When an AI Productivity Monitoring Software deems widow Tita (Laura Patalano) no longer fit for work due to her swelling joints, she reluctantly hires an AI humanoid to fill in for her picking strawberries out in the fields. Yet, as model after model breaks down during the arduous labor, it becomes clear that no AI Humanoid the company provides is capable of executing the same back-breaking work. 

Patalano is endearing and just the right amount of tough in her role as Tita, who navigates both a humorous and heartfelt performance. She is surrounded by an equally engaging cast that convinces us that Caballero’s world in the not-too-distant future could very soon be a reality. 

Written by Luis Antonio Aldana & Miguel Angel Caballero, this film was produced by Helena Sardinha and Rafael Thomaseto, presented at the Tribeca Festival and was made as part of Indeed’s Rising Voices program – an initiative set up to discover, invest in and share stories created by BIPOC filmmakers and storytellers, and has qualified to be considered for a 2024 Academy® Award. Rising Voices was created in collaboration with Emmy® Award-winning writer, creator, and actor Lena Waithe, Hillman Grad Productions, Ventureland and 271 Films.

Miguel Angel Caballero (co-writer/director) is the son of Mexican immigrant farm workers and an award-winning Queer Mexican-American/Chicano writer, director, and producer. His short film, ACUITZERAMO, premiered at the Morelia International Film Festival, won 20 awards internationally, and is screening on MAX. Miguel Angel is an Outfest Screenwriting Lab Fellow, Film Independent Project Involve fellow, and the Warner Bros. Discovery 150 Artist Grant recipient. Miguel Angel was one of ten directors selected to participate in the 2022 inaugural Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences Accelerator Program and won the Humanitas New Voices Fellowship. 

STARRING

Laura Patalano

Luis Antonio Aldana

Nico Greetham 

Cheryll Umaña

Rocío Lopez

Geoffrey Rivas

Rafael Cobos Delgado

Juan Alfonso

Elia Saldana

Joan Almedilla

Arlene Santana

Christain Jaime Garcia

Kiara Bletran

David Rodriguez Estrada

PRODUCTION: Indeed, Hillman Grad Productions, 271 Flms

DIRECTOR:  Miguel Angel Caballero

WRITERS: Luis Antonio Aldana, Miguel Angel Caballero

EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: Lena Waite, Rishi Rajani, Doménica Castro, Constanza Castro

PRODUCERS: Helena Sardinha, Rafael Thomaseto

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Selected by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences as an Oscar-qualified film, The Kill Floor is an emotional story full of tension, grief, and injustice. Yet, like our collective time in lockdown during the COVID-19 epidemic, the audience is left with the comfort of the most enduring of all human emotions: love. Love for a son, a career, a community, and eventually, self love. 

The film was inspired by the COVID-19 pandemic and the impact on the meatpacking industry and its workers, particularly in the Latino community. Through the character of Gill, Avila focused on the different stories of the workers. He interviewed meatpacking workers, union representatives, activists, and journalists who covered the stories in real time and created a fictionalized version of events capturing the worker experience while exploring important themes of community and father-son relationships.

“In the meatpacking plant workers I spoke with, I recognized people like my family and friends and their dedication to work. I felt that this story of Latino essential workers was important and necessary to tell. Often, these stories are forgotten. I wanted to call attention to what happened.” – Carlos Avila

Latin Heat was able to catch up with director Carlos Avila to talk about his process in writing/producing and directing his short film and why he felt he needed to tell this story.

Latin Heat: Tell us about some of the stories and experiences of the workers in the meatpacking plants. 

Carlos Avila: Although The Kill Floor is a fictional story, it uses as its backdrop the very real crisis in the meatpacking industry during the early days of the pandemic. COVID-19 spread like wildfire through numerous meatpacking plants. It impacted many workers because that industry was either unprepared to deal with the crisis or uninterested in mitigating the risks posed by the virus if it was to slow down production. We were committed to telling this story with humor, emotion, and vivid characterizations. 

LH: Why focus on the Latino community?

Because Latinos are such a big part of the workforce in these plants, the Latino community was heavily impacted by COVID-19. In the research that I did prior to writing, I interviewed meatpacking plant workers and read many accounts of their experiences. The workers that I interviewed in Vernon, California told me about a worker at the plant who went to extremes to hide his symptoms from his co-workers because he was desperate to work so that he could continue to provide for his family. That gentleman eventually died because by the time he got medical attention he couldn’t be saved. Another story I read was about Saul Sanchez, a meatpacking plant worker in Greeley, Colorado. Mr. Sanchez was in his 70s, and he had worked at a plant there for over 30 years. He was one of the first workers to get COVID-19 at the plant. He was admitted to the ICU and put on a ventilator, and eventually he died. A few days before he passed, he told his family to tell the plant management not to be concerned because he would soon be back to work. There’s some of Mr. Sanchez in the The Kill Floor character, Agustin. Working in the meatpacking industry is challenging on any given day, but during COVID-19, it was particularly perilous. 

LH: What was the writing process like for this film?

CA: As I was writing The Kill Floor, it was very clear to me that there was a tremendous responsibility in telling a story like this. I wanted to dramatize and not sensationalize. I steeped myself heavily in the world of the meatpacking plants through interviews, firsthand observation, and research prior to writing the script. I’m a good listener, and I got so much out of the conversations I had with the meatpacking plant workers and union representatives in Vernon, California, the activists in Crete, Nebraska, and the journalists on both the East and West Coasts who covered the story. I integrated details, events, and perspectives with my storytelling instincts to develop a narrative that reflects a true version of what occurred.

LH: Why did you choose to tell the story through both present day scenes and flashbacks? 

CA:The Kill Floor uses flashbacks in order to provide an emotional dimension to our characters. Because [the film] has a short running time of 27 minutes, I knew I had to be economical in providing a context for the relationships.

The flashbacks made sense in terms of storytelling and being able to convey some understanding of the Gil/Agustin relationship. I wanted the flashbacks to resonate when we finally got to the present-day Gil/Agustin scenes.

Some of the settings for the present-day scenes are the same as in the flashbacks, and yet so much has changed in the characters’ lives and in terms of their relationship. I was less interested in using flashbacks for exposition but more in providing emotional depth. 

LH: What did you learn about the Latino spirit and work ethic throughout the making of this film?

CA: One of the stories that impacted me as I read the newspapers and watched the news was the crisis that was unfolding in the meatpacking plants. Given the nature of meat processing industry — people standing in close proximity to each other — COVID-19 spread quickly through those facilities. I knew that many Latinos were working in the poultry plants in the American South, but as I read and researched more, I was impressed to see how many Latinos worked in meatpacking plants throughout the United States. I was moved by these stories that I was reading. 

It seemed like there was a clash between big business and the dedicated Latino work ethic. These corporations wanted to keep operating regardless of the human cost. They even successfully lobbied the former President and his administration to pass an Executive Order so that they would be declared ‘essential businesses.’ This gave these corporations liability protections if workers got sick. In the plant workers I spoke with, I recognized people like my family and friends and their dedication to work. I felt that this story of Latino essential workers was important and necessary to tell. Often, these stories are forgotten. I wanted to call attention to what happened. My goal was to make a film that would resonate with audiences. I also wanted the film to be a ‘witness’ to what happened. 

LH: Where did this story come from?

CA: In the early days of the pandemic, as with so many other people, I was glued to the news. I was wondering whether we were facing the apocalypse or whether the world would make it through the crisis. I started reading about the COVID-19 crisis happening in the meatpacking plants. When I found out how many Latinos worked in these plants and how Latino communities were so heavily impacted, I knew that I needed to tell this story. Now and then, as a filmmaker, you encounter a story that needs to be told. For me, The Kill Floor was one of those stories.

LH: Why is being Oscar Qualifying important for this and other short films? 

CA: Qualifying for the Academy Awards tells me that our film is of significant merit and worthy of playing alongside the other short films that have also qualified this year. It is a wonderful achievement to be in a category that includes important films from all over the world. The hope, of course, is that this additional visibility for The Kill Floor gives much-needed attention to the subject matter of our film and the role of Latino essential workers during the pandemic. 

The post REVIEW: Director Carlos Avila’s Oscar-Qualified Film ‘The Kill Floor’ Is A Love Letter To The Latino Work Ethic first appeared on .

 Oscar season is upon us as Latin Heat Entertainment launches “For Your Consideration” screenings conceived to highlight Oscar-qualified Latino films, filmmakers, and entertainment professionals.  The series launches with the Oscar-qualified, Shura, the documentary short film directed by David Damian Figueroa and Kayvon Derek Shanian, and executive produced by Pepe Serna. 

The documentary short film Shura is about an eighty-four-year-old black belt in karate who leads by example and her unwavering commitment inspire hundreds of other humanitarians to provide life-saving aid to stranded migrants crossing the harsh Sonoran U.S./Mexico border near Nogales. 

The screening will take place on Saturday, December 9, 2023 at the Los Angeles Theater Center in DTLA located at 514 South Spring Street, Los Angeles, CA 90013.  Arrivals will be at 4:30 pm followed by opening remarks and introduction of the trailers. 

 “Latino filmmakers can easily get lost in the campaign process with limited Hollywood connections. Most lack the financial and networking resources to run a competitive Oscar campaign, including coveted reviews”, said Latin Heat Media CEO Bel Hernandez. “The screenings are intended to bring awareness to deserving films and talent and to level the playing field for Latino filmmakers”. 

A recent study conducted by the USC Annenberg Inclusion Initiative found that Latino representation in the film behind and front of the camera remains stagnant with no improvement in the last 16 years. Even when movies did feature Hispanic or Latino characters, the study found Latino characters were represented on-screen with depictions that were often rampant with stereotypes. 

“It is so important for filmmakers to get the visibility needed to be competitive”, Dr. Jose Luis Ruiz, President and founder of the Mexican-American Film & Television Festival and the sponsor of the FYC Screenings.  “The talent is there, the projects and films just need a chance to be seen.”

Congressman Joaquin Castro penned a recent open letter titled, “Dear Hollywood,” in Variety to film studios: “This year, stands as a testament to the vibrancy of Latino stories, showcasing a range of artistic excellence. In the face of profound barriers to entry, Latinos have shown up and taken center stage, leading or supporting beautiful storytelling that transcends cultural boundaries.”

A short Q&A will follow the screening with the subject of the documentary Shura Wallin, David Damian Figueroa and Kayvon Derek Shanian, and executive produced by Pepe Serna and moderated by Bel Hernandez.

SHURA – Film Trailer

SHURA is an eighty-four-year-old black belt in karate, who leads by example. Her infectious emphatic spirit and her unwavering commitment inspire hundreds of other humanitarians to provide life-saving aid to stranded migrants crossing the harsh Sonoran U.S./Mexico border near Nogales. 

Since 1992 Latin Heat Media, a multimedia company, has been providing media content focused on Latinos in film, television theater, publishing, and all other aspects of the entertainment industry.

SCREENING TIME:

ARRIVALS: 4:30PM REMARKS & TRALIERS: 5:30PM SCREENING OF SHURA: 6:00 pm

LOCATION:

Los Angeles Theater Center, 514 S. Spring Street, Los Angeles, CA 90013

PARKING:

Los Angeles Garage Associate Parking Structure at 545 S. Main St., LA, CA 90013, positioned between 5th and 6th Street, just behind the theater.

RSVP: INFO@latinheat.com

The post Latin Heat Entertainment Launches “For Your Consideration” Screenings With Documentary Film Short  ‘Shura’  first appeared on .

Shura is a compelling short documentary film that transcends its brief runtime to deliver a poignant and inspiring narrative. Co-written, directed and produced by Kayvon Derak Shanian and David Damian Figueroa, this Oscar qualifying film delves into the life of a remarkable woman whose resilience, determination and love for her fellow man can, and does make a difference in the lives of the undocumented, showcasing the profound impact one individual can have on their community and beyond.

The film’s subject, Shura Wallin, who is the co-founder of the humanitarian group The Green Valley/Sahuarita Samaritans, has spent the majority of her life with a handful of volunteers to save lives on the Arizona border. Living about a mile from the Sonoran desert, Shura travels to the border to fill water tanks and patrol migrant trails on both sides of the I-19 corridor offering help to anyone that may cross her path.

Across the Mexican border in Nogales, she works out of the faith-based El Comedor center, serving meals, distributing supplies to people deported from the U.S. and others contemplating the trek north.

The film stays close to its protagonist, offering a glimpse of a day in the life of an advocate who has dedicated the last years of her life to being of service to others. A black belt in Karate, one can see how her years of training have lent a hand in not only the mental fortitude Wallin possesses, but the physical fortitude it takes to trek over hills and valleys to bring supplies to the many migrants crossing the border.

The cinematography is a standout feature, capturing the essence of Shura’s story with visually striking compositions captured, quite refreshingly, on an iPhone 13 . Co-directors’ Figueroa and Shanian’s keen eye for detail and the thoughtful use of imagery, contribute to the emotional impact of the film, enhancing the audience’s connection to the narrative. Furthermore, the pacing of the documentary is expertly handled, ensuring that each moment serves a purpose in advancing Shura’s story. The concise runtime and unorthodox camera choice does not compromise the depth of the narrative but rather enhances its accessibility, making it an ideal candidate for the short documentary category at the Oscars.

At its core, Shura serves as a testament to the power of one person’s dedication to making a difference. Shura’s unwavering commitment to her cause becomes a beacon of hope, illustrating how a single individual can catalyze change and inspire others to join the fight for justice, equality, or whatever cause they hold dear.

CAST and CREW:

Participating as themselves: Shura Wallin, Pastor Randy Mayer , Rita Henninger Danks, Jaime Brusstar, Steve Feldman and Richard Ramirez

Directors / Writers / Producers Kayvon Derak Shanian, David Damian Figueroa

Executive Producer: Pepe Serna

Running Time: 22 Minutes

The post REVIEW: ‘Shura’ Is Small But Mighty, In More Ways Than One first appeared on .

Bronx-born actress Eileen Galindo has enjoyed a varied career, working in live theater, television, film, including working in the lucrative world of voiceovers. All her work has lead to some interesting projects this year.

At an early age, Galindo yearned to be “part of something” in show business. However, her family, who had emigrated from Cuba by way of Miami, had no connections whatsoever to the entertainment industry.

After working and studying in New York, Galindo became involved in the non-traditional casting movement putting herself on the picket lines to encourage Broadway producers to endorse diversity in casting. She also took up writing and did two one-woman shows Off-Broadway, one of them directed by Wynn Handman.

Moving to Los Angeles, Galindo landed in the Mark Taper Forum repertory company. “We did some wonderful work at the Forum when Gordon Davidson was running the joint,” she recalled. “I was in The House of Bernarda Alba, starring Chita Rivera and Culture Clash‘s Chavez Ravine in 2003. In 2010, Galindo was nominated for the Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Award for Best Featured Performance in The Clean House at International City Theatre in Long Beach.

Currently, Galindo is part of the Oscar buzz euphoria.  She co-starred in the short film The Letter Room which has been nominated for an Academy Award for Best Live Action Short Film. Ex Machina’s Oscar Isaac plays the lead in the short, which is directed and executive produced by Elvira Lind, Isaac’s wife, and collaborator.

The Letter Room is a dark prison comedy about the secret life of a correctional officer who gets transferred to a job in the letter room. “I play Irene, the prison’s warden,” Galindo explains. “Elvira was inspired to write the film when she reflected on the isolated, single 40-something-year-old men she came in contact with while in Denmark,” she goes on to explain. “These men lived solitary lives. They never married and never had children. The film does go into the loneliness that exists in these facilities.”

The Letter Room was filmed at the Arthur Kill Correctional facility in Staten Island, a decommissioned prison with all the required “barbed wire, the cells, everything,” Galindo recalled.

The film screened at various film festivals around the U.S. to critical acclaim and In March 2021 they learned it had been nominated for an Oscar. “As we all know, getting features made in Hollywood is not an easy thing, especially by a woman,” Galindo explained.  “So Elvira decided to start with a short, if that graduates to something bigger and better, that would be great.”

Galindo exudes a refreshing optimism, especially in light of the current restrictive times. “Well, I’ve been working,” she laughs. She is currently recurring on the second season of the CBS All Access hit series Why Women Kill, created and produced by Marc Cherry. He also created Desperate Housewives and Devious Maids. Galindo plays Isabel, Rita’s maid, played by series regular Lana Padilla. “I am encouraged because All Access has morphed into a more significant, better thing called Paramount Plus, a streaming network that doesn’t just include CBS programming but also has Paramount content, Nickelodeon, MTV, all sorts of things.

Why Women Kill is an anthology series, and each season does not pick up from the previous season left off. Galindo clarifies. “This year, it takes place in 1949 Hollywood, exploring the façades people hide behind and the lengths they go to to be accepted and be part of something.” We’re all doing double-duty. As for now, we are Why Women Kill. David Warren is our producing director. Lana, a Puerto Rican and Italian from Brooklyn, is a joy to work with.”

Looking towards the future, Galindo is wrapping up her work on Why Women Kill and looking forward to its premiere within a few months. However, the 93rd Academy Awards is what she is anxiously waiting for.  April 25 will be the date she can finally say (or not) she worked in an Academy award-winning film. As Galindo often says, “Well see.”

The post Eileen Galindo: Getting Close to Oscar first appeared on .

Mexican filmmakers, Mónica Álvarez and Paola Villaneuva unveil an intimate look at the story Día De Muertos: Lake Pátzcuaro.

The Short will screen at the San Diego International Film Festival Oct 15-20

These days, it isn’t a surprise that if you mention Dia De Los Muertos to your non-Latinx friend they will, at least in some small form, know to which holiday you are referring to. For decades the beautiful and sacred tradition of Day of the Dead influenced American culture through its colorful traditions, but very few people knew the actual reason behind them when celebrating what they called “Mexican Halloween”. Now, with films such as Coco and Book of the Dead reaching an audience of millions, Dia De Los Muertos is no longer influencing the mainstream. It is the mainstream. 

Every year, tens of thousands of people flock to Hollywood Forever Cemetery where Los Angeles puts on an impressive fiesta filled with booths lining the road to the sacred resting place of the past inhabitants of California’s great city. People paint their faces, buy screen printed T-shirts, and watch as Danzantes perform their beautiful and intricate dances from our indigenous past. It’s an environment of fun and revelry, especially for those who are just visitors to this hallowed tradition. 

Yet what isn’t often remembered by those who attend Hollywood Forever Cemetery (as beautiful as the event is), is the absolute reverence for this truly special holiday, and for the people who have come before us that we gather to celebrate. That is what Día De Muertos: Lake Pátzcuaro presents in its bite-size, and beautifully shot running time of just 0:5:21. Told by emerging Mexican filmmakers, Mónica Álvarez and Paola Villaneuva, the film unveils an intimate look at the story of Lake Pátzcuaro, a town located in Michoacán and known for its vibrant Día De Muertos festivities. 

The film opens with the beating of drums signaling, like a precolumbian drumroll, the great mountains of Michoacan where their story takes place. As we follow the harvesters of Marigolds, we learn that the flower, also called the cempasuchil, represents the rays of the sun under which the men carry out their sacred task. Over the course of the film, we follow the marigolds on their path to the altar and all the stops along the way such as the preparation of the tradition Pan de Muerto (Bread of the Dead), the journey to the altars with the fisherman who guide the spirits home, and finally to the Noche De Muertos where the community celebrates their gone, but clearly not forgotten, loved ones. 

As we see the community come together we remember that while face painting and drinking tequila is fun, Dia De Los Muertos is a real tradition, with real people, and real emotions. The people of Michoacan lovingly place candles and their loved ones’ favorite things in life to adorn their ofrendas. They also place, of course, the beautiful Marigold with which our journey through the film started with. They sing, and dance, and tell stories about the ones who were here before. Most importantly, what Lake Pátzcuaro leaves us with, in one woman’s emotional recounting of how losing someone you love impacts your life, are the real tears that are shed during this important day. Dia De Los Muertos offers an opportunity, each year, to allow ourselves to acknowledge the bittersweetness of our short existence on this earth and just how much beauty there is even after it is gone. That is why so many people connect to it from all over the world. That is why it’s a celebration. 

Día De Muertos: Lake Pátzcuaro will screen at the San Diego International Film Festival (Oct 15-20) and the Morelia International Film Festival (Oct 18-27), but you  can watch Álvarez and Villaneuva’s film on Cuervo.com .

ABOUT MÓNICA ÁLVAREZ – Director

Mónica Álvarez Franco (Mexico) is a screen writer and director. She holds a BA on audiovisual studies at the Centro de Arte Audiovisual en Guadalajara and an MA in Creative Documentary filmmaking by the Escuela Superior de Artes y Espectáculos TAI, in Madrid. Her first documentary film, Bosque de Niebla, premiered in 2017 at FICUNAM, received Honorable Mention and was later awarded Best Cinematography at the Downtown LA Film Festival. The film also participated in festivals such as SXSW, Margaret Mead Film Festival, Do Rio Festival, Morelia International Film Festival and Ambulante.

ABOUT PAOLA VILLANUEVA – Producer

With an MA in Documentary Filmmaking by the Autonomous University of Barcelona, Paola Villanueva (Mexico) has developed a career as a producer for different clients such as Sprout Pictures, Cineflix and the Lance Armstrong Foundation. Her passion for documentaries started in 2002 when she collaborated on the documentary film Welcome Mr. Postman with Danish director Madeleine Bondy that formed part of the official selection at the Pärnu Film Festival and the Chicago International Film Festival. In 2013 she directed and produced her first documentary, While Waiting, which was selected at the Guadalajara International Film Festival (2017), Raindance (2017) and the Malaga Film Festival (2018). After her debut as a director, she collaborated as a co-producer for the documentary Agave: The spirit of a Nation, that premiered at the SXSW in 2018 and is currently starting its distribution.

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