“Velma” has been renewed for Season 2 at Max.
The announcement was made at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival by Suzanna Makkos, the executive vice president of original comedy and adult animation for Max and Adult Swim, during her “Share With” session.
“Velma” debuted its first season on what was then HBO Max in January. The adult animated comedy series tells the origin story of Velma Dinkley and the Mystery Inc. gang from “Scooby Doo.” Mindy Kaling voices Velma with the cast also including Glenn Howerton, Sam Richardson, Constance Wu, Jane Lynch, Ming-Na Wen, Wanda Sykes, and more. Charlie Grandy developed the series for television and serves as executive producer and showrunner. Kaling also executive produces along with Howard Klein and Sam Register.
“The series that we create at Max are art and voice driven, with character and comedy coming before anything else,” said Makkos. “We’re always looking for...
The announcement was made at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival by Suzanna Makkos, the executive vice president of original comedy and adult animation for Max and Adult Swim, during her “Share With” session.
“Velma” debuted its first season on what was then HBO Max in January. The adult animated comedy series tells the origin story of Velma Dinkley and the Mystery Inc. gang from “Scooby Doo.” Mindy Kaling voices Velma with the cast also including Glenn Howerton, Sam Richardson, Constance Wu, Jane Lynch, Ming-Na Wen, Wanda Sykes, and more. Charlie Grandy developed the series for television and serves as executive producer and showrunner. Kaling also executive produces along with Howard Klein and Sam Register.
“The series that we create at Max are art and voice driven, with character and comedy coming before anything else,” said Makkos. “We’re always looking for...
- 6/15/2023
- by Joe Otterson
- Variety Film + TV
It’s official. Velma will be back. Max confirmed the renewal of Mindy Kaling’s adult animated series for a second season. Suzanna Makkos, EVP, Original Comedy and Adult Animation, Max and Adult Swim, revealed the renewal during a panel at Annecy International Animated Film Festival Thursday, where she also talked about upcoming projects and previewed Max’s upcoming adult animation slate.
Velma tells the origin story of Velma Dinkley (Kaling), the unsung and underappreciated brains of the Scooby-Doo Mystery Inc. gang. This original and humorous spin unmasks the complex and colorful past of one of America’s most beloved mystery solvers.
Related: ‘Scooby-Doo!’s Velma Confirmed As LGBTQ In New Halloween-Themed HBO Max Movie
The series also stars Constance Wu, Sam Richardson, and Glenn Howerton in leading roles. Rounding out the ensemble cast in unknown roles is Jane Lynch, Wanda Sykes, Russell Peters, Melissa Fumero, Stephen Root, Gary Cole,...
Velma tells the origin story of Velma Dinkley (Kaling), the unsung and underappreciated brains of the Scooby-Doo Mystery Inc. gang. This original and humorous spin unmasks the complex and colorful past of one of America’s most beloved mystery solvers.
Related: ‘Scooby-Doo!’s Velma Confirmed As LGBTQ In New Halloween-Themed HBO Max Movie
The series also stars Constance Wu, Sam Richardson, and Glenn Howerton in leading roles. Rounding out the ensemble cast in unknown roles is Jane Lynch, Wanda Sykes, Russell Peters, Melissa Fumero, Stephen Root, Gary Cole,...
- 6/15/2023
- by Denise Petski
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: In a competitive situation, HBO Max has landed for development Uptown Bodega, an adult animation comedy series.
Written by Oz Rodriguez (Saturday Night Live) and Lemon Andersen (She’s Gotta Have It), Uptown Bodega centers on Tati Cruz who has inherited her father’s old Bodega and vows to keep the business booming in a fast-changing Nueva York with the help of her husband, three kids, and Rocky the bodega cat.
Veteran comedy showrunner Peter Murrieta, who is supervising the script, Rodriguez and 3 Arts’ Greg Walter executive produce the project, which is a co-production between HBO Max and Universal Television, a division of Universal Studio Group, where Rodriguez is under an overall deal.
Rodriguez won an Emmy for his directing work on Saturday Night Live. He started off by directing Digital Shorts, went on to become head of the film unit, and won an Emmy for his behind-the-scenes series Creating SNL.
Written by Oz Rodriguez (Saturday Night Live) and Lemon Andersen (She’s Gotta Have It), Uptown Bodega centers on Tati Cruz who has inherited her father’s old Bodega and vows to keep the business booming in a fast-changing Nueva York with the help of her husband, three kids, and Rocky the bodega cat.
Veteran comedy showrunner Peter Murrieta, who is supervising the script, Rodriguez and 3 Arts’ Greg Walter executive produce the project, which is a co-production between HBO Max and Universal Television, a division of Universal Studio Group, where Rodriguez is under an overall deal.
Rodriguez won an Emmy for his directing work on Saturday Night Live. He started off by directing Digital Shorts, went on to become head of the film unit, and won an Emmy for his behind-the-scenes series Creating SNL.
- 7/14/2022
- by Nellie Andreeva
- Deadline Film + TV
HBO has put in development an untitled half-hour single-camera comedy about the sneaker culture phenomenon, from NBA star LeBron James and Maverick Carter’s Springhill Entertainment. It hails from Warner Bros. TV and stems from SpringHill’s multi-year movie, TV and digital deal with Warner Bros. Written by Shawn Wines (High Maintenance) and Lemon Andersen (She’s Gotta Have It), the untitled Sneaker Store Project centers on two best friends and their wild employees at an…...
- 8/10/2017
- Deadline TV
Some of Hollywood’s biggest stars are making a powerful declaration: “I stand with immigrants.”
America Ferrera, Uzo Aduba, George Takei and more have participated in a moving new PSA to celebrate immigrants in honor of Immigrant Heritage Month.
The stars, including Jason Sudeikis and Broad City‘s Ilana Glazer together recited “I stand, Because I am…” written by poet and actor Lemon Andersen.
“We all stand here together with our hands open,” Ferrera, 33, began. Aduba continued her words: “Stretched out under this beautiful, boundless, American sky. We stand here and celebrate the glories of our nation.”
Takei, 80, Ferrera and Aduba,...
America Ferrera, Uzo Aduba, George Takei and more have participated in a moving new PSA to celebrate immigrants in honor of Immigrant Heritage Month.
The stars, including Jason Sudeikis and Broad City‘s Ilana Glazer together recited “I stand, Because I am…” written by poet and actor Lemon Andersen.
“We all stand here together with our hands open,” Ferrera, 33, began. Aduba continued her words: “Stretched out under this beautiful, boundless, American sky. We stand here and celebrate the glories of our nation.”
Takei, 80, Ferrera and Aduba,...
- 6/2/2017
- by Char Adams
- PEOPLE.com
*This article was first featured on Indiewire's Shadow and Act's blog on Oct 5th, 2015
Randy Wilkins is a product of the Bronx which has been evident in the short film he wrote and directed called "Osvaldo's" which was about a single Puerto Rican father of two trying to keep the pieces of his family together as he courts a new woman. The film boasted an impressive cast that featured Gina Rodriguez ("Jane The Virgin") and Lemon Andersen ("Lemon") in the role of the patriarch of the family. Since then Randy has edited projects for Spike Lee as he continued to expand on his filmmaking.
"Docket 32357" was his foray into making a web series. Season 2 introduces new characters which features a large number of Latino actors and a story line that takes the conflict closer to the victims and how it affects their families. “What attracted me the most was it's authenticity, the writing was real, personal, as well as powerful given the circumstances of each character. I look for those moments that are genuine and show an individual's humanity.” says Alexis Suarez. Actor Pedro De Leon says he was drawn to the character of 'Alex', “I guess I understand where Alex is coming from.
He feels the need to be the best there is at what he does to break the standard society has pre-disposed for him. I think he is also very defensive when it comes to his background, so he tries to cover it up by trying to blend in his color, and that makes him a little hypocritical in fact. I think everyone who's not from here [New York] has felt like that at least once.”
Expanding of the importance and truth in Wilkin's work, Jeff Lima, who had also worked on "Osvaldo's," noted that “Relationships among diverse people who share similar profound sentiments toward universal circumstances is a vision which I believe film-maker Randy Wilkins wishes and continues to successfully expound.” On the subject of the roles she usually goes in for, Cynthia Bastidas welcomed a role that she “wasn't asked to put on a Spanish accent.” As he gears up to shoot season 2, he breaks down the journey of concept, fundraising and completion.
Randy Wilkins: “In 2011, Eljon Wardally and I released a short film entitled “Docket 32357,” which is the story of two lonely women who are brought together by a shared tragedy in a courtroom hallway. We were proud of our work and especially proud that we were able to complete it for only $3,500. Our biggest concern prior to sending the film out into the world was, would people engage with a film that features two women confiding in one another on a courthouse bench?
That concern was laid to rest almost immediately when we began submitting to festivals. We were fortunate to have the film play in over 30 festivals and win multiple awards across the globe including the Huffington Post’s Black Voices Breakthrough Theater Series Short Film Award. While we were traveling with the film, our growing audience and community always asked one question: “what happens after the end of the short?” As "Docket" was an adaptation of a feature length play that Eljon wrote, we knew the answer to that question, so we decided to pursue a seven episode web series.
We chose the web series route because it was the most immediate way to deliver the content to our growing and excited audience. We launched a successful crowdfunding campaign through the incredibly dope Seed & Spark, and were able to raise over $12,000 to create the first season. We received a great deal of positive feedback and satisfaction from our core audience. This inspired us to create a second season and reach even higher.
There are a few things about the second season of "Docket" that have me incredibly excited that I want to share. The first is the diversity both in front of and behind the camera. The second season features Black actors, Latino actors, Asian actors and Moroccan actors. In following the footsteps of the first season, our women characters are multidimensional and strong. The talent behind the camera is just as diverse. Our writer is a woman of Grenadian descent. Our producers are a Black woman, A Jewish woman and a Trini man. The "Docket" team reflects the diversity of our audience.
The second thing that has me excited about Docket is that, unlike many crime dramas, our focus is on the impact crimes have on the family and victims. Their voices often go unheard in dramatic entertainment and we feel like "Docket" fills that void. We explore the emotional depth that accompanies tragedy and represent it through multiple perspectives. I am proud of that.
The biggest thing that I’m excited about is our "Docket" community. We like to call them our jurors. It is a fact when I say "Docket" wouldn’t be where it is without our incredible audience. We made the web series because of them and I am asking all of you to join us.
We are currently raising money for the second season of "Docket 32357" on Seed and Spark. Our goal is $30,000 to cover all production costs. We have some great incentives including beauty advice from our on screen stylist character, Cece, a legal consultation call from our main characters Alex Batista and Pete Larchmont, tickets to our premiere, and on screen walk on roles. In addition, all contributions are tax deductible through our fiscal sponsorship with Cinefemme Films. I am also proud to announce that "Docket 32357" is a recipient of the Big Vision Empty Wallet’s Kickstart Diversity program. This will help us build relationships on the production and distribution side to make "Docket 32357" Season Two as successful as it can be.
You can check out the entire first season of "Docket 32357" at www.docket32357.com.
Below you will find the original award-winning short film that launched the web series, as well as the teaser for the second season.
Then visit the campaign page set up for season 2 at http://www.seedandspark.com/studio/docket32357#wishlist . We sincerely hope you consider joining our growing community of Docket 32357 jurors. The jury is in!”
Also check out http://pamsson.com/ for more on Randy's work!
Written by Juan Caceres. LatinoBuzz is a feature on SydneysBuzz that highlights Latino indie talent and upcoming trends in Latino film with the specific objective of presenting a broad range of Latino voices.
Randy Wilkins is a product of the Bronx which has been evident in the short film he wrote and directed called "Osvaldo's" which was about a single Puerto Rican father of two trying to keep the pieces of his family together as he courts a new woman. The film boasted an impressive cast that featured Gina Rodriguez ("Jane The Virgin") and Lemon Andersen ("Lemon") in the role of the patriarch of the family. Since then Randy has edited projects for Spike Lee as he continued to expand on his filmmaking.
"Docket 32357" was his foray into making a web series. Season 2 introduces new characters which features a large number of Latino actors and a story line that takes the conflict closer to the victims and how it affects their families. “What attracted me the most was it's authenticity, the writing was real, personal, as well as powerful given the circumstances of each character. I look for those moments that are genuine and show an individual's humanity.” says Alexis Suarez. Actor Pedro De Leon says he was drawn to the character of 'Alex', “I guess I understand where Alex is coming from.
He feels the need to be the best there is at what he does to break the standard society has pre-disposed for him. I think he is also very defensive when it comes to his background, so he tries to cover it up by trying to blend in his color, and that makes him a little hypocritical in fact. I think everyone who's not from here [New York] has felt like that at least once.”
Expanding of the importance and truth in Wilkin's work, Jeff Lima, who had also worked on "Osvaldo's," noted that “Relationships among diverse people who share similar profound sentiments toward universal circumstances is a vision which I believe film-maker Randy Wilkins wishes and continues to successfully expound.” On the subject of the roles she usually goes in for, Cynthia Bastidas welcomed a role that she “wasn't asked to put on a Spanish accent.” As he gears up to shoot season 2, he breaks down the journey of concept, fundraising and completion.
Randy Wilkins: “In 2011, Eljon Wardally and I released a short film entitled “Docket 32357,” which is the story of two lonely women who are brought together by a shared tragedy in a courtroom hallway. We were proud of our work and especially proud that we were able to complete it for only $3,500. Our biggest concern prior to sending the film out into the world was, would people engage with a film that features two women confiding in one another on a courthouse bench?
That concern was laid to rest almost immediately when we began submitting to festivals. We were fortunate to have the film play in over 30 festivals and win multiple awards across the globe including the Huffington Post’s Black Voices Breakthrough Theater Series Short Film Award. While we were traveling with the film, our growing audience and community always asked one question: “what happens after the end of the short?” As "Docket" was an adaptation of a feature length play that Eljon wrote, we knew the answer to that question, so we decided to pursue a seven episode web series.
We chose the web series route because it was the most immediate way to deliver the content to our growing and excited audience. We launched a successful crowdfunding campaign through the incredibly dope Seed & Spark, and were able to raise over $12,000 to create the first season. We received a great deal of positive feedback and satisfaction from our core audience. This inspired us to create a second season and reach even higher.
There are a few things about the second season of "Docket" that have me incredibly excited that I want to share. The first is the diversity both in front of and behind the camera. The second season features Black actors, Latino actors, Asian actors and Moroccan actors. In following the footsteps of the first season, our women characters are multidimensional and strong. The talent behind the camera is just as diverse. Our writer is a woman of Grenadian descent. Our producers are a Black woman, A Jewish woman and a Trini man. The "Docket" team reflects the diversity of our audience.
The second thing that has me excited about Docket is that, unlike many crime dramas, our focus is on the impact crimes have on the family and victims. Their voices often go unheard in dramatic entertainment and we feel like "Docket" fills that void. We explore the emotional depth that accompanies tragedy and represent it through multiple perspectives. I am proud of that.
The biggest thing that I’m excited about is our "Docket" community. We like to call them our jurors. It is a fact when I say "Docket" wouldn’t be where it is without our incredible audience. We made the web series because of them and I am asking all of you to join us.
We are currently raising money for the second season of "Docket 32357" on Seed and Spark. Our goal is $30,000 to cover all production costs. We have some great incentives including beauty advice from our on screen stylist character, Cece, a legal consultation call from our main characters Alex Batista and Pete Larchmont, tickets to our premiere, and on screen walk on roles. In addition, all contributions are tax deductible through our fiscal sponsorship with Cinefemme Films. I am also proud to announce that "Docket 32357" is a recipient of the Big Vision Empty Wallet’s Kickstart Diversity program. This will help us build relationships on the production and distribution side to make "Docket 32357" Season Two as successful as it can be.
You can check out the entire first season of "Docket 32357" at www.docket32357.com.
Below you will find the original award-winning short film that launched the web series, as well as the teaser for the second season.
Then visit the campaign page set up for season 2 at http://www.seedandspark.com/studio/docket32357#wishlist . We sincerely hope you consider joining our growing community of Docket 32357 jurors. The jury is in!”
Also check out http://pamsson.com/ for more on Randy's work!
Written by Juan Caceres. LatinoBuzz is a feature on SydneysBuzz that highlights Latino indie talent and upcoming trends in Latino film with the specific objective of presenting a broad range of Latino voices.
- 10/26/2015
- by Juan Caceres
- Sydney's Buzz
Single tickets are on sale now for The Public Theater's 2014-15 season that will include three world premiere musicals, a free Public Works musical adaptation of Shakespeare's The Winter's Tale, new plays by Suzan-Lori Parks, Young Jean Lee, and Lemon Andersen, Bridget Everett's new show at Joe's Pub, the 11th edition of the acclaimed Under the Radar Festival, the continuation of the Mobile Shakespeare Unit, the fifth season of Public Forum, New Work Now, the Emerging Writers Group Spotlight Series and 20 tickets to Public Lab, now in its eighth year. Single tickets are available by calling 212 967-7555, at www.publictheater.org, or in person at the Taub Box Office at The Public Theater at Astor Place at 425 Lafayette Street.
- 7/29/2014
- by BWW News Desk
- BroadwayWorld.com
The International Puerto Rican Heritage Film Festival (Iprhff) kicks off Wednesday Nov. 13th in Nueva York City celebrating the best in Boricua filmmaking. Opening with crowd-pleaser El Clown, Iprhff started just 3 years ago to pay tribute to the legacy of Puerto Ricans, they have a steady roster of films showcasing “pioneering, historically significant films and documentaries, contemporary shorts and features, and other innovative films”. This years spokesperson is no other Rockaway Beach native, Lauren Velez (Dexter). While the festival is still in its young stages and some of these films have been in release (and some shot years ago) it's still a treat for those yet to discover them. LatinoBuzz picked out some of our faves.
Babygirl, (81 minutes)
Director: Macdara Vallely
Producer: Alan Maher, R. Paul Miller, Felix Werner, Kathrin Werner
Set in the Bronx, Babygirl is a bitter-sweet drama about teenager Lena who, since she can remember, has watched her mom Lucy squander her life on a series of deadbeat men. When Victor, her mom’s latest boy toy, starts hitting on her Lena sets up an elaborate honey-trap, hoping to show her mom what a scumbag the guy really is. But the plan backfires. Trapped in a twisted love-triangle between Victor and her mom, Lena finally realizes that the only way out is to stand up and finally confront some difficult home truths. Baby girl premiered at last years Tribeca where lead actress Yainis Ynoa was greatly acclaimed but oddly enough the film didn't get the festival attention it deserved, it did get a limited release.
Trailer
El Clown , (105 minutes)
Director: Pedro Adorno, Emilio Rodriguez
Producer: Emilio Rodriguez
El Clown, Emilio Rodriguez and Pedro Adorno’s tale of a circus clown’s rise to stardom as a pitchman, tracks the erosion of creativity through corporate branding with a healthy dose of absurdism. Pic’s sly portrait of the artist as a conflicted clown is rich in the meticulous craftsmanship it celebrates, its consummate slapstick deflating any overwrought Pagliacci operatics or facile art-vs.-commerce preciousness. Intelligent crowd-pleaser reps a rousing triumph for the burgeoning Puerto Rican film industry and, with savvy handling, could conjure a niche for itself under the indie big top. —Variety
Trailer
Lemon , (85 minutes)
Director: Laura Brownson, Beth Levinson
Producer: Dan Cogan, Stan Lathan, Russell Simmons
Three-time felon. One-time Tony award winner. Lemon Andersen is a pioneering poet whose words speak for a generation. But Lemon has landed back in the ‘hood, living in the projects with thirteen family members and desperate for a way out. So he turns to the only thing he has left, his pen and his past. In this intricately crafted documentary, Lemon follows one man’s harrowing journey to bring his life story to the stage while battling the demons from his past.
Trailer
Read our interview with Lemon Andersen Here
Machetero , (99 minutes)
Director: Vagabond Beaumont
Producer: Vagabond Beaumont
Post 9/11 definitions, ideas and notions of terrorism are challenged in this highly controversial and experimental film. Machetero is an allegorical narrative that follows French journalist Jean Dumont played by Isaach de Bankolé (The Keeper, Ghost Dog, Coffee and Cigarettes, Mandalay) to a New York prison where he interviews Pedro Taino a so called “Puerto Rican Terrorist” played by Not4Prophet (lead singer of the Puerto Punk band Ricanstruction). Pedro is a self-described Machetero fighting to free Puerto Rico from the yoke of United States colonialism. He is obsessed with freedom, freedom for his country, his people and for himself. Jean questions Pedro about his decisions to use violence as a means to achieve that freedom. As Jean and Pedro speak, another story unfolds. A ghetto youth played by Kelvin Fernandez (in his first starring role) grows up in the ghetto streets and crosses paths with Pedro. Pedro sees potential in the ghetto youth and reawakens a revolutionary spirit instilled in from childhood by a mentor in Puerto Rico.
Trailer
Read our interview with Vagabond Beaumont Here
For their roster and schedule check them out Here
Written by Juan Caceres. LatinoBuzz is a weekly feature on SydneysBuzz that highlights Latino indie talent and upcoming trends in Latino film with the specific objective of presenting a broad range of Latino voices. Follow @LatinoBuzz on Twitter and Facebook.
Babygirl, (81 minutes)
Director: Macdara Vallely
Producer: Alan Maher, R. Paul Miller, Felix Werner, Kathrin Werner
Set in the Bronx, Babygirl is a bitter-sweet drama about teenager Lena who, since she can remember, has watched her mom Lucy squander her life on a series of deadbeat men. When Victor, her mom’s latest boy toy, starts hitting on her Lena sets up an elaborate honey-trap, hoping to show her mom what a scumbag the guy really is. But the plan backfires. Trapped in a twisted love-triangle between Victor and her mom, Lena finally realizes that the only way out is to stand up and finally confront some difficult home truths. Baby girl premiered at last years Tribeca where lead actress Yainis Ynoa was greatly acclaimed but oddly enough the film didn't get the festival attention it deserved, it did get a limited release.
Trailer
El Clown , (105 minutes)
Director: Pedro Adorno, Emilio Rodriguez
Producer: Emilio Rodriguez
El Clown, Emilio Rodriguez and Pedro Adorno’s tale of a circus clown’s rise to stardom as a pitchman, tracks the erosion of creativity through corporate branding with a healthy dose of absurdism. Pic’s sly portrait of the artist as a conflicted clown is rich in the meticulous craftsmanship it celebrates, its consummate slapstick deflating any overwrought Pagliacci operatics or facile art-vs.-commerce preciousness. Intelligent crowd-pleaser reps a rousing triumph for the burgeoning Puerto Rican film industry and, with savvy handling, could conjure a niche for itself under the indie big top. —Variety
Trailer
Lemon , (85 minutes)
Director: Laura Brownson, Beth Levinson
Producer: Dan Cogan, Stan Lathan, Russell Simmons
Three-time felon. One-time Tony award winner. Lemon Andersen is a pioneering poet whose words speak for a generation. But Lemon has landed back in the ‘hood, living in the projects with thirteen family members and desperate for a way out. So he turns to the only thing he has left, his pen and his past. In this intricately crafted documentary, Lemon follows one man’s harrowing journey to bring his life story to the stage while battling the demons from his past.
Trailer
Read our interview with Lemon Andersen Here
Machetero , (99 minutes)
Director: Vagabond Beaumont
Producer: Vagabond Beaumont
Post 9/11 definitions, ideas and notions of terrorism are challenged in this highly controversial and experimental film. Machetero is an allegorical narrative that follows French journalist Jean Dumont played by Isaach de Bankolé (The Keeper, Ghost Dog, Coffee and Cigarettes, Mandalay) to a New York prison where he interviews Pedro Taino a so called “Puerto Rican Terrorist” played by Not4Prophet (lead singer of the Puerto Punk band Ricanstruction). Pedro is a self-described Machetero fighting to free Puerto Rico from the yoke of United States colonialism. He is obsessed with freedom, freedom for his country, his people and for himself. Jean questions Pedro about his decisions to use violence as a means to achieve that freedom. As Jean and Pedro speak, another story unfolds. A ghetto youth played by Kelvin Fernandez (in his first starring role) grows up in the ghetto streets and crosses paths with Pedro. Pedro sees potential in the ghetto youth and reawakens a revolutionary spirit instilled in from childhood by a mentor in Puerto Rico.
Trailer
Read our interview with Vagabond Beaumont Here
For their roster and schedule check them out Here
Written by Juan Caceres. LatinoBuzz is a weekly feature on SydneysBuzz that highlights Latino indie talent and upcoming trends in Latino film with the specific objective of presenting a broad range of Latino voices. Follow @LatinoBuzz on Twitter and Facebook.
- 11/13/2013
- by Juan Caceres
- Sydney's Buzz
This year started off with a Bang (with a capital 'B') for Latino film festivals. Although Latino representation at Miami is a given, it wasn't as obvious at Sundance as in previous years and is a ghost town at Tribeca leaving SXSW, as always, to pick up the slack for the “mainstream” festivals. But, it was the Latino film festivals that really pushed the rainbow of Latino cinema upon the festival landscape. San Diego Latino (Sdlff) had, in my opinion, its strongest lineup in many years. They celebrated their 20th anniversary by showcasing classics that Sdlff had screened over the years, giving the audience a chance to fall in love with them on the big screen all over again. CineFestival in Tejas, who has always played by the beat of their own drum, dropped the mic on everyone by announcing the Latino Writers Project Lab, a collaboration with Sundance Institute’s Feature Film Program, which will give filmmakers telling 'American Latino' stories a venue to have their projects mentored. Next up we have three diverse festivals with the Chicago Latino Film Festival celebrating its 29th year, Cine Las Americas in Austin, TX who very much embody their local community with an 'Hecho en Texas' and Youth specific programs, and then there's a new kid on the block in Philly, the Filadelfia Latin American Film Festival. In only its 2nd year, they have put together a two day event to bring Latino films to an underserved vibrant city. LatinoBuzz painstakingly selected our personal top picks that we think are a “must-see.” But don't just take our word for it, check out their websites for full listings and see for yourself how fly Latino cinema really is!
Chicago Latino Film Festival
The Precocious and Brief Life of Sabina Rivas (La Vida Precoz y Breve de Sabina Rivas) – Mexico
Dir. Luis Mandoki
Honduran teenager Sabina Rivas intends to get to the United States, harboring dreams of becoming a famous singer and distancing herself from her former young lover, Jovany, now a vicious gang member.
The Wild Ones (Los niños salvajes) – Spain
Dir. Patricia Ferreira
Alex, Oky and Gabi are three angry, misunderstood teens from Barcelona who have to deal with parents who have completely forgotten that they too were once teens; parents who, on most occasions, blame their children for their unfulfilled dreams. The trio has dreams and ambitions of their own and they love to test the limits imposed by society. But push comes to shove and Oky commits an unforgivable act that will leave many in shock in this thoughtful and sober drama.
Nevertheless (Y Sin Embargo) - Cuba
Dir. Rudy Mora
Lapatun is late for his math exam at a music school; to justify his tardiness he invents a wild story about having seen a UFO and spoken with its crew. The school is turned upside down by Lapatun’s claims; with some students demanding his expulsion and some teachers questioning the role creativity plays in a child’s education.
Cine Las Americas
Dust (Polvo) – Guatemala
Dir. Julio Hernández Cordón
In a small Guatemalan village where many were "disappeared" during the country's civil war, a troubled young man struggles with the memory of his murdered father — and the nearby presence of the man who turned his father in.
From Tuesday To Sunday (De Jueves A Domingo) – Chile
Dir. Dominga Sotomayor
Two children travel with their parents from Santiago Chile to the north of Chile for a family holiday. The landscape's loneliness and the car's confinement help bring out the couple's troubles and the children learn that this might turn out to be their father's farewell and their last family vacation.
Delusions of Grandeur – USA
Dir. Iris Almaraz, Gustavo Ramos
In the mid-1990s a medicated grungy girl stopped taking her medication (Prozac), crossed over a rainbow, and became a woman in a crazy, wonderful place called San Francisco. Lulu, Rocio, and Illusion are struggling with the sexuality and gender roles that we all play. It is said that there is someone for everyone, and the heroines in this story put that theory to the test in a city with a history of love at its core - but will they respect themselves in the morning?
Filadelfia Latin American Film Festival
Violeta Went to Heaven (Violeta Se Fue A Los Cielos) – Chile
Dir. Andres Wood
Violeta Went To Heaven tells the story of the iconic Chilean singer and folklorist Violeta Parra, tracing her evolution from impoverished child to international sensation and Chile's national hero, while capturing the swirling intensity of her inner contradictions, fallibilities, and passions.
Lemon – USA
Dir. Laura Brownson, Beth Levison
Three-time felon. One-time Tony award winner. Lemon Andersen is a pioneering poet whose words speak for a generation. But Lemon has landed back in the 'hood, living in the projects with thirteen family members and desperate for a way out. So he turns to the only thing he has left, his pen and his past
7 Boxes (7 Cajas) – Paraguay
Dir. Juan Carlos Maneglia, Tana Schémbor
Víctor receives an unusual proposal, to carry 7 boxes of unknown content through the Market Number 4 but things get complicated along the way.
Written by Juan Caceres and Vanessa Erazo, LatinoBuzz is a weekly feature on SydneysBuzz that highlights Latino indie talent and upcoming trends in Latino film with the specific objective of presenting a broad range of Latino voices. Follow @LatinoBuzz on Twitter and Facebook.
Chicago Latino Film Festival
The Precocious and Brief Life of Sabina Rivas (La Vida Precoz y Breve de Sabina Rivas) – Mexico
Dir. Luis Mandoki
Honduran teenager Sabina Rivas intends to get to the United States, harboring dreams of becoming a famous singer and distancing herself from her former young lover, Jovany, now a vicious gang member.
The Wild Ones (Los niños salvajes) – Spain
Dir. Patricia Ferreira
Alex, Oky and Gabi are three angry, misunderstood teens from Barcelona who have to deal with parents who have completely forgotten that they too were once teens; parents who, on most occasions, blame their children for their unfulfilled dreams. The trio has dreams and ambitions of their own and they love to test the limits imposed by society. But push comes to shove and Oky commits an unforgivable act that will leave many in shock in this thoughtful and sober drama.
Nevertheless (Y Sin Embargo) - Cuba
Dir. Rudy Mora
Lapatun is late for his math exam at a music school; to justify his tardiness he invents a wild story about having seen a UFO and spoken with its crew. The school is turned upside down by Lapatun’s claims; with some students demanding his expulsion and some teachers questioning the role creativity plays in a child’s education.
Cine Las Americas
Dust (Polvo) – Guatemala
Dir. Julio Hernández Cordón
In a small Guatemalan village where many were "disappeared" during the country's civil war, a troubled young man struggles with the memory of his murdered father — and the nearby presence of the man who turned his father in.
From Tuesday To Sunday (De Jueves A Domingo) – Chile
Dir. Dominga Sotomayor
Two children travel with their parents from Santiago Chile to the north of Chile for a family holiday. The landscape's loneliness and the car's confinement help bring out the couple's troubles and the children learn that this might turn out to be their father's farewell and their last family vacation.
Delusions of Grandeur – USA
Dir. Iris Almaraz, Gustavo Ramos
In the mid-1990s a medicated grungy girl stopped taking her medication (Prozac), crossed over a rainbow, and became a woman in a crazy, wonderful place called San Francisco. Lulu, Rocio, and Illusion are struggling with the sexuality and gender roles that we all play. It is said that there is someone for everyone, and the heroines in this story put that theory to the test in a city with a history of love at its core - but will they respect themselves in the morning?
Filadelfia Latin American Film Festival
Violeta Went to Heaven (Violeta Se Fue A Los Cielos) – Chile
Dir. Andres Wood
Violeta Went To Heaven tells the story of the iconic Chilean singer and folklorist Violeta Parra, tracing her evolution from impoverished child to international sensation and Chile's national hero, while capturing the swirling intensity of her inner contradictions, fallibilities, and passions.
Lemon – USA
Dir. Laura Brownson, Beth Levison
Three-time felon. One-time Tony award winner. Lemon Andersen is a pioneering poet whose words speak for a generation. But Lemon has landed back in the 'hood, living in the projects with thirteen family members and desperate for a way out. So he turns to the only thing he has left, his pen and his past
7 Boxes (7 Cajas) – Paraguay
Dir. Juan Carlos Maneglia, Tana Schémbor
Víctor receives an unusual proposal, to carry 7 boxes of unknown content through the Market Number 4 but things get complicated along the way.
Written by Juan Caceres and Vanessa Erazo, LatinoBuzz is a weekly feature on SydneysBuzz that highlights Latino indie talent and upcoming trends in Latino film with the specific objective of presenting a broad range of Latino voices. Follow @LatinoBuzz on Twitter and Facebook.
- 4/17/2013
- by Juan Caceres
- Sydney's Buzz
Just a few weeks after the Sundance Film Festival ended, the Sundance Institute Theatre Program’s 2013 Playwrights Retreat has started. The 13th annual writer’s colony is held at the 20,000-acre cattle ranch outside of Sheridan, Wyo., and will continue through Feb. 22. Artistic Director of the Theatre Program Philip Himberg and Producing Director Christopher Hibma run the retreat, which is made possible through the generosity of the Ucross Foundation. Some of the notable projects that have come out of the retreat include “A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder” by Steven Lutvak and Robert L. Freedman, “Song for the Disappeared” by Tanya Saracho, and “ToasT” by Lemon Anderson. The seven writers selected for this year’s program are Radha Blank, Fernanda Coppel, Joy Harjo, Michael John Lachiusa, Justin Levine, Matthew Paul Olmos, and Stephen Wadsworth. The Sundance Institute Theatre Program promotes playwrights to take risks and experiment in their writing,...
- 2/6/2013
- backstage.com
The Public Theater Artistic Director Oskar Eustis Executive Director Patrick Willingham and Under The Radar Festival Director Mark Russell announced the line-up today for the ninth annual Under The Radar Festival, January 9-20, 2013, at the newly revitalized Public Theater at Astor Place. A popular and highly-anticipated program of The Public Theaters winter season, the 2013 Under The Radar Festival will include artists from seven countries, including Iran, Belarus, the Netherlands, China, Japan, and Australia, and the return of Utr favorites like Back to Back Theatre, Pig Iron Theatre Company, Belarus Free Theatre, Lemon Andersen, and Nature Theater of Oklahoma.
- 11/8/2012
- by BWW News Desk
- BroadwayWorld.com
Like most city kids, Lemon Andersen's life revolved around his apartment building. And like too many city kids in precarious situations, he wound up on the wrong side of the law.
Andersen's story from three-time felon to playwright is told in "Lemon," airing Friday Oct. 19 (check local listings), on "Voces on PBS" as part of Hispanic Heritage Month, though technically the month ends earlier this week. Lemon is his nickname, which came about because he was so blond as a kid.
Andersen's parents had drug problems, and his beloved mother, Millie, died of AIDS. He talks lovingly about his mom.
Andersen turned that pain into poetry, catching the attention of Russell Simmons, who hired him and eight others to perform in "Russell Simmons Def Poetry Jam," honored with a special Tony Award.
The film shows how he, his wife and children live with her parents in a cramped apartment with a total of 13 people.
Andersen's story from three-time felon to playwright is told in "Lemon," airing Friday Oct. 19 (check local listings), on "Voces on PBS" as part of Hispanic Heritage Month, though technically the month ends earlier this week. Lemon is his nickname, which came about because he was so blond as a kid.
Andersen's parents had drug problems, and his beloved mother, Millie, died of AIDS. He talks lovingly about his mom.
Andersen turned that pain into poetry, catching the attention of Russell Simmons, who hired him and eight others to perform in "Russell Simmons Def Poetry Jam," honored with a special Tony Award.
The film shows how he, his wife and children live with her parents in a cramped apartment with a total of 13 people.
- 10/19/2012
- by [email protected]
- Zap2It - From Inside the Box
By Allen Gardner
Prometheus (20th Century Fox) Ridley Scott’s quasi-prequel to his 1979 classic “Alien” has an intergalactic exploratory team (Noomi Rapace, Michael Fassbender, Guy Pearce, Charlize Theron, Idris Elba) arriving on a uncharted planet, where they discover what appears to be a dormant alien spacecraft and what might be the first discovery of intelligent life outside of Earth. Of course, everything goes straight to hell before you can scream “Don’t touch that egg!” Sumptuous visuals and strong performances from the cast (not to mention a nearly-perfect first half) can’t compensate for gaping plot and logic holes that nearly sink the proceedings in the film’s protracted second half. It feels as though some very crucial footage wound up on the cutting room floor. Perhaps, as with “Alien” and “Aliens” we’ll see a “Director’s Cut” of “Prometheus” arriving on DVD within the next year. In the meantime,...
Prometheus (20th Century Fox) Ridley Scott’s quasi-prequel to his 1979 classic “Alien” has an intergalactic exploratory team (Noomi Rapace, Michael Fassbender, Guy Pearce, Charlize Theron, Idris Elba) arriving on a uncharted planet, where they discover what appears to be a dormant alien spacecraft and what might be the first discovery of intelligent life outside of Earth. Of course, everything goes straight to hell before you can scream “Don’t touch that egg!” Sumptuous visuals and strong performances from the cast (not to mention a nearly-perfect first half) can’t compensate for gaping plot and logic holes that nearly sink the proceedings in the film’s protracted second half. It feels as though some very crucial footage wound up on the cutting room floor. Perhaps, as with “Alien” and “Aliens” we’ll see a “Director’s Cut” of “Prometheus” arriving on DVD within the next year. In the meantime,...
- 10/8/2012
- by The Hollywood Interview.com
- The Hollywood Interview
Sit down, Lemon Andersen ‘got a story to tell. He grew up in Brooklyn by the ten crack commandments. After both parents succumbing to Aids through their addictions, he took the improbable journey from Rikers to reading his first poem at El Puente Community Center to Broadway earning himself a Tony Award. Or as Lemon simply puts it, he took those lemons and made “the best goddamn lemonade!” He is now the subject of a documentary called ‘Lemon’ by Laura Brownson & Beth Levison which chronicles the journey of his one man play ‘County of Kings; the Beautiful Struggle’ which recently closed the HBO New York International Latino Film Festival and will air on PBS on October 19th as part of Voces, a four part Latino documentary series in celebration of Hispanic Heritage month.
LatinoBuzz: When you think of riding the train, standing room only on a winter day, hoodie and goose down North Face on in Brooklyn—what song pops into your head?
Lemon:“It’s all about the mood I’m in and the scene I’m writing. ‘Cause work controls my life, writing controls my life, performing controls my life. So I don’t listen to any music that’s not an influence on what I’m working on that day. Music is a big influence in my work and sometimes drives the energy of where I want to go. It depends on what character I’m working on because all of my characters are musically driven as far as their language and their style. So it really depends on the day and what character I’m working on. One day I may be listening to Wu-Tang and another day I’m listening to A$AP Rocky, matter of fact I was listening to him on the train yesterday. Right now listening to A$AP Rocky cause I’m writing about some pretty motherfuckers from Harlem”.
LatinoBuzz: Author from any time in history, from any place whose swag should have had them born in the County of Kings in 1975?
Lemon:“I would definitely have to say William Shakespeare, he should have been born in Brooklyn in 1975 because I would have loved to see Shakespeare’s poetic portrayal of that generation and that world. He’s a big inspiration on my writing about that world and on my style. Shakespeare all day man, that’s the Og. I mean, I would pick Sophocles or any one of those guys, but Shakespeare is my kind of writer cause its all poetry. Basically for me Shakespeare is the greatest storyteller ever in the world, ever, period, hands down there is no one better than him and I challenge any motherfucker to question it. Even if they say he wasn’t the one who wrote it, I’m talking about the work not the man; I don’t know that fool, I know his work”.
LatinoBuzz: If St. Cecilia, patron saint of poets, was from Flatbush Ave. What would she be wearing and how would you holler at her?
Lemon:“I live by the code kill them with kindness, blood everywhere, for me it’s always about being the nicest kind of guy. What she would be wearing is something that is independent to her personality. On some hip-hop tip but no brand names totally indie hip designers. Something that really reflects her personality. That’s how I would start the conversation, I would notice something that she’s wearing and comment on it, something like I know the brand or “I’ve seen that in Paris,” and that will strike a chord with her and we’ll talk”.
LatinoBuzz: Three time felon, Tony award winner, one man show and now subject of a documentary film—any regrets to your journey?
Lemon:“I don’t know, I think that if I had any regrets that would cancel out the great people that I have in my life. All the tough stuff that I’ve gone through that I don’t wish on no one else has brought a beautiful community to me. The only thing I regret is the pain that I had to endure because pain sucks, the feeling of pain sucks, I don’t give a fuck when people say “more pain, more gain” no one wants to feel pain”.
LatinoBuzz: What do you tell your children about your parents?
Lemon:“You know, I talk to my kids about my mother’s energy and how she would have loved them. I talk about how kind and polite my father was. So that they have some kind of remembrance that even though my parents died from their addictions and so that they know they were genuine in how they were. That’s what I try to do. I try not to give too many details, though they are not old enough to ask me for details yet”.
LatinoBuzz: What would you rather? Drink wine with Pablo Neruda. Play ‘Cee-lo’ with Langston Hughes, Slap Box with Charles Bukowski or Slow Dance with Sonia Sanchez?
Lemon:“Would be slap boxing with Charles Bukowski cause he tried to protect Langston Hughes cause he owes me on the dice game and Sonia Sanchez is sitting there laughing her ass off with Pablo Neruda sipping wine. I would slap box with Bukowski and I’ll know that he’ll try to go for his. Bukowski stands out for more than anyone, although I love Langston Hughes and I love Sonia, and Pablo Neruda is the most beautiful loving poet of them all. I’m too rambunctious and so Charles Bukowski fits the bill. I would turn those guys down any day to even just have coconut water with Bukowski. So that’s my dude, he rolls big with me, in my work, so yeah I’d slap box with him all day, right on the corner”.
LatinoBuzz: What ritual sends you to your creative realm?
Lemon:“Lately its been getting up in the morning and allowing my kind of madness to grow. By that I mean that I have to allow myself to wake up before I start writing. I wake up I talk to one of my closest friends. I talk to my management team and I get their energy boiling. I get the blood boiling. I get angry, I get hungry, and I go at it, and I don’t stop ‘til I go to bed at night. So I have to get the blood boiling is just not coffee. It has to be that I’m in conversation with people in the morning before the work start because people drive me. Through out the day I listen to music I go to local cafes I hang out with the Mexicans behind the bar let them know that I love and that I’m holding them down, real talk, and that’s my every day”.
LatinoBuzz: If you and Biggie played Hooky—what’s the day like?
Lemon: “Wow, if me and Biggie played hooky I think we’d be sitting at home, that’s the only time I would go back to smoking weed, because I know I’ll be smoking with Biggie. I don’t smoke weed but for Biggie and Bob Marley. I would smoke with him and we would be watching Midnight Express and Brubaker and I would be telling him, “you see these movies that’s why I’m writing ‘Toast’, that’s why I write scripts and not raps.”
LatinoBuzz: Line of poetry or a lyric you wish you wrote?
Lemon:“I never sleep cause sleep is the cousin of death.”—Nas, “NY State of Mind”
LatinoBuzz: What will people say about Lemon when it’s all said and done?
Lemon:“That he believed in a generation not based on race but on class and style, and they had a great story tell and he told it”.
For info on The documentary and screening times visit: http://www.lemonthemovie.com or show Lemon some love at: http://twitter.com/lemonandersen
Written by Juan Caceres and Vanessa Erazo, LatinoBuzz is a weekly feature on SydneysBuzz that highlights emerging and established Latino indie talent and upcoming trends in Latino film with the specific objective of presenting a broad range of Latino voices. Follow @LatinoBuzz on twitter.
LatinoBuzz: When you think of riding the train, standing room only on a winter day, hoodie and goose down North Face on in Brooklyn—what song pops into your head?
Lemon:“It’s all about the mood I’m in and the scene I’m writing. ‘Cause work controls my life, writing controls my life, performing controls my life. So I don’t listen to any music that’s not an influence on what I’m working on that day. Music is a big influence in my work and sometimes drives the energy of where I want to go. It depends on what character I’m working on because all of my characters are musically driven as far as their language and their style. So it really depends on the day and what character I’m working on. One day I may be listening to Wu-Tang and another day I’m listening to A$AP Rocky, matter of fact I was listening to him on the train yesterday. Right now listening to A$AP Rocky cause I’m writing about some pretty motherfuckers from Harlem”.
LatinoBuzz: Author from any time in history, from any place whose swag should have had them born in the County of Kings in 1975?
Lemon:“I would definitely have to say William Shakespeare, he should have been born in Brooklyn in 1975 because I would have loved to see Shakespeare’s poetic portrayal of that generation and that world. He’s a big inspiration on my writing about that world and on my style. Shakespeare all day man, that’s the Og. I mean, I would pick Sophocles or any one of those guys, but Shakespeare is my kind of writer cause its all poetry. Basically for me Shakespeare is the greatest storyteller ever in the world, ever, period, hands down there is no one better than him and I challenge any motherfucker to question it. Even if they say he wasn’t the one who wrote it, I’m talking about the work not the man; I don’t know that fool, I know his work”.
LatinoBuzz: If St. Cecilia, patron saint of poets, was from Flatbush Ave. What would she be wearing and how would you holler at her?
Lemon:“I live by the code kill them with kindness, blood everywhere, for me it’s always about being the nicest kind of guy. What she would be wearing is something that is independent to her personality. On some hip-hop tip but no brand names totally indie hip designers. Something that really reflects her personality. That’s how I would start the conversation, I would notice something that she’s wearing and comment on it, something like I know the brand or “I’ve seen that in Paris,” and that will strike a chord with her and we’ll talk”.
LatinoBuzz: Three time felon, Tony award winner, one man show and now subject of a documentary film—any regrets to your journey?
Lemon:“I don’t know, I think that if I had any regrets that would cancel out the great people that I have in my life. All the tough stuff that I’ve gone through that I don’t wish on no one else has brought a beautiful community to me. The only thing I regret is the pain that I had to endure because pain sucks, the feeling of pain sucks, I don’t give a fuck when people say “more pain, more gain” no one wants to feel pain”.
LatinoBuzz: What do you tell your children about your parents?
Lemon:“You know, I talk to my kids about my mother’s energy and how she would have loved them. I talk about how kind and polite my father was. So that they have some kind of remembrance that even though my parents died from their addictions and so that they know they were genuine in how they were. That’s what I try to do. I try not to give too many details, though they are not old enough to ask me for details yet”.
LatinoBuzz: What would you rather? Drink wine with Pablo Neruda. Play ‘Cee-lo’ with Langston Hughes, Slap Box with Charles Bukowski or Slow Dance with Sonia Sanchez?
Lemon:“Would be slap boxing with Charles Bukowski cause he tried to protect Langston Hughes cause he owes me on the dice game and Sonia Sanchez is sitting there laughing her ass off with Pablo Neruda sipping wine. I would slap box with Bukowski and I’ll know that he’ll try to go for his. Bukowski stands out for more than anyone, although I love Langston Hughes and I love Sonia, and Pablo Neruda is the most beautiful loving poet of them all. I’m too rambunctious and so Charles Bukowski fits the bill. I would turn those guys down any day to even just have coconut water with Bukowski. So that’s my dude, he rolls big with me, in my work, so yeah I’d slap box with him all day, right on the corner”.
LatinoBuzz: What ritual sends you to your creative realm?
Lemon:“Lately its been getting up in the morning and allowing my kind of madness to grow. By that I mean that I have to allow myself to wake up before I start writing. I wake up I talk to one of my closest friends. I talk to my management team and I get their energy boiling. I get the blood boiling. I get angry, I get hungry, and I go at it, and I don’t stop ‘til I go to bed at night. So I have to get the blood boiling is just not coffee. It has to be that I’m in conversation with people in the morning before the work start because people drive me. Through out the day I listen to music I go to local cafes I hang out with the Mexicans behind the bar let them know that I love and that I’m holding them down, real talk, and that’s my every day”.
LatinoBuzz: If you and Biggie played Hooky—what’s the day like?
Lemon: “Wow, if me and Biggie played hooky I think we’d be sitting at home, that’s the only time I would go back to smoking weed, because I know I’ll be smoking with Biggie. I don’t smoke weed but for Biggie and Bob Marley. I would smoke with him and we would be watching Midnight Express and Brubaker and I would be telling him, “you see these movies that’s why I’m writing ‘Toast’, that’s why I write scripts and not raps.”
LatinoBuzz: Line of poetry or a lyric you wish you wrote?
Lemon:“I never sleep cause sleep is the cousin of death.”—Nas, “NY State of Mind”
LatinoBuzz: What will people say about Lemon when it’s all said and done?
Lemon:“That he believed in a generation not based on race but on class and style, and they had a great story tell and he told it”.
For info on The documentary and screening times visit: http://www.lemonthemovie.com or show Lemon some love at: http://twitter.com/lemonandersen
Written by Juan Caceres and Vanessa Erazo, LatinoBuzz is a weekly feature on SydneysBuzz that highlights emerging and established Latino indie talent and upcoming trends in Latino film with the specific objective of presenting a broad range of Latino voices. Follow @LatinoBuzz on twitter.
- 10/3/2012
- by Juan Caceres
- Sydney's Buzz
Public television has long been a champion of diversity and through October 15, PBS will honor Latinos by celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month with a varied lineup of new and encore programming. Among the repeat broadcasts that are absolutely worth your time are the documentaries Tales From a GhettoKlown, a behind-the-scenes look at John Leguizamo’s Broadway show of the same name; Mariachi High, an inspiring year in the life of the champion mariachi ensemble at Zapata High School in South Texas; and Waste Land, an Academy Award-nominated film about a Brazilian artist who uses materials found in a landfill to create larger-than-life portraits of garbage collectors. (Checklocallistings)
One of the new programs spotlighted this month is Voces, a showcase of documentaries that celebrate the rich diversity of the Latino cultural experience, that will premiere in conjunction with Hispanic Heritage Month on four consecutive Friday nights.
Executive Director of Latino Public Broadcasting, Sandie Viquez Pedlow, took great care in selecting the four documentaries that make up the series, “I am always looking for stories that are relevant, that take creative risks, that are artfully produced and well told, and have the potential to engage a national audience.”As a result of her thoughtful choices, the current season of Voces will highlight Latino artists, athletes, and performers in Mexico, Cuba, and the U.S. And for those of you who think public television is boring, get ready to be proven wrong.
Voces kicks off with Tales of Masked Men (September 28), an absorbing insider’s look at the world of Mexican “lucha libre,” famous for its masked wrestlers, followed by Escaramuza: Riding From the Heart (October 5), about a gutsy team of women rodeo riders vying to represent the U.S. at the National Charro Championships in Mexico.Unfinished Spaces (October 12) tells the story of the Cuban Revolution through its most significant work of architecture, Cuba’s National Schools of Art, and the three visionary men who designed it, while Lemon (October 19) follows Puerto Rican poet/performer Lemon Andersen, a three-time felon and one-time Tony Award winner, as he struggles to take his life story to the New York stage.
The genesis of the series was a few years back and was prompted by a lack of regular Latino-themed programming on public television. “Voces was launched in 2006 by Luca Bentivoglio, then executive director of Latino Public Broadcasting. Luca had worked for Univision and Telemundo and knew that stations in areas of large Latino populations such as New York, Miami, California, Texas, Chicago and other markets would benefit from more Latino programming to better serve their audience,” says Viquez Pedlow.
A series like Voces, this year airing nationwide on PBS, is in the unique position to bring Latino stories to a broad general audience. But, Viquez Pedlow feels that even more programming is needed, “I think we need more Voces on public media and commercial channels and the opportunity to present Latino compelling stories with diverse points of view so they are seen and understood by the American public.” Particularly at times when immigration becomes a hot-button issue, it is vital to have positive stories circulating in the public sphere to help counteract the negative and stereotyped portrayals of Latinos that the mainstream media perpetuates.
In keeping with it’s mission to, “to bring more Latino voices to public media” Latino Public Broadcasting has committed to helping the films reach an even wider audience after their broadcast. “We are focusing on 6 markets with high Latino populations, creating partnerships between public television stations and Latino organizations, museums, schools and universities for screenings, events and online activities to create dialogue around the programs and extend the footprint of the series.”
The hope is that these films will not only entertain but also educate, inform, and transform audiences. It is programs like Voces that push our stories into the mainstream at a pivotal time in U.S. history. It is a time in which demographics are rapidly changing and where soon minorities may no longer be minorities. It is about time that all Americans celebrate the diversity that this country has to offer.
Voces On PBS, premieres this Friday, September 28 and runs on four consecutive Friday nights through October 19 at 10:00 p.m. Et.
VocesonFacebook| VocesonTwitter
Written by Juan Caceres and Vanessa Erazo, LatinoBuzz is a weekly feature onSydneysBuzzthat highlights emerging and established Latino indie talent and upcoming trends in Latino film with the specific objective of presenting a broad range of Latino voices. Follow@LatinoBuzzon twitter.
One of the new programs spotlighted this month is Voces, a showcase of documentaries that celebrate the rich diversity of the Latino cultural experience, that will premiere in conjunction with Hispanic Heritage Month on four consecutive Friday nights.
Executive Director of Latino Public Broadcasting, Sandie Viquez Pedlow, took great care in selecting the four documentaries that make up the series, “I am always looking for stories that are relevant, that take creative risks, that are artfully produced and well told, and have the potential to engage a national audience.”As a result of her thoughtful choices, the current season of Voces will highlight Latino artists, athletes, and performers in Mexico, Cuba, and the U.S. And for those of you who think public television is boring, get ready to be proven wrong.
Voces kicks off with Tales of Masked Men (September 28), an absorbing insider’s look at the world of Mexican “lucha libre,” famous for its masked wrestlers, followed by Escaramuza: Riding From the Heart (October 5), about a gutsy team of women rodeo riders vying to represent the U.S. at the National Charro Championships in Mexico.Unfinished Spaces (October 12) tells the story of the Cuban Revolution through its most significant work of architecture, Cuba’s National Schools of Art, and the three visionary men who designed it, while Lemon (October 19) follows Puerto Rican poet/performer Lemon Andersen, a three-time felon and one-time Tony Award winner, as he struggles to take his life story to the New York stage.
The genesis of the series was a few years back and was prompted by a lack of regular Latino-themed programming on public television. “Voces was launched in 2006 by Luca Bentivoglio, then executive director of Latino Public Broadcasting. Luca had worked for Univision and Telemundo and knew that stations in areas of large Latino populations such as New York, Miami, California, Texas, Chicago and other markets would benefit from more Latino programming to better serve their audience,” says Viquez Pedlow.
A series like Voces, this year airing nationwide on PBS, is in the unique position to bring Latino stories to a broad general audience. But, Viquez Pedlow feels that even more programming is needed, “I think we need more Voces on public media and commercial channels and the opportunity to present Latino compelling stories with diverse points of view so they are seen and understood by the American public.” Particularly at times when immigration becomes a hot-button issue, it is vital to have positive stories circulating in the public sphere to help counteract the negative and stereotyped portrayals of Latinos that the mainstream media perpetuates.
In keeping with it’s mission to, “to bring more Latino voices to public media” Latino Public Broadcasting has committed to helping the films reach an even wider audience after their broadcast. “We are focusing on 6 markets with high Latino populations, creating partnerships between public television stations and Latino organizations, museums, schools and universities for screenings, events and online activities to create dialogue around the programs and extend the footprint of the series.”
The hope is that these films will not only entertain but also educate, inform, and transform audiences. It is programs like Voces that push our stories into the mainstream at a pivotal time in U.S. history. It is a time in which demographics are rapidly changing and where soon minorities may no longer be minorities. It is about time that all Americans celebrate the diversity that this country has to offer.
Voces On PBS, premieres this Friday, September 28 and runs on four consecutive Friday nights through October 19 at 10:00 p.m. Et.
VocesonFacebook| VocesonTwitter
Written by Juan Caceres and Vanessa Erazo, LatinoBuzz is a weekly feature onSydneysBuzzthat highlights emerging and established Latino indie talent and upcoming trends in Latino film with the specific objective of presenting a broad range of Latino voices. Follow@LatinoBuzzon twitter.
- 9/28/2012
- by Vanessa Erazo
- Sydney's Buzz
Just a few days ago, The New York Times highlighted English-language television’s failure to attract Latino audiences in an article called “ NetworksStruggle toAppealtoHispanics”. As the fastest growing demographic whose purchasing power exceeds $1 trillion, it’s no surprise that, “...they desperately want to appeal to the more than 50 million Latinos in the United States...” What is hard to believe, though, is that they still haven’t figured out how to do it. It’s really not that difficult. We want to see true-to-life characters that reflect the diverse experience of Latinos, not stereotypes.
In response to the Nyt article Esther Cepeda, NBC Latino Contributor, says it well, “...give the maids, bad boys and victimized immigrants a rest. Yes, those are real-life characters, but there’s no reason why art can’t imitate a diversity of life...How about casting Latinos as up-and-coming-politicians, overachieving college students, folksy-vegan-all-organic environmental activists, or the overscheduled suburban soccer mom-slash-superstar mommy blogger?” I would totally watch that show!
Maybe the execs should take advice from people like Cepeda. Better yet, they should hire people like Cepeda! But, instead of hiring bilingual and bicultural Latinos and Latinas to write, produce, and direct TV shows, American television executives run focus groups, spend money on market research, and scratch their heads--dumbfounded and unable to solve the conundrum. Meanwhile, other organizations have it figured out.
Year after year--the New York International Latino Film Festival packs Manhattan theaters with bilingual, bicultural Latino moviegoers. The very same demographic that TV execs and movie studios are clamoring to attract but fail to. Why is it that the entertainment industry’s most sought after group of consumers attends this festival by the tens of thousands? Because, the stories they see are diverse, complicated, new, different, multilingual, and reflect their own experiences. Television and studio executives might benefit from coming to the festival and taking some notes. These are the true-to-life kind of stories Latinos want to see on their T.V. and movie screens (and on their computer screens too.)
Documentaries at the New York International Latino Film Festival
Buscando A Larisa (Looking for Larisa)
U.S. Premiere/ 79 Minutes/ Mexico
Director: Andrés Pardo
Screening at 4:50 Pm | Wed, Aug 15 | Chelsea Clearview Cinemas
One day filmmaker Andrés Pardo stumbles across 2,000 feet of Super 8 footage at a flea market in Mexico City. Home movies shot during the 1970s, at their center is a lovely young blond-haired girl, Larisa. Teaming up with a photographer friend, Pardo decides to track down Larisa. He takes his search to Facebook, the internet, and the press.
Tickets: http://nylatinoff.festivalgenius.com/2012/films/buscandoalarisalookingforlarisa_andrspardo_nylatinoff2012
El MÉDico: The CubatÓN Story
New York Premiere/ 85 Minutes/ Cuba-Sweden
Director: Daniel Fridell
Screening at 7:00 Pm | Wed, Aug 15 | Chelsea Clearview Cinemas
High up in the Sierra Maestra mountains, where Castro’s revolution began, “El Médico,” a doctor and musician, serves the cause. When a Swedish music producer sees “El Médico” as the next big thing, Communist ideals collide with capitalist dreams. Should “El Médico,” listen to his mother and serve his community as a doctor or take advice from his producer and make “sexy ringtones”?
Tickets: http://nylatinoff.festivalgenius.com/2012/films/elmdicothecubatnstory_danielfridell_nylatinoff2012
Esperando A Los Bitles (Waiting for the Beatles)
New York Premiere/ 92 Minutes/ Mexico
Directors: Diego Graue & Raymundo Marmolejo
Screening at 6:30 Pm | Fri, Aug 17 | Chelsea Clearview Cinemas
Beatlemania is alive and well…in Mexico, where a fervent following pays continuous tribute to the groundbreaking Liverpool quartet. Fans compete in cover band competitions, obsessively collect memorabilia, and bemoan the fact that ‘Los Bitles’ never performed in Mexico. This hilarious and touching documentary shows that the genius of the Beatles transcends decades, continents, language and culture.
Tickets: http://nylatinoff.festivalgenius.com/2012/films/esperandoalosbitleswaitingforthebeatles_diegograue_nylatinoff2012
Hija (Daughter)
U.S. Premiere/ 84 Minutes/ Chile
Director: María Paz González
Screening at 2:30 Pm | Sat, Aug 18 | Chelsea Clearview Cinemas
Filmmaker María Paz González and her mother journey across Chile in a Volkswagen Beetle, searching for long-lost family members. María's mother, who was adopted, knows little of her personal history and goes in search of a sister she has never met. María hopes to connect with her father, a man she knows little about.
Tickets: http://nylatinoff.festivalgenius.com/2012/films/hijadaughter_marapazgonzlez_nylatinoff2012
Closing Night Film + After Party
Lemon
88 Minutes/ U.S.A.
Directors: Laura Brownson, Beth Levison
Screening at 6:30 Pm & 7:00 Pm | Sat, Aug 18 | Chelsea Clearview Cinemas
Three-time felon, one-time Tony Award winner, Lemon Andersen is an acclaimed poet who broke out on Broadway in Russell Simmons’ Def Poetry Jam. But Lemon has landed back in the projects and is desperate for a way out. He turns to the only things he has left, his pen and his story. This beautifully crafted film follows his efforts to stage a comeback at the Public Theater as he battles demons from his past.
Tickets: http://nylatinoff.festivalgenius.com/2012/films/lemon_laurabrownson_nylatinoff2012
The New York International Latino Film Festival runs through August 19th at the Chelsea Clearview Cinemas.
NyilffWebSite
FindNyilffonFacebook
FollowNyilffonTwitter
Written by Juan Caceres and Vanessa Erazo, LatinoBuzz is a weekly feature onSydneysBuzzthat highlights emerging and established Latino indie talent and upcoming trends in Latino film with the specific objective of presenting a broad range of Latino voices. Follow@LatinoBuzzon twitter.
In response to the Nyt article Esther Cepeda, NBC Latino Contributor, says it well, “...give the maids, bad boys and victimized immigrants a rest. Yes, those are real-life characters, but there’s no reason why art can’t imitate a diversity of life...How about casting Latinos as up-and-coming-politicians, overachieving college students, folksy-vegan-all-organic environmental activists, or the overscheduled suburban soccer mom-slash-superstar mommy blogger?” I would totally watch that show!
Maybe the execs should take advice from people like Cepeda. Better yet, they should hire people like Cepeda! But, instead of hiring bilingual and bicultural Latinos and Latinas to write, produce, and direct TV shows, American television executives run focus groups, spend money on market research, and scratch their heads--dumbfounded and unable to solve the conundrum. Meanwhile, other organizations have it figured out.
Year after year--the New York International Latino Film Festival packs Manhattan theaters with bilingual, bicultural Latino moviegoers. The very same demographic that TV execs and movie studios are clamoring to attract but fail to. Why is it that the entertainment industry’s most sought after group of consumers attends this festival by the tens of thousands? Because, the stories they see are diverse, complicated, new, different, multilingual, and reflect their own experiences. Television and studio executives might benefit from coming to the festival and taking some notes. These are the true-to-life kind of stories Latinos want to see on their T.V. and movie screens (and on their computer screens too.)
Documentaries at the New York International Latino Film Festival
Buscando A Larisa (Looking for Larisa)
U.S. Premiere/ 79 Minutes/ Mexico
Director: Andrés Pardo
Screening at 4:50 Pm | Wed, Aug 15 | Chelsea Clearview Cinemas
One day filmmaker Andrés Pardo stumbles across 2,000 feet of Super 8 footage at a flea market in Mexico City. Home movies shot during the 1970s, at their center is a lovely young blond-haired girl, Larisa. Teaming up with a photographer friend, Pardo decides to track down Larisa. He takes his search to Facebook, the internet, and the press.
Tickets: http://nylatinoff.festivalgenius.com/2012/films/buscandoalarisalookingforlarisa_andrspardo_nylatinoff2012
El MÉDico: The CubatÓN Story
New York Premiere/ 85 Minutes/ Cuba-Sweden
Director: Daniel Fridell
Screening at 7:00 Pm | Wed, Aug 15 | Chelsea Clearview Cinemas
High up in the Sierra Maestra mountains, where Castro’s revolution began, “El Médico,” a doctor and musician, serves the cause. When a Swedish music producer sees “El Médico” as the next big thing, Communist ideals collide with capitalist dreams. Should “El Médico,” listen to his mother and serve his community as a doctor or take advice from his producer and make “sexy ringtones”?
Tickets: http://nylatinoff.festivalgenius.com/2012/films/elmdicothecubatnstory_danielfridell_nylatinoff2012
Esperando A Los Bitles (Waiting for the Beatles)
New York Premiere/ 92 Minutes/ Mexico
Directors: Diego Graue & Raymundo Marmolejo
Screening at 6:30 Pm | Fri, Aug 17 | Chelsea Clearview Cinemas
Beatlemania is alive and well…in Mexico, where a fervent following pays continuous tribute to the groundbreaking Liverpool quartet. Fans compete in cover band competitions, obsessively collect memorabilia, and bemoan the fact that ‘Los Bitles’ never performed in Mexico. This hilarious and touching documentary shows that the genius of the Beatles transcends decades, continents, language and culture.
Tickets: http://nylatinoff.festivalgenius.com/2012/films/esperandoalosbitleswaitingforthebeatles_diegograue_nylatinoff2012
Hija (Daughter)
U.S. Premiere/ 84 Minutes/ Chile
Director: María Paz González
Screening at 2:30 Pm | Sat, Aug 18 | Chelsea Clearview Cinemas
Filmmaker María Paz González and her mother journey across Chile in a Volkswagen Beetle, searching for long-lost family members. María's mother, who was adopted, knows little of her personal history and goes in search of a sister she has never met. María hopes to connect with her father, a man she knows little about.
Tickets: http://nylatinoff.festivalgenius.com/2012/films/hijadaughter_marapazgonzlez_nylatinoff2012
Closing Night Film + After Party
Lemon
88 Minutes/ U.S.A.
Directors: Laura Brownson, Beth Levison
Screening at 6:30 Pm & 7:00 Pm | Sat, Aug 18 | Chelsea Clearview Cinemas
Three-time felon, one-time Tony Award winner, Lemon Andersen is an acclaimed poet who broke out on Broadway in Russell Simmons’ Def Poetry Jam. But Lemon has landed back in the projects and is desperate for a way out. He turns to the only things he has left, his pen and his story. This beautifully crafted film follows his efforts to stage a comeback at the Public Theater as he battles demons from his past.
Tickets: http://nylatinoff.festivalgenius.com/2012/films/lemon_laurabrownson_nylatinoff2012
The New York International Latino Film Festival runs through August 19th at the Chelsea Clearview Cinemas.
NyilffWebSite
FindNyilffonFacebook
FollowNyilffonTwitter
Written by Juan Caceres and Vanessa Erazo, LatinoBuzz is a weekly feature onSydneysBuzzthat highlights emerging and established Latino indie talent and upcoming trends in Latino film with the specific objective of presenting a broad range of Latino voices. Follow@LatinoBuzzon twitter.
- 8/15/2012
- by Vanessa Erazo
- Sydney's Buzz
Cinema Libre Studio has acquired all North American rights, minus broadcast, to the documentary “Lemon,” directed and produced by Laura Brownson and Beth Levison. “Lemon” will next screen August 18 as the closing-night film of the New York International Latino Film Festival, followed by DVD and VOD releases October 16 and a broadcast premiere on the PBS series “Voces” October 19 for Hispanic Heritage Month. Executive produced by Russell Simmons, Stan Lathan and Dan Cogan of Impact Partners, “Lemon” takes a look at the life of New York poet and playwright Lemon Andersen, who left a life in prison to find his voice through poetry and win a Tony award. The film had its premiere at the Zurich International Film Festival and subsequently screened at the Doc NYC Festival, where it won a special jury prize. Spike Lee, Kanye West, Mos Def and Talib Kweli make appearances in the film. Cinema Libre’s Philippe Diaz and Richard.
- 8/14/2012
- by Jay A. Fernandez
- Indiewire
The New York International Latino Film Festival (Nyilff),the premier Latino film festival in the country, opens its 13th edition with Filly Brown, starring breakout actress Gina Rodriguez (Go For It, Our Family Wedding), and closes with Lemon, the raw story of three-time felon and one-time Tony Award-winner, spoken word artist Lemon Andersen.
The festival kicks off on Monday, August 13 with a 15th anniversary presentation of Selena at Cinema Under The Stars, a free outdoor screening at St. Nicholas Park in uptown Manhattan.
Special Events include a World Premiere exclusive screening of The Girl Is In Trouble, attended by stars Wilmer Valderrama and Columbus Short, and will include a Q&A. The heartwarming Elliott Loves, winner of the Miami Gay & Lesbian Film Festival Audience Award for Best Picture, will headline the festival’s Dominican Night.
The New York International Latino Film Festival runs August 13 - 19, with most screenings taking place at Chelsea Clearview Cinemas. Schedule information and tickets will be available online and at the Chelsea Clearview Cinemas box office beginning July 27, 2012.
Opening Night – Co-Presented by Latina Magazine
Tuesday, August 14 – 7 pm – Chelsea Clearview Cinemas
Filly Brown (New York Premiere)
Directors: Youssef Delara, Michael D. Olmos
Writer: Youssef Delara
Cast: Gina Rodriguez, Jenni Rivera, Edward James Olmos, Chrissie Fit, Lou Diamond Phillips
Maria Jose “Majo” Tonorio is a tough La street poet who spits from the heart.
Dominican Night – Presented by Heineken.
Sponsored by HBO® and the Dominican American Professional Alliance
Thursday, August 16 – 7 pm – Columbia University Medical Center Alumni Auditorium
Elliott Loves (New York Premiere) (Isa:tla Releasing) Writer/Director: Gary Terracino
Cast: Elena Goode, Tillman Norsworthy and Robin de Jesus
Two stages of a Dominican-American’s life: first as a boy trying to bond with his young mother, and then a 21-year-old looking for love in New York City.
Closing Night – Presented by Pepsi
Saturday, August 18 – 7 pm – Chelsea Clearview Cinemas
Lemon (Isa:The Film Sales Company) Directors: Laura Brownson, Beth Levison
Written and Performed by: Lemon Andersen
A feature-length documentary film depicting Lemon Andersen’s struggle to free his family from poverty and pain as he exposes his most shocking secrets on the NY Stage.
World Premiere Exclusive Presentation
Saturday, August 18 – 8:45 pm – Chelsea Clearview Cinemas
The Girl Is In Trouble
Director: Julius Onah
Co-Written by: Julius Onah and Mayuran Tiruchelvam
Cast: Columbus Short, Wilmer Valderrama, Alicja Bachleda and Jesse Spencer
From executive producer Spike Lee comes the thriller “The Girl Is In Trouble,” a Lower East Side bartender becomes entangled in a murder mystery involving a desperate woman, a missing drug dealer and the scion of a powerful investment firm.
2012 Film Program
Nyilff will present domestic and international features, documentaries and shorts in competition, plus On The Edge, a showcase of non-traditional film genres and Nyilff Spectrum, which highlights global urban films, not limited to the Latino perspective.
Domestic Features
186 Dollars To Freedom
Delusions Of Grandeur
Love, Concord
Mariachi Gringo
Sunset Stories
Tony Tango
Under My Nails
International Features
180 Segundos (180 Seconds) (Colombia)
A Novela Das 8 (Prime Time Soap) (Brazil)
El Rumor De Las Piedras (The Rumble of the Stones) (Venezuela)
Jaque Mate (Check Mate) (Dominican Republic)
La ÚLtima Isla (The Last Island) (Spain)
La Mujer De IVÁN (Ivan’s Woman) (Chile)
La Lucha De Ana (Ana’s Struggle) (Dominican Republic)
La Brujula La Lleva El Muerto (The Compass is Carried by the Dead Man) (Mexico)
Sangre De Familia (Family Blood) (Mexico)
Una Noche (Cuba)
ZoolÓGico (Zoo) (Chile)
Documentaries
Buscando A Larisa (Looking for Larisa) (Mexico)
El MÉDico: The CubatÓN Story (Cuba/Sweden)
Esperando A Los Bitles (Waiting For The Beatles) (Mexico)
Hija (Daughter) (Chile)
Spectrum
Wolf
On The Edge
El Hoyo Del Diablo (The Devil’s Hole) (Dominican Republic)
Los Chidos (Mexico)
Shorts Program 1: Something In The Way She Moves
A Journey To Homeland
La Playa
Pescadora
Gabi
Salome
Shorts Program 2: The Catchers In The Rye
Botes Al Amanecer
Fireworks
Jesus Loves Youssef
Flutter
How Jimmy Got Leverage
La Mirada Perdida
Quinha
Leyenda
Shorts Program 3: Use Your Illusion
The Lepidoctor
The Magicians
The Shooting Star Salesman
Otto And The Electric Eel
The Life & Freaky Times Of Uncle Luke
The Trainee
Cargols
Shorts Program 4: Check Yo Self
Desert Road Kill
DetrÁS Del Espejo
Maddoggin'
Divergence
Hour Glass
October 31St
Shorts Program 5: The Anatomy of Melancholy
After Ever After Or Numbers On A Napkin
La Boda
Primavera
Fallen Comrade
Mentiroso
TrÓPico ExÓTico
Reinaldo Arenas
About Nyilff
Launched in 1999, the New York International Latino Film Festival is now the premier Urban Latino film event in the country. The Nyilff’s mission is to showcase the works of the hottest emerging Latino filmmaking talent in the U.S. and Latin America, offer expansive images of the Latino experience, and celebrate the diversity and spirit of the Latino community. Calixto Chinchilla and Elizabeth Gardner head up the festival staff, acting as Co-Executive Directors. The programming team is made up of Juan Caceres, Director of Programming, and Vanessa Erazo, Documentary Programming Manager.
FindNyilffonFacebook
FollowNyilffonTwitter
Written by Juan Caceres and Vanessa Erazo, LatinoBuzz is a weekly feature onSydneysBuzzthat highlights emerging and established Latino indie talent and upcoming trends in Latino film with the specific objective of presenting a broad range of Latino voices. Follow@LatinoBuzzon twitter.
The festival kicks off on Monday, August 13 with a 15th anniversary presentation of Selena at Cinema Under The Stars, a free outdoor screening at St. Nicholas Park in uptown Manhattan.
Special Events include a World Premiere exclusive screening of The Girl Is In Trouble, attended by stars Wilmer Valderrama and Columbus Short, and will include a Q&A. The heartwarming Elliott Loves, winner of the Miami Gay & Lesbian Film Festival Audience Award for Best Picture, will headline the festival’s Dominican Night.
The New York International Latino Film Festival runs August 13 - 19, with most screenings taking place at Chelsea Clearview Cinemas. Schedule information and tickets will be available online and at the Chelsea Clearview Cinemas box office beginning July 27, 2012.
Opening Night – Co-Presented by Latina Magazine
Tuesday, August 14 – 7 pm – Chelsea Clearview Cinemas
Filly Brown (New York Premiere)
Directors: Youssef Delara, Michael D. Olmos
Writer: Youssef Delara
Cast: Gina Rodriguez, Jenni Rivera, Edward James Olmos, Chrissie Fit, Lou Diamond Phillips
Maria Jose “Majo” Tonorio is a tough La street poet who spits from the heart.
Dominican Night – Presented by Heineken.
Sponsored by HBO® and the Dominican American Professional Alliance
Thursday, August 16 – 7 pm – Columbia University Medical Center Alumni Auditorium
Elliott Loves (New York Premiere) (Isa:tla Releasing) Writer/Director: Gary Terracino
Cast: Elena Goode, Tillman Norsworthy and Robin de Jesus
Two stages of a Dominican-American’s life: first as a boy trying to bond with his young mother, and then a 21-year-old looking for love in New York City.
Closing Night – Presented by Pepsi
Saturday, August 18 – 7 pm – Chelsea Clearview Cinemas
Lemon (Isa:The Film Sales Company) Directors: Laura Brownson, Beth Levison
Written and Performed by: Lemon Andersen
A feature-length documentary film depicting Lemon Andersen’s struggle to free his family from poverty and pain as he exposes his most shocking secrets on the NY Stage.
World Premiere Exclusive Presentation
Saturday, August 18 – 8:45 pm – Chelsea Clearview Cinemas
The Girl Is In Trouble
Director: Julius Onah
Co-Written by: Julius Onah and Mayuran Tiruchelvam
Cast: Columbus Short, Wilmer Valderrama, Alicja Bachleda and Jesse Spencer
From executive producer Spike Lee comes the thriller “The Girl Is In Trouble,” a Lower East Side bartender becomes entangled in a murder mystery involving a desperate woman, a missing drug dealer and the scion of a powerful investment firm.
2012 Film Program
Nyilff will present domestic and international features, documentaries and shorts in competition, plus On The Edge, a showcase of non-traditional film genres and Nyilff Spectrum, which highlights global urban films, not limited to the Latino perspective.
Domestic Features
186 Dollars To Freedom
Delusions Of Grandeur
Love, Concord
Mariachi Gringo
Sunset Stories
Tony Tango
Under My Nails
International Features
180 Segundos (180 Seconds) (Colombia)
A Novela Das 8 (Prime Time Soap) (Brazil)
El Rumor De Las Piedras (The Rumble of the Stones) (Venezuela)
Jaque Mate (Check Mate) (Dominican Republic)
La ÚLtima Isla (The Last Island) (Spain)
La Mujer De IVÁN (Ivan’s Woman) (Chile)
La Lucha De Ana (Ana’s Struggle) (Dominican Republic)
La Brujula La Lleva El Muerto (The Compass is Carried by the Dead Man) (Mexico)
Sangre De Familia (Family Blood) (Mexico)
Una Noche (Cuba)
ZoolÓGico (Zoo) (Chile)
Documentaries
Buscando A Larisa (Looking for Larisa) (Mexico)
El MÉDico: The CubatÓN Story (Cuba/Sweden)
Esperando A Los Bitles (Waiting For The Beatles) (Mexico)
Hija (Daughter) (Chile)
Spectrum
Wolf
On The Edge
El Hoyo Del Diablo (The Devil’s Hole) (Dominican Republic)
Los Chidos (Mexico)
Shorts Program 1: Something In The Way She Moves
A Journey To Homeland
La Playa
Pescadora
Gabi
Salome
Shorts Program 2: The Catchers In The Rye
Botes Al Amanecer
Fireworks
Jesus Loves Youssef
Flutter
How Jimmy Got Leverage
La Mirada Perdida
Quinha
Leyenda
Shorts Program 3: Use Your Illusion
The Lepidoctor
The Magicians
The Shooting Star Salesman
Otto And The Electric Eel
The Life & Freaky Times Of Uncle Luke
The Trainee
Cargols
Shorts Program 4: Check Yo Self
Desert Road Kill
DetrÁS Del Espejo
Maddoggin'
Divergence
Hour Glass
October 31St
Shorts Program 5: The Anatomy of Melancholy
After Ever After Or Numbers On A Napkin
La Boda
Primavera
Fallen Comrade
Mentiroso
TrÓPico ExÓTico
Reinaldo Arenas
About Nyilff
Launched in 1999, the New York International Latino Film Festival is now the premier Urban Latino film event in the country. The Nyilff’s mission is to showcase the works of the hottest emerging Latino filmmaking talent in the U.S. and Latin America, offer expansive images of the Latino experience, and celebrate the diversity and spirit of the Latino community. Calixto Chinchilla and Elizabeth Gardner head up the festival staff, acting as Co-Executive Directors. The programming team is made up of Juan Caceres, Director of Programming, and Vanessa Erazo, Documentary Programming Manager.
FindNyilffonFacebook
FollowNyilffonTwitter
Written by Juan Caceres and Vanessa Erazo, LatinoBuzz is a weekly feature onSydneysBuzzthat highlights emerging and established Latino indie talent and upcoming trends in Latino film with the specific objective of presenting a broad range of Latino voices. Follow@LatinoBuzzon twitter.
- 7/29/2012
- by Vanessa Erazo
- Sydney's Buzz
Title: Lemon Director: Laura Brownson, Beth Levinson What happens when your star has fallen? Stardom can be a blessing and I feel most people would relish the moment of getting recognition for their work, monetary compensation for said work and most importantly, being the best of the best. But when all of that goes away, what do you have left? In the new documentary, “Lemon” examines that very question. And following the subject Lemon Andersen, the three things he has left is family, ambition and talent. In the early 2000s, Lemon Andersen was one of the breakout stars of Russell Simmons’ “Def Poetry Jam”. A TV series that highlighted the...
- 11/3/2011
- by Rudie Obias
- ShockYa
The Sundance Institute Theater Program announced today that it has selected Lemon Andersen as the recipient of a $4,500 commission to complete his new play, "ToasT." The grant represents a partnership with The Public Theater’s Under The Radar (Utr) and is supported by a grant from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. Andersen's play follows convicted murderer Willie Green, or folklore hero "Dolomite." Imprisoned with other folklore characters including Jesse James, ...
- 9/21/2011
- Indiewire
Spike Lee, famed filmmaker, joined Absolut Vodka to celebrate the launch of Absolut® Brooklyn, the latest limited-edition, city-inspired flavor to be added to the brand.s flavor portfolio. Lee officially launched Absolut Brooklyn with an exclusive red carpet event in Brooklyn.s Dumbo area on Thursday, June 10. The bottle art was designed in collaboration with Lee, and features a colorful depiction of the stoop where the Brooklyn-bred auteur grew up - #165. Courtesy of Absolut Celebrity guests joined Brooklynites for the bash, which featured tunes by DJ Spinna and a special performance by Brooklyn-based spoken word poet/actor, Lemon Andersen. Additional celebrity guests included Michelle Williams, Adrienne Bailon, Solange Knowles, Selita Ebanks, Estelle, Fabulous, Amber Rose, model Chanel...
- 6/14/2010
- by April MacIntyre
- Monsters and Critics
In his latest endeavor to get involved in every way he can to make a buck (and in these tough economic times aren’t we all?) Spike Lee has joined with Absolut Vodka to create a special edition of the overrated and overpriced drink. He has designed a new label for the fourth installment a special edition of the bottle inspired by New York City.
It shows a colorful depiction of a cornerstone of the Brooklyn community complete with a stoop similar to the one that he grew up on and also includes an inscription decided to borough, which includes nicknames on the steps of the stoop and a line from fellow Brooklyn resident, Lemon Anderson’s ‘Love Letter to Brooklyn’ poem.
But to show that Spike has his heart in the right place and perhaps to prove that he’s not out to exploit black people (which he’s...
It shows a colorful depiction of a cornerstone of the Brooklyn community complete with a stoop similar to the one that he grew up on and also includes an inscription decided to borough, which includes nicknames on the steps of the stoop and a line from fellow Brooklyn resident, Lemon Anderson’s ‘Love Letter to Brooklyn’ poem.
But to show that Spike has his heart in the right place and perhaps to prove that he’s not out to exploit black people (which he’s...
- 5/26/2010
- by Sergio
- ShadowAndAct
For those of you who were anxiously awaiting news that your favorite Thursday night comedies were getting another season, the wait is over. Today, NBC announced it was giving another season to 30 Rock, The Office and one of our favorite new shows, the extremely funny Community.
This news comes on the heals of NBC’s recent announcement that Parks and Recreation was renewed for another season. Seeing as how we are huge fans of these shows, this news is great and we’re looking forward to more fun and laughs.
For more info, check out the official NBC press release following:
NBC Gives Pickups To Thursday-Night Comedies ‘30 Rock,’ ‘The Office’ And ‘Community’ For 2010-11
Renewals Follow Previously Announced Green-light for “Parks and Recreation” on Thursdays
NBC has renewed three more of its Thursday-night comedies – “30 Rock” (9:30-10 p.m. Et), “The Office” (9-9:30 p.m. Et) and the freshman series “Community” (8-8:30 p.
This news comes on the heals of NBC’s recent announcement that Parks and Recreation was renewed for another season. Seeing as how we are huge fans of these shows, this news is great and we’re looking forward to more fun and laughs.
For more info, check out the official NBC press release following:
NBC Gives Pickups To Thursday-Night Comedies ‘30 Rock,’ ‘The Office’ And ‘Community’ For 2010-11
Renewals Follow Previously Announced Green-light for “Parks and Recreation” on Thursdays
NBC has renewed three more of its Thursday-night comedies – “30 Rock” (9:30-10 p.m. Et), “The Office” (9-9:30 p.m. Et) and the freshman series “Community” (8-8:30 p.
- 3/5/2010
- by Chris Ullrich
- The Flickcast
Academy Award nominated director Spike Lee, the award winning Culture Project, Steve Colman and Jayson Jackson in association with The Public Theater present County of Kings. Written and performed by Lemon Andersen (Russell Simmons Def Poetry Jam), and directed by Elise Thoron, County of Kings begins performances Tuesday, September 29 for a six week limited engagement at The Public Theater, 425 Lafayette Street.
- 9/2/2009
- BroadwayWorld.com
The Public Theater (Artistic Director Oskar Eustis; Executive Director Andrew D. Hamingson) announced today the 12 actors selected to participate in the Free 2009 Shakespeare Lab, running June 15 to July 24. Lemon Andersen, Nathan Darrow, Paloma Guzmán, Zainab Jah, Lanna Joffrey, Modesto Lacén, Rebecca Lowman, William Mapother, Leslie Silva, Ryan Brooke Taylor, Molly Ward, and Victor Williams were selected from hundreds of applications to participate in this year's program.
- 6/11/2009
- BroadwayWorld.com
Warner Bros.' comedy fantasy "17 Again" ruled the domestic boxoffice this weekend with an estimated $24.1 million bow built heavily on support from young female fans of rising star Zac Efron.
Universal's Russell Crowe-toplined "State of Play" took the session's silver medal despite a soft $14.1 million opening, while Lionsgate's action sequel "Crank: High Voltage" debuted in sixth with just $6.5 million.
Disney's tween-girls magnet "Hannah Montana: The Movie" was the top holdover pic, dropping 61% in its sophomore session to register $12.7 million in fourth place for a 10-day cume of $56.1 million.
And Warners' dark comedy "Observe and Report" finished seventh over its second weekend as the Seth Rogen starrer dropped 63% from opening grosses for a $4.1 million frame and $18.7 million cume.
Industrywide, the $107 million weekend represented a 14% improvement over the same frame last year, according to Nielsen Edi.
Year to date, 2009 is pacing 8% ahead of last year,...
Universal's Russell Crowe-toplined "State of Play" took the session's silver medal despite a soft $14.1 million opening, while Lionsgate's action sequel "Crank: High Voltage" debuted in sixth with just $6.5 million.
Disney's tween-girls magnet "Hannah Montana: The Movie" was the top holdover pic, dropping 61% in its sophomore session to register $12.7 million in fourth place for a 10-day cume of $56.1 million.
And Warners' dark comedy "Observe and Report" finished seventh over its second weekend as the Seth Rogen starrer dropped 63% from opening grosses for a $4.1 million frame and $18.7 million cume.
Industrywide, the $107 million weekend represented a 14% improvement over the same frame last year, according to Nielsen Edi.
Year to date, 2009 is pacing 8% ahead of last year,...
- 4/19/2009
- by By Carl DiOrio
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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