Rosario Dawson wants a Dolores Huerta movie

by Sigal Ratner-Arias 

Playing renowned civil rights activist Dolores Huerta in the new biopic "Cesar Chavez" doesn't seem to be enough for Rosario Dawson. The actress, who knows and has worked with Huerta, would now like to bring her friend's life to the screen.

"I hope with the success of this film that there's an opportunity to tell her story, 'cause she's still writing it, she's still out there on the front lines doing the stuff," Dawson said in a recent interview.

After appearing in "Chavez," which opens Friday, Dawson said she was "very much encouraged" to produce a story about Huerta. "I did so much research about her and it was just impossible — a lot of the stuff that we filmed didn't even make it into the cut," she said.

Starring Michael Pena in the title role and America Ferrera as his wife, Helen, "Cesar Chavez" follows the Chicano activist as he builds the United Farm Workers union and eventually forces growers to sign contracts to better the working conditions of mostly Latino field laborers.

"What's really remarkable about this movie is that it really shows how women, specially his wife, were such a big part of (Chavez's) life and how broad the community was of people that made this movement possible," Dawson said. "He was a very sort of reluctant hero, he wasn't the best orator, speaker, speechwriter or any of these different things, but his message was really clear — he was speaking for himself, for his family and for the greater community."

Huerta is just the opposite, Dawson said: "She is very forthright, she is very in your face, she would have no problem jumping into this meeting (saying) 'I've never had any experience writing a contract before but I'm going in.'"

"I think they really balance each other out and I think having women be such a huge part of the movement is what helped it to stay non-violent and I just really credit (director Diego Luna) for making a film that really shows how many people were part of it and specially those women."

Dawson first met Huerta a few years ago when they collaborated about the organization Voto Latino, which was co-founded by the actress to promote the Latino vote in the United States. Since then, they've kept in touch. Dawson has also worked with the Dolores Huerta Foundation.

When Luna met Dawson to offer her the role, the actress wanted to know exactly what his intentions were. "I knew her and I loved her, so I was (like), 'Why are you doing this film?'" she said, laughing. Then Huerta gave the casting her blessing and the deal was done.

Dawson said the hardest part about playing Huerta was portraying someone who is still alive but also who she knows and admires deeply.

"I have a tendency to gravitate toward stories like that ... (portraying) particularly strong women. I like playing women who make their presence known in their community," said the star of films like "Sin City," ''Death Proof" and "Grindhouse." ''But it's also been really fun over the years playing, you know, sick, soft, nervous and anxious. I find being vulnerable much more difficult to do for myself as a role."

Ana Tijoux: Crossover Rap Superhero

By Dita Quinones

Rapper Ana Tijoux is incredibly busy these days since the March 18 release of her third, highly anticipated album, Vengo: The day after the release, the mother of two was at SxSW rocking the stage at four different showcases followed by concert dates in San Francisco, L.A. and Tijuana -- and most recently on Sunday, the Roots Factory presented Tijoux with the Kumbia Queers and Cumbia Machin here at the sold-out Casbah house. Despite all the hectic Vengo promotion, Tijoux keeps parenthood and rap career in tune to a well-planned scheduled by bringing her now 1-year-old daughter, Emilia on tour with her -- no nanny. Now, that's impressive.

In 2006, she went solo. In 2007, Tijoux skyrocketed out of the Chilean rap scene into mainstream Latin Alternative success with the collaboration with Julieta Venegas, “Eres Para Mi.” That same year, she released her debut solo album Kaos, which garnered nominations for Best New Artist and Best Urban Artist at the Latino MTV Video Music Awards. In 2010, her U.S. crossover hit “1977” (Tijoux's birth year) got her tons of props. Thom Yorke, lead singer of Radiohead, even recommended the single as a must listen on the band's official website. The single also got placement on AMC's hit series Breaking Bad and on EA's FIFA video game. That same year, Tijoux performed "1977" with the Roots as her backing band for Grammys weekend.

The multi-Grammy nominated rapper from Chile could be likened to a Lauryn Hill of rap en Espanol. Tijoux, like Hill, out-rapped and outgrew her male comrade crew, Makiza. And like Hill, she can seamlessly spit verses and belt out memorable hooks. Tijoux is exactly the type of rapper we need to keep checks and balances within the male-dominated rap industry. Her breath control and rap technique is as sharp as a Jay-Z with a Bahamadia silkiness. Tijoux raps about real life, colonialism and motherhood -- all intertwined over golden-era '90s beats that never go out of style.

This year, Vengo challenges the Tijoux fan to hear her rap with a live band and native Andean instruments. The same-titled single is a powerful story-telling, horn-heavy introduction to her third effort: “Vengo, en busca de respuestas con el manojo lleno y las venas abiertas/Vengo, como un libro abierto, ansiosa de aprender la historia no contada de nuestros ancestros.” [Translation: “I come for answers, with a bundle of full and open veins/I come as an open book eager to learn the untold story of our ancestors.”]

If you've seen the Vengo cover artwork, you'll know that Ana Tijoux is our earthly rap superhero who intends to give it to you straight, no chaser. What you see is what you get. I predict another Grammy nod for Tijoux -- my fingers are crossed she will finally break the Susan Lucci curse. I caught up with my Chilean sister from another mother at the Casbah before her show for sage advice to fellow female rappers on the come-up and to learn more of the making of a sample-free Vengo.

For the latest news, follow @anatijoux on Twitter.

Latino Film Festival opens in Worcester April 1st

By Richard Duckett TELEGRAM & GAZETTE STAFF

"Right now I don't sound like a filmmaker, I sound like a businessman," observed Bruno Irizarry, writer and director of "200 Cartas" ("200 Letters"). 

"But it's a reality." 

He wasn't mailing in an apology. When you are also one of the executive producers of your independent movie, it is probably inevitable that business and creativity will both come up in your conversation. 

Happily for Irizarry and "200 Cartas," the checks have been coming in, by mail or otherwise. The romantic-comedy/road movie is now the second highest grossing film in Puerto Rico that was produced and made in Puerto Rico, Irizarry said. 

The movie is currently making deliveries around the United States, and will be shown twice (April 5 and 6) as part of the Latino Film Festival, which opens April 1 at Cinema 320 at Clark University and runs until April 6. Irizarry will be on hand, along with the film's producer, Javier Enrique Perez, and editor, Pedro Javier Muniz, for a Q&A after the movie's screening at 1 p.m. Saturday, April 5. The three will also be talking to students at Worcester Polytechnic Institute on April 4. 

Irizarry, talking on the telephone from Puerto Rico earlier his week, had just returned from seeing "200 Cartas" at a film festival in San Diego. "It went extremely well," he said. 

In "200 Cartas," Raul (played by Lin Manuel Miranda), is a Puerto Rican man living in New York City who meets a beautiful Puerto Rican woman named Maria Sanchez at a nightclub. He is smitten, but they get separated and she disappears. Knowing that Maria was returning to Puerto Rico, he decides to go back there himself to find her. One problem — there are 200 listings for a Maria Sanchez in the island's phone book. Undaunted, Raul writes 200 letters and travels around Puerto Rico in search of the right one with a friend and two local women they hire as guides. 

Irizarry's own experiences helped fuel his imagination in writing "200 Cartas." 

He has also been a "Newyorcian" in New York from Puerto Rico, acting as well as pursuing filmmaking. 

On one "occasion, I was living in New York, walking, it was like minus 14 degrees, and I said to myself, 'What the hell am I doing here?'" Irizarry recalled. 

He wanted to set a film in Puerto Rico. "I was suddenly very nostalgic about my home. But I was missing the hook." 

As a 17-year-old, Irizarry had himself met a beguiling woman in New York City, only to lose track of her. In this instance, he had to return to Puerto Rico. But not for long. "I remember going back (to New York), but I couldn't find her." Years later, the two did bump into each other. Both were with their respective spouses. 

With creative license, Irizarry switched the search to Puerto Rico. That's not the only turn in the film, since the ending packs a twist. 

"It's very charming," said Carmen D. "Dolly" Vazquez of Centro Las Americas and organizer and co-founder of the Latino Film Festival. "It has so many funny moments throughout the whole movie." 

People have agreed. "200 Cartas" was shown in movie theaters in Puerto Rico last year for more than 12 weeks. In the U.S., Irizarry is hoping the film might pick up a major distributor. "The Latin American community has buying power that Hollywood should be interested in," he said. Meanwhile, he would like to "open a door at least to a percentage of the regular audience of the United States." In terms of television, a deal had just come through with HBO. 

Irizzary also directed "Shut Up and Do It!" and the documentary "Dirty Drawings with Happy Endings." 

Putting a film together is "95 percent preparation, 5 percent luck," he said. "It's not just, 'OK, I'm making a movie. What do I do?' " 

Irizarry is making them in Puerto Rico. He has a new company, Brava Studios, with businessman Shimmy McHugh, who was also an executive producer for "200 Cartas." 

The Puerto Rico Film Commission, created by an act of law in 1999 to develop the film industry on the island including offering tax incentives, has been playing an invaluable role, Irizarry said. 

"Without them, the film ('200 Cartas') would not be made," Irizarry said. 

"Right now the infrastructure on the island is not the same, obviously, as Los Angeles," he noted. On the other hand, the island can offer mountains, beach, ocean and jungle, he said, along with tax incentives and film crews and actors who are "top of the line…I wish we had more people. But it's getting better and better all the time." 

Still, that 5 percent luck should not be discounted. During the shooting of "200 Cartas," a hurricane struck, it rained most of the time, and a cast member and a crew member came down with fever, Irizarry said. 

He praised his producer, Perez. "In the middle of chaos, he's so calm and relaxed." 

Meanwhile, Irizarry adapted to reality. He shot the movie. "I learned very quickly to embrace anything that's happening in front of me right now." 

This is the 19th edition of the Latino Film Festival, and in that time Vazquez has seen changes in the films available to be shown. 

"I have, in the quality of the movies very much," she said. For 2014, "all the movies are very good." 

The festival is presented by Centro Las Americas, Assumption College, Clark University, the College of the Holy Cross, Quinsigamond Community College, Worcester Polytechnic Institute and Worcester State University, with additional support from Cinema 320 (which shows independent American movies and foreign films). 

The event's longevity is due in large part to the support of the local colleges, Vazquez said. "Because of their participation, the festival is paid for before I sell a ticket." The festival committee that chooses the films includes Vazquez and several professors. 

Attendance at the festival has been averaging between 700 and 800 people for the course of its run in recent years, Vazquez said. 

"Having it at Cinema 320, people used to going to Cinema 320 always come to our festival." 

General admission is $6; $4 students and seniors. Films will be shown in Room 320 of the Jefferson Academic Center at Clark University. 

The other films in the festival are: 

"Un Amor," a romantic drama from Argentina about childhood friends caught in a heartbreaking love triangle who are reunited after 30 years. 

"7 Cajas" ("7 Boxes"), about a street kid in Paraguay who makes a living as a wheelbarrow deliveryman and gets a job to deliver seven mysterious wooden crates. 

"Broche de Oro," about three men who run away from their retirement home in Puerto Rico to enjoy a weekend of debauchery and fun. 

"Curtain of Water," a documentary by Joe Guerriero exploring the U.S. trade embargo on Cuba. 

El Rey network renews 'from dusk till dawn' for 2nd season

By Whitney Friedlander, Variety

"From Dusk Till Dawn," the first scripted series from director Robert Rodriguez's El Rey Network, has received a 13-episode second season order.

"This is a truly unique property and one that has really resonated for viewers," said Rodriguez, who created the series based on the 1996 movie he co-wrote with Quentin Tarantino. "It has been a joy to bring these characters back to life and have the opportunity to take our storytelling to a whole new place. We look forward to going back into production later this year and are excited about raising the bar even higher in season two."

Rodriguez directed four of the first season's installments.

"Our decision to launch this ambitious original in just our first few months on the air was certainly bold but the payoff has been incredibly satisfying," said Scott Sassa, El Rey Network's Vice Chair. "As the television landscape becomes even more crowded, it's important for El Rey Network to have a recurring and memorable franchise that speaks to our audience and allows us to break away from the noise of all the competition. 'From Dusk Till Dawn: The Series' is most certainly that kind of property and we are thrilled with the response from our affiliate partners, advertisers, viewers and the international community."

The series is shot in Austin, Texas, home to the Rodriguez's Troublemaker Studios.

Hispanic moviegoers had major impact on 2013 box office

By Todd Cunningham, The Wrap

Hispanic moviegoers played a huge part in the record 2013 U.S. box office, according to figures released Tuesday by the MPAA.

Despite representing roughly 17 percent of the U.S. population, Hispanics bought up 25 percent of the movie tickets sold in the U.S. last year. They number of Hispanics who are frequent moviegoers - those who go to the movies more than once a month - continues to grow and represents 32 percent of that group.

Motion Picture Association of America Chairman Chris Dodd detailed the strong Hispanic representation in his state of the industry report delivered Tuesday at CinemaCon in Las Vegas.

Despite purchasing fewer tickets in 2013 compared to 2012, Hispanics remained more likely than any other ethnic group to go to movies, according to the report. African-Americans and "others" purchased more tickets in 2013 than in 2012.

The share of tickets sold to Caucasians has been trending downward since 2009. The share of tickets sold to African-Americans increased for the first time since 2009, while the share of tickets sold to Hispanics declined slightly from 2012.

Lionsgate's comedy"Instructions Not Included" was a big factor. The Eugenio Derbez comedy became the highest-grossing foreign-language film ever in the U.S. with more than $44 million domestically last year despite never playing in more than 1,000 theaters.

And Universal made a point of targeting the Hispanic audience with "Fast & Furious 6" as well, and that paid major dividends. Hispanics made up 32 percent of the hot car blockbuster's opening weekend audience, while white moviegoers accounted for 29 percent, and it went on take in $238 million at the domestic box office.

15th HFFNY Special Showcases: films that will make you talk!

15th HFFNY will feature a variety of Special Showcases that will make you talk, including the latest films by Amat Escalante (Mexico) and Enrique Kiki Álvarez (Cuba-Panama), revealing documentaries by Roberto Rodríguez (Cuba-U.S.) and Ricardo Restrepo (Colombia), and a bio-doc by Dr. John-Roger and Jsu García (U.S.). Taking place at Quad Cinema and NYU's King Juan Carlos I of Spain Center, many of these screenings will be followed by Q&A sessions with visiting filmmakers where the audience will have the chance to learn about behind the scenes details, what are the filmmakers currently working on now, and future projects.  

 

In addition, on Friday, April 4, the festival will play tribute to the late Cuban director Daniel Díaz Torres, with screenings his films La Película de Ana / Ana's Movie and Hacerse el Sueco / Playing Swede at Quad Cinema. 

 

 

JIRAFAS / GIRAFFES

Enrique Kiki Álvarez | Cuba-Panama | 2012 | Fiction | 94min

Jirafas depicts the relationship between three young squatters through their fights, friendships, sexual encounters, and the creation of a common language--private and inaudible like the giraffes'. Una pareja de amantes, Lia y Manuel, ocupan la casa de Tania. Entre los tres comienza un enfrentamiento por el espacio que los lleva a crear un lenguaje común, privado e inaudible como el de las jirafas. 

Quad Cinema 4/4 @ 2:50pm

Quad Cinema 4/6 @ 9:30pm - Director present for Q&A

 

MYSTICAL TRAVELER: THE LIFE & TIMES OF DR. JOHN-ROGER

John-Roger - Jsu García | U.S. | 2013 | Documentary | 127min 

NY Premiere

Narrated mostly in his own words and including interviews from around the globe and before behind-the-scenes footage never seen before, this documentary focuses on the life and times of NY Times #1 bestselling author and mystical traveler, Dr. John-Roger. Este documental sobre la vida del Dr John-Roger, autor bestseller del New York Times, está narrado mayormente por él mismo e incluye entrevistas en diversas partes del mundo así como material inédito.   

Quad Cinema 4/5 @ 1:00pm - Director present for Q&A

  

HELI / HELI

Amat Escalante | Mexico | 2013 | Fiction | 105min

Estela is a twelve-year-old Mexican girl and has fallen crazy in love with a young police cadet who wants to run away with her and get married. Trying to achieve this dream, her family gets involved in the violence devastating the region. La familia de Estela, una niña mexicana de doce años, cae en un engranaje de violencia cuando ella se enamora de un joven policía involucrado en el tráfico de drogas.

Quad Cinema 4/7 @ 3:00pm

Quad Cinema 4/9 @ 9:00pm

  

Unseen Chapters of Latin American History:

 

CESÓ LA HORRIBLE NOCHE / END OF THE HORRIBLE NIGHT 

Ricardo Restrepo | Colombia | 2013 | Documentary | 22min

U.S. Premiere

Using intimate family images shot by the director's grandfather, this short documentary takes us back to April 9, 1948, one of the darkest moments of Colombia's history. Powerful imagery overlaid with compelling text become a reflection that goes beyond mere history. A través de la intimidad de las imágenes familiares filmadas por el abuelo del director, este cortometraje documental regresa al 9 de abril de 1948, uno de los momentos más oscuros de la historia colombiana. La fuerza de las imágenes sumadas a la contundencia del texto construyen una reflexión que va mucho más allá de lo puramente histórico.

QUAD CINEMA 4/8 @ 6:00pm

 

CORO DE SILENCIO / CHOIR OF SILENCE

Roberto Rodríguez | U.S.-Cuba | 2013 | Documentary | 50min 

NY Premiere

Between 1960 and 1962 the CIA and the Diocese of Miami organized "Operation Peter Pan," a program that sent 14,048 unaccompanied children from Cuba to the U.S. This documentary touches on the memories of mental and sexual abuse committed by priests and social workers, a story kept untold. Entre los años 1960-1962 la CIA y la Diocesis de Miami organizaron "Operación Peter Pan", un programa que envió 14.048 niños cubanos a los Estados Unidos. Este documental se centra en las memorias de los abusos sexuales y mentales cometidos por parte del clérigo y los trabajadores sociales, una historia que no se contó. 

NYU's King Juan Carlos I of Spain Center 4/8 @ 6:00pm - Director present for Q&A

  

SPECIAL TRIBUTE TO DANIEL DÍAZ TORRES

Daniel Díaz Torres played a key role in establishing the International School of Film and Television in San Antonio de los Baños, Cuba, where he was a professor, lecturer, and head of the Film Direction Department. Díaz Torres was honored with the National Culture and Seal Laureate in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the development of Cuban culture. He died in Havana in 2013. Daniel Díaz Torres fue fundador de la Escuela Internacional de Cine y Televisión de San Antonio de los Baños, Cuba, donde fue profesor, subdirector docente y jefe de la cátedra de dirección. Recibió la distinción Por la Cultura Nacional y Sello de Laureado en reconocimiento a su contribución al desarrollo de la cultura artística y literaria cubanas. Murió en La Habana en 2013.

  

Films screening in celebration of Daniel Díaz Torres' life and work:

  

HACERSE EL SUECO / PLAYING SWEDE

Daniel Díaz Torres | Cuba | 2000 | Fiction | 105min 

B'Jorn, who claims to be a literature professor, arrives in Cuba. A family from Havana wants to host him in their house to make a little profit. A story about friendship, stereotypes, adventure, and love. B´Jorn, quien afirma ser profesor de literatura, llega a Cuba. Una familia habanera quiere hospedarlo en su casa con fines monetarios. Una historia sobre la amistad, los estereotipos, la aventura y el amor.

Quad Cinema 4/4 @ 4:45pm

 

LA PELÍCULA DE ANA / ANA'S MOVIE

Daniel Díaz Torres | Cuba | 2012 | Fiction | 100min 

NY Premiere

This is the story of Ana, an unlucky Cuban actress whose economic problems push her into prostitution. When she dares to participate in a pseudo-documentary as one of its protagonists, her adventures begin. Esta es la historia de Ana, una actriz cubana sin suerte cuyos problemas económicos la llevan a la prostitución. Cuando decide participar en un pseudo-documental como una de las protagonistas, comienzan sus aventuras. 

Quad Cinema 4/4 @ 7:00pm - Actress Laura de la Uz present for Q&A

Quad Cinema 4/7 @ 5:00pm

  

 

King Juan Carlos I of Spain Center, NYU   HFFNY FESTIVAL VENUES Directors Guild Theater - 110 West 57th St. (Bet. 6th & 7th Aves.), Manhattan Quad Cinema - 34 West 13th St. (Bet. 5th & 6th Aves.), Manhattan Museum of the Moving Image - 35th Ave. at 37th St., Astoria, Queens The Bronx Museum of the Arts - 1040 Grand Concourse at 165th St., The Bronx King Juan Carlos I of Spain Center, NYU - 53 Washington Square South, Manhattan SVA (School of Visual Arts) Theatre - 333 West 23rd St., Manhattan CUNY Graduate Center - 365 Fifth Ave. (Bet. 34th & 35th St.) #C204, Manhattan

Quad Cinema

Rubén Blades Releases “Tangos” on June 24

By: Latin Jazz Network

Tangos, the stunning new CD from Rubén Blades, is set for release via Sunnyside Records on June 24th.

The best songs are those that provide messages that reach beyond the genre into which they are born. There are lyrics that can move people deeply, even when the composer and listener are separated by oceans.
The tremendous poet, composer and actor Rubén Blades is the sort who can plumb the depths of human emotion. Over his industrious and varied career, Blades has been a voice of passion, awareness and social consciousness throughout the Spanish-speaking world. He also possesses a wide-ranging interest in ideas and art, which has led to his involvement in projects with intriguing musical blends, including his new recording Tangos, a fascinating partnership of Blades’s classic salsa compositions with Argentinean tango.

Blades’s interest in tango music led him to reach out to his long time friend and collaborator Carlos Franzetti. Both were intimately involved in the New York Latin jazz and salsa scenes of the late 1970s and early 1980s and they befriended each other while working on a number of recordings, including the massive releases of Siembra (1978) and Maestra Vida (1980) and the music for the films Beat Street (1984) and Q&A (1990).

The initial idea for a collaboration using tango material was proposed nearly a decade ago but plans were delayed while Blades served as the Minister of Tourism for his native Panama from 2004 to 2009. Blades never forgot the idea and he began to hint at a possible tango project with Franzetti while touring Latin America shortly after his term ended.

Blades’s hints led to an invitation from Gustavo Mozi for the two to close the World Tango Festival in Buenos Aires during the summer of 2010. The Festival gave Blades and Franzetti the perfect opportunity to tackle the project.

Franzetti began by arranging five of Blades’s compositions for their performance: “Pablo Pueblo,” “Ligia Elena,” “Ella,” “Paula C” and “Pedro Navaja.” At the Festival, Blades and Franzetti were accompanied by the fantastic Leopoldo Federico Orchestra, which also recorded the pieces shortly thereafter. Once they returned to New York, Blades and Franzetti worked on arranging another six compositions, which were recorded with a tango quintet, with the strings and woodwinds recorded later in Prague.

Rubén Blades has proven himself to be one of the greatest lyricists and songwriters of our time. The idea to frame his lyrics with the tremendous arrangements of Carlos Franzetti in the tango idiom only increases the drama of his poetry. Tangos will prove to cement the legacy of this master songwriter and the ability of his songs to transcend musical borders.

Pitbull THR April 2014 Cover: Cuban Singer Aspires To Be 'A Billion-Dollar Company by 35'

By Oscar Lopez

Pitbull has been steadily rising in the ranks of the country's music stars and he is now without a doubt one of the biggest Latinos in the world. With nine top 10 singles, including 2011's "Give Me Everything" and 2013's "Timber," which both reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and have sold 8.5 million downloads in the U.S., Pitbull is a force to be reckoned with. The Cuban-American singer is set to grace the cover of The Hollywood Reporter's April edition.

The Cuban-American sensation talks to The Hollywood Reporter about his genre-bending style. Initially classified as "too Latin for hip-hop, too hip-hop for Latin," Pitbull has proven that marrying both genres is actually a recipe for success. "I fell in love with hip-hop because to me it was therapy," he says. "I could listen to [someone] and go, 'This is happening in his neighborhood, too?' It became my way of getting things off my chest without having to do it physically."

The 47-year-old Pitbull also reveals that he sees himself as a savy and ambitious businessman. “I’ll be sitting in marketing meetings where they’re going, ‘Well, this is our multicultural budget,’ and ‘We’ll make this a multicultural campaign,’ and I say, ‘Great!’ knowing that they see me in the context of the Latin boom. ‘Oh, he’s the next Latin this or Latin that. ...’ But in my mind, I know this is the general market. I touch everybody at the end of the day.”
Pitbull's ambition stretches far and wide. “Do I think it’s realistic to be a billion-dollar company by [age] 35?" He asks. "Absolutely.” The Latino star also plans to someday return to perform in his native country. “To make history in Havana and be able to perform maybe in front of a million, 2 million people, I’m hoping for that within the next five years,” he says excitedly. “I can picture it in my mind.”

15th HFFNY Documentary Competition: 6 stories that will stay with you

15th HFFNY presents 6 exceptional films competing for the Best Documentary Havana Star Award. These documentaries, portraying true Latino stories that will stay with you, will be screening at Quad Cinema throughout the festival. Five of the filmmakers will be present and engaging in Q&A sessions with the audience at the screenings. The15th HFFNY will run April 3-11 at the Quad Cinema and additional venues around the city. 

The winners will be announced during the festival's Closing Night, April 11 at the Director Guild Theater (DGA). The 15th HFFNY jury is comprised of prominent members of the local and international film industry. Documentary categories jurors include; TV host and film critic Alfonso Díaz, director and film programmer Juan Cáceres, and Costa Rican film producer Luis Naguil.

Competing for Havana Star Prize documentary category:

I WILL BE MURDERED / SERÉ ASESINADO

Justin Webster | Guatemala-UK | 2013 | Documentary | 85min 

NY Premiere

This documentary portrays the astonishing real-life story of a Guatemalan lawyer who launched a personal crusade in search of justice and brought his country to the brink of chaos. Este documental cuenta la historia real e increíble de un abogado que al luchar por la justicia llevó a su país al borde del caos.

QUAD CINEMA 4/4 @ 1:00PM  

QUAD CINEMA 4/7 @ 9:15PM 

OF KITES AND BORDERS / DE COMETAS Y FRONTERAS

Yolanda Pividal | U.S.-Mexico | 2013 | Documentary | 60 min

NY Premiere

The story of the daily struggle to be a child living on the U.S.-Mexico border through the eyes of four working children in the city of Tijuana. Un relato sobre la lucha diaria por ser niño en la frontera de México y E.E.U.U. tejido por tres fragmentos de vidas que transcurren en la ciudad de Tijuana. 

QUAD CINEMA 4/4 @ 9:15pm - Director present for Q&A

  

LA GORGONA, HISTORIAS FUGADAS / GORGONA, STORIES ON THE RUN

Camilo Botero | Colombia | 2013 | Documentary | 70min  

NY Premiere

This documentary builds an intriguing narrative combining nature shots with personal accounts by inmates at Gorgona, a paradisiacal island in the Colombian pacific that functioned as a prison between 1960-1985, when it was declared a natural park by the Colombian government. Este intrigante documental combina imágenes del microcosmos de insectos y animales con relatos personales de presos en Gorgona, una isla paradisíaca del Pacífico colombiano que funcionó como prisión desde 1960 hasta 1985, cuando fue declarada Parque Natural por el gobierno colombiano. 

QUAD CINEMA 4/5 @ 3:30pm - Director present for Q&A

ANGELES Y POLVO / ANGELS AND DUST

Héctor Herrera | Panama-France | 2013 | Documentary | 81 min 

U.S. Premiere

Music producer Paco and his wife Kene are arrested at Panama's airport with cocaine strapped to their bodies. Desperate to help them, Paco's brother Mauricio leaves his home in Barcelona and embarks in a mesmerizing hallucinogenic journey. El productor musical Paco y su esposa Kane son arrestados en el aeropuerto de Panamá con cocaína fajada en sus cuerpos. El hermano de Paco, Mauricio, desesperado por ayudarlos, deja su casa en Barcelona y se embarca en un viaje fascinante y alucinógeno.

QUAD CINEMA 4/5 @ 5:30PM - Director present for Q&A

SOBRE LAS OLAS: A STORY OF FLAMENCO IN THE U.S. 

Carolina Loyola | U.S. | 2013 | Documentary | 100min  

NY Premiere

For over a hundred years, the art of flamenco has been traveling into distant places. Many have fallen in love with the deep song, the cry, the rhythm. This documentary brings us into the heart of flamenco in the U.S. and the artists who keep it alive. Por más de cien años, el arte del flamenco ha viajado a lugares remotos. Muchos se han enamorado de sus profundas canciones, el llanto, el ritmo. Este documental nos lleva al corazón del flamenco en los EEUU y los artistas que lo mantienen vivo.

QUAD CINEMA 4/6 @ 1:00PM - Director present for Q&A 

HAY UN GRUPO QUE DICE / A GROUP IS SAYING

Lourdes Prieto | Cuba | 2013 | Documentary | 81min  

U.S. Premiere

Named after a song by Silvio Rodríguez, this documentary explores the history of ICAIC's Grupo de Experimentación Sonora (GESI), a symbol of cultural resistance and creativity, formed by Silvio Rodríguez, Pablo Milanés, Eduardo Ramos, Sara Gonzáles, Noel Nicola y Leo Brower. Tomando el nombre de una canción de Silvio Rodríguez, este documental explora la historia del Grupo de Experimentación Sonora del ICAIC (GESI), símbolo de resistencia cultural y creatividad, formado por Silvio Rodríguez, Pablo Milanés, Eduardo Ramos, Sara González, Noel Nicola y Leo Brower. 

QUAD CINEMA 4/6 @ 3:15pm - Director present for Q&A 

QUAD CINEMA 4/9 @ 5:00pm - Director present for Q&A

QUAD CINEMA HFFNY FESTIVAL VENUES

Directors Guild Theater - 110 West 57th St. (Bet. 6th & 7th Aves.), Manhattan

Quad Cinema - 34 West 13th St. (Bet. 5th & 6th Aves.), Manhattan

Museum of the Moving Image - 35th Ave. at 37th St., Astoria, Queens

The Bronx Museum of the Arts - 1040 Grand Concourse at 165th St., The Bronx

King Juan Carlos I of Spain Center, NYU - 53 Washington Square South, Manhattan

SVA (School of Visual Arts) Theatre - 333 West 23rd St., Manhattan

CUNY Graduate Center - 365 Fifth Ave. (Bet. 34th & 35th St.) #C204, Manhattan

Snow Tha Product Says She's "Trying To Make A Hybrid Of" Chicano Rap & Hip Hop

By JAY BALFOUR via HiphopDX

The rapper says "Chicano Rap is a genre in its own and its got its own fan base and it's respected."

Following a recent show in Ann Arbor, Michigan, Snow Tha Product spoke with HotNewHipHop in an interview about being a Latina in Hip Hop and how she got her start as an emcee.

Asked about one of her first publicly released tracks, Snow described the initial reaction from friends to her performance. “Oh fuck this,” she said with a laugh. “‘Hood Hop’ was the first track that I ever remixed. Hold on, mind you, when I was talking about this interview I didn’t know ya’ll were gonna bring out all the fucking details. ‘Hood Hop’ was the first thing I ever remixed and it was, yeah, my first line was fucking stupid, ‘I’m the whole enchilada,’ some shit. And it made everybody kinda be like, ‘Oh, you should be a rapper.’ I really took that word and just ran, here we are, I’m a rapper now.”

Talking about a later period, she explained her early sound as similar to DJ Mustard’s production style. “If you go listen to it it’s on that West Coast type tip,” she said. “You know I used to be on that DJ Mustard type style beats way before the whole shit popped off because I’m originally from the Bay Area and that style was just Bay Shit and now it’s known as L.A. shit. It’s like whatever it’s Cali, I’m proud of it regardless.”

Speaking on her disposition towards Hip Hop instead of Chicano Rap, Snow explained how she feels as a Mexican-American within the industry and wanting “to make a hybrid of both.” "Chicano Rap is a genre in its own and its got its own fan base and it’s respected,” she said. “When I grew up I knew it was there and I listened to it and everything because it represented who I am. But at the same time I listen to Hip Hop just as much. And it was almost like I'm not stepping away from that, I'm not trying say that that's not a good representation of Latinos but at the same time I just grew up listening to this. So it’s like this is the route I'm taking and you can't criticize me or say I'm less of a Hispanic person for not being into that. I’m not, I’m into Hip Hop and there’s a lot of people like me that are Mexican-American that don’t wanna listen to...cholo shit, they wanna listen to fucking Hip Hop and I’m repping for them. But at the same time I respect everybody that’s doing their thing, Pocos Pero Locos obviously was one of the first people that showed me support and they’re a big representation of that culture. I’m just trying to make a hybrid of both and trying to make everybody understand that I come from a different culture but I’m repping this so let’s mix it up."

During the interview the Atlantic Records signee detailed how her active participation within the Latino community as a child has influenced her up to this point. “I was President of the Latino Club,” she said. “I got my little jacket and everything. I got to stand up and talk about it and kind of tell everybody what we were gonna do for the agenda as far as the program was concerned. It’s so weird how things that I did when I was little are affecting...it’s so weird, it’s things that you kind of forget about and all of a sudden it pops up and you’re like, ‘That really did matter.’ My stance on immigration and kind of everything that concerns Latin people and Hispanic [and] Mexican-American people, I guess it all comes down from me being a little-ass kid and just being taught all these things, it’s dope.”

Speaking more generally about her career, Snow expressed gratitude for the opportunity to extend her success. “It’s thank God been able to pay off debts of mine, my Mom, my family,” she said of her music. “It’s been able to employ my family, my cousin, my brother, all my friends, I’m trying to bring them into this thing so that I can—in an economy that’s all fucked up and not everybody’s guaranteed a job I’m trying to have everybody have a career. That whether I make it or not they still learned a skill and they can still take that shit further. To this day, I’m so grateful for music.”