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

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

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

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

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

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

Why the scary genre?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Wall Cast: 

Karina Noelle Castillo as Lara

Andrew Lee as Samuel

Leonora Anzaldua, Producer and DP

Aram Ramirez is 2^nd Unit Camera

The Wall Crowdfunding Campaign

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

From independent producer to Senior Vice-President and Head of Latinx Content at Confluential Films, Joel M. Gonzales is making the jump to “executive”, stepping into a new phase of producing content that makes room for stories of underrepresented filmmakers in Hollywood.

As the newest member of the team, Gonzales will work closely with Confluential Films’ founder Tommy Oliver, Executive Vice President Mel Jones, and Head of Development Jonny Paterson to find authentic, inclusive stories that share the human experience. 

“Latinx content is a major priority for our company and having someone as talented as Joel at the helm will only supercharge our efforts to deliver authentic, entertaining, and moving content,” said Oliver on Gonzales joining the team.

Growing up in Watts, now known as South Central Los Angeles, Gonzalez remembers he originally wanted to be an actor. However, his priorities changed when he became a father and married shortly after graduating high school. When he was finally able to refocus on producing, he attended the Los Angeles City College Film Program while juggling two jobs to provide for his family. That’s when Gonzales realized that what he wanted to be was a producer. 

For 12 years he has worked as an independent producer through his own production company Action Faith Media. His first film Followed Home, a horror film which he produced for $2,000 is still available as a digital download. “I knew it had a marketable appeal.  I still collect a residual check every quarter for the film,” Gonzales recalls.

Joel is also a respected advocate for Latino diversity in the entertainment industry. For the last ten years has served as President of Nosotros, the oldest Latinx arts advocacy non-profit founded by the iconic Ricardo Montalbán in 1970.

As Gonzales embarks on his new position at Confluential Films, Latin Heat wanted to know how his life has shifted, what fuels him, and how his new role might benefit Latino independent filmmakers move their projects forward.

Once you realized producing was your calling, how did you break into the industry?

My first job in pursuing my career as a producer was at Summit Entertainment as an executive assistant to the business and legal affairs executive, Trellis Hann, who took me under her wing and showed me the ins and outs of international sales and distribution.  During my time there, I participated in the sale and distribution of movies such as The Blair Witch Project, American Pie, and Momento. From there, I moved to E! Entertainment in their rights and clearances department, working on the earlier version of E! News. From E! News, I grew into a position with their international distribution department. Again taking full advantage of the access, learning the ins and outs of international distribution for television. Soon after, I began producing short films with fellow filmmakers. One of my most successful short films was The Becoming, a sci-fi thriller.

From that experience, I moved to Paley Center For Media in Beverly Hills as an associate programming director. While there, I participated in the famous Paley TV Fest and learned the ins and outs of nonprofits and fundraising. I was approached in 2009 to join the board of Nosotros in hopes that I could bring some of my experience to develop programs for Nosotros. Shortly after joining, I was asked to step in as president to help with the organization’s redeveloping. 

Before I knew it, more people brought their unique skills in to help. That wonderful group included Fanny Veliz, Reko Moreno, Natalia Ochoa, J.M. Longoria, Mariana Anaya, Natasha Galano, truly dedicated young people wanting to belong to something that meant something. I spent most of my time rebuilding Nosotros and building my career as a producer, [producing] over 16 independent films and working for Sony Latin on some of their highest ranking and award-nominated music videos. 

I mention all of the above to answer the simple question. My Education? Still, to date, I don’t have any formal college education. I took every job and every opportunity, and I leveraged it forward. 

How did you connect with Confluential Films?

I was asked to produce a project that Confluential was partnering on with Mucho Mas Media. My good friend Javier Chapa recommended me. 

During my short time there during pre-production, I got to know Tommy Oliver and Mel Jones very well. I made it a point to keep in touch with Tommy, as I was very impressed with what he was able to accomplish and the goals and mandate he set for Confluential Films. 

During Sundance 2020, representing Nosotros, I reconnected with Tommy and his team at the Latinx House. I put the bug in Tommy’s ear about him having a Latinx division at Confluential Film, and that I would be happy to suggest writers, directors, and other filmmakers to him.  

From time to time, Confluential Films would hire me to create a budget or work with them independently to some degree. In November, I was asked by Tommy to be the line producer on his next documentary for HBO. Again I took the opportunity to remind him of my suggestion. But unbeknownst to me, Tommy had other plans, he took me by surprise and asked if I would be willing to join Confluential Films as the head of that division. I gratefully accepted his offer, and here we are. 

 What is the mandate of your position as the SVP and Head of Latinx Content at Confluential Films?

One of the main things I humbly asked Tommy for in my position, was that I could have the ability to give opportunities to strong Latinx voices, which he agreed was important. My mandate is simple and is the one that Tommy has instilled in everyone at Confluential Films — to deliver authentic, entertaining, and moving content. 

How does a filmmaker submit their work for consideration?  

At Confluential Films, we all work together in the development process led by Tommy. I am personally taking submissions, from features, docs, to scripted and unscripted content from Latinx Filmmakers (or otherwise).  I can be emailed directly, but all that I ask is that you come with your A-game and be prepared for honest feedback, and it has to have something to say in a unique and engaging way. 

Is there a specific genre of films are you looking to produce?

We are open to every genre, film, television, scripted, unscripted, and documentaries. The main ingredient that the project must have something profound to say.  

Do you believe Latino talent and creatives are finally being hired in parity with the African American entertainment community? 

I can only speak from my own experience.  I have often found that we, as Latinos, often put ourselves in a box. I do believe there is still a lot of work to be done. I see that a lot of the networks (sometimes reluctantly) create diversity programs but often still put the Latino experience as an afterthought. We do have to speak up and forcefully make sure our voices are heard. But the only way that we’re going to do that is by doing the work. Quality work that we can stand on. 

Any final thoughts, advice you would like to share for Latinos in Hollywood?

If anything, I would reiterate that we will stop being stereotyped when we stop stereotyping ourselves.  The Latino experience is not one layer. It’s a multitude of layers from the Mexican experience to the Puerto Rican experience to the Central American experience. 

I’m just someone who stayed focused on his dream. Knowing that every bump in the road, every letdown, every disappointment, and yes, every occasional success has led me to where I am now. My journey is far from over. First and foremost, I put my faith in God, and I strive to be a blessing to all those I encounter. Be willing to share. Be willing to be humbled. Be willing to serve. Be willing to work hard for your dreams no matter what.

For more information on Joel M.Gonzales:

Twitter: @Joel_M_Gonzales

Instagram: @joel_m_gonzales   

Facebook: @JoelMGonzales   

Featured Photo: Joel Gonzales

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