothers. Go make a short film.”  What? Really? 

I didn’t understand that because I had years of hard work, and had accomplished so much already. I’m a DGA member.  I am an award winner. I’ve made full-length feature films. Did she really believe I should devote more time being a production assistant? 

DGA life was becoming quite clear.  The DGA executives weren’t concerned with how I got there.  Who the hell was I anyway?   I had no ties to greatness.  I had no uncle who was a studio director. I had no well-known industry friends. Therefore, all I was offered was talk, talk, talk.  I was offered, I’m sorry to say, BS programs that I see as more effective to filter out my color.  If I didn’t work within a couple of years in a studio or TV show, I could not even advance within the guild to run for Co-Chair of the Latino Committee.  I wasn’t eligible. This was the real DGA.  No one cares about our stories, not the brown ones, not the Black ones, not the Asian ones, not even women get a fair shake. Statistics continue to show very little has changed.

I approached my first shadow assignment enthusiastically and optimistically.  A “shadow” is where you follow around a TV director on an episodic TV show to learn from them, hopefully make an impression with the showrunner, and hopefully land a directing job down the road. 

This was my honest impression: Day 1 on a DGA sanctioned show, the executive producer was DGA, but I prefer not to identify the show.   As I slowly walked up closer to the monitor to see how the director was setting up the shot, I overheard a white gaffer quietly speaking to the first AD, “Every week we have another Mexican.”  It was not meant for me to hear.   I felt awkward to say the least. 

I began to notice uneasy glances and strained smiles.  What was I doing there? The craft service people and security guards were the ones I sat with to eat. They were Latino and they were very welcoming towards me. Was this the level I had achieved?  Was I really seeing prejudice because I looked different from those around me?

The motion picture studios send their VPs and executives to speak at the DGA membership. These are the so-called diversity events. The panelists don’t know us. Aside from valet parking attendants and the cooks in the kitchen, many in the film industry from the west side of town, including executives at the DGA, seem to have a limited understanding of Latinos.  I was literally handed the keys to a car at the DGA parking garage.  The gentleman was embarrassed when he realized I was a member and not his valet. This lack of understanding is reflected in the way I’ve been treated.  

What I want from the DGA is an honest discussion.  

Past Presidents have all told me things are going to get better. Well they haven’t. I’m not calling anyone out. These men are friendly, caring and supportive leaders. But that’s not enough.  I believe there is, like in many organizations in our country, institutional and systemic racism in the DGA.  All we have to do is look at the statistics.  Many top DGA members have gone on to become producing directors, showrunners, and executive producers on film and TV shows that have horrible track records when it comes to hiring people of color.  Statistics don’t lie.  

But there is an obvious and urgent need to speak out, so I’m taking a chance. I have questions for the DGA. How many Latino directors have been hired from participating in their diversity initiatives? There are almost 60 million Hispanics in the United States. Does the Hollywood DGA elite recognize that working Latino directors are less than 3% in mainstream movies and television?  Perhaps I’ll be further alienated just for asking these questions. 

Is the DGA willing to set effective programs that will give diverse members a fair shot? Does the DGA sincerely want to offer equal opportunities to people of color?  What true success has come from the diversity committees set up by the DGA? If these committees were effective at what they were formed to accomplish, at some point wouldn’t there be no need for these committees?  

The protests across the United States are an indication that American people value diversity. This movement is also supported around the world as we watch the Black Lives Matter movement resonate around the world.  

The movie industry touches hearts and minds globally.  The DGA can choose to welcome and celebrate the various colors, cultures, and genders which are more reflective of our country.  We could use the collective bargaining agreement we sign every couple of years with major motion picture studios to bring real change and opportunity to all people of color.  

DGA members of color have worked hard to become members.  We earned our right at a fair chance.  

There has never been a better time to bring our the hard-uncomfortable truths to light.  My story is just one of dozens that should be heard.  My work so far hasn’t stemmed from any DGA programs, it’s been coming from relentless persistence and belief in myself.  Regardless of how difficult it has been, I have no doubt I belong in the room. I have hope. I still believe what my parents instilled in me — I can do anything and I belong anywhere.  

We are equal. It’s long overdue. It’s time for true real change! 

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Beverly Hills, CA — Legendary actor, director, producer and philanthropist Edward James Olmos is the Industry Icon Honoree at The Caucus for Producers, Writers & Directors 37^th Annual Caucus Awards Dinner that will be held on Friday, November 15, 2019, 6:30 PM at the Skirball Cultural Center, 2701 N. Sepulveda Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90049. 

Edward James Olmos’ career in entertainment spans over 50 years. He is an Emmy and Golden Globe winning actor, and has been nominated for an Academy Award® and Tony Awards. Olmos is best known to young audiences for his work on the SYFY television series Battlestar Galactica as Admiral William Adama. Although the series kept the actor busy during its run from 2003 through 2009, it didn’t stop him from directing the HBO movie 

Walkout in 2007, for which he earned a DGA Nomination in the Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Movies for Television category. 

Originally a musician, Olmos branched out into acting, appearing in many small theatre productions until portraying the iconic El Pachuco in Zoot Suit. The play moved to Broadway and Olmos earned a Tony nomination for the role, which he reprised in the 1981 film version. 

Olmos went on to appear in the films Wolfen, Blade Runner, and The Ballad of Gregorio Cortez before starring in that of Lieutenant Martin Castillo in the iconic 80’s television series Miami Vice. In 1988, the actor was nominated for an Academy Award® and won the Golden Globe for his portrayal of Jaime Escalante in Stand and Deliver. He directed and starred in his first motion picture, American Me, in 1992. 

Olmos’ passion for the arts grows every year, but he never forgets to give back to the dedicated communities that support him. He is an international advocate, spokesman, and humanitarian working with organizations such as Thank You Ocean, Project Hope Foundation, Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles, The Boy’s and Girl’s Club of America, The River Keepers, Dr. Andros’ Diabetic Foot Global Conference and he speaks up to 150 times a year in schools, universities, and corporations. 

Other credits as an actor include the motion pictures My Family/Mi Familia; Selena, and In the Time of Butterflies; notable television shows include The West Wing, PBS drama American Family: Journey of Dreams, and Dexter. He currently is bringing gravitas to Mayans, M.C., in its second hit season on FX networks. 

2019 Caucus Award Honorees Full List: 

Edward James Olmos | Actor/Director/Producer/Philanthropist | Industry Icon Award Gary Levine | President of Entertainment, Showtime Networks, Inc. | Executive of the Year Award Paul Miller | Producer/Director | Lifetime Achievement Award Michael Berk | Writer/Producer/Director | Distinguished Service Award Dr. Edna Sims | Publicist for The Caucus | Chairs Award Carolyn Strauss | Executive Producer | Producers Honor I HBO’s Game of Thrones, Chernobyl and Deadwood the Movie Brett Johnson | Writer/Producer | Writers Honor I Showtimes’ Escape at Dannemora Michael Tolkin | Writer/Producer/Director | Writers Honor I Showtimes’ Escape at Dannemora Amy York Rubin | Director | Directors Honor I Netflix’s Dead to Me 

James Pickens, Jr. star of ABC’s Grey’s Anatomy, will be the host for this wonderful evening. 

The Caucus is leading the evolution of television by providing a creative forum for Producers, Writers and Directors to explore the issues of the ever-changing landscape of content and exhibition.

Current members of The Caucus also include: Chuck Fries, JJ Abrams, Tom Hanks, Kevin Bright, James Burrows, Vin Di Bona, Loreen Arbus, Dennis Doty, Jim Hirsch, Robert Papazian, Tanya Hart, Chas Floyd Johnson, Norman Powell, Herman Rush, Sharon Arnett, and other leading producers, writers and directors. 

Follow The Caucus www.caucus.org https://www.facebook.com/caucus.org https://twitter.com/tvcaucus 

For ticket information and sponsorships opportunities, please contact Allison Jackson at caucus@allisonjacksonco.com or call 310.550.7719. 

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Photos Cliff Lipson/CBS

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