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

Hollywood’s “Hector” Returns

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

A Mystery Buried Inside a Decaying Prison

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

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

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

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

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

Becoming Hector Ramos

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

A Puzzle That Demands the Audience’s Attention

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

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

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

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

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

Filming Where “It All Went Down”

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

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

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

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

The Complicated Legacy of Hollywood’s “Hector”

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

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

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

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

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

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

Social Media Has Opened New Doors

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

“I like that things like that are happening.”

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

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

“Where Are All of Our Latino Films?”

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

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

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

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

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

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

Calling Out Performative Advocacy

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

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

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

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

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

Praising Real Ones & Latino Trailblazers

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

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

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

“This is for everyone.”

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

Learning to Protect a Good Heart

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

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

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

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

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

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

Integrity as a Path Forward

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

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

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

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

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

The Film That Changed Everything

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

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

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

Creating Roles Hollywood Has Not Offered Him

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Hector Holds the Keys in ‘Time of Death’

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

By Bel Hernandez Castillo

Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey has become one of the year’s biggest box office successes, earning $264.1 million and demonstrating once again that audiences will show up for epic storytelling. But beyond the impressive numbers is another story worth celebrating—one that has often been overlooked in Hollywood.

This time, Latinos weren’t simply part of the background. They were cast in meaningful, high-profile roles throughout one of the year’s biggest studio films.

Among the star studded cast lead by Matt Damon, Zendaya, and Anne Hathaway, are Academy Award winner Lupita Nyong’o as Helen of Troy and John Leguizamo as Eumaeus. Other Latinos cast are Jimmy Gonzales as Cepheus, Jesse Garcia as Menetus and Maurice Compte as the Steward of Menelaus, and Shiloh Fernandez, as First Trojan. Their presence signals a noticeable shift in how major studio tentpole films are beginning to reflect the audiences that have long supported them.

For decades, Latino advocacy organizations, community leaders, and entertainment journalists have argued that inclusion isn’t just the right thing to do—it’s smart business. U.S. Latinos have consistently ranked among the nation’s most frequent moviegoers, yet they have rarely seen themselves represented in proportion to their economic and cultural impact.

The Odyssey offers a compelling example of what happens when that equation begins to change.

No actor has championed Latino representation more consistently than Leguizamo. Throughout his career, he has used his platform—and his production and media ventures—to create opportunities for Latino talent and to connect directly with Latino audiences. Seeing him in a prominent role in one of Hollywood’s biggest releases carries significance beyond the screen. It reinforces the message that Latino actors belong in major studio films, not as token additions, but as integral parts of the story.

The film’s outreach also extends beyond casting. Star Matt Damon, (Odysseus), whose wife is Argentine, has embraced Spanish-language interviews while promoting the film, connecting with Latino audiences in a way that feels authentic rather than performative. Those moments matter. They acknowledge a moviegoing audience that has too often been treated as an afterthought despite its enormous influence at the box office.

Hollywood has spent years discussing diversity. The Odyssey demonstrates what inclusion can look like when it moves beyond conversation and into action.

Christopher Nolan deserves credit for assembling a cast that reflects a broader range of talent without making diversity the headline. Instead, it simply becomes part of telling a richer story. That’s exactly what audiences have been asking for.

The lesson is clear. Casting a wide net that includes Latino and other actors of color in leading and featured roles doesn’t diminish a blockbuster—it strengthens it. It broadens its appeal, expands its reach, and acknowledges the audiences who have long helped make Hollywood successful.

The success of The Odyssey won’t end the conversation about representation, but it provides another data point supporting what many have said for years: when Hollywood intentionally includes Latinos on screen and in its marketing, audiences respond.

Representation isn’t charity.

It’s good storytelling.

And as The Odyssey is proving at the global box office, it’s also good business.

For marketing & box office analysis read our 1st ? The Latino Box Office Effect™ HERE

The post Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey Rakes in $264.1 Million Opening Weekend — With Epic Latino Talent Inclusion first appeared on .

By Judi Jordan

AFM 2025 Lourdes Diaz AGC Partner/CCO spills on why every indie film needs its own playbook—and how flexibility beats formula

Lourdes Diaz doesn’t do cookie-cutter. As Partner and Chief Creative Officer at AGC Studios, the former Univision Entertainment President has built a reputation for one thing: trusting filmmakers enough to break her own rules. From expanding Latino narratives across broadcast and streaming to backing auteur-driven indies like The Tinder Swindler and Hit Man, Diaz has proven that betting on vision—not templates—wins.

At AFM 2025’s “Crafting the Narrative” panel, on November 13, Diaz opened up about AGC’s unconventional approach to financing, nurturing talent, and why the best decisions often come from throwing out the playbook entirely.

All In, All the Time

Forget passive oversight. At AGC, Diaz and her team are embedded in every frame. “We’re intimately involved in every aspect of every title on this slate,” she said. “I have three kids, and you love your children equally but differently. Some need more hand-holding, others need more space, others need nothing, just a credit card.”

That parent-producer analogy is operational philosophy. “When you’re on the phone with someone from a particular project, you’re in that moment. You’ve got to be present. You can’t bring baggage from the call before or after.”

Why the intensity? “They’re trusting us with their work and they’re trusting that we’re going to help them get it to screens.”

Stay Flexible

Ask Diaz about AGC’s financing model and she’ll give you the most honest answer in Hollywood: there isn’t one. “Every script that comes through has a different set of realities—the non-negotiables, and the things that are fungible,” she revealed. “We work in that place where we’re creatively figuring out what’s the best way to get this to screens and to audiences.”

What AGC does have? Speed and candor. “One of our superpowers is that we are quick to get back to you on whether we love something or we don’t,” Diaz said. Even passes come with intel: the studio tracks projects with potential, keeping doors open as scripts develop and elements attach.

When Netflix Said No, AGC Said Yes

Nothing illustrates Diaz’s flexibility better than Hit Man. The Richard Linklater comedy came to AGC in turnaround—studio-speak for “rejected.”

“We financed it independently,” Diaz recalled. “Glenn [Powell] and Rick [Linklater] put their heart and soul into it. Adria [Arjona] was fantastic. Then it went to a different platform.”

The pivot paid off. By staying nimble, AGC found Hit Man a theatrical release and streaming home. “We remained flexible and did what was right for the movie to get to the widest number of eyeballs yet still protect Glenn and Rick’s vision.”

Actors to Auteurs: Building Careers

For Diaz, the ultimate win isn’t opening weekend—it’s career trajectories. “To move someone from one category to the next—from a writer to director, from an actor to director, from a director to getting a passion project off the ground? You’re part of their history.”

With budgets ranging from $1 million to $150 million, every AGC project shares common DNA: director-led vision. “Every single one of those people put their trust in that director and went on a mission to make the best possible thing.”

Art-Commerce Tightrope

But for Diaz, success defies spreadsheets. “People will forget the plot of a movie, but they won’t forget how they felt after watching it. That’s truly rewarding.”

As AGC continues its expansion—from Univision alum Diaz’s Latino roots to global mainstream dominance—the studio’s secret weapon remains refreshingly simple: stay present, stay flexible, and never, ever use a template.

Because in indie film, the moment you think you’ve found the formula is the moment you’ve lost the plot.

The post Movie Miracles? No Problem: Lourdes Diaz Greenlit “Hit Man” and Broke AGC’s Own Rules first appeared on .

In a film festival landscape increasingly hungry for diversity yet still falling short in its representation of Latino voices, the Mexican American Film & Television Festival and Awards (MAFTF) is emerging as a powerful and necessary force. Now in its fourth year, this groundbreaking festival is the only one in the United States focused on turning a spotlight on the Mexican-American filmmaker —a group that, despite being the largest and most economically powerful Latino demographic, remains the most stereotyped and underrepresented in American media.

In May 2025 MAFTF presented it’s 4th edition, held over two days at the iconic Harmony Gold in Hollywood and the Milagro Theaters in Norwalk California, showcased this mission in full force, with corporate support from entertainment giants like MGM, Amazon, and Regal Cinemas, reflecting a growing acknowledgment of the festival’s influence.

Founded by visionary Dr. Jose Luis Ruiz, MAFTF is more than just a celebration of culture—it’s a corrective movement aimed at challenging deeply rooted media stereotypes and amplifying authentic stories.  The Mexican-American Film & Television Festival MAFTF has grown to become the premier Los Angeles Festival, representing the 40 million Americans of Mexican descent. Its focus is projects which depict the Mexican-American community, not with the usual Hollywood stereotype, but the more real-to-life depiction of a community of hardworking Americans who contribute and have contributed endlessly to this country.

“I am  also aware that despite our shared heritage, filmmakers from Mexico and  Chicano/Mexican-American filmmakers have not always collaborated as closely as we could,” said Dr. Ruiz, “This year’s festival theme was a call to action – a reminder that by working together,  we can amplify our voices, share our stories, and celebrate our rich cultural diversity”.

A Spotlight on Excellence

MAFTF is also dedicated to attract and honor some of Hollywood.s most accomplished figures. In a matter of four years, the festival has recognized some of the most accomplish filmmakers in Hollywood, including: Aademy Award-winning produer Yvett Merino, (Encanto); renowned director behind G20, Patricia Riggen (Miracles from Heaven); Frank Rodriguez, a leading executive at MGM Amazon Studios, and Moctezuma Esparza, Producer (Selena, Walkout, Milagro Beanfield War) among many.

These honorees, and many others, not only represent the heights Mexican Americans hacw reach in Hollywood but also serve as mentors and advocates for the next generation of talent. Their recognition by MAFTF serves to validate their lifelong contributions and underscore the significance of cultural representation in film and television.

Empowering the Future

While the awards bring deserved attention to established names, MAFTF’s core mission is supporting emerging filmmaker voices. Through its expanding platform, the festival has become a launchpad for filmmakers, actors, and creators. Each year, finishing grants are awarded to help filmmakers complete their projects, giving them crucial resources to bring their visions to life.

In addition to financial support, the festival offers year-round programming such as their yearly Masterclass with industry veterans, thought-provoking panels, and networking events aimed at building a sustainable ecosystem for Mexican American creatives.

A Growing Cultural Movement

More than a film event, MAFTF is the nucleus of a larger cultural awakening, highlighting the rich and diverse stories of Mexican Americans and Latinos. These stories are not only historically important but resonate deeply in a country where Latinos are the largest minority group, with Mexican Americans making up 66% of the Latino population.

With the U.S. Latino GDP now at $3.7 trillion annually, according to the Latino Donor Collaborative, the economic and cultural influence of Latinos in this country cannot be overstated. MAFTF is riding the wave of this momentum, earning national recognition and expanding its impact with each passing year. It’s a long-overdue platform for a community that has given so much to the American fabric, yet for too long, has been left out of its storytelling.

Looking Ahead

As MAFTF continues to grow in stature and relevance, its work is more crucial than ever. It is reshaping the narrative, empowering creators, and reclaiming identity—one story, one film, one celebration at a time. The message is clear: Mexican Americans are no longer waiting for Hollywood to notice them—they are building their own stage and inviting the world to see.

For the past four years, the Mexican American Film and Television Festival (MAFTF) has been committed to uplifting emerging filmmakers and their stories. This year, that mission came full circle when the festival’s founder, Dr. Ruiz, screened his own work-in-progress feature film, The Girl at the Fruit Stand, a modern Cinderella story of Xochitl, a Mexican-American street vendor offered a life-changing opportunity.

After debuting his short The First Cowboy a year before at MAFTF festival, Dr. Ruiz returned—not just as a founder, but as a filmmaker—using the festival as a platform to gather feedback and gauge audience response with his feature. His example underscores a valuable insight for all filmmakers: showcasing your film to a live audience can be a crucial final step. Testing marketability, refining based on reaction, and experiencing how the story resonates in real time can provide the finishing touch before release.

The post Mexican American Film & Television Festival and Awards is Focused on Changing the Narrative first appeared on .

By Bel Hernandez Castillo

Avenida Entertainment Group is taking center stage in the streaming landscape with its latest move: a strategic partnership between its newly launched streaming platform A+ and Nuestra.TV, the bilingual, ad-supported platform from Adsmovil. The collaboration will bring a curated selection of A+’s original English-language programming to Nuestra.TV, extending the reach of both platforms and reinforcing a shared mission—to authentically represent bicultural U.S. Latino audiences through compelling storytelling.

A+ (Avenida Plus), the brainchild of Avenida Entertainment Group, is carving out space in a media environment where Latino voices are often underrepresented or misrepresented. The platform delivers a carefully crafted slate of original series, docuseries, talk shows, and films that speak directly to the U.S. Latino experience—particularly bicultural and multigenerational viewers who toggle seamlessly between English and Spanish in their daily lives.

Among the standout A+ titles now featured on Nuestra.TV are Illegally Brown, Immigrant Voices of America, Baldo, Pinkafé Unfiltered, Barrio Chino, and Rated V. These stories span genres and formats, but all center Latino perspectives with authenticity, humor, and heart.

“This partnership between Avenida Entertainment Group and Nuestra.TV signifies a powerful alignment of innovation, cultural authenticity, and audience engagement,” said Fanny Grande, CEO of Avenida Entertainment Group. “By joining forces with Nuestra.TV and our streaming platform A+, we’re creating an unparalleled streaming experience that truly represents multicultural audiences. We’re also empowering a new generation of diverse creatives to share narratives that resonate deeply with viewers.”

The collaboration also amplifies the reach of A+, giving it access to Nuestra.TV’s expansive distribution across Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV, Android and iOS devices. Nuestra.TV has grown significantly since its 2020 launch, now offering over 10,000 hours of on-demand content and more than 20 FAST channels from the U.S., Latin America, and Spain.

Alberto Pardo, Co-founder and CEO of Nuestra.TV, echoed Grande’s enthusiasm. “Collaborating with A+ allows us to expand the bilingual experience we offer—while also creating new value for advertisers and content owners interested in reaching this high-growth audience,” he said.

With A+ programming now integrated into the Nuestra.TV ecosystem, the partnership stands as a major step forward in the evolution of Hispanic-targeted streaming. It also sets the stage for new co-marketing initiatives across AVOD (ad-supported video on demand) and FAST (free ad-supported streaming TV) environments.

By putting Avenida Entertainment Group and its A+ platform in the spotlight, this collaboration reaffirms the demand for Latino-driven content that doesn’t compromise on quality, language, or cultural nuance.

To explore A+ programming on Nuestra.TV, visit www.nuestra.tv, and learn more about A+ at www.aplusstreaming.com. Follow @watchaplustv on Instagram for updates and behind-the-scenes content.

The post Avenida+ Partners With Nuestra.TV To Expand Latino Storytelling Through Strategic Content Partnership first appeared on .

By Bel Hernandez Castillo

I knew I was a fan of Patricia Riggen’s work the moment I saw her directorial debut on the feature film, Under the Same Moon/La Misma Luna (2007). It resonated with me deeply—an emotionally charged immigrant story and a heartfelt Mexico/U.S. co-production that helped launch the U.S. careers of Eugenio Derbez (Miracles from Heaven, Instructions Not Included), Kate del Castillo (La Reina del Sur, Weeds), and, of course, Riggen herself. Since then, she’s steadily built a powerful résumé— Miracles from Heaven, The 33, Girl in Progress, proving time and again that she has the vision and talent to thrive in Hollywood. Now, with G20, her first action thriller starring Viola Davis, Riggen steps confidently into blockbuster territory, showing the world that high-octane storytelling belongs squarely on her directing card.

Patricia Riggen has long been celebrated as one of the most versatile and emotionally astute directors working in film and television today. Known for her humanistic storytelling and global perspective, the Mexican-born filmmaker has steadily built a career marked by empathy, authenticity, and bold vision. With the release of G20—a high-stakes, adrenaline-fueled action thriller starring Viola Davis—Riggen stakes her claim in a genre traditionally dominated by male directors, proving once again that she is a creative force to be reckoned with.

As one of the few Latina directors in Hollywood to helm such a large-scale action feature, Riggen’s role behind the camera is more than symbolic—it’s transformative. G20 isn’t just a gripping movie; it’s a cultural milestone. It presents a female president who is both fierce and maternal, and it’s directed by a woman who has carved out space in one of cinema’s most testosterone-driven genres.

“Movies are culture changers,” Riggen said. “I set out to make a hugely entertaining film, but also to deliver a character that would inspire women all over the world to think big.”

Born in Guadalajara, Jalisco, Riggen began her career in journalism and documentary filmmaking before transitioning into narrative storytelling. Her breakout feature, La Misma Luna (Under the Same Moon, 2007), earned critical acclaim for its tender portrayal of a young boy’s journey across the U.S.-Mexico border to reunite with his mother. It was a deeply personal film that introduced Riggen’s signature style: heartfelt stories rooted in realism and told from underrepresented perspectives.

She followed that success with Girl in Progress (2012), a coming-of-age tale starring Eva Mendes, and then delivered the powerful Chilean mining drama The 33 (2015), based on the true story of 33 miners trapped underground for 69 days. The film showcased her ability to handle large-scale productions while preserving the intimacy of human emotion, something that would serve her well in the years to come.

Expanding Her Canvas: From Drama to Action

Riggen’s foray into television further broadened her scope. She directed several high-profile episodes of the hit Amazon series Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan, diving into political intrigue and military tactics with a steady, assured hand. Her work on Hulu’s Dopesick—the critically acclaimed limited series starring Michael Keaton—garnered accolades for its powerful critique of America’s opioid crisis, cementing her status as a director capable of merging entertainment with social commentary.

But G20 marks a new chapter in Riggen’s career: an all-out, edge-of-your-seat action spectacle with a rich geopolitical core and an emotionally grounded heroine at its heart.

In G20, Riggen directs Academy Award winner Davis who plays U.S. President Danielle Sutton—a former combat veteran and mother of two, who finds herself leading a daring counteroffensive when heavily armed mercenaries attack the annual G20 summit in Cape Town, South Africa. As world leaders are taken hostage and the global economy is pushed to the brink through high-tech manipulation, Sutton must rely on her wits, her training, and her grit to restore order and save lives.

Ramón Rodríguez plays Agent Manny Ruiz, a key figure in the efforts to thwart a terrorist takeover at the G20 summit in Cape Town, alongside Davis.

“G20 is the kind of film I’ve always wanted to make,” Riggen said in a recent interview. “A smart, international action thriller with a female lead who is strong, vulnerable, and deeply human. I saw the potential to say something meaningful while keeping audiences on the edge of their seats.”

The film, written by Caitlin Parrish & Erica Weiss and Logan & Noah Miller, balances explosive action set pieces with moments of levity and emotional depth—a duality that Riggen handles with dexterity. Her collaboration with Davis, who also produced the film through her company JuVee Productions alongside husband Julius Tennon, was a creative match made in heaven.

“Patricia is really good at what she does,” Davis remarked. “She’s had a very specific journey as a director that allows her to bring a world perspective. That is absolute gold for an artist.”

Riggen brought her trademark authenticity to G20, grounding even the most high-octane moments in real-world research. She worked closely with military and technical advisors to ensure the depiction of the summit, the tactical operations, and the deep-fake digital threats were all rooted in plausible reality. Her goal was not only to entertain but also to inform and inspire.

In 2024 I interviewed her on the occasion of her receiving the Trailblazer in Directing award from the Mexican American Film & Television Festival & Awards.

Patricia Riggen’s G20 is now streaming globally on Prime Video. With this film, she doesn’t just direct an action movie—she directs a statement. And with her at the helm, it’s loud, clear, and thrilling from start to finish.

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And The Oscar Goes To…

All the signs are there pointing to a big night for Emilia Pérez, beginning with the Venice Film Festival where the three lead actresses, Karla Sofía Gascòn (El Senior de los cielos), Zoe Saldaña (Avatar, Lioness) and Selena Gomez (Only Murders in the Building), all share the Best Actress Award, afirst for that prestigious film festival.

At the Golden Globes, Saldaña’s show stopping singing and dancing performance of El Mal, won for Best Song, The genre busting, musical, drama, crime story, gender bending saga of physical, spiritual change and search for redemption, also won Best Film from France, as well as Best Motion Picture.

Legendary blockbuster filmmaker / director, James Cameron (Titanic, Avatar) said; “Emilia Pérez is just not like any other film that’s ever been made. It’s bold, daring, a vision.” And that daring and vision has resulted in 13 Oscar nominations including for: Best Adapted Screenplay, Original Score, International Feature, Supporting Actress, Actress, Director and Picture.

Zoe Saldaña is a shoo-in to win Best Supporting Actress. She’s already taken honors at the Golden Globes, Critic’s Choice and BAFTA award shows. All that’s missing is a Nobel Peace Prize and Baseball’s MVP Award. Look for Zoe to bring down the house when she performs El Mal.  Zoe has shown herself to be a topflight action/adventure star in Avatar, Guardians of the Universe and my favorite TV series; Lioness. But as the morally conflicted lawyer, Rita Mora Castro, Zoe Saldaña brings her acting, singing and dancing talents in full, brilliant display that will surely garner her Best Supporting Actress honors.

Karla Sofía Gascón is the first trans person ever nominated for an Academy Award. As the arch criminal, drug cartel kingpin, Manitas, who is surgically transformed into Emalia Pérez, Gascón’s portrayal is eerie, chilling, disturbing, but ultimately sympathetic and one colored with humanity. Manitas is an evil dude who through his metamorphosis into Emilia, tries valiantly to cleanse his soul and find ultimate redemption as a human being…as a woman.

Right now, Gascón is the betting favorite to win best Actress, but she faces stiff sentimental competition from Demi Moore in The Substance. However, Gascón’s nomination has been plagued over a controversy revolving around some seemingly racist remarks she made on social media. Hollywood immediately responded by essentially blackballing her. She was excluded from Netflix’s marketing campaign for the film. Even some of her co—stars and director of the movie expressed extreme disappointment in her perceived racist remarks and distanced themselves from her.

Initially, Netflix refused to pay for Gascón to attend the Oscars but have since reversed themselves and are paying for her to attend the ceremonies. Could it be Netflix senses (as this writer does) Emilia Pérez is going to win a boatload of Oscars and it will be a huge feather in Netflix’s streaming platform cap?

This controversy also raises the question: Do we punish artists for offensive behavior or remarks outside of their art? I think not. Mel Gibson said awful things about Jewish people. He was not blackballed and went on to make Hacksaw Ridge and Apocalypto  to critical praise. Gibson subsequently apologized for the remarks and so has Karla Sofía Gascón for her unfortunate social media posts.

Hopefully, the dark cloud of controversy over the nomination of Karla Sofía Gascón will dissipate, and the Academy will judge her solely for her groundbreaking performance in Emilia Pérez. 

That performance by this talented trans person has cultural and social significance because in this current political climate where homophobia, and hatred of the LGBTQ+ community has been validated in Executive Orders signed in bold Magic Marker scrawls, a Best Actress Oscar for Gascón would send a much-needed ray of hope and light in these uncertain times.

Selena Gomez did not receive an Oscar nomination for her role as Jessi del Monte, the troubled wife of Manitas. She did receive acting nods from BAFTA and the Golden Globes and this often award snubbed actress who has grown from a tiny tyke on Barney, the Purple Dinosaur, to a teen star on the Disney Channel’s The Wizards of Waverly Place, to an international pop singing sensation to currently being the pillar in the acting trio of Steve Martin and Martin Short on Only Murders in the Building, has proven in her tough, dark performance in Emilia Pérez,she is more than ready to take on serious, demanding  dramatic roles and will be a force to be reckoned with in the future.

The Oscars are right around the corner, and it looks like a battle between Wicked and Emilia Pérez to take top honors. Will this be the year Latino Hollywood can at long last finally celebrate by grabbing the brass ring? Well, I echo Manitas’ cooly confident affirmation: “Bingo!”
The Academy Awards, hosted by Conan O’Brien, air on Sunday, March 3, on ABC and stream on Hulu.

The post Why Emilia Pérez Wins Big at the Academy Awards first appeared on .

Bridging Generations Among Mexican and Mexican-American Filmmakers

Submission Deadline: Until January 15

The Mexican-American Cultural Foundation, a U.S. based non-profit organization dedicated to uplifting the Latino image in film and and television, will hold the 4th Edition of the Mexican-American Film and Television Festival  & Awards (MAFTF)  Saturday, April 19th and Sunday 20th, 2025, returning to its homebase at the Harmony Gold Theater in the heart of Hollywood. 

Filmmakers wishing to showcase their work at MAFTF are invited to submit now through our website  (www.MAFTF.org) where they can also find submission requirements. The final deadline for  submission is January 15^th , 2025. 

This year MAFTF continues its mission of amplifying the voices of Chicano/Mexican-American filmmakers with its theme Bridging Generations By Our Shared Roots: Somos De  Aquí Y Somos De Allá, which furthers their mission. The aim is to bridge the diverse experiences of Mexican born filmmakers and the Mexican-American/Chicano-born filmmakers, in an effort to showcase the nuanced difference and similarities which will foster communication, cultural awareness, and  shared identity through their projects.

The reality is, being Mexican-American fosters an opportunity to benefit from two rich cultures, shared experiences, and access to more perspectives that differ from one single  culture mindset. We are united, fierce, and resilient. 

MAFTF is a two day event with screenings of short films, features, and television content, culminating with the yearly Illustrious Award ceremony on April 20, 2025.  

“As we proudly announce the 2025 edition of the Mexican-American Film and Television Festival, I am reminded of the incredible success of our past three editions,” said MAFTF Director Dr. Jose-Luis Ruiz. “However, I am  also aware that despite our shared heritage, filmmakers from Mexico and  Chicano/Mexican-American filmmakers have not always collaborated as closely as we could. This year’s festival theme is a call to action – a reminder that by working together,  we can amplify our voices, share our stories, and celebrate our rich cultural diversity.

Dr. Ruiz, adds, “I am  excited to see the amazing work that will emerge from this collaboration and I invite all  filmmakers to join us on this journey.” 

MAFTF enlists a panel of judges consisting of Hollywood industry professionals who will be judging the submissions in the following categories: Best Film, Best Director, Best Short Film, Best TV Series, Best Male Actor, Best  Female Actress, Best Screenplay For Film, and Best Screenplay For TV.  

Our Illustrious awards honor Industry leaders and honor those in the industry pushing to change the narrative and how they go  above and beyond. Our past honorees have included producer Yvett Merino (Encanto), directors Patricia Riggen (G20, Miracles from Heaven), Writer/Director Luis Valdez (La Bamba/Zoot Suit), Frank Rodriguez, Head of Distribution at Amazon (MGM), and Producer Moctesuma Esparza (Selena).

Tickets will be available for purchase in early 2025.  Check our website at www.MAFTF.org

The post 4th Edition of The Mexican-American Film and Television Festival & Awards April 26 – 27, 2025 at Harmony Gold first appeared on .

By Bel Hernandez Castillo

The nine minutes standing ovation of French director Jacques Audiard’s latest film Emilia Perez at the Cannes Film Festival is a tribute to the Audiard’s vision and the three leads Karla Sofia Gascòn, Zoe Saldaña, and Selena Gomez who not only act in Spanish, but also dance and sing – it is a musical after all.

Emilia Perez is a film about cartel drug kingpin Juan “Manitas” del Monte’s  gender transformation into an elegant Spanish lady. It deals with heady topics like drugs, violence and psychology issues and at the end of the day, what money can, or cannot buy.  Saldaña plays Rita Moro Castro, a lawyer who is tasked with handling the legal matters of Manitas’ big shift from cartel kingpin to the women he has always been.  Selena Gomez plays Manitas’ wife Jessi, who after all is said and done, rekindles a relationship with a shady character, Gustavo (Édgar Ramirez) which just might unravel Emilia’s carefully laid family arrangements.

Gascòn, like her character in the film, is Spanish and also a trans woman in real life. This is the first film she has starred in as an actress after announcing her transition in 2018. Before that, she had a long career as a male actor.

Jacques Audiard was inspired for the idea of the musical from a chapter in a novel he read during the pandemic about a drug trafficker who yearns to change his identity.

Saldaña in the role of the lawyer gets to go back to one of her first artistic art forms of expression, dance. She has several dance numbers she performs in Emilia Perez as well as singing a couple of songs.  As for acting in Spanish, she is she is fluent. Although born in Passaic, New Jersey, when she was 10 years old her family moved back to the Dominican Republic for seven years.

Gomez, on the other hand told Vanity Fair in a recent interview, that the “Scariest thing was speaking in Spanish, for sure,” but what she ended up realizing, while singing in Spanish in the film, is that she sings better in Spanish than speaking it.

Audiard (winner of the Palme d’Or with Dheepan in 2015) started writing the film during the pandemic, after being inspired from a chapter in a novel about a drug trafficker who yearns to change his identity. The film has emerged as one of Cannes 2024’s biggest hits among critics and audiences alike.

Emilia Perez takes place in Mexico but was filmed mostly in France with a few location shoots in Mexico.  The film is set to release August 28, 2024

The post Zoe Saldaña, Selena Gomez and Karla Sofia Gascòn in ‘Emilia Perez’ Take Cannes by Storm first appeared on .

The documentary, which was produced by Artists Equity and directed by Jason Bergh, comes on the heels of the release of This Is Me… Now: A Love Story.

The Greatest Love Story Never Told follows Latina icon Jennifer Lopez as she embarks on her most daring and personal project – the creation of a new album and an original cinematic piece titled “This Is Me…Now.” The narrative takes the audience through her twenty-year career, exploring the highs and lows, triumphs, and challenges she faced. Unveiling her journey towards self-love, the film is a testament to Lopez’s determination to reclaim her narrative.

“The Greatest Love Story Never Told” grants unflinching access to Jennifer Lopez’s most personal moments. Through intimate interviews with her inner circle, including producing partners and longtime collaborators, the documentary paints a vulnerable portrait of an icon who puts it all on the line. Candid home moments showcase the real Jennifer Lopez, allowing audiences to witness her authenticity and resilience.

Directed by Jason Bergh and produced by team including Courtney Baxter, Gillian Brown, Lindsay Utz, and Stephan Bielecki, “The Greatest Love Story Never Told” is an Artists Equity production. Executive producers are Dani Bernfield and Jason Bergh, along with co-producers Caitlin Alba-Rothstein and Eliza Comer.

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