EXCLUSIVE: Adrian Grenier’s Faith, KJ Apa’s turn as James Stewart, Renée Zellweger’s directing debut and Michael Keaton’s Sweetwater lead a five-day Central Texas celebration, with Revolution’s Daughter closing the festival.

Latin Heat can exclusively reveal that central Texas is getting a new film festival with some formidable names on the marquee. Adrian Grenier, KJ Apa, James Hong, Martin Freeman, Renée Zellweger and Michael Keaton are among the talents represented in the inaugural Leander Film Festival, launching November 11–15, 2026, with a lineup bringing Hollywood icons, Texas premieres, international filmmaking and emerging voices together for five days of cinema.

From the life of screen legend James Stewart to the extraordinary journey of Alina Fernández, Fidel Castro’s daughter, the program spans biographical drama, science fiction, animation, martial arts comedy and documentary. Screenings at venues including Alamo Drafthouse, Film Alley and AMC will anchor a festival experience that also includes filmmaker conversations, industry programming and opportunities to discover the next generation of storytellers.

For Latino audiences, the inaugural edition offers several compelling connections: Puerto Rican actress Paola Andino in the thriller You Can’t Leave; Entourage star Adrian Grenier, whose maternal grandfather is Mexican, in Faith; Julian Works in JIMMY; and the closing-night documentary Revolution’s Daughter, featuring Cuban cultural powerhouses including Gloria Estefan and Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Nilo Cruz.

Those connections run through a broader slate packed with recognizable talent and Texas ties. Two-time Academy Award winner Zellweger’s first film as a director comes home to her native state. Keaton steps behind the camera while sharing the screen with Kyra Sedgwick. And KJ Apa takes on one of American cinema’s most beloved figures in JIMMY.

KJ Apa and Julian Works Revisit a Screen Legend’s Wartime Story

With JIMMY, the festival turns its attention to James Stewart, an enduring icon of American cinema whose work includes It’s a Wonderful Life, Rear Window and Vertigo. KJ Apa, best known for starring in Riverdale, portrays Stewart in the biographical drama directed by Aaron Burns.

The cast also includes Julian Works, known for 9-1-1: Lone Star and The Long Game, as Second Lieutenant Martinez, a Mexican American pilot who flies alongside Stewart during World War II. As the film follows Stewart’s twenty combat missions and his return to Hollywood, their bond brings a Latino presence into this pivotal chapter of the screen legend’s life.

Works’ connection to The Long Game also extends to the festival’s industry programming. The Texas-shot drama will be among the productions discussed during the festival’s SB22 panel on Texas film incentives, with local producers including Christian Sosa, an executive producer of The Long Game, attending.

Texas-based writer Justin Strawhand is confirmed to attend the screening and red carpet, while co-star Kara Killmer will attend the closing ceremony. Their participation adds a local connection to a film centered on a performer whose legacy reaches across generations.

Adrian Grenier Brings Faith to Its First Public Screening

The festival will host the first public screening of Faith, featuring Adrian Grenier. The locally shot comedy follows an optimistic teacher who takes over as pastor of a small-town Texas church after his father unexpectedly retires amid tragedy. Grenier plays Tyler, a rival pastor.

Grenier, best known for Entourage and The Devil Wears Prada, also brings a Mexican American connection to the lineup through his maternal grandfather. His family’s history was explored on PBS’s Finding Your Roots with Henry Louis Gates Jr.

Shot locally, Faith brings the actor known to television audiences as Vincent Chase in Entourage into a distinctly Texas setting. Its first public showing gives Leander audiences an early opportunity to discover the project, accompanied by exclusive, previously unpublished images.

Paola Andino Joins an Adventurous Genre Lineup

Paola Andino joins the inaugural lineup in You Can’t Leave, directed by Scott Windhauser and also starring Spencer Boldman. The thriller follows a search for a missing sister into a forest with a sinister hold on those who enter.

Born in Puerto Rico and raised in Texas, Andino brings a particularly fitting connection to the festival. Audiences first came to know her as the lead of Nickelodeon’s Every Witch Way, with later credits including Queen of the South and Lisa Frankenstein. Shot in Dallas and produced by Robert Paschall Jr., You Can’t Leave also brings a distinctive screening opportunity: according to festival organizers, Leander is the only festival in the country showing the film during its active theatrical run.

The wider program has plenty for genre fans to explore. James Hong, whose extraordinary career includes Big Trouble in Little China, Kung Fu Panda and Everything Everywhere All at Once, stars in the martial arts comedy Gimme My Money.

Martin Freeman, the Emmy-winning star of Sherlock, Bilbo Baggins in The Hobbit trilogy and Everett Ross in Marvel’s Black Panther films, brings further international star power to the lineup with Little Bug. Owen Teale, known to Game of Thrones audiences as Alliser Thorne, stars in Something Pointless, while beloved Texas screen veteran Barry Corbin, whose credits include Urban Cowboy and Northern Exposure, appears in Heaven and Hell.

Together, these selections offer the pleasure of seeing performers associated with major franchises, acclaimed television and landmark films working across an adventurous independent program.

Revolution’s Daughter Brings a Powerful Cuban Story to Closing Night

The festival will close on November 15 at AMC with Revolution’s Daughter, Peabody and Emmy-winning director Thaddeus D. Matula’s documentary about Alina Fernández, her escape from Cuba and the life she built beyond the shadow of her father, Fidel Castro.

The film brings a deeply personal perspective to a story shaped by power, exile, family and identity. Its participants include Gloria Estefan, Nilo Cruz, artist José Bedia and poet and art critic Ricardo Pau-Llosa, placing Fernández’s experience alongside voices with profound connections to Cuban culture.

Local Leander producer John Martinez O’Felan’s involvement connects the closing-night selection to a mission he articulated in his 2022 Latin Heat interview: creating more Latino stories and greater opportunities for Latino talent. Having discussed bringing Fernández’s life to the screen through Alina of Cuba, he now helps bring her own voice to the forefront in Revolution’s Daughter, placing a Cuban woman’s account of family, power and exile at the center of Leander’s closing night.

John Martinez O’Felan will attend alongside fellow producers Austin-based Allen Gilmer, Riki Rushing and Joe Lamy adding further Central Texas connections to the closing-night event.

For Leander’s inaugural closing night, the selection brings an internationally resonant story into a festival that is also celebrating the creative life of its own region.

Zellweger and Keaton Bring Star Power Behind the Camera

Few names carry the combination of critical acclaim and audience affection associated with Renée Zellweger. The star of Bridget Jones’s Diary, Chicago, Cold Mountain and Judy enters a new chapter with They, her directorial debut, which will make its Texas premiere at Leander.

The retro-styled animated short gives audiences a different view of an artist whose performances have helped define some of the most memorable films of the past three decades. For the Texas-born actress, its place in the inaugural lineup adds a home-state connection to a significant creative milestone.

Michael Keaton, whose screen career stretches from Batman and Beetlejuice to Birdman and Spotlight, also brings his work as a director to the festival. He directs and stars opposite Kyra Sedgwick in Sweetwater, a 21-minute science-fiction drama making its Texas premiere.

The film uses a futuristic premise to explore intimate emotional territory. Screenwriter Sean Douglas, Keaton’s son, is confirmed to attend, giving festivalgoers a direct connection to the creative team behind one of the lineup’s most prominent selections.

Hollywood Experience, Texas Ambition

Helping drive the inaugural festival is co-founder Sasha Yelaun, a producer whose credits include The Old Way, starring Nicolas Cage; Nandor Fodor and the Talking Mongoose, featuring Simon Pegg, Minnie Driver and Christopher Lloyd; The Vanished, with Thomas Jane and Anne Heche; and Hellfire, starring Stephen Lang. His experience bringing established screen talent and independent productions together lends Hollywood industry experience to Leander’s ambitious debut.

Yelaun co-founded the festival alongside Mike Herrera, a Leander City Council member and community arts advocate; Laura Davis, founder of Davis Consulting AI; and Diane Herrera, founder and CEO of CSSI Solutions. The founding team brings together film production, civic leadership, communications and business expertise to help establish a new destination for cinema in Central Texas.

The festival operates under the nonprofit Leander Arts & Film Alliance, which supports film, arts, cultural programming and creative education. Its setting has a cinematic history of its own: Leander is a Film Friendly Texas community, and the city’s Bagdad Cemetery appears in the opening of The Texas Chain Saw Massacre.

Five Days of Discovery

The festival begins on Veterans Day, November 11, with a special out-of-competition screening of the animated Sgt. Stubby: An American Hero at the Leander VFW. Across the following days, the program moves between established talent and new discoveries, with Texas filmmaking, student work, international shorts and experimental storytelling sharing the spotlight.

Additional selections include Our House Is on Fire, directed by Ukrainian filmmaker Alice Biletska, alongside Texas-connected work such as Tough Enough, Missing Socks and Let Fall the Rain. Alex Hanno’s psychological thriller Bravado will make its Texas premiere, with star Luca Malacrino confirmed to attend. Academy Award-nominated director Jonathan Heap will also attend with Ghosts of ’45, adding another filmmaker conversation to the inaugural program.

Filmmaker Q&As, workshops, panels, networking events and awards extend the experience beyond the screenings. The festival’s Feature Screenplay & Co-Production Pitch Market will offer cash prizes and development packages to selected finalists, creating another avenue for emerging writers.

For its first edition, Leander is bringing together the appeal of cinema’s celebrated names and the excitement of finding something new. Audiences can encounter Zellweger’s first work behind the camera, Keaton’s latest directing effort, Apa’s portrayal of James Stewart, Grenier’s new comedy and a Cuban documentary with a remarkable cultural ensemble, all within the same five-day program.

The inaugural Leander Film Festival runs November 11–15, 2026, in Central Texas. For passes, screening details and festival updates, visit leanderfilmfestival.com.

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

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

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

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

Jessica Medina Takes the Lead in Divided

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

JM Films, Latino Representation and Human Trafficking

Producing is becoming much more than another credit for Medina.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Medina’s Humanitarian Work With Heaven’s Kitchen

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Mexicali Shows Audiences a Different Side of Medina

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

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

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

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

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

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

Forest Whitaker, Ty Walker and the Mentors Who Helped Medina

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Joe Carnahan Reminded Medina of Her Value

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The post EXCLUSIVE: Jessica Medina on Leading Roles, Producing, Representation, Giving Back & Her Hollywood Mentors 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 .

The Short Film That Resonated at The Mexican American Film & Television Festival

By Bel Hernandez Castillo

Film festivals are an amazing place to discover films and filmmakers who you instinctively know you want to see more of. Recently at the Mexican American Film & Television Festival, there were several short films that fit the description. One that caught our attention, and an audience favorite, was The First Cowboy, written, executive produced, and co-directed by Dr. Jose-Luis Ruiz and produced by Johnny Murillo.

The First Cowboy recounts the powerful and engaging story of how Mexicans, the original inhabitants of the Southwest, and Americans co-existed before the human cost of the ultimate US conquest of Texas. The story is told through the eyes of two families, the gentile Southerner Palmers, and the educated, progressive land owners, la familia Velascos.

The film is both a love story and an epic human story that depicts the initial mistrust between the Protestant Palmers and the Catholic Velascos. The friendship begins with the slow and reluctant interaction which blossoms into affection and pacts made between them, and then the eventual betrayal, followed by dehumanizing domination.

In 2018 Dr. Ruiz formed a non-profit organization, the Mexican American Cultural Education Foundation (MACEF) with the goal to spotlight the endless contributions the Mexican-American people (Chicano, Latino, Hispanic, Latinx, or 1st generation immigrant) and their rich culture have given to America. To that end, in 2022 MACEF launched the first ever Mexican American Film & TV Festival. This year the film festival grew exponentially with over 100 projects submitted this year, and where trailblazers like pioneering writer/director Luis Valdez (La Bamba, Zoot Zuit, The Cisco Kid) are honored with the Illustrious Award for their contributions to the world of cinema.

But why a festival dedicated to Mexican American we asked Dr. Ruiz. Simply put, he reminds us that Mexicans-Americans are the largest percentage of the U.S.Latino population. There are 63 million Latinos in the U.S. Mexicans who can trace their ancestors to Mexico, make up 21% of the U.S. population, a group that contribute the largest portion of the $1.7 trillion annual GDP Latinos are noted for to the U.S. economy, yet Mexicans are the most vilified and not given the credit they deserve, according to Dr. Ruiz.

The mission of MACEF is “To change the narrative by educating the community about the endless positive contributions the Mexican-American people, (Chicano, Chicanx, Latino, Hispanic, Latinx, or 1^st generation immigrant), and their rich culture have given to America, which is often unrecognized. This is to be achieved by promoting unity, education, pride, and progress.”

The First Cowboy is based on a novel by the same name written by Dr. Ruiz. It delves into the tradition of the American cowboy, the subject matter of countless Hollywood movies. But those movies have never dealt with the true origin of the Mexican “vaquero” whose traditions were adapted to create the iconic American “Cowboy”, which was truly a Mexican tradition. 

Dr. Ruiz has long been studying the history of the Mexican Vaquero and now has produced and co-directed the film that tells the story, The First Cowboy. We sat down with Dr. Ruiz to delve into the story, his book the film is based on and the reason this story is important.

LATIN HEAT: Dr. Ruiz, congratulations on your film The First Cowboy, and the great response you had at the festival. I love the subject matter, and I had heard that the American cowboy learned from the Mexican Vaqueros but did not know all of the story. Why did you feel the need to write about it and then take the next step and make a short film?

DR. RUIZ: This is a crucial part of the history of Mexicans in American history that the history books have never told correctly. Before writing my fiction novel The First Cowboy, The Collision of Two Great Cultures, I did extensive research and hired a historian to dig out information about the lives of the people who lived at this time. This film is an adaptation of the novel.

LATIN HEAT: One thing we enjoyed and the audience seemed to enjoy as well as the references to the Mexican vaqueros teaching Americans the Mexican vaquero culture, why do you think this is so well received by the audience?

DR. RUIZ: If you read the news and see Hollywood films, you would have to assume Mexicans are newcomers to America, and who barely contribute to this country. Few Americans understand that Mexicans have been part of America for almost 200 years and have contributed in endless ways to make America what it is today, but have never been credited for it. What is more American than the cowboy?  Well, the fact is that the vaqueros are the original American Cowboys, almost a carbon copy of the Mexican vaquero and that is a thing of great pride for Mexicans and Latinos, and to see it on the screen makes all of us very proud.

LATIN HEAT: We know that while you are an award-winning novelist, this is in fact your first film. What made you confident that you could make such an impactful short?

DR. RUIZ:  I feel very fortunate to have found such a great producer in Johnny Murillo within his production company Chicano Hollywood. He and his production team are very talented and who worked tirelessly to make my story come true on the screen. I am a creative, and I have a vision and I guarded this vision throughout the casting, production, and post-production, to closely adhere to the novel. I feel so proud of the truly remarkable actors who turned in stellar performances like Fernanda Kelly, Mauricio Mendoza, Ryon Thomas, Bree Segars, and Glen Baggerly.

LATIN HEAT: The audience loved the film and expressed their desire to see the whole story in a feature film. What are your plans in that regard?

DR. RUIZ: I am excited to tell you that I am also working on the full feature, and I am currently shopping the film for major studios and using the short as a proof-of-concept. I am confident soon everyone will be able to see the full-feature film on the big screen.

LATIN HEAT: When can people see the film? 

DR. RUIZ: Currently, the full 20-minute short film can only be seen at film festivals. But in the meantime, everyone can see the trailer on my website www.RuizElevamosFilms.com.

The talented cast of The First Cowboy includes the leads Mauricio Mendoza as Don Ignacio Velasco and Fernanda Kelly as his wife Maria. Ryon Thomas and Bre Segars play the Palmers with Emma Elle Bird as the Young wife.

Music Composer Sid De La Cruz, Director of Photography Pablo G. Ledezma, Editor Sid Sotelo

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Amazon Studios and the Los Angeles Latino International Film Festival (LALIFF) have announced the winners of the inaugural LALIFF Works in Progress, a finishing fund to support independent US-based Latino filmmakers in the completion of a feature film.

The three winning selections are Omni Loop, directed by Bernardo Britto; Sisters, written, produced, and performed by Marta Mendez, Valeria Maldonado, and Virginia Novello; and Papa Melissa, directed by Sophia Stieglitz and produced by Constanza Castro and Dominica Castro.

Over 78 Individual directors and independent production companies submitted a picture-locked cut in the final stages of production for consideration, and the top three were selected based on their unique directorial voice, cultural significance, and commercial viability. The funds will be divided based on each project’s post-production needs. Additionally, Amazon Studios will offer additional support to the filmmakers through mentoring and in-kind resources.

“We are very proud of the winners of our first ever LALIFF Works in Progress competition. We are grateful for Amazon Studios’ support and excited to see these filmmakers complete their feature films” shared LALIFF Artistic Director Diana Cadavid.

“At Amazon Studios we are committed to removing barriers to success at all points in the creative process,” said Jerome Core, Head of US & WW DEIA Content for Amazon Studios. “We are thrilled to join LALIFF in helping these talented creatives achieve their filmmaking goals.”

LALIFF Works In Progress finishing fund-winning films are:

Omni Loop – Diagnosed with a black hole growing inside her chest and stuck in a loop reliving the last five days of her life, a 55-year-old wife and mother from Miami, Florida decides to solve time travel in order to go back and be the person she always intended to be. Omni Loop stars Mary-Louise Parker (Weeds) and Ayo Edebiri (Bottoms, The Bear). It is directed by Britto and produced by David Hinojosa and Benjamin Cohen. The film was part of the Sundance screenwriters and creative producer labs.

Sisters – Following in the footsteps of their beloved grandmother, three estranged Mexican-American sisters take an adventure through rural Mexico to complete a pilgrimage. Maria, having recently discovered she has cancer, reunites her sisters in hopes of finding a miracle. Yet, as she attempts to keep her illness a secret, the tension between Sofia and Lucia seems to interrupt any chance of healing. With no hiking experience or reception, the sisters encounter challenges at every turn, but with the help of a local botanist with a dark past, the magic of Mexico will fill them with adventure and hope. The disease and the pilgrimage will bind them together in an attempt to find healing, forgiveness, and an unexpected miracle. The film stars writers Mendez, Maldonado, and Novello as well as Cristo Fernandez (Ted Lasso).

Papá Melissa – At home Papá, on the street Melissa. Set in Mexico City, a family of street merchants reconcile with their father´s non-binary identity: exploring gender roles and contradictory emotions. Papá Melissa takes us through an internal battle of crashing beauty constructs and parental duties. Identifying as a two-spirited person, this father and family challenge society’s general beliefs. Directed by Stieglitz and produced by Constanza and Doménica Castro at 271 Films.

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 provided 17 college-bound students with resources to make a high-quality short film to strengthen their film school applications and scholarship opportunities. The finished film screened at LALIFF in June.

Visit https://laliff.org/programs/wip/ for more details on the LALIFF Works in Progress program.

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COMMENTARY By Bel Hernandez

Sitting “al fresco” at the community screening of Eva Longoria’s directorial debut Flamin Hot (releasing June 9, 2023), at Los Ángeles cultural center La Plaza de Cultura Y Artes was such a beautiful experience! 

Over 1000 men, women, and children, mostly Latino audience seeing themselves reflected on screen.  It was an amazing thing to witness.  As I looked around at the audience I saw grown men watching the screen with wonder. The ladies hooting and hollering when the female character took charge, while the children watched and giggled along. I turned to look back and saw a wave community collectively feeling what representation on screen feels and looks like, as they watch a Latino-themed, all-Latino cast film directed by Longoria and produced by the man that saw its potential Devon Franklin (Miracles from Heaven). 

This inspiring true story of Richard Montañez (Jesse Garcia), a Frito Lay janitor who disrupted the food industry by channeling his Mexican heritage to turn Flamin’ Hot Cheetos from a snack into an iconic global pop culture phenomenon.  He along with his wife Judy (Annie Gonzalez) knew how our community loves to spice up any food with a little bit of “chile”.  He saw an opportunity and took it. Back in the early 1990’s Montañez convinced the big bosses at Frito-Lay they were missing out on making money with the growing Latino consumer market.  That caught their attention.   

So when the company’s marketing failed to attract the Latino community, Montañez rallied his co-worker and friends, and family to help promote the new Flamin’ Hot Cheetos product to the people he knew would love it. He took matters into his own hands creating a grassroots marketing campaign to prove that our community buys when we are marketed to with intention.

As a film-going community, we now have an opportunity to prove our VIEWING POWER.  We can choose to rally our friends and family to watch this film. 

Garcia and Gonzalez turn in outstanding performances as the lead of the film, and the supporting cast is a combination of established actors that include Emilio Rivera (Mayan MC), Tony Shalhoub (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel), Pepe Serna (Art is Life, Scarface) and Dennis Haysbert (Lucifer).  Additionally, other cast members include Bobby Soto (The Tax Collector)  and the charismatic Brice Gonzalez (Lopez vs. Lopez).  At the end of the day, if we can really show that we support well-made films with talented Latino actors, there will definitely be more stories.  Maybe next time it will be your story.  

Just as Montañez did in real life, rallying his community to support Flamin Hot Cheetos, we as a film-going community, have an opportunity to rally our friends and family to watch this film on Hulu and/or Disney+ starting Jun 9.  We have an opportunity to watch and enjoy this film and show our LATINO VIEWING POWER…and have a good time doing it.

When “community” comes together it is an unforgettable experience. 

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Jacob Vargas and Jaime Camil will appear in the upcoming thriller Kimi, a thriller directed by Academy Award-winner Steven Soderbergh that is set in the middle of the Covid-19 pandemic in Los Angeles.

Penned by David Koepp, whose writing credits include Jurassic Park, Carlito’s Way and Spider-Man, the feature centers on an agoraphobic tech worker Angela Childs (Zoë Kravitz) who discovers evidence of a crime during her routine revision of sound files while working from home. After reporting to her superiors but failing to convince them to take immediate action, Angela feels forced to step out into a world of chaos as L.A. faces protest against a city ordinance that limits the movement of homeless people in an effort to contain the deadly pandemic. But in order to complete her mission, Angela must face her fear of the outdoors.

Mexican-born actors Vargas and Camil co-star alongside Kravitz and Rita Wilson, who plays Angela’s boss. Other cast members include India de Beaufort, Emily Kuroda, Byron Bowers, Derek DelGaudio, Erika Christensen, Devin Ratray, Andy Daly, Robin Givens and Charles Halford.

This is not the first time that Vargas works with Soderbergh. A native of the Mexican state of Michoacán and raised in the L.A. community of Pacoima, Vargas was featured in Traffic, the acclaimed 2000 feature about Mexico’s drug wars that won four Oscars, including one for Benicio del Toro. In the film, Vargas played the partner of Del Toro’s character.

Vargas would join Soderbergh once again two decades later in Mosaic, the 2017 HBO crime series based on the murder of Olivia Lake, a popular children’s book author and illustrator.
Vargas’ introduction to acting was a role as a breakdancer in the popular TV show Diff’rent Strokes in 1978, which led him to pursue acting. He appeared in the films Mi Vida Loca and My Family, in 1993 and 1995, respectively.

Vargas went on to star in the features Selena, Get Shorty, American Me and Next Friday. His most recent credits include FX’s crime thriller series Mayans MC and Netflix’s comedy series Mr. Iglesias.

For Camil, this will be his first collaboration with Soderbergh. He is best known playing Fernando Mendiola in the Mexican telenovela La Fea Más Bella, Mexico’s version of Ugly Betty, and Rogelio de la Vega in CW series Jane the Virgin, which earned him two Teen Choice Awards, one Imagen Award and two nominations for the Critics’ Choice Television Award.

Kimi is a co-production of New Line Cinema and Warner Bros. It is set to be released on HBO Max Feb. 10.

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In the film industry, Hollywood has a soft spot for actors who are famous or have enough charisma to be capable of guaranteeing a box-office success, simply by being in the movie — no matter if it’s a leading role or a cameo.

According to Blake Harris, a media consultant, “A bankable star has to meet one of 3 minimum requirements to any film package. The other two is being able to sign on a successful director and a script or a strong story idea.” The idea of a star in a film gives investors confidence that they will achieve a return on their investments by ensuring that the film is widely distributed and that at least some people will pay to see it, most especially during the film’s opening weekend.

The following are Latinx are part of the exclusive Bankable Star status:

Jennifer Lopez
Since the movie Selena catapulted Jennifer Lopez on a trajectory to superstardom, the multifaceted actress, singer, producer, business entrepreneur, has become a role model for millions of young girls and women all over the planet.  Lopez will be starring next in Hustlers, a new movie about female strippers who turn the tables on their Wall Street clients. This fall, she is also starting production on a new romantic comedy Marry Me, starring opposite Owen Wilson and Maluma. Her most recent big-screen outing Second Act grossed over $72 million worldwide. On TV, Lopez starred for two seasons on the hit NBC-TV series Shades of Blue and produced the Freeform cable series The Fosters.

Eugenio Derbez
This Mexican born comedian, writer, director-producer, achieved enormous popularity on Mexican Television and brought his homegrown audience and expanded it across the border to the US. Derbez translated and transformed that popularity into theatrical film box-office success with his debut feature, Instructions Not Included which he co-wrote and directed. At $100 million dollars in box-office ticket sales, it became the highest-grossing Spanish language film ever released in the U. S.! This led to another hit comedy, How to Be a Latin Lover with Salma Hayek and Raquel Welch. Derbez’ most recent success was co-starring with Anna Faris in MGM’s/Lionsgate remake of the comedy Overboard that resulted in a $95 million worldwide box-office gross. Derbez now runs his own production company 3 Pas Studios and is currently seen in the family film Dora The Explorer and The Lost City of Gold in which he also serves as executive producer.

Zoe Saldana
This remarkable young actress of Dominican-Puerto Rican descent made her film debut almost twenty years ago. In 2009, she sealed her stardom power in two blockbuster films– Star Trek, with her role as Lt. Uhura, a character originally portrayed in the TV series by Nichelle Nichols, and in James Cameron‘s innovative and groundbreaking Avatar in which she played Neytiri. Since then she became part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe with her portrayal of Gamora in Guardians Of The Galaxy ($773MM worldwide) and in 2018, Avengers: Infinity Wars ($258MM opening weekend). Other memorable films include Luc Besson’s Colombiana and Pirates of The Caribbean: The Curse of The Black Pearl. Saldana is now working reprising her role as Neytiri in the forthcoming Avatar sequels.

Andy Garcia
One of the most respected leading actors, Garcia has had an extraordinary acting year in 2018 with important roles in three feature motion pictures. He played Mitchell, a suave airline pilot who romances Diane Keaton in The Book Club. In Mama Mia: Here We Go Again he portrays Fernando Cienfuegos, a hotel manager with a mysterious past who romances Cher.  Garcia co-starred in Clint Eastwood’s The Mule in which he played a drug cartel leader who takes a liking to the old drug runner played by Eastwood. For HBO films’ My Dinner with Hervé, Garcia portrayed the legendary actor Ricardo Montalban to David Dinks as Hervé Villachaize, the diminutive Tattoo in scenes recreating the classic TV series Fantasy Island in which Montalban and Villachaize starred. Garcia won a Best Supporting Actor nomination for his role in Francis Ford Coppola’s Godfather 3. He is also known for his roles in Ocean’s Eleven, a 2001 film whose worldwide gross is $450MM and Ocean’s Twelve, a 2004 film whose worldwide gross is $363MM.

Salma Hayek
Her Oscar nomination as Best Actress for her powerful portrayal of the renown Mexican painter Frida Kahlo in the film Frida, which Hayek also produced, brought her new recognition as a dramatic actress after years as a reigning Latina sex symbol in such films as Desperado and From Dusk Till Dawn. She recently received critical acclaim for her bare-bones portrayal of Beatriz in the social satire Beatriz at Dinner, written and directed by Miguel Arteta.  Hayek joins Angelina Jolie in Marvels’ 2020 production of The Eternals, and just wrapped the action-comedy The Hitman’s Wife Bodyguard with Ryan Reynolds and Samuel L. Jackson. For the newly formed Amazon Studios, she plays Isabel in the Sci-Fi adventure film, Bliss opposite Owen Wilson.

Michael Peña
Chicago born actor is on the cusp of major stardom even though he has been working steadily in leading and supporting roles for most of his career in such films as Crash ($98MM worldwide), American Hustle ($252MM worldwide), End of Watch ($49MM worldwide… not bad for a $7M film budget), Chavez, Fury, Ant-Man ($520MM worldwide), and The Wasp.  He is featured in Dora The Explorer as Dora’s father. He is also set to portray the mysterious Mr. Roarke in Blumhouse’s film version of the classic TV series Fantasy Island.

Penelope Cruz
She is the only Spanish-born actress to win an Oscar by taking the Best Supporting Actress award for her role as the tempestuous artist Maria Elena in Woody Allen’s romantic comedy Vicky Christina Barcelona in 2000. She was nominated for Best Supporting Actress in 2009 for Nine and as Best Actress for Volver in 2006. This past year she was nominated for television’s coveted Emmy award for Best Supporting Actress in the mini-series The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story. Cruz and her husband Javier Bardem will be seen starring together in the film Loving Pablo due out this fall. Cruz first came to fame in her native Spain. Aside from her amazing acting career, she is also a successful product spokesmodel for companies such as L’Oreal, receiving millions for her endorsements.

Javier Bardem
Is a Spanish born actor who won an Academy Award in the Best supporting actor category for his role as the deranged killer in No Country for Old Men ($172MM worldwide), and Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales ($795MM worldwide). Bardem who slides from character actor to leading man will soon be seen in the new film version of the Sci-Fi novel Dune and will play King Triton in Disney’s live-action remake of The Little Mermaid. His other films include Skyfall, The Sea Inside, and Vicky Cristina Barcelona, who he co-starred with his wife, Penelope Cruz.

Benicio Del Toro
Since he first emerged in the mid-1990s, Del Toro is considered one of the most watchable and charismatic actors in Hollywood. This Oscar winner for Best Supporting Actor for his role as a Mexican border cop in Steven Soderbergh’s Traffic (2000, $208MM worldwide), and more recently, he was nominated for television’s coveted Emmy award for Leading Actor in a Limited Series for his portrayal of an escaped convict in Escape from Danemmora.  Del Toro also starred in the critically acclaimed hit film Sicario ($85MM worldwide) and its sequel Sicario: Day of the Soldado. Currently, his golden voice is heard on Dora and the Lost City of Gold as Swiper.

Edward James Olmos
The award-winning and Oscar-nominated Olmos, is an actor, director, producer, and activist who leads a busy life. He’s either acting or directing, beginning with his current role as family patriarch Felipe Reyes on FX‘s Mayan’s MC., now entering its second season. Olmos voiced the character of Axel in the family feature A Dog’s Life and also stars along with Ryan Guzman and Julie Carmen in the 9/11 film Windows on the World. He directed the upcoming indie feature The Devil Has a Name. In 2017, Olmos voiced Chicharrón in the blockbuster animation, Coco ($808MM so far!). Olmos was nominated for an Academy Award as Best Actor for his brilliant performance as math teacher Jaime Escalante in Stand and Deliver, and won a television Emmy award as Best Supporting Actor for his portrayal of the iconic Lt. Castillo on the long-running police Television series Miami Vice. Olmos is also best known for his work on TV series Battlestar Galactica, and films Blade Runner, and Selena.

Oscar Isaac
This Juilliard School alumn has been dazzling audiences with his exceptional and unforgettable performances on stage, TV and now the big screen. Isaac was born in Guatemala and at 5 months old, his family immigrated to the U.S.A. and raised in Miami. He is widely known for performances in films including X-Men: Apocalypse ($544MM Worldwide), Star Wars: The Force Awakens ($2B Worldwide) and Inside Llewyn Davis, for which he received a Golden Globe Award nomination.  Isaac was seen earlier this year with Ben Affleck and Charlie Hunnam in the Netflix action-adventure Triple Frontier and will next be seen in his role as X-wing pilot Poe Dameron in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker due out in theaters this Christmas.

Jimmy Smits
Known for the film Star Wars: Episode III — Revenge of the Sith, and the TV series NYPD Blue and The West Wing. The Emmy and Golden Globe-winning actor returns to feature films for his role as Kevin Rosario a proud hardworking businessman and father in Lin Manuel Miranda’s In The Heights after a succession of acclaimed television portrayals in TV series: How To Get Away With Murder, Sons Of Anarchy, and Dexter. Smits will be starring in a new series in September as Memphis lawyer Elijah Strait in NBC’s Bay City Law.  Among Smits, many feature film credits are Price of Glory, My Family and Old Gringo.

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The Imagen Foundation announced today 93 nominations in 18 categories from informational programming and on-air advertising to outstanding individual performances, and primetime programming in film and television. The 34^th Annual Imagen Awards will be presented Saturday, August 10th, at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills.

Among the nominees, the Latino Public Broadcasting (LPB) also announced three of its LPB funded films are among the nominees: John Leguizamo’s Road to Broadway; Bernard Ruiz’s documentary, Harvest Season, and Emilio and Gloria Estefan: The Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song.

The Imagen Foundation has honored and celebrated diversity in the entertainment industry for over 30 years. The award show has acknowledged actors, studios, executives, and many more for their exceptional performances and contributions in Hollywood.

The Imagen Awards nominees are determined by an independent panel of entertainment industry executives and Latino community leaders.

The Theatrical Motion Pictures Nominees are: 

Best Feature Film

• ¡He Matado a mi Marido! (HM Movie)
• Instant Family (Paramount Pictures)
• Monsters and Men (NEON/Moviepass Films)
• Pain and Glory (El Deseo/Sony Pictures Classics)

Best Director

• Sean Anders, Instant Family (Paramount Pictures)
• Pedro Almodovar, Pain and Glory (El Deseo/Sony Pictures Classics)
• Reinaldo Marcus Green, Monsters and Men (NEON/Moviepass Films)

Best Actor – Feature Film

• Antonio Banderas, Pain and Glory (El Deseo/Sony Pictures Classics)
• Joe Camareno, Tin Holiday (Celtino Entertainment Group (CEG))
• Andy Garcia, Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again (Universal Pictures)
• Anthony Ramos, Monsters and Men (NEON/Moviepass Films)

Best Actress – Feature Film

• Jasmine Cephas Jones, Monsters and Men (NEON/Moviepass Films)
• Jennifer Lopez, Second Act (STX Entertainment)
• Isabela Moner, Instant Family (Paramount Pictures)
• Rosa Salazar, Alita: Battle Angel (20th Century Fox)

The Television Nominees are:

Best Primetime Program – Drama

• How To Get Away With Murder (ABC; ABC Studios)
• Magnum P.I. (CBS; CBS Television Studios, Universal Television, Perfect Storm Entertainment, Davis Entertainment, 101st Street Productions)
• Manifest (NBC; Jeff Rake Productions and Compari Entertainment in association with Warner Bros. Television and Universal Television)
• Pose (FX Networks; Fox 21 Television Studios and FX Productions)
• Queen of the South (USA Network; Fox 21 Television Studios and UCP)
• Shades of Blue (NBC; Universal Television in association with Nuyorican Productions, EGTV, Ryan Seacrest Productions and Jack Orman Productions)

Best Primetime Program – Comedy

• Abby’s (NBC; Universal Television in Association with Waila Inc., Fremulon, 3 Arts Entertainment)
• Brooklyn Nine-Nine (NBC; Universal Television in association with Fremulon, Dr. Goor Productions and 3 Arts Entertainment)
• Jane the Virgin (CW; CBS Television Studios)
• On My Block (Netflix)
• One Day at a Time (Netflix; Sony Pictures Television for Netflix)
• Superstore (NBC; Universal Television in association with Spitzer Holding Company, and The District)

Best Primetime Program – Specials, Movies & Limited Series

• Emilio & Gloria Estefan: Library of Congress Gershwin for Popular Song (PBS; WETA, Bounce, the Library of Congress, Latino Public Broadcasting)
• Gabriel “Fluffy” Iglesias: One Show Fits All (Netflix; Triage Entertainment)
• Icebox (HBO; HBO Films in association with Gracie Films and Endeavor Content)

Best Actor – Television 

• Gabriel Chavarria, The Purge (USA Network; Blumhouse Television and UCP (Universal Content Production))
• Jason Genao, On My Block (Netflix)
• Jay Hernandez, Magnum P.I. (CBS; CBS Television Studios, Universal Television, Perfect Storm Entertainment, Davis Entertainment, 101st Street Productions)
• Lin-Manuel Miranda, DuckTales (Disney Channel; Disney Television Animation)
• JD Pardo, Mayans M.C. (FX Networks; Fox 21 Television Studios and FX Productions)
• Jon Seda, Chicago P.D. (NBC; Wolf Entertainment in association with Universal Television)
• Diego Tinoco, On My Block (Netflix)

Best Actress – Television

• Alice Braga, Queen of the South (USA Network; Fox 21 Television Studios and UCP)
• America Ferrera, Superstore (NBC; Universal Television in association with Spitzer Holding Company, and The District)
• Diane Guerrero, Doom Patrol (DC Streaming Network; Warner Bros.)
• Lela Loren, Power (STARZ; End of Episode, Inc., Atmosphere Entertainment MM, LLC, G-Unit Film & Television, Inc. and CBS Television Studios in association with Starz Originals)
• Justina Machado, One Day at a Time (Netflix; Sony Pictures Television for Netflix)
• Gina Rodriguez, Jane the Virgin (CW; CBS Television Studios)
• Mj Rodriguez, Pose (FX Networks; Fox 21 Television Studios and FX Productions)

Best Supporting Actor – Television

• Ser Anzoategui, Vida (STARZ; Big Beach and Chingona Productions in association with Starz Originals)
• Angel Bismark Curiel, Pose (FX Networks; Fox 21 Television Studios and FX Productions)
• Omar Leyva, Icebox (HBO; HBO Films in association with Gracie Films and Endeavor Content)
• Julio Macias, On My Block (Netflix; Sony Pictures Television for Netflix)
• Hemky Madera, Queen of the South (USA Network; Fox 21 Television Studios and UCP)
• Danny Pino, Mayans M.C. (FX Networks; Fox 21 Television Studios and FX Productions)
• Wilmer Valderrama, NCIS (CBS; CBS Television Studios)

Best Supporting Actress – Television 

• Carla Baratta, Mayans M.C. (FX Networks; Fox 21 Television Studios and FX Productions)
• Stephanie Beatriz, Brooklyn Nine-Nine (NBC; Universal Television in association with Fremulon, Dr. Goor Productions and 3 Arts Entertainment)
• Melissa Fumero, Brooklyn Nine-Nine (NBC; Universal Television in association with Fremulon, Dr. Goor Productions and 3 Arts Entertainment)
• Isabella Gomez, One Day at a Time (Netflix; Sony Pictures Television for Netflix)
• Natalie Morales, Room 104 (HBO; HBO Entertainment in association with Duplass Brothers Productions)
• Rita Moreno, One Day at a Time (Netflix; Sony Pictures Television for Netflix)
• Genesis Rodriguez, Icebox (HBO; HBO Films in association with Gracie Films and Endeavor Content)

Best Young Actor – Television 

• Anthony Gonzalez, Icebox (HBO; HBO Films in association with Gracie Films and Endeavor Content)
• Elias Janssen, Jane the Virgin (CW; CBS Television Studios)
• Jenna Ortega, Elena of Avalor (Disney Junior Disney Television Animation)
• Jenna Ortega, Stuck in the Middle (Disney Channel; It’s a Laugh Productions)
• Marcel Ruiz, One Day at a Time (Netflix; Sony Pictures Television for Netflix)

Best Variety or Reality Show

• Hip-Hop Houdini (Fuse; 7Beyond)
• Last Week Tonight (HBO; HBO Entertainment in association with Sixteen String Jack Productions and Avalon Television)
• Mexican Dynasties (Bravo; Shed Media and Campanario Entertainment)
• Mira Quien Baila: All Stars (Univision; Endemol Shine Boomdog, Univision Studios)
• Pati’s Mexican Table (WETA Washington, DC / American Public Television; Mexican Table, LLC, WETA Washington, DC, FRANK. and Switchblade)
• World of Dance (NBC; Universal Television Alternative Studio in association with Nuyorican Productions and World of Dance)

Best Children’s Programming

• DuckTales (Disney Channel; Disney Television Animation)
• Elena of Avalor (Disney Junior; Disney Television Animation)
• The Loud House (Nickelodeon)
• Sesame Street (HBO; Sesame Street Workshop)
• Victor and Valentino (Cartoon Network; Cartoon Network Studios)

Additional Nominees are: 

Best Documentary

• A Sacred Journey (Higher Ground Entertainment)
• America ReFramed: Pyne Poynt (WORLD Channel; American Documentary)
• Great Performances: John Leguizamo’s Road to Broadway (PBS; NGL Studios & Diamante Content Production in association with THIRTEEN PRODUCTIONS LLC for WNET & Latino Public Broadcasting)
• Harvest Season (PBS/Independent Lens; Quiet Pictures)
• The Sentence (HBO; Park Pictures in association with HBO Documentary Films)
• Wonders of Mexico (PBS; PBS and BBC co-production)

Best Informational Program (Local or National)

• Breaking Big (PBS; Ozy Media)
• Pati’s Mexican Table (WETA Washington, DC / American Public Television; Mexican Table, LLC, WETA Washington, DC, FRANK. and Switchblade)
• Univision 34: Mujeres en el Poder/Women in Power (Univision 34)
• VICE (HBO; HBO Entertainment in association with Vice and Bill Maher Productions)
• VICE News Tonight (HBO; HBO Entertainment in association with Vice and Bill Maher Productions)

Best Short-Form Non-Fiction Program

• Cuban Canvas (Riverfilms)
• SC Featured – A Dreamer’s Path (ESPN)
• SC Reportajes: Chicharito – Vidas Paralelas (ESPN)
• SC Reportajes – Maryland Gonzalez (ESPN)

Best On-Air Advertising

• Acura “Senses” (Orci)
• DISH Puerto Rico COPUR Inspiración (RightCut)
• DishLATINO Ingles Para Todos Campaign (RightCut)
• Sexism (Orci)

Follow the Imagen Awards on social media:
Facebook  Twitter and Instagram for all of the latest updates on the awards!

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“If we don’t put the pedal to the metal in diversity and inclusivity, we will not have continued success”

By Elia Esparza

Spider-Man: Far From Home cashed in its second-best day– Friday, July 5th, with $32.7M, way up from $26.5M. Friday it jumped 30% over July 4th with a four-day running total now at $124.M for the Sony release.

Projected 3-day was projected between $87M to $93M, and it came in almost right on the money with $92,579,212

We can talk numbers up and down, about the stars and while we continue to push for more diversity in principal casting, we want to focus on the importance of one of the producers who makes magic happen.

Marvel Studios Executive Producer Victoria Alonso began working at Marvel in the late 2005. She began as a co-producer on Iron Man and visual effects producer and now she is the highest–ranking Latinx at the blockbuster Marvel team.

Once again she has worked her magic and Spider-Man is in the headlines for exceptional box-office revenue generated this past weekend.

Alonso impressive blockbuster credits include a string of Marvel hits– Captain America: Civil War, Doctor Strange, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, Thor: Ragnarok, Black Panther, Avengers: Infinity War, Ant-Man and the Wasp.

As an Executive VP of Production at Marvel Studios, Alonso has garnered many awards including HPA’s Charles S. Swartz Award at the 2018 HPA Awards.

In 2017, she was the first woman to be honored with the Visual Effects Society’s Visionary Award, and the first woman to be honored with the Visual Effects Society’s Visionary Award.

Alonso is an important voice in Hollywood as a producer, as a Latina, and as a female senior executive. She was named to The Hollywood Reporter’s 2017 Women in Entertainment Power 100.

A native of Buenos Aires, Alonso moved to the U.S. on her own at the age of 19, beginning her career as a PA at Digital Domain.

Victoria Alonso may wear many hats as a producer, but at the heart of her talent, she’s a natural born storyteller displayed via her exceptional producer and visual effects visions.

She is an advocate for diversity, noting that inclusivity is good for business in a recent Reddit interview:

“Why wouldn’t we be? “Why wouldn’t we be? I’m so passionate about this. Our entire success is based on people that are incredibly different. Why wouldn’t we? Why wouldn’t we only want to be recognized by one type of person? Our audience is global, is diverse, it’s inclusive. If we don’t do it that way for them, we will fail. If we don’t put [the] pedal to the metal [in] diversity and inclusivity, we will not have continued success. Our determination is to have that for all of the people out there watching our movies.”

Reddit Interview, June 5, 2019

With super A-list star power like Tom Holland, who plays Spiderman, Jake Gyllenhall, Samuel L. Jackson, Zendaya and many others, we also want to recognize the Latinos who make up this stellar cast: — the actors in minor roles — Hemky Madera (Queen of the South) who plays Mr. Delmar, Tony Revolori (The Grand Budapest Hotel) who plays Flash Thompson and Jorge Lendeborg Jr. who reprises his role of Jason from Spiderman: Homecoming. And, to the dozens of behind-the-scenes professionals, technicians, engineers, and music/audio experts– Latinos from the U.S.A. and on location in Spain, Italy, Prague and where ever else Spider-Man was filmed! Latinos are there rocking it with their skills and experience.

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