Winner of the Best Film award at the NY Latino Film Festival and Barcelona Film Festival last year, Amaraica premieres on HBO/HBO/MAX on September 3.  Filmed in El Paso, TX, the film is directed by Tim Sparks.  Actress Elpidia Carillo (Guillermo del Toro’s Cabinet of Curiosities, Mayans MC) and Director/Writer Tom Musa (Stand and Deliver) produce.

It is an immigrant story that revolves around Roberto, an undocumented roofer on the verge of marrying a U.S. citizen, which would allow him legal status.  Plans change when his ex-girlfriend Juana comes back into his life, claiming he is her child’s father.  Reluctantly, he takes responsibility, becomes a father, and then loses his child.

Roberto is deported while Juana remains in US custody seeking asylum and the whereabouts of her infant daughter. The film climax examines the reality of a family who has been separated from their child and their difficult if not impossible struggle to be reunited.

Amaraica is Sparks’ directorial debut. The subject matter of this film came from his own extended family, where he gained first-hand experience dealing with the complexities of undocumented immigration. In addition to his personal experience, the film is also further fueled by the inhumane practice of child separation at the US/Mexico border.

“I’ve been drafted into the community of undocumented individuals who are tragically affected every day by inhumane practice and policy at the US border,” Sparks recounted. “This film is for them,” he continued. “I invite you to walk a mile in their shoes as you watch, Amaraica, a human story about a family, perhaps not unlike your own, caught in a broken system, struggling to make a better future for their children in the land of the free and the home of the brave.”

Lending their experience and talents as producers are Musca, who first captured attention as the producer and co-writer of Oscar-nominated films Stand and Deliver and Carrillo.  Carillo, who became known for her performance in The Border and Predator, has amassed an impressive career in Hollywood.  She is now adding producer to her skillset.  

It’s been said that without Elpidia’s passionate resolve to bring Amaraica’s story to light, the film might not have been made. She is solely responsible for procuring the talent that stars in the movie.

When director Sparks approached Carillo with his script, it triggered the deep hurt she had carried since starring in her first film in Hollywood.

“I came to this country as a teenager, my first film The Border reflected a Hollywood view of the migrant situation. This view was racist and horrible,” Carrillo said passionately.  “We are not all prostitutes and drug dealers. We are hardworking, honest people doing their best to survive and feed their families.  I knew early on that I had to raise my voice to find and write stories that told the truth about Latinos.”

Carillo was heavily involved with the casting of Aldo Verastegui as the lead said, “I wanted to make sure our story was told from the right perspective and that the narrative remains true to real life.  When Aldo told me about his family experiences with immigration, I knew he was the right actor to bring this story to life”. 

“As a Latino/American actor, I am so proud of what we did. We didn’t make a movie just to make a movie. We wanted to tell a universal story that is not only about Mexicans but for every race of people around the world experiencing those same immigration problems,” Verastegui said.

Producer/writer Kori Sparks has worked on major films, including Inception, Angles & Daemons, and The Dark Knight Rises. Her hands-on leadership helped shape the vision and authenticity of Amaraica. 

Amaraica, a Sparkstar Production, was released last year and is now premiering on the pay cable channel HBO Latino/HBO MAX, September 3, 2021, and will be available for streaming.  Amaraica was produced in partnership with www.raisestexas.org, a non-profit advocacy group representing separated children and their families pro-bono.

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Comedian Frankie Quiñones is back on HBO Latino with a special show entitled Frankie Quiñones: Superhomies. It is an installment of the Entre Nos Presents comedy specials featuring top Latino comedians. The show will air July 9 and also be available on HBO Max.

The proudly self-proclaimed “LA made, LA raised” funny man will share stories about growing up Mexican-American in Los Angeles and the difficulties of dating. He will also feature his barrio alter-egos Creeper, from his CholoFit sketches about a fitness guru from the vecindario, and “JC” Juanita Carmelita, whom he describes as a “spicy suburban drama queen.”

This is not the first time that Quiñones (Feliz NaviDAD) is on the cable channel. He has been in episodes of Entre Nos, the series that has featured dozens of established and up-and-coming stand-up Latino talent since 2017. Now, the Angeleno comedian joins a selected group of comics who have earned their very own special, such as Erik Rivera, Shayla Rivera and Nick Guerra.

“Pumped to finally share the trailer for my comedy special,” Quiñones posted on Facebook, sharing a trailer of the show.

Quiñones has recently been featured in other TV projects. He has voiced several characters for the Cartoon Network Mexican-American animated TV series Victor & Valentino, created and starring Diego Molano, and starred in the TBS comedy series The Dress Up Gang. The comedian also appeared in Lifetime Television’s Feliz NaviDAD, a Christmas movie starring Mario Lopez.

The L.A. cómico is also set to appear in a lead role in ABC Studios/Hulu pilot Punk Ass B*tch from creator Chris Estrada. 

The post Frankie Quiñones Gets Own Comedy Special on HBO Latino first appeared on .

The event was filmed on Miches, a beach town located on the northeast coast of the Caribbean nation. Guerra is accompanied by his legendary band 440 in front of sea waves and beautiful palm trees, interpreting his classic and recent hits. The special will also provide a look into arrangements from the singer’s most recent audiovisual work titled Privé. 

A multiple Grammy and Latin Grammy award-winning artist, Guerra is credited with internationalizing bachata, a music genre born in the Dominican Republic in the first half of the twentieth century that mixes Spanish, Taino and African musical elements. 

After graduating from Boston’s Berklee College of Music in the early 1980s, Guerra went back to his homeland and recorded his debut album Soplando with a group of local musicians that later became known as Juan Luis Guerra and 440. His album Ojalá que Llueva Café showcased tropical genres like merengue, salsa and bachata-fusion as well as rock and romantic ballads and made him an international star. That was followed by the hit-making album Bachata Rosa, with songs like “Burbujas de Amor,” “Bachata Rosa,” “Rosalía” and “Como Abeja al Panal,” which won him his first Grammy. His other albums include Areíto, Para Ti, La Llave de Mi Corazón and Literal.

A winner of more than 20 Latin Grammys and three Grammys, Guerra has collaborated with legendary and top-selling artists like Tony Bennett, Alejandro Sanz, Luis Fonsi, Enrique Iglesias, Juanes, Maná, Diego Torres and Nelly Furtado.

“Providing impressive visual beauty amidst an inspiring backdrop, this concert will bring joy to all Latin Americans during these difficult times through Juan Luis Guerra’s songs of hope, love, happiness and joy, brought to life with his energetic merengues, salsas, and classic bachatas,” said the streamer in a press release. “This concert special is an intimate experience, from the most beautiful beaches of the Dominican Republic.”

The music event was shot during the COVID-19 pandemic with more than 75 crew members, 20 musicians and a dozen assistant crew members following safety and social distancing protocols, according to HBO. 

Juan Luis Guerra: Entre Mar y Palmeras is produced by Miami-based Loud and Live Studios an Entertainment and Santo Domingo-based Guerra Films. It is directed by Jean Guerra, the artist’s eldest son who has led his latest audiovisual projects. 

The performance is one of several concert specials of HBO Latino such as Piano y Mujer and Havana Street Party Presents: Beatriz Luengo earlier this year as well as others from the past few years featuring Diego Torres, Shakira, Orishas, Farruko, Gente de Zona and Pedro Capó–all of which are also available on HBO Max.

Featured Photo: Juan Luis Guerra (Credit: Universal Music Latin Entertainment)

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A working-class family moves into a mansion after discovering the death of its wealthy owner. Mistaken identity and a rag to riches comedy of errors ensue. Chateau Vato the latest from director/writer Tom Musca (Stand and Deliver, Tortilla Soup), a comedy film premiering on HBO November 27 stars comedian Paul Rodriquez, film actress Elpidia Carrillo (Mayans, Madre).

This is Carrillo’s first comedic role and she enthusiastically embraced it. “I have been a dramatic film actor all my life working with Johnny Depp, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Richard Gere, and Jack Nicholson. I always wanted to do comedy and somehow I was never cast in one. I was labeled a dramatic film actress. Then Tom Musca came to my rescue and without a question or auditions he believed in me, Carrillo said. “I never had so much fun. I loved working with Paul, we laughed, cried, and laughed a bit more. She went on to say, “This sort of thing is exactly what we need in sad times like this, I needed some joy so much in my life. I found joy in being funny, and sexy, this is just what I needed.”

As the story begins, we find Gustavo Alvarez’s business taking a blow when undocumented gardeners undercut his prices and steal his clients. What happens when this consummately skilled, but down-on-his-luck gardener, desperately trying to drum up new business stumbles upon a glorious estate that looks like it hasn’t been landscaped in months?

What if this gardener, finding no one home but the underfed dog, decides to audition for the job and manicure the property gratis? And what if this same gardener is evicted from his own house and suddenly finds himself homeless, and decides to return to the magnificent estate only to find the elderly owner… dead…what will he do?

That is only the beginning of the Alvarez family’s improbable journey. Before the comedic posturing ends, and before the good life tests marital harmony, the true cause of death of the previous owner will unearth mysteries that pit our gardener’s strong sense of ethics against the comfort and well-being of his family.

Poverty and hardship do not drive the family apart – but ironically the “fake good life” does.

With pathos and humor, this comedy aims not only to entertain but also provides an interesting take on addressing universal dilemmas, with humor and insight on the dual effects of stumbling onto wealth and wish fulfillment.  The film is intended to challenge us to think of our cultural heritage and class as a unique strength upon which we can build lives of independence in a multicultural world, rather than discount heritage, or even forfeit it.

With the city of Miami serving as the main location, the film is sociology embedded into this low budget/high broad-comedy concept that results in a timely crossover film that will appeal to all ages and audiences.  

The Latino population, according to the Pew Research Center, surpassed 60 million in 2019, and they are, per capita, the most frequent repeat moviegoers in the U.S.  A recent LA Weekly article pointed out that Latinos are the largest minority in the nation, and for all intents and purposes, invisible on the big screen.   This lack of inclusiveness offers an opportunity for Chateau Vato, with an all Latino lead cast, to appeal to all audiences, but in particular, Latino audiences.

Yet this film’s appeal will not be limited to one demographic; its emotional journey will cater to a wide audience both internationally and domestically.  It follows a U.S. Latino-themed film formula that has already proven successful with films like Instructions Not Included, starring Eugenio Derbez, and a mixed cast was made up of Latinos and Anglo actors.  The film went on to make $20 million in it first two weeks in release, with most of that coming from the U.S. Latino audience.  (Boxoffice to date: $100 million worldwide).

Director Musca knows a thing or two about producing a small budget film that makes a big impact. The film he co-wrote with Ramon Menendez and directed, Stand and Deliver received a Best Actor Oscar nomination for Edward James Olmos in the lead role of Jaime Escalante and went on to receive critical acclaim. Although in a different vein, the casting formula, Latinos in the lead roles, is the same. And, most audiences look for films with top-notch talent, production value, and in the case of Chateau Vato, a comedy that entertains. 

Mosca recalls the first day of production on Chateau Vato, “I was driving to the set at 6 a.m. I passed numerous Latino gardeners and maids walking on the side of the road, a long march between the bus stop and the palatial homes where they make their living,” he explained. “I thought about how we were making a movie for these people, who are always seen but never heard, and rarely will anybody tell their story. This movie was an opportunity to explore character terrain that had been previously ignored, or worse – portrayed in a stereotypical fashion. I wanted to depict them, not as saints or sinners, but as real human beings”.

Although the predominant point of view is told through a male gardener (Gustavo played by Rodriguez), Musca says the film’s success will largely be due to the strength of the actresses. “In almost all respects, the females dominate the males in this film. I worked very hard to write women who were conflicted, have secrets and private dreams – the types of things that give characters dimension”.

It’s The Beverly Hillbillies for the Latino community. Just enough plot, just enough life and death stakes, just enough quirky humor, and just enough mainstream narrative push to make this a highly successful project. 

Cast: Paul Rodriguez, Elpidia Carrillo, Patricia De Leon, Jenny Arzola, Tomas Roldan
Director/Writer: Tom Musca
Producers: Tom Musca, Tim Sparks
Executive producers: Alex Agrasanchez, Jeff Detlefs, Merilyn Marshall-Cullen, Cheryl Riess, Arturo Smith
Director of photography: Arturo Smith
Production designer: Isabela Isern
Composer: Jose Luis Esquivel
Casting director: Carlos Rojas

Production company: Chateau Vato Prod.

Distributor:  HBO Max, HBO Latino

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HBO Latino, the Spanish-language premium channel, is contributing to the increased visibility of Latinos in comedy with its newest comedy special Entre Nos: The Winners.

The winners of the Latinos Stand-Up! comedy competition – Mark Viera and Alex Carabaño – take center stage in this new edition of the stand-up comedy special. Entre Nos: The Winners debuts on Friday, June 19 (9:30-10:00 p.m. ET/PT) and will be available to stream on HBO GO, HBO NOW, and on HBO via HBO Max and other partners’ platforms.

Comedians Viera (dubbed by many as the Latino Bernie Mac) and Carabaño (co-owner of New York’s longest-running Latin vegan restaurant, VSPOT) perform in front of a live audience in the latest edition of HBO Latino’s Entre Nos stand-up specials. Entre Nos: The Winners feature the two comedians who won a stand-up comedy competition held in conjunction with the New York Latino Film Festival, with Viera and Carabaño coming out on top. In these sets, Viera talks about our smartphone life vs. “the beeper life” of his younger days, getting in trouble from innocent social media posts, and the “delete delete box”, while Carabaño shares anecdotes about being short, astrology and dating, and having a family that doubted his heterosexuality. Let these two winners win you over in this exclusive comedy special.

This is an edition of HBO Latino’s Entre Nos comedy shows all available on HBO digital platforms including HBO Max. Entre Nos, parts one and two premiered in 2017; Entre Nos, parts three and four, as well as Entre Nos: The Series, and Orlando Leyba: Adorable in 2018, Entre Nos: Spot On, Jerry Garcia: It’s Not My Weekend, Entre Nos: Gina Brillon: Easily Offended, Entre Nos Presents: Erik Rivera: Super White, and Entre Nos Presents: Nick Guerra: Love Me At My Worst.

Stay tuned for more details on the 2nd annual Latinos Stand-Up! annual comedy competition. Also, connect with HBO Latino’s latest news and updates, to view videos and get sneak peeks of behind-the-scenes footage on Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, and Twitter.

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HBO Latino Presents Erik Rivera: Super White Debuts
Friday, November 1st at 9:30-10:000 PM (ET/PT)

Funnyman Erik Rivera has been on a steady rise for several years. I first became aware of him in 2011when he made his late-night debut on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno, a springboard opportunity that every comedian dreams of!

After that Guatemalan/Puerto Rican comedian was invited to perform at the Just For Laughs Festival in Montreal, Kevin Hart‘s Laugh Out Loud Network, and NBC’s Last Comic Standing. In 2014, he starred in Jeff Valdez‘s NUVOtv special, Erik Rivera: I’m No Expert.

Ever since the NYC comedy scene discovered Rivera, his star has consistently been on the rise and a regular at NYC and L.A. comedy clubs such as The Comedy Cellar, Comic Strip Live, Gotham Comedy Club, The Laugh Factory, and The Comedy & Magic Club. Recently, he co-starred in CBS’s most talked-about episode of Superior Donuts, where he tackled the current state of immigration in the U.S.

After Rivera’s unforgettable, heart-warming performance on HBO’S Entre Nos: Spot On earlier this year, he returns to star in his own HBO Latino half-hour comedy special, Entre Nos Presents Erik Rivera: SuperWhite. In his first solo stand-up special for the network, he jokes on “levels of whiteness,” gross babies, the pleasure of Whole Foods, disappointing your mother when your kids don’t speak Spanish, and more.

LatinHeat: Congratulations on your HBO Latino special! Was it hard to convince HBO on the subject matter ‘Super White?’ It had to rattle some non-Latino nerves.

Erik Rivera: Yeah, well at first they were a bit taken aback but when they listened to my show, they totally got it and there just couldn’t be any better title. 

LH: How much different is performing for cable television than performing on your normal tour circuit?

ER: Television and live is always going to be different.  I mean it’s comedy but stand-up audiences and TV audiences are a different energy. Even though it was filmed in front of a live audience, we shot in San Antonio –thankfully it was a great audience because one never knows how it’s going to go. San Antonio is a great comedy city and the people came out to support the show. 

LH: When did you first realize you could make people laugh? 

ER: [Laughs] With family. I guess during summer family gatherings we’d be sitting around BBQueing and we’d all sit around making fun of each other, making each other laugh. But from an early age it was obvious I had those comedy chops. I always tell people that I come from a family who if they laugh at your jokes, it’s because they love you. 

LH: Do you see your comedy as educating the audience or more about giving them a break?

ER: I think that with this HBO special I’m doing a little bit of both. I just want to entertain and give everyone a break and I’m not preaching at you because I respect that if you’re going to watch the show, then it’s great if I can give them a half-hour of funny where they can forget about whatever else is going on in their day. And at the same time, I’m subtly educating you. With Super White, I am talking about my life and sort being an American born Latino or what it means to be an American Latino in this country during this climate right now. I talk about my family. I talk about myself, my marriage, and assimilating to be “American,” also at the same time of trying not to lose my culture. Sad that this is not a conversation we’re currently having and as Latinos at times we can get lost [somewhere in between].

LH: Yes, it’s a conversation we should be having.

ER: Yes it is and why I feel a lot of platforms are failing because they’re not buying that content that provides those important stories that we need Latinos need to hear.  HBO Latino created the Entre Nos brand that showcases comedians who are of different shades and flavors of brown—Dominicans, Puerto Ricans, Panamanians, Mexicans, every Latino in the United States. Entre Nos is spotlights comedians if all shades of brown like myself allowing us to tell our particular stories. If you look across the board, the other networks are failing. There is no network Latino sitcom telling our stories. One Day At A Time was on Netflix and now they’re on POP TV, but its hidden and not on network television. 

LH: In your opinion are comics made or born?

ER: I believe you are funny. But when it comes to standup comedy you have to learn how to structure a joke. There are comedy classes out there to take but it’s not going to make you funny. I believe you’re either born to be funny or not. I think you can learn the structure of it and see if you have what it takes to be funny.

LH: Hanging around with comics… I’ve picked up on some comic lingo they use to describe their experiences in dramatic terms… ‘I bombed’ or ‘I killed’… Can you recall the first time you died and how you felt?

ER: [Laughs] You know it’s funny because when you bomb it is not the best feeling in the world. It is very humbling and at the time you’ve got this sick feeling in the pit of your stomach. The first time I bombed, I wanted to quit. I was at this club that wasn’t in the best shape and I could hear water from a pipe behind me dripping. That’s how quiet it was and I just remember wanting to quit. Now that I’ve got years under my belt, I look back at it, I know it was a lesson. And in comedy lessons can be brutal. But the only way to learn is you really have to fall down. 

LH: Conversely, do you remember the first time you killed?

ER: Some of the favorite times I remember was that time on Jay Leno and I killed it big! This feeling will stay with me for the rest of my career. Oh my God, that was the most amazing show ever! And, when I shot the special in San Antonio the live audience gave so much energy it was almost overwhelming. 

LH: How long did it take you to get from opening act to middle act and eventually to closing? – the headliner?

To every young man or woman thinking of pursuing comedy, know that it’s a tough road. Stay focused on your goals and surround yourself with a support group– trusted friends– And, understand there is no rymne nor reason as to why some ‘make it’ or some don’t. If you’re Latino, support each other, root for each other. It’s not good to be divided. Support and uplift each other because it is the only way we Latinos will finally be able to forge ahead and break the barriers holding us back.” — Erik Rivera

ER: It’s very different for everybody and everybody’s trajectory is different.  I always feel bad for comics just starting out when they ask ‘so what’s the timeline?’ Look, it’s different for all. I mean Dave Chappelle got his first TV deal when he was 18, or you look at someone like George Lopez, his big TV deal didn’t come until he was 40. There is no rhyme nor reason to this. My wife and I talk about this a lot. She comes from the corporate world and she’s like ‘in two years if you work hard, there’s a promotion.’ I remember when I first started out she would ask those questions, ‘so how does it work for comic do you sit down in front of a board?’ [Chuckles] No there is no me sitting in front of Chris Rock or rocket science to it… no way to really chart it when it comes to a profession in comedy. 

LH: Was there any established comic who reached out to you and gave you encouragement or mentors who gave you advice? 

ER: When I first started in New York there were a lot of guys when I was on the road would help me out. Robert Kelly, who was based in New York and had his own show, there’s Godfrey, who was a big spokesperson for 7-Up and has been on everything from Soul Plane to his own specials out, and in time as I started getting more experience I always tell people you should get your own little foundation– your own group of friends, people you can rely on. I have that now where comics like a Felipe Esparza and actor-comic Anthony “AJ” Johnson whom I can reach out to and other friends, guys who I trust. It’s good to have a circle of people you can trust and rely on when you’re unsure or conflicted about something. You need your own support group. 

LH: Comics all have their idols or role model… who are yours? Who has helped you most in your career?

ER: I’d be lying if I didn’t say, my father. A lot of times my mother would work nights and my father was left to watch me and if you know anything about old school Latino fathers, they were not equipped to watch children. Him watching me consisted of, ‘Hey, your mom’s gone, go get me a beer out of the frig.’ And, we’d watch HBO shows that really a child should not be watching because there is a lot of adult content. But, I remember at a young age watching an Eddie Murphy special, or watching Richard Pryor and John Leguizamo’s Mambo Mouth! I was just a young kid and I shouldn’t have been watching any of these shows at that time but little did my father know as he’s having his beer and having a good time, I’m being influenced by these people. And, maybe that put the comedy seed in me at an early age that I was unaware of. Up until I started watching these comedians on TV, I didn’t know that was what I wanted to do one day.

LH: What are the elements of pain in your life that help fuel your comedy?

ER: I think as you go on in life there are different things you deal with and as a comedian, I have the ability to talk about different phases in my life and it does help people. I have spoken a lot about my father’s passing. He died of Parkinson’s and it was something my family and I had to deal with for 15 years. I didn’t realize how much it was going to resonate with people until I started talking about it on stage and then I did that special and I received so many messages and feedback. The outpouring of positive response was amazing– people thanking me because they too were going through the same thing. And by me talking about it really helped a lot of audience members who were dealing with the same.

LH: What do you hope to accomplish most with your career?

 ER: Working with Eva Longoria again, and we’re hoping that we can finally get representation on the network platform. We need to finally get a Latino sitcom back on the air. There haven’t been that many in recent times– George Lopez, Cristela, there is just a lot of gap in between where nothing has happened and even though networks claim they want to do this, well we’re out there! We’re ready! We’re waiting. We want to see us represented! It’s sad how we’re not represented because we make up a big chunk of the majority of the population!

Thank you, Erik!

In high demand, Rivera continues to tour comedy clubs and colleges nationwide. When not touring, the comedian calls both New York City and Los Angeles home.

Follow Erik Rivera on social media:
Website: https://www.erikrivera.com
Facebook
Twitter @ErikRivera
Instagram @erikriveracomedy

HBO Latino Presents Erik Rivera: Super White
Debuts Friday, November 1st at 9:30-10:000 PM (ET/PT)
Simultaneously across all of the channel’s platforms including HBO Now, HBO Go®, HBO On Demand® and partners’ streaming platforms.

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The nations’ leading Latino film fest, the New York Latino Film Festival (NYLFF), celebrating its 16th anniversary, will be held on August 12 – 18, 2019 with films and events featuring emerging and established Latino actors, filmmakers, influencers, and more.

 Full Schedule and Tickets Available July 22 at NYLatinoFilmFestival.com 

NYLFF, the nation’s premier and most diverse Latino film festival, and a touchstone of the nation’s thriving multicultural cinematic movement kicks off its 16th edition on Monday, August 12th.

The festival will feature more than 83 films representing 10 countries, spanning all genres including features, shorts, documentaries, web series and experimental films starring, about and for the U.S. Latino community.

This year, the festival will open with the New York premiere of the film Princess of the Row from director Max Carlson and starring Martin Sheen, Edi Gathegi, Ana Ortiz, Tayler Buck, Jacob Vargas, among others. Unflinching and emotional, Princess of the Row is the inspiring tale of a runaway foster child who will stop at nothing to live with the only family she knows: her father… a homeless, mentally ill-veteran fighting to survive on the streets of LA’s skid row. 

For Film Festival Highlights and Tickets, CLICK HERE.

The NYLFF returns with a star-studded line-up of screenings, including a special showcase of the beloved Bronx-set classic, I Like It Like That. Celebrating its 25th anniversary, the screening will be joined by the film’s cast– fully reunited for the first time since its premiere in 1994. The debut of writer/director Darnell Martin and the first-ever major studio release to be written and directed by an African-American woman is a charming, funny, and realistic account of a young Latina mother trying to contend with life in the Bronx.

In honor of the late Oscar-nominated filmmaker John Singleton, NYLFF is honored to present NYLFF Summer Cinema, an outdoor screening of Poetic Justice, with a special appearance by his daughter Justice Singleton.

Closing the Festival, NYLFF presents El Proyeccionista (The Projectionist), the first Dominican film to ever close the festival. The acclaimed film is the latest feature from prolific, young Dominican writer-director José María Cabral-whose last film, Woodpeckers (Los Carpinteros), was the first Dominican film to screen at Sundance-serves up some fluorescent Dominican noir in a riveting, genre-bending homage to the power of pre-digital cinema as seen through the lens of an old-style traveling cinema owner. 

Another NYLFF highlight is the FUTURO Digital Conference, a one-day digital conference featuring conversations from top thought-leaders, executives, and influencers in the digital space. August 12th, 1:00 to 7:00 PM, Free, to click RSVP to reserve your ticket.

HBO Latino Presents Latinos Stand-up Comedy Competition Finals on August 16th at 7:00 PM, free admission.

The New York Latino Film Festival (NYLFF) is presented by HBO. Major sponsors include American Airlines, Comcast NBCUniversal Telemundo. Additional support provided by Hennessy VSOP Privilege, Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment, WarnerMedia, Google, The Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA), AMC Independent, Hispanic Federation, SAG-AFTRA, DGCine Dirección General de Cine República Dominicana, and Third World Newsreel  For sponsorship and brand partnership opportunities, please contact: Info@NYLatinoFilmFestival.com

For details, please visit NYLFF’s website at: www.NYLatinoFilmFestival.com

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The first episode for HBO’s new 30-minute comedy Los Espookys debuted on June 14th is being described as the perfect mix of cool weirdo and horror, and Latino goths are going bonkers over it!

One TV critic calling Los Espookys, “A toast to the weirdos!”

Los Espookys star comedians Ana Fabrega, Julio Torres, Bernardo Velasco, Cassandra Ciangherotti, and Fred Armisen, portraying a team of misfits, and they have knocked this TV gem out of the field — a home run! Los Espookys funny cast brought this unexpected and extremely well-executed idea to HBO, and thank your spooky Gods they did!

According to EW.com, Armisen had the idea for a Spanish language show about a group of friends who love horror and brought Torres (a writer for SNL) and Fabrega (At Home With Amy Sedaris), who fleshed out the concept making the gang Scooby Doo-esque, a nod to Saturday morning cartoons, an eccentric group who just loves horror so much that they start arranging scares for horror thirsting clients.

“Los Espookys is just going to be equal opportunity weird,” Torres said. “This show will be as odd to English speakers as it is to Spanish speakers.”

Despite the unfortunate cancellation of One Day at a Time, Latinos have become a growing cultural and financial influence in the U.S. and box-office gold with their contributions to the entertainment business. And, now HBO’s venture into a Spanish-language show for the weirdly cool goth, means there is no end to the Latinx impact heights it will ultimately have. According to Hispanic data, more than 41 million people speak Spanish as a first language (about 13%) of the population. And, 12 million are bilingual (English/Spanish) speakers.

While Los Spookys, a mix of comedy and horror, is a completely engaging show, its format is also groundbreaking. Presented mostly in Spanish with English subtitles, portions that aren’t in Español utilize slang and English with Spanish subtitles to communicate to its audience.

It’s a big deal, folks, when a mega-cable giant like HBO broadcasts a Spanish language series and airs it in primetime! Think about it, the network that brought us the mega-hit Game of Thrones is now fully behind Los Espookys!

Los Espookys, HBO
Executive Producers: Fred Armisen, Lorne Michaels, Andrew Singer

On TV — Pacific Time — check your HBO grid in your part of the country”Fri., 6/21, 11 PM HBO (West) — New Episode
Fri., 6/28, 11 PM. HBO (West) — New Episode
Repeat of the first episode, which aired on June 14th:
Tues., 6/18, 7 PM HBO (West)
Thu., 6/20, 10 PM HBO2 (West)
Thu., 6/20, 10:30 PM. HBO Comedy (West)

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It was just announced that national competition in search of top Latino comedians, an opportunity to good to pass up for Latino talent, will be hosted by Comedienne and Writer Gina Brillón.

Entry rules, eligibility and prize info, click: NYLFF

Submission deadline is Friday, June 28, 2019, by 11:59 pm EST.

OK, here’s the 4-1-1 on this exciting new talent search:

The competition is designed to support emerging talent and increase awareness and representation of Latino voices in the comedy industry. The top five comedians will perform, and one winner will be chosen at a live event on Friday, August 16th at the New York Latino Film Festival.

“I’m excited to partner with NYLFF and HBO Latino in supporting our culture!” said Brillon in an HBO press statement.

“When I was 17, I got my first break at a local stand-up comedy contest and haven’t looked back since. I encourage everyone to enter and take advantage of this great opportunity to represent Latin comedic talent.”

“As Latinos we love to laugh and make others laugh,” Brillon said.

In addition, Lucinda Martinez, Sr. VP of Multicultural and International Marketing, HBO, stated that “We are thrilled to be able to open doors and provide a much-needed platform to unique groundbreaking comedic talent.”

Likewise, Calixto Chinchilla, Founder and Executive Director of the NYLFF, echoed this sentiment:

“It’s truly exciting to partner on the “Latinos Stand-Up” competition to recognize and advance comedic talent. We’re proud of our continued growth and status as a leading identifier for fresh and emerging creatives in film, television and social media. This partnership further broadens our influence of being on the pulse of discovering Latino talent.”

HOW IT WORKS:
Applicants must submit a 3-5 minute video online at NYLFF (no cost to enter) of their live stand-up performance, in English, that has not been previously broadcast in any form. Submission deadline is Friday, June 28, 2019, by 11:59 pm EST.

All eligible submissions will be reviewed by a panel of screeners, comprised of NYLFF, HBO Latino executives, and Viva Pictures, the official Producers of Entre Nos, who will determine the top 5 finalists based on performance and creative material.

The finalists will be invited to perform an 8-10 minute comedic performance at the “Latinos Stand-Up” competition, scheduled to take place in New York City during the New York Latino Film Festival from August 12 to 18, 2019.

The five finalists will receive round trip tickets courtesy of American Airlines, the exclusive travel carrier of the New York Latino Film Festival.

A panel of judges will select one (1) winner to be announced August 16th. ELIGIBILITY:
* Must be 21 years of age or older to participate.
* Open to all persons of Latino descent
* Only TV-14 rated performances will be considered.
* U.S. Citizens or Permanent Residents who physically reside in the United States, including Puerto Rico.

PRIZE:
The winning comic will receive a paid opportunity to appear in an upcoming HBO LATINO Entre Nos comedy special, including an all-expense paid trip to the taping, provided by Viva Pictures.

The winner will have a chance to meet one-on-one with an HBO executive after the festival, as well as meet with actress, writer, and comedian Gina Brillón.

NYLFF will provide each finalist with two (2) Festival passes.

And, as funny lady Brillón reminds us, “As Latinos, we love to laugh and make others laugh.”.

For more information, visit: NYLIFF

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