By Bel Hernandez Castillo & Andrea Nuñez

To understand what Chicano Hollywood “wants”, you first need to understand what a “Chicano” is.  

In 1970 award-winning journalist Ruben Salazar wrote the definitive article defining the word Chicano in his Los Angeles Times article titled:  “Who is a Chicano and What is it that Chicanos Want?

In his article Salazar wrote, “A Chicano is a Mexican-American with a non-Anglo image of himself. He resents being told Columbus “discovered” America when the Chicano’s ancestors, the Mayans and the Aztecs, founded highly sophisticated civilizations centuries before Spain financed the Italian explorer’s trip to the “New World.”

The passage captures why the term became associated by many Mexican-Americans  with cultural pride and self-determination.

However over the past five decades, the meaning of “Chicano” has evolved. Once embraced as a political identity rooted in the Chicano Movement, it later fell out of favor among some Mexican Americans, while others continued to wear it as a badge of cultural pride. Today, a new generation, and not just Mexican- Americans, are reclaiming the term in ways that emphasize identity, history, and empowerment.  

So what is Chicano Hollywood?

Johnny Murillo, founder of Chicano Hollywood, defines it as a platform “a community built to elevate, empower, and showcase Chicanos and Latino storytellers”. But the vision extends far beyond that simple definition.

That vision might be rooted in past efforts by several Latino organization, who throughout the years were founded for the same purpose.  Chicano Hollywood is part of a broader Latino entertainment ecosystem that has been nurtured over past decades by these organization.  Most notably Nosotros (Founded in 1970 by Ricardo Montalban), Hispanic Organization of Latin Actors (HOLA) (Founded in 1975);  LatinHeat LEMI Conference (Founded 1995); and NALIP (Founded in 1999) – among them.

What distinguishes Chicano Hollywood is its early focus on Mexican-American independent filmmakers—many who existed outside the Hollywood’s traditional power structure. However, Murillo’s vision went beyond its core base, growing to include all Latinos and making alliances with non-Latino entities and filmmakers. Chicano Hollywood created an infostructure from production to distribution.

“For too long, our stories have been underrepresented or misrepresented in mainstream media,” Murillo explains. adding, “Chicano Hollywood was created to change that — to build our own lane, our own economy, and our own global stage.”  

Murillo, who has been working in Hollywood for more than 15 years as an actor/line producer and screenwriter, began building Chicano Hollywood in 2021.  According to Murillo, the impetus for the Chicano Hollywood brand came from his lived experiences, as well of those of his peers in the Mexican-American community, attempting to pitch stories to the studios.

It is no secret that Chicanos/Latinos represent one of the largest minority groups in the United States. Their economic influence, is noted in the Latino Donor Collaborative studies — increasingly their economic, cultural and creative impact—is undeniable.

For decades, Chicano culture has been portrayed stereotypically in major Hollywood films (Walk Proud (1979), Spanglish (2004), without a balance of characters. It took Latino filmmakers like the following to make independent films that portrayed another side of the Latino experience.

Robert Rodriguez

• El Mariachi (1992)
• Desperado (1995)
• From Dusk Till Dawn (1996)
• Spy Kids (2001)

Gregory Nava

• El Norte (1983)
• Selena (1997)
• My Family (1995)

Luis Valdez

• Cisco Kid (1994)
• La Bamba (1987)

Eva Longoria

• La Guerra Civil (2022)
• Flamin’ Hot (2023)

Despite the box office success of these films, Latino-led films have generally received fewer large-scale studio investments than comparable projects centered on Black film projects, as the 2026 UCLA’s latest Hollywood Diversity Report notes.

So what does Chicano Hollywood want?

Murillo quickly understood that success in entertainment requires more than talent alone. It demands infrastructure, education, access, and ownership. In other words, it requires an ecosystem.

At its core, Chicano Hollywood focuses on three major pillars.

1. Building a Creative Ecosystem for Chicano and Latino Talent

One of the organization’s primary goals is to provide career development and professional education for emerging storytellers, filmmakers, and creatives. Access to industry knowledge has historically been inequitable, and many talented voices simply never receive the tools or mentorship needed to navigate the entertainment industry.

Through the Chicano Hollywood Academy, aspiring creators can access courses such as How to Produce a Micro-Budget Film, How to Write a Contained Script, and the academy’s latest offering, How to Write a Vertical Series.

The company’s vision is ambitious—to establish creative hubs in 15 to 20 major cities and build a pipeline of in-house talent capable of becoming the next generation of writers, producers, directors, and entertainment professionals. The goal is not simply participation in the industry but ownership within it.

2. Creating Independent Media and Distribution Platforms

Another key aspect of Chicano Hollywood’s mission is the creation of multimedia platforms that allow creators to independently produce, distribute, and promote their work.

For many filmmakers and storytellers, gaining access to traditional media channels, distribution deals, or large promotional platforms remains a significant challenge. Chicano Hollywood understands that representation is not only about creating content; it is also about controlling where, how, and by whom those stories are shared.

In response, the organization launched ChicanoHollywood.tv, a streaming and media platform featuring original in-house productions ranging from drama to documentary. Some of its titles include The Calipso Show (2024), Dirt City (2021), and Ruben Gutierrez: My Story (2025), among others.

In publishing, Chicano Hollywood Magazine serves as an additional platform dedicated to showcasing original productions while highlighting influential Chicano and Latino voices across entertainment, business, and technology. The magazine has featured notable figures, such as Eva Longoria, Edward James Olmos, Emilio Rivera, and Oscar-nominated makeup artist Ken Diaz.

The organization’s long-term vision includes developing original content, building subscriber-based revenue, securing advertising partnerships, expanding merchandising opportunities, and increasing distribution channels. In many ways, Chicano Hollywood is working toward creating a self-sustaining entertainment network rooted in cultural ownership, creative independence, and community visibility.

3. Developing an Economic Engine for Latino Creatives and Entrepreneurs

Chicano Hollywood also recognizes that the entertainment industry is deeply driven by relationships, networking, and economic collaboration. For that reason, the organization seeks to create opportunities not only for artists but also for entrepreneurs, vendors, producers, and creative professionals working across the entertainment landscape.

Its first public initiatives was their Elevate Conference, where Chicano Hollywood brought together keynote speakers, industry panels, and entertainment-focused businesses to foster spaces for inspiration, collaboration, and professional growth. Over the past three years, the conference has featured notable voices such as Xolo Maridueña (Blue Beetle, Cobra Kai), producer and actress Lisa Vidal (The Division, Being Mary Jane), actress Maria Canals-Barrera (Wizards of Waverly Place, Camp Rock), actors Edward James Olmos (Blade Runner, Miami Vice, Zoot Suit), Luis Guzmán (Wednesday, Narcos), Enrique Castillo (Deja Vu, Blood In Blood Out, The Waltons) and others, helping establish the Chicano Hollywood as an important space for dialogue, visibility, and industry exchange. 

Last year, the organization also launched its first Chicano Hollywood Film Festival, showcasing films, documentaries, short films, and series that were created by Chicano and Latino filmmakers from across the country.

The momentum continues to grow. The next edition, the 2026 Chicano Hollywood Film Festival, is scheduled to take place from July 29 through August 2, 2026 at the The Union On Garey, further expanding the organization’s vision of creating a national platform for Chicano and Latino storytelling, collaboration, and cultural ownership.

This year over 100 features and short film will screened, workshops that include How To Self-Distribute Your Indie Film with Selina Ringal; Stuntman Fighting with Geo Perez and Joe Chacon and even a marketing activations — a Chess Match: Keanu Reeves vs Bianca Mitchell followed by a panel with Reeves and the filmmaking team, followed by a screening of their Mad Woman’s Game feature documentary. The five day festival will culminate on Augut 2nd with the awards ceremony. Tickets can be purchased HERE

This is only the beginning 

Organizations willing to articulate a long-term vision often inspire broader participation. By defining its ambitions publicly, Chicano Hollywood invites filmmakers, entrepreneurs, educators, and audiences to imagine themselves as part of a larger movement.

Ambition invites collaboration, and movements grow when communities see themselves reflected in them. Chicano Hollywood possesses many of the elements necessary to become one of the leading independent Chicano and Latino entertainment networks in the United States, namely education, infrastructure, distribution, community, and perhaps most importantly, a commitment to telling stories authentically.

Earlier generations relied almost exclusively on access to Hollywood’s gatekeepers, today’s creators are increasingly building their own educational institutions, media platforms, festivals, distribution channels, and business networks.

Representation is not just about being seen. It is about people having the power to tell their own stories, in their own voice, with their own faces.

Andrea Nuñez-Gamboa Co-wrote this article

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Watch it now on OnTheHiway

Bel Hernandez Castillo

After five years in the making, the award-winning documentary Ugly Little Monkeys is entering its next chapter—on its own terms.

Directed by David E. Valdez and Enrique Castillo, the documentary has enjoyed a successful film festival run, earning multiple honors including Best Directors and Best Documentary. Now, rather than following a traditional distribution path, the filmmakers have chosen a strategy that reflects a growing movement among independent creators: owning their distribution and maintaining direct control over their audience.

Ugly Little Monkeys, the documentary that chronicles the birth of the youth mariachi movement in the United States, begins its distribution journey today.

Maintaining control of their documentary’s distribution was important to Valdez and Castillo, so they chose OnTheHiway, a global streaming platform that allows filmmakers to manage their own releases while retaining ownership of audience data and revenue streams.

OnTheHiway does indeed provide the tools for filmmakers to control their distribution, audience data, pricing, and revenue streams –  however it does not automatically provide the audience, marketing, or discoverability that traditional distributors sometimes bring.

Unless you are a big studio film, the marketing and distribution usually falls on the filmmakers. No streaming platform, distributor, or VOD service can provide the one thing every film needs most: audience awareness. Distribution makes a film available. Marketing makes it discoverable.  

According to Jon Reiss, distribution strategist and author of Think Outside the Box Office: The Ultimate Guide to Film Distribution and Marketing for the Digital Era, “50% of your time and resources should go into connecting that film to an audience. In today’s crowded content landscape, discoverability has become one of the greatest challenges facing independent filmmakers. A film cannot succeed if audiences don’t know it exists.”

He argues that filmmakers must stop viewing distribution as a post-production task and instead build audience engagement into the filmmaking process from the beginning.

Castillo and Valdez understood early in the production process that audience-building begins long before a film reaches distribution. One of their most strategic decisions was inviting Academy Award-nominated actor, director, and producer Edward James Olmos to join the project as Executive Producer. Having worked together with Olmos on several film and television projects, Castillo knew that Olmos not only shared a passion for preserving Latino cultural heritage but also brought immediate credibility and visibility to the documentary.

Olmos’ involvement became a valuable marketing asset throughout the film’s journey. His name help attract attention to the project from its earliest stages, while his continued support has helped raise the documentary’s profile among both industry professionals and general audiences. Today, Olmos introduces the film on its streaming platform release, lending his voice and endorsement to the project. He has also participated in key screenings, including a high-profile presentation at the Directors Guild of America in Los Angeles, helping generate awareness and audience engagement.

For independent filmmakers, the lesson is clear: marketing is not something that begins when a film is finished. By intentionally building relationships, securing influential advocates, and creating promotional opportunities throughout production, filmmakers can lay the foundation for a successful release long before distribution begins.

Highlighting other choices that added to the storytelling of the documentary included reaching out to artists and talents who could speak to the context of the documentary or in some cases, first hand to the storyline of an Irish Catholic priest who gathers a handful of small town kids and forms the first youth mariachi group in the United States. Those interviews are some of the key elements that now serve to market the film among not just in the U.S. but worldwide.  

• Within the first five minutes of the documentary, mariachi music is established as a worldwide phenomenon through a montage of mariachi ensembles performing the classic “La Negra” in Japan, Italy, Poland, the United Kingdom, Croatia, Portugal, China, and New Zealand. Their participation later helped generate screenings of the documentary through Mexico’s Consulates in their respective countries.

• The interview with Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter Linda Ronstadt provides one of the documentary’s most insightful perspectives, having grown up in Tucson and knowing about the Changuitos Feos/The Ugly Little Monkeys. Ronstadt helped introduce mariachi music to mainstream American audiences through her landmark album Canciones de Mi Padre, which became one of the best-selling non-English-language albums in U.S. history.

• The interview of Grammy Award winning Ruben Fuentes, a legend in Mariachi music and musical director of the world famous Mariachi Vargas the Tecalitlán.  He also was a producer of Ronstadt ‘s Canciones de Mi Padre.  He was interviewed at his home in Mexico City before his passing.  He credited Los Changuitos Feos—The Ugly Little Monkeys—with helping popularize and elevate mariachi music throughout the United States while introducing generations of audiences to the artistry of Mariachi Vargas.

• Adding to all this, Co-director Enrique Castillo who is also an actor, narrated the documentary. Castillo’s recognizable voice and decades-long acting career, most notable as Montana in Taylor Hackford’s Blood in Blood Out, have also become valuable promotional assets, drawing audiences to screenings where he regularly participates in post-film discussions and Q&A sessions.

• A special screening in Tlalpan, Mexico, hosted by the Mexican Consulate, demonstrated the film’s international appeal. Audiences enthusiastically embraced the story of a youth organization that helped preserve and expand Mexican culture in the United States and beyond. The reception has already opened doors for additional screenings throughout Mexico.

At every the screenings what resonates with audiences is the storytelling.  Ugly Little Monkey tells the story of a group of young boys from Tucson, Arizona, some who didn’t even know Spanish or how to play an instrument, who then went on and became world class musicians and singers in spite of the obstacles.

Several of the members of the group grew up to lead world class Mariachi groups of their own, one of those groups is the renown Mariachi Cobre that has been playing at Epcot Center in Orlando, Florida for over 30 years.  Several other members went on to teach Mariachi music at schools and universities.

We experience the story through the eyes of the one-time innocent kids, now grown men, who share their unforgettable journey about an Irish Catholic priest who gathers a handful of small town kids, some as young as nine years old and forms the first youth mariachi group in the United States. A priest who brought much joy and pain to their journey.  Through all the music, the magic, the pain and the triumph, it is the music that triumphs. 

More than simply documenting a musical ensemble, Ugly Little Monkeys explores how mariachi became a bridge between cultures, communities, and countries. Through performances and interviews, the film demonstrates how youth mariachi programs have flourished across the United States and beyond, inspiring young musicians while preserving an important cultural tradition.

For Valdez and Castillo, the journey of Ugly Little Monkeys is far from over. Through a combination of direct-to-consumer streaming, community screenings, and international cultural partnerships, the filmmakers are demonstrating that independent documentaries can find audiences while retaining ownership of their story.

The marketing of the film continues, even after its streaming premiere, through screenings.  One of the most significant upcoming public screenings will take place at LéaLA, the largest Spanish-language book fair and literary festival in the United States. Open to the public, this special community screening will take place on September 24 at LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes in Downtown Los Angeles as part of the festival’s programming. Adding to the celebration will be a performance by the members of the current Changuitos Feos/Ugly Little Monkeys mariachi group. The group will be flown in from Tucson to perform live for attendees.  

This screening represents precisely the kind of strategic audience development that independent filmmakers increasingly rely upon—bringing the film directly to communities already invested in its subject matter. 

In many ways, the path chosen by Ugly Little Monkeys mirrors the message at the heart of the film itself: preserving cultural traditions while creating new opportunities for future generations. By embracing innovative distribution models and continuing to engage audiences in person, the filmmakers are ensuring that the legacy of the Original Changuitos Feos/Ugly Little Monkeys—and the enduring power of mariachi music—will continue to resonate for years to come.

While many filmmakers wait until a film is completed to think about distribution, Ugly Little Monkeys demonstrates the value of building audiences throughout the production process. Every interview, festival appearance, community partnership, and cultural connections became part of a long-term marketing strategy that is now helping the film reach audiences around the world.

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By Bel Hernandez Castillo

SUNDANCE SPOTLIGHT

The 2026 Sundance Film Festival will shine a long-overdue national spotlight on one of the most influential cultural architects in American history: Luis Valdez. With the world premiere of American Pachuco: The Legend of Luis Valdez, Latino Public Broadcasting (LPB) cements Valdez’s towering legacy as a revolutionary artist who transformed theater, film, and the visibility of the Mexican-American experience—while also affirming the vital role of public broadcasting in preserving Latino cultural memory.

Directed, written, and produced by David Alvarado, American Pachuco is far more than a biographical documentary. It is a cultural reckoning—charting how Valdez reshaped the American stage and screen by insisting that Chicano stories were not peripheral, but central to the national narrative.

From the Fields to the Forefront of American Theater

Valdez’s story is inseparable from the Chicano Movement itself. In 1965, alongside the United Farm Workers, he founded El Teatro Campesino, a theater company born not in traditional playhouses but in the fields—using satire, music, and performance as tools of protest, education, and empowerment for farmworkers demanding dignity and justice.

That radical foundation led to one of the most consequential theatrical moments in U.S. history. Zoot Suit originated at the Mark Taper Forum in Los Angeles, where it became an undeniable hit, electrifying audiences with its bold fusion of American Latino music, movement, history, and political urgency. The production was so successful that it made history—transferring to Broadway in 1979, marking the first time a Chicano playwright’s work appeared on the Great White Way.

In a rare and telling testament to its cultural impact, Zoot Suit didn’t simply move east. While one company made its groundbreaking Broadway run, a second cast remained in Los Angeles, where the show continued at the Aquarius Theatre, running for nearly a full year. The dual productions underscored something unprecedented: Chicano theater was no longer a niche movement—it was a mainstream cultural force commanding audiences on both coasts.

Edward James Olmos: A Full-Circle Cultural Moment

Central to Zoot Suit’s legacy—and to American Pachuco—is Edward James Olmos, whose star-making role as El Pachuco was written by Valdez and became one of the most iconic performances in American theater. The role launched Olmos’s career and redefined the possibilities for Latino actors at a time when such opportunities were nearly nonexistent.

Decades later, Olmos narrates American Pachuco not only as a collaborator and witness, but as co-founder and Chairman of the Board of Latino Public Broadcasting, the organization that partially funded the documentary. The symmetry is profound: a playwright who opened doors for an actor, and an actor who now ensures those doors remain open for future generations of Latino storytellers.

“Now more than ever, it’s crucial that we give a voice to our Latino filmmakers and make sure that our stories are heard,” Olmos said. “While these two films are very different, both of them celebrate how art can lift individuals and communities and bring about real transformative change.”

A Definitive Portrait of a Cultural Revolutionary

Winner of the Library of Congress Lavine/Ken Burns Prize for Film, American Pachuco: The Legend of Luis Valdez features extensive interviews with Valdez, offering rare insight into his artistic philosophy, political consciousness, and lifelong commitment to cultural truth-telling. The film positions Valdez not only as a playwright and filmmaker, but as a cultural architect whose influence reshaped the American artistic landscape.

The documentary is a co-production of Insignia Films, ITVS, Latino Public Broadcasting, and Firelight Media, in association with American Masters Pictures and PBS, with funding provided by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. It will premiere nationally in Fall 2026 as a co-presentation of VOCES and AMERICAN MASTERS, placing Valdez among the most essential artists ever profiled in the series.

LPB at Sundance: Expanding the Latino Story

Latino stories are foundational to American culture, not footnotes. And at the center of that truth stands Luis Valdez—a visionary who proved that telling our own stories is an act of resistance, celebration, and transformation.With American Pachuco: The Legend of Luis Valdez, Sundance 2026 does more than honor a filmmaker. It honors a movement—and a legacy that continues to shape every Latino story told on stage and screen today.

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“Arrive at the Gates” Column By Judi Jordan for Latin Heat

Inclusive Excellence. The IMAGEN Awards are a four-decade-long Latino awards tradition.  transcending borders to honor excellence in entertainment both in English and Spanish.  They are a bridge that reaches across the cultural board of Chicano, Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, Venezuelan, Dominican, Chilean, Colombian, Spanish, Brazilian, Argentine…and those who collaborate creatively with the Latino community. 

Twenty-seven categories embrace the creative contributions of the individuals whose extraordinary work alternately brings joy, understanding, hilarity, clarity, and hope to audiences of all ages.    

The Imagen Foundation’s beginning dates back to a 1983 meeting between Television Producer Norman Lear and Helen Hernandez, Vice President of Public Affairs for his company, Embassy Communications. Out of this meeting emerged the Imagen Awards competition, which aimed at recognizing and celebrating the positive portrayals of Latinos in film and television.

 “As we celebrate 40 years of the Imagen Awards, I am filled with pride for how far we’ve come in elevating Latino voices in Hollywood, Hernandez said.  “What began as a vision to create greater opportunity and representation has become a steadfast movement that continues to showcase the extraordinary talent and cultural richness of our creative community.” 

The complete list of Honorees and Winners is as follows: Gustavo Dudamel [Presidents’ Award, Dailyn Rodriguez [Norman Lear Writer’s Award] top acting honors went to: John Leguizamo, Barbie Ferreira, Sofia Carson, Benjamín Bratt, Sasha Calle, Manuel Garcia-Rulfo, Gabriel Luna, Rafael Cebrián, Brian Jordan Alvarez, Camila Perez, London Garcia, Liza Colón-Zayas, Brice Gonzalez, Natalia del Riego, Danny Trejo. Directors Alonso Ruizpalacios, Andor and Fede Álvarez Alien: Romulus.  Composers Gustavo Santaolalla, Javier Nuño & Joe Rodríguez. 

Winning Shows: The Last of Us, Land of Women tied with Y Llegaron de Noche, Documentary Voces: American Historia: The Untold History of Latinos, Dora won for Animation.  Best Documentary Las Amazonas de Yaxunah (ESPN) Best Informational Program ABC News Studios – “Latinos in Hollywood: Owning Our Destiny” (ABC News; ABC News Studios) Short Film Remember Us.

The Imagen Awards are scheduled to air on PBS during Hispanic Heritage Month on Wednesday, October 1, 2025, at 9:00 p.m. (PST). Check your local listings.

*Interviews with Nominees and Guests to Follow.  LINKS: Full list of nominees: Imagen Awards Nominees 2025; More information: imagen.org; Follow on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok: @imagenfoundation

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The documentary Ugly Little Monkey screening at the Directors Guild of America in Los Angeles was filled with Hollywood’s finest and mariachi enthusiasts alike for an exclusive red carpet screening of Ugly Little Monkeys, a new documentary chronicling the journey of Los Changuitos Feos de Tucson, the first youth mariachi group in the U.S. Mariachi music has come a long way and this documentary chronicles the origins of the popularity of Mariachi music which started in the last 60’s.

Five years in the making this inspiring story of cultural pride and resilience was brought to life by co-directors David E. Valdez and Enrique Castillo, with renowned actor/activist and Edward James Olmos as one of the executive producer.

The evening’s star-studded guest list included Rudy Ramos (Yellowstone), Benito Martinez (With Love), Nicholas Gonzalez (La Brea), Jesse Garcia (Flamin’ Hot), Laura Patalano (This Fool), Victor Rivers (Blood In, Blood Out), writer/producer/director Rick Najera; and notable actors Alejandro Patiño (Papi Chulo), Karina Noelle Castillo (NCIS, The Good Doctor), Sol Castillo (Confessions of a Gangster), Raul Cardona (Babylon), and Kikey Castillo (Mayans MC. Multi-GRAMMY Award-Winning Mariachi Divas members Cindy Shea, Daniela Gutierrez, and Julissa Dominguez; singer-songwriter Dan Navarro (We Belong).

The night celebrated the film’s LA premiere and the impact of mariachi on Mexican-American identity, with a Q&A following the screening that deepened the audience’s appreciation for this legacy. In attendance were five original members of Los Changuitos Feos, Wilfred Arvizu, David Ruiz, Gilbert Velez, Francisco Escobar, and Cosme Barcelo, who received a standing ovation from the crowd. Their presence brought an added layer of significance, allowing attendees to connect personally with the legacy captured in the film.

With Ugly Little Monkeys, the filmmakers have succeeded in not only preserving but celebrating an essential piece of American Latino history. The documentary is an unforgettable tribute to the unifying power of music and cultural heritage, sparking pride and inspiration for generations to come.

The Ugly Little Monkeys filmmakers have also been partnering with organizations nationwide to bring this powerful documentary to communities across the country. Community groups, cultural institutions, and educational organizations interested in hosting a screening in their city are encouraged to reach out to coordinate a local event. To bring Ugly Little Monkeys to your area, please contact: info@uglylittlemonkeys.com.

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Pepe Serna: Life is Art Showcases The Actors Trailblazing Accomplishments TS

The life of legendary Hollywood actor and internationally renowned artist Pepe Serna is revealed in Pepe Serna: Life Is Art, a one-hour documentary film directed by Luis Reyes will be available for streaming on Apple TV, Amazon, Google Play, and Vudu on February 21, 2024. Told by Serna himself, the documentary follows his lengthy acting career and artistic life and provides viewers with a rare opportunity to discover previously unseen and unknown sides of the actor’s journey. 

With over 100 film and television credits, Serna is most recognized for his iconic role opposite Al Pacino in the classic film Scarface as Ángel Fernández, whose grisly demise is one of the most memorable in cinema history. Born in Corpus Christi, Texas in 1944, Serna built a career from the ground up and appeared in films such as Car Wash with Richard Pryor, Postcards from the Edge with Meryl Streep, The Jerk with Steve Martin, and Academy Award-winning director Alexander Payne’s Downsizing with Matt Damon. 

Eva Longoria and Edward James Olmos, both longtime friends of Serna, provide personal insight and perspective on his versatility and longevity as an actor and artist alongside Cheech Marin, Gloria Calderón Kellett, Luis Valdez and many others.

Throughout his journey, he has inspired countless Latino artists to follow in his footsteps by delivering powerful performances for filmmakers such as Brian De Palma, Clint Eastwood, John Schlesinger, Dalton Trumbo, Roger Corman, Henry Hathaway, William Friedkin and Dick Donner. 

Serna’s career is a testament to how far Latinos have come in Hollywood. He has indisputably claimed a reputable place in one of the world’s most competitive industries for his story-telling abilities and unique drive to empower not just Latinos but also other underserved communities. 

His recent memoir “Life is Art” recounts his motivational story from humble beginnings and offers life-changing lessons to overcoming adversity. “Life is Art” is available now for purchase here.

In addition to Hollywood success, Pepe is a visual artist whose paintings have been exhibited in galleries around the world. He also conducts motivational and improvisational workshops in high schools nationwide.

The documentary received awards in 2022 including Best Documentary at the Official Latino Film and Arts Festival, and the Poppy Jasper International Film Festival, Audience Award at the San Diego Latino Film Festival, and Festival Prize at the South Texas International Film Festival.

Most recently, Serna can be seen in Eva Longoria’s feature directorial debut Flamin’ Hot and on Amazon’s TV series With Love.

For additional information on Pepe Serna: Life Is Art, please visit: 

Website: https://www.pepeserna.net

Facebook: @https://www.facebook.com/pepesernanews/

Instagram: @https://www.instagram.com/pepefied11/

Purchase the book today Here

Cast: Luis Valdez (Playwright, director Zoot Suit, La Bamba), Edward James Olmos (Oscar-nominated actor & director), Eva Longoria (actor, producer & director), Gloria Calderón Kellet (showrunner on “One Day at a Time,” “With Love”), David Ansen (former Newsweek film critic), Cheech Marin (of the comedy duo Cheech and Chong, actor & art collector) and Robert Beltran (actor, Cmdr. Chakotay in Star Trek: Voyager TV series)

Produced By: Kayvon Derak Shanian, David Méndez and Isaac Artenstein 

Executive Produced by: David Damian Figueroa 

Directed By: Luis Reyes

Run Time: 1 hour and 2 minutes

Rating: Not rated

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We see a slight shift. At the forefront of expanding opportunities for Latino Filmmakers has been the Los Angeles Latino International Film Festival (LALIFF) co-founded by actor/producer and artivist, Edward James Olmos back in 1997. Now 26 years later the message about U.S. Latino filmmakers is finally resonation with some of the Hollywood’s gatekeepers. This morning Amazon Studios and the Los Angeles Latino International Film Festival (LALIFF) announced LALIFF Works in Progress, a finishing fund to enable independent US based Latino filmmakers in the completion of a feature film. Funds will be allocated to films in the final stages of production with a unique directorial voice, cultural significance, and commercial viability.

Individual directors and independent production companies are invited to submit a picture locked cut of their feature length scripted or documentary film. A jury of post-production professionals will divide the funds among the three top projects, based on their post-production needs. Funds recipients will be announced at this year’s LALIFF, which is presented by the Latino Film Institute (LFI) and takes place in Los Angeles May 31-June 4.

Throughout its history, LALIFF has bestowed the Gabriel Figueroa Lifetime Achievement Award to such industry icons as, Raul Julia, Pedro Almodovar, Carlos Saura, Maria Felix, Anthony Quinn, Nelson Pereira dos Santos, Federico Luppi, Rita Moreno, Ricardo Montalban, Antonio Banderas, Ignacio Lopez Tarso, Gustavo Santaolalla and, of course, Gabriel Figueroa himself.

“We are very excited to announce the expansion of our collaboration with Amazon Studios through the inaugural LALIFF Works in Progress initiative. By supporting this program, Amazon is supporting our work as we continue to elevate Latino voices in a landscape where it’s difficult for filmmakers from our community to secure post-productions funds”, said Academy Award® nominated actor, founder of the Latino Film Institute and co-founder of LALIFF, Edward James Olmos.

“At Amazon Studios we strive to remove barriers to success in the creative process. It is part of the equity work we are committed to doing” said Latasha Gillespie, global head of DEIA for Amazon Studios and Prime Video. “LALIFF Works in Progress is a compelling example of our Inclusion Policy and Playbook in action.”

LALIFF Works in Progress is an expansion of Amazon Studios and LFI’s current relationship; Amazon Studios is the exclusive sponsor of LFI’s Youth Cinema Project (YCP) Alumni program for the 2022-2023 school year.  The program connects over 300 students to hands-on access and learning opportunities across the industry, including mentoring and assistance with college applications. The sponsorship also includes the inaugural YCP Fellowship initiative, which provides 19 college bound students with resources to make a high-quality short film to strengthen their film school applications and scholarship opportunities. The finished film will screen at LALIFF in June. 

The LALIFF Youth Program, a screen education program that took place at the festival, set the groundwork for what would eventually become the statewide, public school educational film program known as, the Youth Cinema Project.

Visit here for more details on the LALIFF Works in Progress program and how to submit.

Amazon Studios is the home for talent, creating and producing Original films and television series for a global audienceAmazon Studios also produces and acquires Original movies for theatrical release and exclusively for Prime Video, in addition to producing Original content for Freevee, Amazon’s premium free streaming service.

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Candido Cornejo Casting is currently casting a Short Film for the YCP/AMAZON Fellowship 2023.

The YCP/Amazon Fellowship provides young filmmakers with mentorship and funding to create short films; this particular short film, created by the cohort, will premiere at the Los Angeles Latino International Film Festival (LALIFF) 2023. More info on this festival below.
https://laliff.org

The are currently are looking for Latinas and Afro Latinas between the ages of 18 and 22, to play brave and edgy non conforming punk rock musicians. No need to know how to play anything or sing, just give us the aesthetic and speak some Spanish.

Shoot Dates are April 14th – 16th in Los Angeles, CA. 

TALENT MUST BE LOS ANGELES LOCAL. The project is SAG-AFTRA and is a paid gig.
Send your submission materials (picture, resume, phone number and email) to solsupernovacasting@cris-franco

Casting for the following roles

[V] To Play 18 to 22; Latina; female. Brave and reckless. A nonconformist who uses anger to cover up her emotional sensitivity. 

[ANDY] To Play 18 to 22, Afro-Latina; female. V’s girlfriend. She is almost always calm and collected. The voice of reason. She mostly defers to her partner V, who is a lot more assertive. 

[BELLA] To Play 18 to 22, Latina, female. Bella has a strong urge to express herself and is very passionate. She plays drums in a rock band with her roommates.

If you fit these roles. Submit as soon as possible

Creative team includes:

Producing Mentor: Gabriela Gonzalez, Directing Mentor: Anthony Nardolillo , Writers: Kimberly Mediola Leon and Alyssa Rodriguez, Casting Director: Candido Cornejo, CSA, Casting Assistant: Michael Padilla

The post Casting Latina & Afro-Latina Punk Rock Musicians 18-22 + ‘Sol Supernova’ first appeared on .

Carla Hayden, the Librarian of Congress recently announced the annual selection of 25 influential films to be inducted into the National Film Registry of the Library of Congress. Selected for their cultural, historic or aesthetic importance to preserve the nation’s film heritage, the newest selections include a vibrant diversity of American filmmakers, as well as landmark works in key genres and numerous documentaries.

The Ballad of Gregorio Cortez (1982) is the solo Latino film included this year.
Acknowledged as one of the key feature films from the burgeoning 1980s Chicano film movement, The Ballad of Gregorio Cortez was based on folklorist Américo Paredes’ acclaimed account of El Corrido de Gregorio Cortez, a key work of the Chicano Studies movement. The ballad from the borderlands of Texas and Mexico, explored the creation through song of the folk hero Gregorio Cortez, a poor Tejano farmer accused in 1901 of killing a sheriff who had shot Cortez’s brother during a poorly translated interrogation. A posse of some 600 Texas Rangers pursued Cortez for 11 days before his capture, as widespread newspaper accounts of the chase and subsequent trial spurred the creation of the ballad. Relying on the prodigious talents of director Robert M. Young, lead actor and co-producer Edward James Olmos, cinematographer Ray Villalobos and producer Moctesuma Esparza, The Ballad of Gregorio Cortez employed narrative devices common to such classic films as Citizen Kane, Rashomon and The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance to tell its complicated story in a nonlinear fashion. While some characters speak in Spanish and others in English, the filmmakers decided not to use subtitles to replicate in audiences the experience of borderland characters caught up in the unfolding tragedy. The film has been preserved by the Academy Film Archive.

The 2022 selections date back 124 years in filmmaking to an 1898 film of the Mardi Gras Carnival parade in New Orleans. The latest film to be added this year is 2011’s Pariah, directed by Dee Rees. This year’s selections include at least 15 films directed or co-directed by filmmakers of color, women or LGBTQ+ filmmakers. The selections bring the number of films in the registry to 850, many of which are among the 1.7 million films in the Library’s collections.

Turner Classic Movies (TCM) will host a television special Tuesday, Dec. 27, starting at 8 p.m. ET to screen a selection of motion pictures named to the registry this year. Hayden will join TCM host, film historian and Academy Museum of Motion Pictures Director and President Jacqueline Stewart, who is chair of the National Film Preservation Board, to discuss the films. 

The public can submit nominations throughout the year on the library’s web site Nominations for next year will be accepted until Aug. 15, 2023. Cast your vote at loc.gov/film.

Films Selected for the 2022 National Film Registry
(chronological order)

• Mardi Gras Carnival (1898)
• Cab Calloway Home Movies (1948-1951)
• Cyrano de Bergerac (1950)
• Charade (1963)             
• Scorpio Rising (1963)
• Behind Every Good Man (1967)
• Titicut Follies (1967)
• Mingus (1968)    
• Manzanar (1971)
• Betty Tells Her Story (1972)
• Super Fly (1972)
• Attica (1974)
• Carrie (1976)
• Union Maids (1976)
• Word is Out: Stories of Our Lives (1977)
• Bush Mama (1979)
• The Ballad of Gregorio Cortez (1982)
• Itam Hakim, Hopiit (1984)
• Hairspray (1988)
• The Little Mermaid (1989)
• Tongues Untied (1989)
• When Harry Met Sally (1989) 
• House Party (1990)
• Iron Man (2008)
• Pariah (2011)     

The post ‘The Balad of Gregorio Cortez’ Among Films Inducted into The Library of Congress first appeared on .

This Fool Has been Renewed for a Second Season

It made big news when it premiered in August and is coming back with more of the irreverent comedy that audiences loved.  This Fool, the Hulu Original comedy series, produced by ABC Signature has been renewed for ten more episodes of creator and star Chris Estrada’s comedy series.

Season one of This Fool premiered this year on August 12 streaming on Hulu with 10 episodes. You can still watch it if you have not seen it and want to get up to speed for season two.  The series is written and executive produced by Chris Estrada, Pat Bishop (Corporate), Jake Weisman (Corporate) and Matt Ingebretson (Corporate). Jonathan Groff (Black-ish) and Fred Armisen (Los Espookys) also serve as executive producers on the series. 

This Fool is a half-hour comedy about a working class ordinary (very ordinary) “Joe”.  Julio Lopez is a 30 year-old man who still lives at home, a prim and proper, self-righteous man with an on-and-off girlfriend who, the worse she treats him the more he pursues her.  She is his high school sweetheart…who is not very sweet to him.  Julio works at a non-profit gang rehabilitation where he takes his cousin, recently released from jail, in hopes of rehabilitating him.  Which is easier said than done.  

At Hugs Not Thugs, the non-profit works for, Julio takes his job of reforming his ex-gang member cousin seriously, but it proves to be harder than he imagined.

The supporting cast is stellar.  In addition to Estrada who plays the lead, Frankie Quiñones who plays Julio’s cousin,  Laura Patalano plays his mom Esperanza; Michelle Ortiz plays his girlfriend Maggie, veteran actress Julia Vera plays Maria his grandmother and Michael Imerioli plays Minister Payne.  

This cast of characters quickly endeared themselves to a ready audience who have been waiting for season two!

Chris Estrada is repped by United Talent Agency

Cowboys Movies Back in The Saddle Again

Not sure how much Kevin Costner’s western series Yellowstone has had a hand in raising the profile of the western genre, but Indie filmmaker Mario Van Peebles (Power Book III: Raising Kanan) just wrapped production on a new western called Outlaws which he directed and stars in.   His cast includes Whoopie Goldberg (Till), Cedric the Entertainer (The Neighborhood) and Edward James Olmos (Mayans M.C.) 

Van Peebles plays a renegade cowboy who assembles a team of multicultural friends to help him retrieve gold from an abandoned mine. It sounds like the feature Oceans 11, western style!  We are glad they included Olmos as one of the main characters because how can you make a movie about cowboys without them, when Mexicans invented the iconic cowboy genre.  Words like Buckaroo is an Anglicized form of the word in Spanish “vaquero” and “la reata” became lariat.  

Westerns are making a comeback and stories of Mexican “Vaqueros” are currently in development.  More on that in next week’s Hollywood Talks!

Edward James Olmos is repped by Ben Dey of Creative Artists Agency

Get Ready for Anna Garcia

You may not know Anna Garcia (Hacks) but soon you will.  She is a graduated of  the University of Michigan with a B.A. in Film and moved to L.A. in 2017..  She was a stand out in the 2022 CBS Comedy Showcase and after making appearances on TV shows like Hacks, Superstore and It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, she is now ready for her film close up.

Garcia landed a much sought-after role in what will be her feature film debut in Project Artemis where she will work alongside Jim Rash (Harely Quinn), Ray Romano (Parenthood), Scarlett Johansson (Avengers: End Game) and Channing Tatum (The Lost City). 

The film, whose plot line is listed on IMDB as “under wraps” is rumoured to be a 1960s space race film.  It is being directed by Greg Berlanti for Apple Studios and produced by Johansson, Jonathan Lia and Keenan Flynn of These Pictures.  Rose Gilroy and Sarah Schechter wrote the script.

Anna is repped by Valerie Champeau at Paradigm Talent Agency 

The post ‘This Fool’ is Back for Season 2; Cowboys Ride Again; Here Comes Anna Garcia first appeared on .