Showing posts with label Latinx. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Latinx. Show all posts

Friday, December 8, 2023

Eva Longoria's 'Flamin' Hot' Swept the Imagen Awards 2023

 By José Alberto Hermosillo 

"Flamin' Hot" won Best Picture, Best Director & Best Actor, Imagen Awards 2023. Photo: José Alberto Hermosillo. Copyright © Festival in LA, 2023
“Flamin’ Hot” won Best Picture, Best Director & Best Actor, Imagen Awards.
Photo: José Alberto Hermosillo. Copyright © Festival in LA, 2023

Sunday, December 3rd, 2023. Los Angeles, California. The Latino Star-Power flexed its muscles, recognizing the best of in movies and television of 2023. The Millennium Biltmore Hotel in Downtown was the iconic scenario for the Imagen Awards ceremony presented by The Imagen Foundation. The same historic ballroom of the hotel was the official site of the Oscars, which were celebrated from 1931 to 1942.
 
Year by year, it is more important to have Latino representation in the Hollywood industry. While Latinos represent one-third of ticket buyers at the box office, the Latinx presence in films and television is less than three percent. Hispanics became the nineteenth percent of the population in the United States, and those numbers are not reflected on the big screen.
 
On that joyous morning, Eva Longoria’s film “Flamin’ Hot” took home three of the top Imagen Awards, Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Actor for Jesse Garcia (“Quinceañera,” “Ambulance,” “Narcos, Mexico”).

 

Jesse Garcia wins Best Actor for “Flamin’ Hot.” Photo: José Alberto Hermosillo. Copyright © Festival in LA, 2023

Renowned journalist Maria Hinojosa took the Best Documentary award for “After Uvalde: Guns, Grief & Texas.”


Maria Hinojosa - Best Documentary –After Uvalde: Guns, Grief & Texas Politics. Photo José Alberto Hermosillo FestivalinLA ©2023.

On the TV series section, Netflix won with the Mexican cops’ drama “Belascoarán P.I.” and tied in with “National Treasure: Edge of History.” 

In Comedy, “Acapulco” took Best Primetime Program, Best Actor Enrique Arrizon, and by the way, the winners forgot to mention the struggles the people of Acapulco are living through now due to the devastating Hurricane Otis back in October. We must be grateful and show solidarity with the people of the places we work as Mel Gibson went back to Veracruz a year after shooting “Apocalypto” and donated a million dollars for the reconstruction of the city destroyed by Hurricane Stan back in 2005.


Best Primetime Program – Comedy: Acapulco. Photo José Alberto Hermosillo, FestivalinLA, ©2023

The nominated films with Latinx presence range from independent projects to big box-office hits like “Avatar: The Way of Water,” with Zoe Saldaña, “Scream VI” with Jenna Ortega and Melisa Barrera, “Blue Beetle” with Xolo Marigueña (“Cobra Kai” & “Parenthood”) and Becky G (“Power Rangers” & “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse”), “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3,” “Plane” with Daniela Pineda, “Mother” and “Shotgun Wedding” with Jennifer Lopez, and “Magic Mike, Last Dance” with Salma Hayek and Carmen Olivares.

 

Talking about inclusion, other remarkable films overlooked by the Imagen Awards or were not submitted for consideration were “A Million Milles Away” with Michael Peña, the biggest box-office hit in Mexican history “Radical” with Eugenio Derbez, and the independent Summer conservative blockbuster “The Sound of Freedom” directed by Alejandro Monteverde.


“Flamin’ Hot” won Best Picture, Best Director & Best Actor, Imagen Awards
Photo: José Alberto Hermosillo. Copyright © Festival in LA, 2023

The Sunday brunch provided by the Imagen Foundation in the company of so many Latin stars was a total success. The Speeches by the President and Founder Helen Hernandez, actor and producer Edward James Olmos, Eva Longoria, and Jesse Garcia were inspiring. 

During the Imagen Awards Ceremony, everyone talked about the power of giving a “Green Light” to all the dreams and stories to be told by the Latino community, and that will empower and provide more opportunities to the Latinos in Hollywood. Congratulations to all the nominees and winners.


The Winners of The Imagen Awards 2023

 

Best Feature Film: Flamin’ Hot 
Best Director – Feature Film: Eva Longoria, Flamin’ Hot
Best Actor – Feature Film: Jesse Garcia, Flamin’ Hot
Best Actress – Feature Film: Zoe Saldaña, Avatar: The Way of Water
Best Animated Feature Film: Puss In Boots: The Last Wish
Best Voice-Over Actor – Feature Film: 
Antonio Banderas, Puss In Boots: The Last Wish 
Best Music Composition for Film or Television: Gustavo Santaolalla, The Last of Us
Best Primetime Program – Drama – TIE: 
Belascoarán & 
National Treasure: Edge of History.
Best Primetime Program – Comedy: Acapulco
Best Primetime Program – Special or Movie: Dear… Selena Gomez
Best Director (Television): 
Guillermo Navarro, Guillermo Del Toro’s Cabinet of Curiosities.
Best Actor – Drama (Television): Pedro Pascal, The Last of Us
Best Actress – Drama (Television): Kate Del Castillo, Volver a caer.
Best Actor – Comedy (Television): Enrique Arrizon, Acapulco.
Best Actress – Comedy (Television): Jenna Ortega, Wednesday.
Best Supporting Actor – Drama (Television): Benjamin Levy Aguilar, Chicago P.D.
Best Supporting Actress – Drama (Television): Aubrey Plaza, The White Lotus
Best Supporting Actor – Comedy (Television): Benjamin Bratt, Poker Face
Best Supporting Actress – Comedy (Television): Liza Colón-Zayas, The Bear
Best Young Actor (Television): Ava Louise Murchison, Jane
Best Voice-Over Actor (Television): Ruben Garfias, The Casagrandes.
Best Variety or Reality Show: The Reluctant Traveler With Eugene Levy.
Best Youth Programming: Alma’s Way.
Best Documentary – TIE: After Uvalde: Guns, Grief & Texas Politics, and Halftime.
Best Informational Program: ABC News, Uvalde 365: The Struggle to Understand.
Best Short/Student Film: The Ballad of Tita and the Machines.
Best Commercial Advertisement or Social Awareness Campaign
Mujeres Imparables 2023: Change The Game (“Cambia el juego”).

Jesse Garcia Wins the Imagen Award for Best Actors for Flamin’ Hot


Nominee Actors “This Fool” for Best Primetime Program Comedy Series. 
Photo: José Alberto Hermosillo. Copyright © Festival in LA, 2023

Film critic José Alberto Hermosillo, Nominee actress Julia Vera {“This Fool’) & her great-grandson Brolach.
.Copyright © Festival in LA, 2023

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Monday, August 20, 2018

Latinas Tackle the LatinX Issue in Hollywood

By José Alberto Hermosillo
Latinx in Hollywood. Festival in LA © 2018

The recent announcement of a handful of new films with Latinas in the cast makes us feel optimistic about the future of LatinX in Hollywood. Gradually, Latinas are rising to accomplish a significant representation in the competitive film industry.
Gena Rodriguez. Copyright © 2016 Golden Globes.

The names of some young, beautiful, and talented Latinas stand up substantially – Gina Rodriguez is starring in several new projects: “Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego,” “Someone Great” with Rosario Dawson, “Sharon 1.2.3.” with Nadine Velazquez and Skyler Samuels, and in the Hollywood remake of the Mexican Oscar submission “Miss Bala.”
Isabela Moner. Copyright © 2017 Paramount London.
The talented Cleveland-born, Peruvian descendant Isabela Moner (“Sicario: The Day of the Soldado,” “Transformers: The Last Knight”) is the lead in the movie version of “Dora the Explorer” with Eugenio Derbez and Eva Longoria. She is also part of Sam Ander’s “Instant Family” cast opposite Mark Wahlberg. 
  Eiza Gonzalez. Copyright © 2018 Festival in LA.
Mexican new sensation Eiza Gonzalez (“Baby Driver”) is also working on numerous projects. “Paradise Hills” by the Spanish director Alice Waddington, “Highway” also known as “Highway is for Gamblers,” “Kung Fury 2” with Michael Fassbender and Arnold Schwarzenegger, “Bloodshot” next to Vin Diesel, RZA’s “Cut Throat City,” and in a film that is generating an Oscar buzz “Welcome to Marwen” with Diane Kruger and Steve Carell.

But still, there is more work to do to be competitive in the industry. Latinos need to mastermind the Hollywood system to perfection. They must promote themselves with worthy projects, compete in film festivals, and advocate during the award season.

Meaning to produce quality films that can give Latinos the opportunities they need for recognition; the three amigos, Del Toro, Cuarón, and Iñárritu, vow to tackle the “Latinx issue” in further projects. 

We all know roles are given to the best candidates, regardless of their ethnicity – writers, directors, and casting agents need to have more Latinos, Asian Americans, and Native Americans on the radar for the much-needed essential diversification in Hollywood.
For instance, the summer hit “Ocean’s 8,” with an all-women cast... the action-heist movie presumptuously promoted as “diverse,” but the absence of Latinas is not acceptable.

The world is not black and white as Hollywood is perpetuating it. The concept of “diversity” is in our constitution but not in our cinema.

Women in Hollywood are taking the world by storm performing, producing, and directing big blockbusters such as “Wonder Woman,” “Ghost Busters,” “Girls Trip,” and even in the cast of “Black Panther” where women are predominantly essential to the story. Ironically, the lack of Latino actresses in those big movies is shocking.

Women are also creating a significant impact on the independent circuit, directing Oscar© nominated pictures such as “Lady Bird,” “Mudbound,” and “I, Tanya.” While their work is valued highly, we encourage them urgently to apply the concept of “diversity” in their cast for further projects. 

Early this year, before the Oscars©, a protest by a group of angry American-Latino actors took place in Hollywood. They were fuming over the absence of “American Born Latinos” in the acting categories.

Indifference blinded the protesters who could not support other Latino projects, such as the Best Foreign Language Film masterpiece “A Fantastic Woman” from Chile.    
Guillermo del Toro. Copyright © 2017 Festival in LA
Carlos Saldanha. Copyright © 2017 Festival in LA

On the one hand, they were right because it was true --- no Latino actors were nominated.  

On the other hand, they were counting out the foreign-born Latinos who got nominations in different categories, like Guillermo del Toro for “The Shape of Water,” Sebastian Lelio for “A Fantastic Woman,” and Carlos Saldanha for the animated feature “Ferdinand.”               
Daniela Vega. Photo by Jose A. Hermosillo. Copyright © 2018 Festival in LA.

Sony Pictures Classics did not release “A Fantastic Woman” on time to take the lead actress Daniela Vega to qualify for Best Actress. She could have been the first Latina to be nominated since Catalina Sandino Moreno for “Maria Full of Grace” in 2006. She could also be the first transgender actress nominated for an Oscar©.
Sebastian Lelio. Copyright © 2018 Festival in LA
Latinos overlooked the invitations to embrace foreign talents, such as the Chilean director Sebastian Lelio, who at that time was doing the post-production of “Disobedience” in London and directing the English version of “Gloria” in Hollywood. Many “American Latina actresses” would kill to get that part, and the role went to Julianne Moore.  
                            
Latinos in Hollywood must know how to run a successful campaign, reach out to the press, and get the attention of the Academy members, like the British, Italians, and French do.
Starring Europe, Films From the European Union in Hollywood. Copyright © 2018 Festival in LA
Europeans have more accomplishments and nominations representing their cultures in the mainstream media than Latinos in Hollywood. They know how to embrace and run an effective campaign for their projects. They even take the extra lap to do whatever it takes to honor with a star on the Hollywood Walk-of-Fame one of their celebrities yearly. Latinos don’t do that. They think it is not their job to adequately promote their people all the way.
Gina Lollobrigida, Hollywood Walk of Fame. Photo courtesy of Instituto Italiano Di Cultura Los Angeles.

In an ideal world, American-Latinos and Latin-Americans must work together to produce meaningful projects without the nationalistic rhetoric and consummate a common goal for recognition – excellence.

Furthermore, here are some ideas to make inspirational films on the lives of American-Latino icons such as the legendary Mexican-American singer Linda Ronstadt with her top-seller album “Canciones de mi Padre...” or the renowned Venezuelan-American fashion designer Carolina Herrera. 

Another suggestion is Jovita Idár, a teacher, journalist, and activist who raised her voice against the Texas Rangers’ killings of Mexicans in 1914. 

Some other personalities would be great subjects for biopics: Sonia Sotomayor: the Associate Justice of the Supreme Court, and a film about the Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis. All of these stories would be satisfying to watch on the Big Screen. 
There are other essential stories with a positive image of Latinas, like the East Los Angeles band “La Santa Cecilia” and the well-known Tejano group “Las Fenix” or the biopic of the late singer from Long Beach “Jenni Rivera.” 

The new generation of Latinos in Hollywood is responsible for turningthe cliches upside down to reach for universality.

Remember, Latinas in the United States have plenty of stories to tell and beautiful films to make.
James Olmos, director Carmen Marron, Andres Perez-Molina, Gina Rodriguez. Photo Jose Hermosillo © 2018 Festival in LA
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