Adios!

After three months, blogging about the Latino film industry has come to an end!

Going into this experience, I was apprehensive and unsure about the blogging process. I had no idea how blogs even worked outside of what you see on myspace, which usually boils down to a lot of dramatics. After picking my topic of the film industry and its ties to Latino culture, I was immediately kicking myself...

How was I supposed to keep this up for a whole semester?

Suprisingly, this task was not only mind opening but difficult because of the abundence of information. The opposite of the problems I was envisioning at the beginning of this assignment.
Thre was a history to this part of the film industry that was worth telling and so much progression with the stars of today to introduce, the selection process was difficult.

Through blogging, I learned not only how to go about finding something worth blogging about every week but also the online essentials I will need if I want to pursue a career with journalism.

To the students of the journalism department at UA...I recommend you consider this class for your capstone. The amount of freedom you have in this class as well as the technology you learn that is essential to journalism today is priceless.

Online journalism is here to stay and why not get a head start by having your own blog with on the Border Beat?

Pedro Almodovar; Latino Industry Legend

Born in 1949, Pedro Almodovar is one of the most successful filmmakers of his time.

Pedro was born in Calzada de Calatrava, a rural town made famous by Don Quijote. As a child, Pedro was turned into the town letter reader and writer for his neighbors. In 1967, Almodovar decided to move to Madrid to experience life in he city. After a few years, Almodovar became interested the world of film and theatre, forever changing the course of his life.

Pedro's interest in film did not limit his creative ability. He wrote for a number of underground magazines and at the fall of the Franco regime, he became a figure in the Maldrilene Movement (the term that defined the culture change after Franco). He published numerous articles and novellas and eventually moved to short film.

His early films were known for being overly sexual and without noise to accompany his work. After ten years of work, the films Almodovar made became popular and were shown around the bars in Madrid. His openly gay lifestyle was often times incorporated into his work, a theme that was not often explored during this time.

His first feature film was entitled, "Pepi, Luci, Bom and Other Women on the Heap," in 1980.

It exhibited the sexual freedom and culture of the times and created Almodovar's lasting reputation as an agent provocateur. The film generated a cult following and spent four years showing around theatres in Madrid. With the success of this film, Almovador was able to fund his second film and thus starting his film career.

His most recent film was the critically acclaimed 'Volver,' starring Penelope Cruz.

Today, Pedro Almodovar's films still conjure strong emotions and are enjoyed by people world wide. He continues to be a major figure in world cinema and is know as one of the first major players in the industry of Latino descent.

Gabriel García Márquez

For many people, myself included, when I hear the name Gabriel Garcia Marquez. I think of the long hours I spent in my high school English class. Bad memories of short stories with poetic undertones have always been my association with Gabriel Garcia Marquez. Recently though, my opinions had changed.

The 1985 novel Love in the Time of Cholera has recently become chosen to be a part of Oprah's Book Club; in turn becoming a national best seller almost instantly. Even more recently, the film has been made into a film and is set to be released soon.

Although beginning starting his career as a journalist, it did not take long to transition to writing novels and short poetry. His first major success was the novel One Hundred Years of Solitude, as it was cited as a reason for his Nobel Prize in literature when it was awarded to him in 1972.

Over 30 years after his Nobel Prize, the work of Gabriel Garcia Marquez is still widely popular. The film Love in the Time of Cholera is set to be released on November 16, 2007.

The film is directed by Mike Newell and it is the first major English-language film adaptation of a novel by Garcia Marquez. Filmed in Colombia, it follows a love triangle spanning over 50 years that restarts when one of the members tragically dies.

With actors such as John Leguizamo and Benjamin Bratt, and numerous songs on the soundtrack by Shakira (who shares a hometown with Gabriel Garcia Marquez), it is not surprising many are predicting the film to be a success.

After viewing trailers for the film, I went to Barnes & Noble to get a copy of the book to read before I see the movie. It turns out that Gabriel Garcia Marquez isn't as boring as I thought and my associations I have with him and the word 'boring' are quickly disappearing.

Spanglish

A language barrier is a problem that I believe most Americans can relate to or have experienced in the past. In many cases though, this barrier results in confusion and anger because individual wants and needs cannot be understood.

In 2004, language barriers were explored in the film Spanglish. Although the film did not win the Golden Globe it was nominated for the message portrayed remained strong and relatable to audiences world wide. It was released in numerous other countries after the American release.

The story focuses on a wealthy American family, the Claskys, and the mother and daughter pair of Flor and Cristina Moreno.

Flor brings her daughter to America hoping for a better life and tries to remain strictly inside the Latino community avoiding the language and cultural barriers surrounding her. However, she is eventually led to the housekeeping job at the Clasky residence and here is where the differences in culture and language are explored.

James L. Brooks, the films writer and director uses the two different families to draw parallels and compare cultures. Although Flor struggles in everyday life trying to find her spot in the new culture and with money she realizes by living with the affluent Clasky family that she is not alone.

John and Deborah Clasky have difficulties agreeing on how to raise their children and remain faithful and connected to each other. Flor and John develop a special relationship and communicate and help one another despite the language barrier.

Flor does eventually learn English but I think Brooks decides to keep her on the outside for the majority of the movie to prove a point. It is understood that Flor is a functioning member of society and a mother who provides for her daughter the best she can in a country whose language she does not know. So many times in today's world frustration takes over when a person can't speak the language and judgements are made.

Spanglish came out three years ago but it is prevalent to the times we live in today in the United States and in other countries around the world. It is more of a film of understanding and patience rather than preaching a message and using the Mexican and American parallels demonstrates this point perfectly.

A Profile of Héctor Lavoe

"El Cantante" is a film based on the life of famed Puerto Rican salsa singer, Héctor Juan Pérez Martínez. Although the movie starring both Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony was critically panned the story of Lavoe is no less interesting or important to Latin culture.



Lavoe moved to New York when he was only 17 years old and immediately began to perform with numerous music groups throughout the city but it was in 1967 that Lavoe's career really began. Lavoe became the lead singer in Willie Colón's band and released several songs that were hits. The improving status of Lavoe's music career was on the rise but also on the rise was his addiction to drugs. Due to the addiction Colón released Lavoe from the band but continued to help him throughout his solo career.

Lavoe's career was strung with controversial hit songs. For instance, his hit song "el cantante" was recorded against the will of the song's writer but later acknowledged as being great by the very writer who protested it. Also controversial was "bandolera," a song that subjects the woman subject of the song to beatings twice and therefore was protested by feminists.

Despite musical success in the 70s, Lavoe battled deep depression in 1978 and went into isolation from friends and family on the advice of a priest. Upon his emergence, Lavoe was drug free and confident but due to the sudden deaths of his father, teenage son and mother-in-law his personal success was short lived. In combination with these deaths was Lavoe's diagnosis of HIV that pushed Lavoe to his limit.

After a cancelled performance in 1988 due to low ticket sales, Lavoe attempted suicide in June of 1988 in Puerto Rico. Lavoe did survive the suicide attempt but due to continuous drug use and shared needles he would never completely recover. Five years late, Lavoe died in June of 1993 without a penny to his name due to AIDS complications.

Lavoe is remembered as one of the great salsa artists and an inspiration to many artists today. Here is one of his great performances of "mi gente."

A New Latin American Icon

A new role model for Latino youth has emerged. America Ferrera is not new to the film industry but with the emergence of the t.v. show Ugly Betty last year, she is quickly becoming a new icon for the Latino youth.

Ferrera grew up in LA but described her youth as a departure from the typical Latino childhood. While many children attend quincineras, Ferrera was more familiar with the Bar Mitzvah.

Still considered a child, Ferrera started her career in television and film. First with the Disney movie Gotta Kick it Up and later with the critically acclaimed film Real Women Have Curves. It wasn't until 2006 that Ferrera got the role that would change her life- the lead on Ugly Betty.

To the left is an image of America Ferrera as herself. To the right is an image of America Ferrera as her famed character in Ugly Betty.

Ugly Betty is show that takes place in many nations around the world but originated in Colombia with their hit, "Betty La Fea." Ferrera recently won a Golden Globe for her portrayal of the nerdy, bushy eyebrowed, unattractive, braces wearing teen, Betty Suarez. After winning the award, the House of Representatives awarded Ferrera for being a role model for young Latina women. Additionally, in the past week America Ferrera has been awarded as the Hispanic Woman of the Year by Billboard and The Hollywood Report.

America Ferrera is a positive role model for young girls of Latina descent and other cultures because she is a girl with a variety of talents and a positive outlook on life. She has not gotten into trouble has many other Hollywood actresses and she has almost completed her college education at USC. For a woman as young as America who has accomplished so much, it will be interesting to see what she can do in the future for the Latino community.

The Father of Latin American Cinema

Born in Santa Fe, Argentina in 1925 was Argentinian filmmaker Fernando Birri. Fernando is generally considered the father of Latin American cinema.

Birri was always involved with the theatre and puppetry but it was not until 1950 that his interests shifted to film. Birri went to Rome to study film until 1953 at Centro Sperimentale di Cinematografia. After graduation from the film school Birri returned to Santa Fe and established the first Latin American film school specializing in documentaries.

When Birri returned to Argentina his focus was creating film that actively portrayed Argentine life but was met with resistance inside the industry. While at the school Birri created two of his most famous works: "Tire die" in 1954 and "Los innundados" in 1961. Both films were based on the social classes within Argentina and were overall ignored by the public.

Although the contributions to Latin American society were great, he was still forced into exile during the military coup de etat in Argentina. It was during this time that he moved back to Italy and began shooting experimental films.

Awhile later in 1986 Birri was one of the men who helped found the International School of Film and Television in Cuba and therefore chosen as one of the schools first principles. He ha taught in Mexico as well as Venezuela but currently resides in Europe.

Birri has not won many awards in his career, the only known award is the International Film Festival award in 1962 for best first film. However, his contribution and daring style for the times is remembered. Birri established film schools and styles which ha not yet been attempted by the Latin community.