Spoiler Alert: Do not read if you have not yet watched “Selena: The Series Part 2,” streaming now on Netflix.
As the 18-episode saga of singer-songwriter Selena Quintanilla’s (played by Christian Serratos) rise to stardom came to a close, it had to do so with her untimely death at the hands of her former fan club president Yolanda Saldivar (Natasha Perez).
But because the Netflix drama was designed to be a celebration of her life, her music and her family, the tragic shooting was not shown on-screen. Instead, Selena staunchly defended her friend and stood by her side, even after her father Abraham (Ricardo Chavira) proved Yolanda was embezzling. She took her call when Yolanda said something terrible had happened to her in Mexico and followed her to a motel, where the point of view switched to that of a hospitality worker cleaning another room. An off-camera gunshot rang out,...
As the 18-episode saga of singer-songwriter Selena Quintanilla’s (played by Christian Serratos) rise to stardom came to a close, it had to do so with her untimely death at the hands of her former fan club president Yolanda Saldivar (Natasha Perez).
But because the Netflix drama was designed to be a celebration of her life, her music and her family, the tragic shooting was not shown on-screen. Instead, Selena staunchly defended her friend and stood by her side, even after her father Abraham (Ricardo Chavira) proved Yolanda was embezzling. She took her call when Yolanda said something terrible had happened to her in Mexico and followed her to a motel, where the point of view switched to that of a hospitality worker cleaning another room. An off-camera gunshot rang out,...
- 5/4/2021
- by Danielle Turchiano
- Variety Film + TV
Amazon Prime Video debuted a trailer for “The Underground Railroad,” an original limited series from showrunner and director Barry Jenkins.
All 10 episodes of the series, based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Colson Whitehead, will premiere on May 14.
“The Underground Railroad” follows Cora Randall’s journey to freedom in the antebellum South as bounty hunter Ridgeway seeks to bring her back to the plantation she escaped. Thuso Mbedu, Chase W. Dillon and Joel Edgerton star alongside Aaron Pierre, William Jackson Harper, Sheila Atim, Amber Gray, Peter De Jersey, Chukwudi Iwuji, Damon Herriman, Lily Rabe, Irone Singleton, Mychal-Bella Bowman, Marcus “Mj” Gladney, Jr., Will Poulter and Peter Mullan.
Jenkins executive produces with Adele Romanski, Mark Ceryak, Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner, Brad Pitt, Richard Heus, Jacqueline Hoyt and Colson Whitehead. “The Underground Railroad” is a production of Plan B, Pastel and Big Indie with Amazon Studios.
Watch the trailer below.
Dates
HBO Max...
All 10 episodes of the series, based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Colson Whitehead, will premiere on May 14.
“The Underground Railroad” follows Cora Randall’s journey to freedom in the antebellum South as bounty hunter Ridgeway seeks to bring her back to the plantation she escaped. Thuso Mbedu, Chase W. Dillon and Joel Edgerton star alongside Aaron Pierre, William Jackson Harper, Sheila Atim, Amber Gray, Peter De Jersey, Chukwudi Iwuji, Damon Herriman, Lily Rabe, Irone Singleton, Mychal-Bella Bowman, Marcus “Mj” Gladney, Jr., Will Poulter and Peter Mullan.
Jenkins executive produces with Adele Romanski, Mark Ceryak, Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner, Brad Pitt, Richard Heus, Jacqueline Hoyt and Colson Whitehead. “The Underground Railroad” is a production of Plan B, Pastel and Big Indie with Amazon Studios.
Watch the trailer below.
Dates
HBO Max...
- 4/15/2021
- by Ethan Shanfeld
- Variety Film + TV
Netflix has released the full trailer for Part 2 of its biopic series on Selena. The nine-episode arc of Selena The Series: Part 2 will premiere May 4th on the streaming platform.
Part 2 of the series will pick up when Selena (portrayed by Christian Serratos) is on the brink of stardom, following her journey through the Tejano music world as she learns to balance her newfound success with her personal life while leading up to her untimely and tragic death in 1995.
As with Part 1, the show will center on the Quintanilla family...
Part 2 of the series will pick up when Selena (portrayed by Christian Serratos) is on the brink of stardom, following her journey through the Tejano music world as she learns to balance her newfound success with her personal life while leading up to her untimely and tragic death in 1995.
As with Part 1, the show will center on the Quintanilla family...
- 4/15/2021
- by Claire Shaffer
- Rollingstone.com
Netflix released a first look at Season 2 of “The Circle,” which unfolds over four weeks from April 14 to May 5.
Eight new contestants will flirt, befriend, squabble and compete in challenges against each other on a unique social media platform to earn a $100,000 prize and the title of top influencer. Among the new contestants are Chloe Veitch from Netflix’s “Too Hot to Handle.” Watch the trailer below for the revealing of the other first eight contestants. Stephen Lambert, Tim Harcourt, Jo Harcourt Smith, Toni Ireland, Richard Foster and Chet Fenster serve as executive producers.
Also in today’s TV news roundup, the Oprah Winfrey Network announced the launch of its Own Your Health initiative, which provides tools and resources to empower Black women to own their health. By partnering with health equity leaders, the campaign aims to address the unique health concerns Black women face, including higher rates of illnesses,...
Eight new contestants will flirt, befriend, squabble and compete in challenges against each other on a unique social media platform to earn a $100,000 prize and the title of top influencer. Among the new contestants are Chloe Veitch from Netflix’s “Too Hot to Handle.” Watch the trailer below for the revealing of the other first eight contestants. Stephen Lambert, Tim Harcourt, Jo Harcourt Smith, Toni Ireland, Richard Foster and Chet Fenster serve as executive producers.
Also in today’s TV news roundup, the Oprah Winfrey Network announced the launch of its Own Your Health initiative, which provides tools and resources to empower Black women to own their health. By partnering with health equity leaders, the campaign aims to address the unique health concerns Black women face, including higher rates of illnesses,...
- 4/5/2021
- by Haley Bosselman and Antonio Ferme
- Variety Film + TV
Netflix has announced that the second half of Selena: The Series will premiere on May 4th on the streaming platform.
A new teaser, released Monday to coincide with the announcement, shows the Queen of Tejano Music (portrayed by Christian Serratos) performing with her family band Selena y Los Dinos. This includes her brother A.B. Quintanilla (Gabriel Chavarria) and sister Suzette Quintanilla (Noemi Gonzalez), along with guitarist Chris Pérez (Jesse Posey) and keyboardists Ricky Vela (Hunter Reese Peña) and Joe Ojeda (Carlos Alfredo Jr.).
Part 2 of the series will pick up...
A new teaser, released Monday to coincide with the announcement, shows the Queen of Tejano Music (portrayed by Christian Serratos) performing with her family band Selena y Los Dinos. This includes her brother A.B. Quintanilla (Gabriel Chavarria) and sister Suzette Quintanilla (Noemi Gonzalez), along with guitarist Chris Pérez (Jesse Posey) and keyboardists Ricky Vela (Hunter Reese Peña) and Joe Ojeda (Carlos Alfredo Jr.).
Part 2 of the series will pick up...
- 4/5/2021
- by Claire Shaffer
- Rollingstone.com
Season one of Netflix's Selena: The Series hit the streaming service in December, but we won't have to wait much longer for part two. On Monday, Netflix confirmed in a short teaser trailer that the follow-up will drop on May 4. With a star-studded cast and cultural value, there's no wonder that another installment is on the way.
In August 2019 - a year after the limited series was first announced - Vulture confirmed that it was "designed to play out over two seasons." There are nine episodes in the first season, but it's unknown how many chapters will be included in part two.
The first season delves into Selena Quintanilla's struggle with reconciling her Mexican and American identities as she earns acclaim in the music industry. All the while, she's trying to keep her relationship with Chris Pérez (Jesse Posey) - her guitarist, whom she eventually weds - under wraps to keep her father,...
In August 2019 - a year after the limited series was first announced - Vulture confirmed that it was "designed to play out over two seasons." There are nine episodes in the first season, but it's unknown how many chapters will be included in part two.
The first season delves into Selena Quintanilla's struggle with reconciling her Mexican and American identities as she earns acclaim in the music industry. All the while, she's trying to keep her relationship with Chris Pérez (Jesse Posey) - her guitarist, whom she eventually weds - under wraps to keep her father,...
- 4/5/2021
- by Brea Cubit
- Popsugar.com
In today’s TV news roundup, Netflix gave a premiere date to Part 2 of “Selena: The Series,” and Apple TV Plus offered a first look at Season 2 of “For All Mankind.”
Casting
CBS All Access shared that Louie Anderson, Kevin Bacon, Jillian Bell, D’Arcy Carden, Rob Delaney, Elle Fanning, Will Forte, Kimberly Hébert Gregory, Udo Kier, Lamorne Morris, Oscar Nuñez, Hannah Simone, June Squibb and Samara Weaving will guest star on the fourth season of “No Activity.” The comedy series follows a group of cops, criminals and employees, with Season 4 specifically centering around star Patrick Brammall’s character and his disillusioned experiences after finally becoming an FBI agent like he always dreamed. It will also feature the characters as animated versions of themselves. Returning guest stars who appeared in prior seasons and will reprise their roles are Joe Keery, Sunita Mani, Bob Odenkirk and Amy Sedaris.
Dates
Netflix‘s “Selena: The Series...
Casting
CBS All Access shared that Louie Anderson, Kevin Bacon, Jillian Bell, D’Arcy Carden, Rob Delaney, Elle Fanning, Will Forte, Kimberly Hébert Gregory, Udo Kier, Lamorne Morris, Oscar Nuñez, Hannah Simone, June Squibb and Samara Weaving will guest star on the fourth season of “No Activity.” The comedy series follows a group of cops, criminals and employees, with Season 4 specifically centering around star Patrick Brammall’s character and his disillusioned experiences after finally becoming an FBI agent like he always dreamed. It will also feature the characters as animated versions of themselves. Returning guest stars who appeared in prior seasons and will reprise their roles are Joe Keery, Sunita Mani, Bob Odenkirk and Amy Sedaris.
Dates
Netflix‘s “Selena: The Series...
- 1/15/2021
- by Eli Countryman
- Variety Film + TV
Viewers who embraced Selena: The Series late last year do not have long to wait for the final chapter.
Netflix announced on Friday that all episodes of Part 2 will be available to stream Friday, May 14.
The streamer also revealed that the series was watched by 25 million households in its first 28 days, solidifying itself as a huge success.
Selena: The Series is a coming-of-age story following Selena (The Walking Dead's Christian Serratos) as her dreams come true and all the heart-wrenching and life-changing choices she and her family have to make as they navigate success, family, and music.
The cast also includes Gabriel Chavarria, Ricardo Chavira, Noemí Gonzalez, Seidy López, Jesse Posey, and Natasha Perez.
“When Selena Quintanilla burst onto the Tejano music scene in the ‘80s, her dream was to make music that celebrated both her Latin roots and her Mexican-American upbringing. She ultimately brought these two worlds together,...
Netflix announced on Friday that all episodes of Part 2 will be available to stream Friday, May 14.
The streamer also revealed that the series was watched by 25 million households in its first 28 days, solidifying itself as a huge success.
Selena: The Series is a coming-of-age story following Selena (The Walking Dead's Christian Serratos) as her dreams come true and all the heart-wrenching and life-changing choices she and her family have to make as they navigate success, family, and music.
The cast also includes Gabriel Chavarria, Ricardo Chavira, Noemí Gonzalez, Seidy López, Jesse Posey, and Natasha Perez.
“When Selena Quintanilla burst onto the Tejano music scene in the ‘80s, her dream was to make music that celebrated both her Latin roots and her Mexican-American upbringing. She ultimately brought these two worlds together,...
- 1/15/2021
- by Paul Dailly
- TVfanatic
Yolanda Saldívar, the woman who killed Tejano music star Selena Quintanilla-Perez, appears in only one shot in Netflix’s “Selena: The Series.” But the actress who plays her, Natasha Perez, said she fears that fans may confuse her with the real-life murderer she portrays on screen.
Before we go any further, it’s important to note that Perez is not related to Selena or her husband, Chris Perez. In a recent interview with Entertainment Weekly, the actress also wanted to make it clear that her portrayal of Saldívar is purely for entertainment purposes.
“I remember thinking I’d like to see what it’s like playing an evil villain. It sounded fascinating from an actor’s standpoint, to dissect what someone like that has going through their minds,” Perez told EW. “I remember working with the director on the scene and she asked me how I was feeling. I told her I was feeling conflicted.
Before we go any further, it’s important to note that Perez is not related to Selena or her husband, Chris Perez. In a recent interview with Entertainment Weekly, the actress also wanted to make it clear that her portrayal of Saldívar is purely for entertainment purposes.
“I remember thinking I’d like to see what it’s like playing an evil villain. It sounded fascinating from an actor’s standpoint, to dissect what someone like that has going through their minds,” Perez told EW. “I remember working with the director on the scene and she asked me how I was feeling. I told her I was feeling conflicted.
- 12/5/2020
- by Margeaux Sippell
- The Wrap
The cast of Netflix's Selena: The Series is aware that fans have strong feelings toward beloved singer and icon Selena Quintanilla. Natasha Perez, who portrays Yolanda Saldivar in the new streaming series, told Entertainment Weekly that she had conflicting emotions about taking on the role. Yolanda was Selena's business associate and fan club president, and is currently serving out her life sentence for murdering the Tejano performer on March 31, 1995 in Corpus Christi, Texas. "I remember thinking I'd like to see what it's like playing an evil villain," Natasha said in the interview that published on Friday, Dec. 4. "It sounded fascinating from an actor's standpoint, to...
- 12/5/2020
- E! Online
Fans of the Room 104 TV show can get ready to check into this HBO series 12 more times. The Friday night anthology series will return for its fourth and final season on Friday, July 24th, at 11:00 Pm. Created by Mark and Jay Duplass, Room 104 will have a dozen episodes in its last season.
Actors appearing in the final season of the anthology series include (in appearance order) Mark Duplass, Hari Nef, Logan Miller, Jillian Bell, Jon Bass, Dave Bautista, Melissa Fumero, Vivian Bang, Finn Roberts, Adam Shapiro, Breeda Wool, Kevin Nealon, Erinn Hayes, Ron Funches, Sadie Stanley, Shannon Purser, Kendra Carelli, Benjamin Papac, Alison Jaye, Tim Granaderos, Oliva Crocicchia, Harvey Guillen, Gary Cole, Linda Lavin, Jennifer Kim, Kevin McKidd, Desean Terry, Suzanne Nichols, Leonardo Nam, Lily Gladstone, Jordyn Lucas, Natasha Perez, Jake Green, Ntare Mwine, Rebecca Hazlewood,...
Actors appearing in the final season of the anthology series include (in appearance order) Mark Duplass, Hari Nef, Logan Miller, Jillian Bell, Jon Bass, Dave Bautista, Melissa Fumero, Vivian Bang, Finn Roberts, Adam Shapiro, Breeda Wool, Kevin Nealon, Erinn Hayes, Ron Funches, Sadie Stanley, Shannon Purser, Kendra Carelli, Benjamin Papac, Alison Jaye, Tim Granaderos, Oliva Crocicchia, Harvey Guillen, Gary Cole, Linda Lavin, Jennifer Kim, Kevin McKidd, Desean Terry, Suzanne Nichols, Leonardo Nam, Lily Gladstone, Jordyn Lucas, Natasha Perez, Jake Green, Ntare Mwine, Rebecca Hazlewood,...
- 7/1/2020
- by TVSeriesFinale.com
- TVSeriesFinale.com
It’s almost time for one last check-in to “Room 104.” Mark and Jay Duplass’ ethereal HBO anthology series will premiere its fourth and final season on July 24 and IndieWire is exclusively premiering the season’s first trailer.
The half-hour episodes, which hail from the “Togetherness” creators and centers on various travelers who pass through a room in a typical American chain motel, have been compared to “The Twilight Zone” for their deft blend of surreality, horror, and surprises. The series’ new trailer promises to explore a dizzying range of genres and characters for the series’ send-off and even teases a glimpse at the season’s original songs, one of which will be performed by Duplass.
Per HBO, Season 4 will also include the series’ first-ever animated episode, and the premiere entry will mark the first time that Mark Duplass stars, writes, directs, and performs original music for the series. Stories...
The half-hour episodes, which hail from the “Togetherness” creators and centers on various travelers who pass through a room in a typical American chain motel, have been compared to “The Twilight Zone” for their deft blend of surreality, horror, and surprises. The series’ new trailer promises to explore a dizzying range of genres and characters for the series’ send-off and even teases a glimpse at the season’s original songs, one of which will be performed by Duplass.
Per HBO, Season 4 will also include the series’ first-ever animated episode, and the premiere entry will mark the first time that Mark Duplass stars, writes, directs, and performs original music for the series. Stories...
- 6/30/2020
- by Tyler Hersko
- Indiewire
Almost one month after the June 24th premiere of the new season of The Twilight Zone on CBS All Access, another mind-bending anthology series, Room 104, will return for its fourth and final season on HBO:
Press Release: Room 104 returns for its fourth and final season Friday, July 24 at 11:00 p.m. Et/Pt, exclusively on HBO. Created by Mark and Jay Duplass (HBO’s “Animals.” and “Togetherness”), the late-night, half-hour anthology series returns with 12 new episodes, each telling a unique and unexpected tale of the characters who pass through a single room of a typical American chain motel. While the setting stays the same, every episode of the series features a different story, with the tone, plot, characters, and even the time period, changing with each installment.
The series will also be available on HBO Now, HBO Go, HBO On Demand and partners’ streaming platforms.
Exploring a variety of genres,...
Press Release: Room 104 returns for its fourth and final season Friday, July 24 at 11:00 p.m. Et/Pt, exclusively on HBO. Created by Mark and Jay Duplass (HBO’s “Animals.” and “Togetherness”), the late-night, half-hour anthology series returns with 12 new episodes, each telling a unique and unexpected tale of the characters who pass through a single room of a typical American chain motel. While the setting stays the same, every episode of the series features a different story, with the tone, plot, characters, and even the time period, changing with each installment.
The series will also be available on HBO Now, HBO Go, HBO On Demand and partners’ streaming platforms.
Exploring a variety of genres,...
- 5/12/2020
- by Derek Anderson
- DailyDead
The HBO anthology series “Room 104” will conclude after its upcoming fourth season.
The premium cabler revealed the new season would be the last in announcing the season premiere date Monday. The 12-episode fourth and final season of “Room 104” will bow on HBO on July 24 at 11 p.m. Et/Pt.
Created by Mark and Jay Duplass, the half-hour series tells the stories of an assortment of characters who pass through a single room of a typical American chain hotel. Season 4 will feature the series’ first ever animated episode, with the premiere episode marking the first time in the series that Mark Duplass stars, writes, directs and performs original music.
The season four cast includes (in order of appearance): Mark Duplass, Hari Nef, Logan Miller, Jillian Bell, Jon Bass, Dave Bautista, Melissa Fumero, Vivian Bang, Finn Roberts, Adam Shapiro, Breeda Wool, Kevin Nealon, Erinn Hayes, Ron Funches, Sadie Stanley,...
The premium cabler revealed the new season would be the last in announcing the season premiere date Monday. The 12-episode fourth and final season of “Room 104” will bow on HBO on July 24 at 11 p.m. Et/Pt.
Created by Mark and Jay Duplass, the half-hour series tells the stories of an assortment of characters who pass through a single room of a typical American chain hotel. Season 4 will feature the series’ first ever animated episode, with the premiere episode marking the first time in the series that Mark Duplass stars, writes, directs and performs original music.
The season four cast includes (in order of appearance): Mark Duplass, Hari Nef, Logan Miller, Jillian Bell, Jon Bass, Dave Bautista, Melissa Fumero, Vivian Bang, Finn Roberts, Adam Shapiro, Breeda Wool, Kevin Nealon, Erinn Hayes, Ron Funches, Sadie Stanley,...
- 5/12/2020
- by Joe Otterson
- Variety Film + TV
Mark and Jay Duplass’ horror anthology “Room 104” will end after its upcoming fourth season on HBO.
The show returns on July 24.
The premiere episode will be the first time in the series that Mark Duplass stars, writes, directs and performs original music. Stories and characters featured in season four include: an estranged performer giving a one-night-only performance; a woman battling her dark past with addiction; a dollhouse; transporting back in time; and more.
The show returns on July 24.
The premiere episode will be the first time in the series that Mark Duplass stars, writes, directs and performs original music. Stories and characters featured in season four include: an estranged performer giving a one-night-only performance; a woman battling her dark past with addiction; a dollhouse; transporting back in time; and more.
- 5/12/2020
- by Tim Baysinger
- The Wrap
Room 104, the HBO anthology series created by Mark and Jay Duplass, is ending after its upcoming fourth season.
The late-night show, which features half-hour episodes of a variety of spooky happenings in a motel room, returns on July 24 at 11pm. The show was filmed last year, meaning that it was not hit by the Covid-19 production shutdown.
The series, which tells the stories of a cast of characters who pass through a single room of a typical American chain motel, features a variety of standalone episodes, from dark comedy to sci-fi as well as its first ever animated episode.
The premiere episode will be the first time in the series that Mark Duplass stars, writes, directs and performs original music.
Other stories include an estranged performer giving a one-night-only performance; a woman battling her dark past with addiction; a dollhouse and transporting back in time.
The season four cast includes Hari Nef,...
The late-night show, which features half-hour episodes of a variety of spooky happenings in a motel room, returns on July 24 at 11pm. The show was filmed last year, meaning that it was not hit by the Covid-19 production shutdown.
The series, which tells the stories of a cast of characters who pass through a single room of a typical American chain motel, features a variety of standalone episodes, from dark comedy to sci-fi as well as its first ever animated episode.
The premiere episode will be the first time in the series that Mark Duplass stars, writes, directs and performs original music.
Other stories include an estranged performer giving a one-night-only performance; a woman battling her dark past with addiction; a dollhouse and transporting back in time.
The season four cast includes Hari Nef,...
- 5/12/2020
- by Peter White
- Deadline Film + TV
I am happy to see more people vocalize demand for Latina representation onscreen and the resurging interest in solving this messed up disparity issue (Thank you Gina Rodriguez Golden Globes acceptance speech ). However, the representation issue I find ten times more urgent to address is the anguishing miniscule percentage of Latina Content Creators in film and television.
I give you 5 bomb Latina Directors who are are at the helm of brand new feature films coming out this year, women who are striking through the hostile mass media industry to escape the rule of homogeneity (white male perspective). Now that is something to celebrate. It’s not surprising that three of these are documentaries. The percentage of women directed films in documentaries is higher than in fiction. Now I can’t say with total certainty these 2 Latina directed U.S. fiction feature length films are the only ones out there this year…actually yes I can…..until someone reaches out to correct me ….and I really do hope to be corrected because only two???????
"Los 33"
Director : Patricia Riggen
Writers : Mikko Alanne, Michael John Bell, Craig Borten, Jose Rivera
Producers : Robert Katz, Edward McGurn, Mike Medavoy
Cinematographer : Checco Varese
Music : James Horner
U.S. Distributor : Tba
Cast : Rodrigo Santoro, Antonio Banderas, Cote de Pablo, James Brolin, Juliette Binoche, Gabriel Byrne, Lou Diamond Phillips, Kate del Castillo, Tenoch Huerta
Social Media: @The33Pelicula
Logline: Based on the incredible real-life story of the 33 survivors of a copper-gold mine in Chile that collapsed and trapping them 700 meters underground for 69 days until their rescue.
Add Riggen to the exclusive ranks of women who fought for and have proved they got the chops to direct big action, Hollywood type genre movies like Katheryn Bigelow, Mimi Leder. The trailer for Los 33 that dropped last week reveals an epic dramatization of the intensely emotional struggle to survive the Chilean mine disaster. The English language film carries a sweeping score by none other than James Horner (and naturally you can hear Violetta Parra’s classic song, Gracias Por La Vida). Add to that a big hero performance by Antonio Banderas who leads an ensemble cast of well known international actors (including hottie Mexican star of Güeros, Tenoch Huerta!!). Riggen, who was born in Guadalajara but moved to the states after graduating Columbia’s film school in NY, made a splash with her 2007 film, Under the Same Moon starring a back-then-virtually-unknown-in-the-u.S. Eugenio Derbez, and Kate del Castillo. The film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival then was picked up by Pantelion, the studio she later worked with on the Eva Mendes starrer Girl in Progress.
Domestic distribution and release stateside is yet to be confirmed. Meanwhile Twentieth Century Fox will be releasing the film in Chile in August, marking the fifth anniversary of the incident, before rolling out the film throughout Latin America including Mexico. For an in-depth account of Los 33, check out current best-seller, “Deep Down Dark: The Untold Stories of 33 Men Buried in a Chilean Mine and the Miracle That Set Them Free” by Hector Tobar.
"Endgame"
Director: Carmen Marron
Writers : Hector Salinas, Carmen Marron
Producers : Sandra Avila, Carmen Marron
Executive Producers : Hector Salinas, Betty Sullivan
Associate Producer : Bonnie Emerson
Cinematographer: Francisco Bulgarelli
Music: Brian Standefer
Cinematographer: Francisco Bulgarelli
U.S. Distributor : Tba
Cast : Rico Rodriguez, Efren Ramirez, Justina Machado, Jon Gries
Social Media: @GoForIt_Carmen
Facebook
Logline: Shot in Brownsville and inspired by true events, Endgame is a coming-of-age story about a young boy who joins the school chess team, and with the help of his coach, embarks on a journey of self-discovery, team spirit and the importance of family.
Another talented genre director (and fellow Chicana from Chicago, Heyyy) whose tenacity and talent make her primed to be our Latina Ava Duvernay success story (of course that depends on whether the public (and gatekeepers) support her to make the change to the system to demand her spot in the national mainstream). I wrote about Carmen’s tireless spirit before , mentioning her first film which she shot, wrote, directed and produced in Chicago called Go For It (which incidentally was Gina Rodriguez’s first feature role). Her latest film is Endgame starring the precocious Manny from Modern Family, Rico Rodriguez, and Efren Ramirez from cult classic Napoleon Dynamite, Endgame is one of those irresistible competition, underdog, against-all-odds stories. Ramirez portrays the galvanizing Brownsville public elementary school teacher and chess afficionado, J.J. Guajardo, who in 1989, upon seeing his 6th grade class take an interest in his chess board, began to teach them on the regular. The class excelled and entered regional competitions, going on to enter and win state championships against schools with far more resources. Echoing the positives of disrupting a broke educational status quo with simply offering access to advanced mental cognition building tools, the film echoes another real life story and seminal Chicano film, Stand & Deliver. Big difference; that movie was not directed by a Latino/a.
The film is world premiering at the Dallas International Film Festival April 12 &13. Distribution is yet to be confirmed for theatrical/VOD but stay tuned via the Facebook page.
"No Mas Bebes"
Director: Renee Tajima-Peña
Producers : Virginia Espino
Associate Producer : Kate Trumbull-Valle
Executive Producers : Julie Parker Benello, Wendy Ettinger, Judith Helfland, Sally Jo Fiefer and Sandra Pedlow
U.S. Distributor : Itvs/Latino Public Broadcasting
Cinematographer: Claudio Rocha
Music: Bronwen Jones, additional music by Quetzal
Cast : Antonia Hernandez, Gloria Molina, Dolores Madrigal, Jovita Rivera, Consuelo Hermosillo
Social Media: Facebook
Logline : An investigation of the sterilization of Mexican-American women at Los Angeles County-usc Medical Center during the 1960s and 70s
Sadly, there is an appalling history in the United States of laws and policies authorizing sterilizations of poor women without their knowledge or consent for the “benefit of society”; Buck v. Bell (low-income white women in Virginia), Relf v. Weinberger (young African-American women in Alabama), and female inmates in California. This film focuses on the case of Latinas of Mexican origin in California in Madrigal v. Quilligan . Shedding light on this horrific human rights violation, the film includes interviews with women who suffered this terrible ordeal and locked the memory away, along with former medical staff and the incredible lawyer who filed this suit forty years ago, Antonia Hernandez. A long-time coming, supremely valuable and eye opening contextualization of the Chicano rights movement from the late 60s/70s as well as the current reproductive justice movement.
So kind of cheating here, Renee is not Latina per se, but a sister in the struggle to document the Latino community. Her producer is Latina, Virginia Espino, La born-and-raised historian, plus I really want to rally support for this film because it is one of those Latina stories that really needed to be told and remembered this year which marks the 40th anniversary of the lawsuit (June 19). It is ready to be unveiled and seen by as wide an audience as possible. Stay tuned to hear when the film will have its world premiere before its broadcast in the Fall on Voces, Latino Public Broadcasting’s arts and culture series on PBS.
"Now en Español"
Director: Andrea Meller
Producers : Aaron Woolf, Andrea Meller
Music: Camara Kambon
Cinematographer: Charlie Gruet
U.S. Distributor : PBS/Latino Public Broadcasting
Cast : Marabina Jaimes, Marcela Bordes, Gabriela Lopetegui, Ivette Gonzalez, Natasha Perez
Social Media: @NowenEspanol, website
Logline: Follows the trials and triumphs of the small group of Latina actresses who dub “Desperate Housewives” into Spanish.
Currently hitting the festival circuit in such reputable festivals as Santa Barbara, Chicago Latino Film Festival, CineFestival, ahead of its showing on PBS Voces, "Now en Español" is such an effective and distinct balance of humor, seriousness and insider look by Chilean-American Andrea Meller.
Profiling Marcela Bordes, Ivette Gonzalez, Marabina Jaimes, Gabriela Lopetegui and Natasha Perez, the film is quite plainspoken and sympathetic about the struggle of the actor in Hollywood. Like the comedy fiction film (also directed by a woman!) "In a World," by Lake Bell, the film offers a rare behind the scenes and insight into the voice acting industry. Few actors make make careers out of this, others pick it up for income, but in the end it is a highly distinct skill to dub millions of shows. It’s really fascinating perspective on the representation of Latinas onscreen and off. What I love most about this film on top of it being an important tool for dialogue and change, is that the filmmaker injects a whimsy tone (apropos Wisteria Lane) which makes sparking this conversation and call to action so much more effective. You have no reason to miss this as it premieres on Friday, April 24, 2015, 10:00-11:00 p.m. (check local listings) as part of Voces, Latino Public Broadcasting’s arts and culture series on PBS. To get a taste of the ladies’ charm and humor check out the trailer:
"Ovarian Psycos"
Director: Kate Trumbull-lavalle & Joanna Sokolowski
Producers :Kate Trumbull-lavalle & Joanna Sokolowski
U.S. Distributor : Itvs (broadcast)
Cinematographer: Michael Raines
Music: Jimmy Lavalle
Cast : Ovarian Psycos Cycle Brigade
Social Media: Facebook
Logline: Follows the story of an all woman of color bicycle brigade, the Ovarian Psycos Cycle Brigade. Based in Boyle Heights, a neighborhood in Eastside Los Angeles, the Ova’s are a collective of unapologetic, politicized, young Latina women who host monthly bike rides every full moon for women and women-identified riders.
Ever since I interviewed Kate during her film’s Kickstarter , I’ve been madly anticipating this, so I’m pleased to scoop that it will be ready late Fall thanks to Itvs coming in with finishing funds. Protegees of esteemed film ladies like Renee Tajima Peña and B. Ruby Rich, the ladies have spent more than two years riding with the Ovas for this documentary. Says Joanna, “There are lots of bike groups in La, but what’s unique about the Ova’s is each ride has a sociopolitical theme and ends with a group discussion. They dialogue about everything from violence against women to the gentrification of Boyle Heights”.
The Ova’s s leadership is run by the collective who work “To Serve, not to Self Serve. Credited as founder is activist and music artist, Xela de la X who formed this rad collective in 2011 with the mission to cycle for the purpose of healing, reclaim neighborhoods, and create safer streets for women on the Eastside. Currently being edited the film should be ready for the Fall if not early next year.
In case you are wondering Trumbull-lavalle is two generations apart from family in Northern Mexico. Which I only add as proof that last names and color of skin are not indicators for knowing whether someone identifies as Latino/a or not.
Which leads me to reiterate, I really hope these 5 are not the only Latina directors with films coming out this year. Calling out an A.P.B. to Latina directors with a feature length film (fiction especially) in production or post, holler at your girl...
I give you 5 bomb Latina Directors who are are at the helm of brand new feature films coming out this year, women who are striking through the hostile mass media industry to escape the rule of homogeneity (white male perspective). Now that is something to celebrate. It’s not surprising that three of these are documentaries. The percentage of women directed films in documentaries is higher than in fiction. Now I can’t say with total certainty these 2 Latina directed U.S. fiction feature length films are the only ones out there this year…actually yes I can…..until someone reaches out to correct me ….and I really do hope to be corrected because only two???????
"Los 33"
Director : Patricia Riggen
Writers : Mikko Alanne, Michael John Bell, Craig Borten, Jose Rivera
Producers : Robert Katz, Edward McGurn, Mike Medavoy
Cinematographer : Checco Varese
Music : James Horner
U.S. Distributor : Tba
Cast : Rodrigo Santoro, Antonio Banderas, Cote de Pablo, James Brolin, Juliette Binoche, Gabriel Byrne, Lou Diamond Phillips, Kate del Castillo, Tenoch Huerta
Social Media: @The33Pelicula
Logline: Based on the incredible real-life story of the 33 survivors of a copper-gold mine in Chile that collapsed and trapping them 700 meters underground for 69 days until their rescue.
Add Riggen to the exclusive ranks of women who fought for and have proved they got the chops to direct big action, Hollywood type genre movies like Katheryn Bigelow, Mimi Leder. The trailer for Los 33 that dropped last week reveals an epic dramatization of the intensely emotional struggle to survive the Chilean mine disaster. The English language film carries a sweeping score by none other than James Horner (and naturally you can hear Violetta Parra’s classic song, Gracias Por La Vida). Add to that a big hero performance by Antonio Banderas who leads an ensemble cast of well known international actors (including hottie Mexican star of Güeros, Tenoch Huerta!!). Riggen, who was born in Guadalajara but moved to the states after graduating Columbia’s film school in NY, made a splash with her 2007 film, Under the Same Moon starring a back-then-virtually-unknown-in-the-u.S. Eugenio Derbez, and Kate del Castillo. The film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival then was picked up by Pantelion, the studio she later worked with on the Eva Mendes starrer Girl in Progress.
Domestic distribution and release stateside is yet to be confirmed. Meanwhile Twentieth Century Fox will be releasing the film in Chile in August, marking the fifth anniversary of the incident, before rolling out the film throughout Latin America including Mexico. For an in-depth account of Los 33, check out current best-seller, “Deep Down Dark: The Untold Stories of 33 Men Buried in a Chilean Mine and the Miracle That Set Them Free” by Hector Tobar.
"Endgame"
Director: Carmen Marron
Writers : Hector Salinas, Carmen Marron
Producers : Sandra Avila, Carmen Marron
Executive Producers : Hector Salinas, Betty Sullivan
Associate Producer : Bonnie Emerson
Cinematographer: Francisco Bulgarelli
Music: Brian Standefer
Cinematographer: Francisco Bulgarelli
U.S. Distributor : Tba
Cast : Rico Rodriguez, Efren Ramirez, Justina Machado, Jon Gries
Social Media: @GoForIt_Carmen
Logline: Shot in Brownsville and inspired by true events, Endgame is a coming-of-age story about a young boy who joins the school chess team, and with the help of his coach, embarks on a journey of self-discovery, team spirit and the importance of family.
Another talented genre director (and fellow Chicana from Chicago, Heyyy) whose tenacity and talent make her primed to be our Latina Ava Duvernay success story (of course that depends on whether the public (and gatekeepers) support her to make the change to the system to demand her spot in the national mainstream). I wrote about Carmen’s tireless spirit before , mentioning her first film which she shot, wrote, directed and produced in Chicago called Go For It (which incidentally was Gina Rodriguez’s first feature role). Her latest film is Endgame starring the precocious Manny from Modern Family, Rico Rodriguez, and Efren Ramirez from cult classic Napoleon Dynamite, Endgame is one of those irresistible competition, underdog, against-all-odds stories. Ramirez portrays the galvanizing Brownsville public elementary school teacher and chess afficionado, J.J. Guajardo, who in 1989, upon seeing his 6th grade class take an interest in his chess board, began to teach them on the regular. The class excelled and entered regional competitions, going on to enter and win state championships against schools with far more resources. Echoing the positives of disrupting a broke educational status quo with simply offering access to advanced mental cognition building tools, the film echoes another real life story and seminal Chicano film, Stand & Deliver. Big difference; that movie was not directed by a Latino/a.
The film is world premiering at the Dallas International Film Festival April 12 &13. Distribution is yet to be confirmed for theatrical/VOD but stay tuned via the Facebook page.
"No Mas Bebes"
Director: Renee Tajima-Peña
Producers : Virginia Espino
Associate Producer : Kate Trumbull-Valle
Executive Producers : Julie Parker Benello, Wendy Ettinger, Judith Helfland, Sally Jo Fiefer and Sandra Pedlow
U.S. Distributor : Itvs/Latino Public Broadcasting
Cinematographer: Claudio Rocha
Music: Bronwen Jones, additional music by Quetzal
Cast : Antonia Hernandez, Gloria Molina, Dolores Madrigal, Jovita Rivera, Consuelo Hermosillo
Social Media: Facebook
Logline : An investigation of the sterilization of Mexican-American women at Los Angeles County-usc Medical Center during the 1960s and 70s
Sadly, there is an appalling history in the United States of laws and policies authorizing sterilizations of poor women without their knowledge or consent for the “benefit of society”; Buck v. Bell (low-income white women in Virginia), Relf v. Weinberger (young African-American women in Alabama), and female inmates in California. This film focuses on the case of Latinas of Mexican origin in California in Madrigal v. Quilligan . Shedding light on this horrific human rights violation, the film includes interviews with women who suffered this terrible ordeal and locked the memory away, along with former medical staff and the incredible lawyer who filed this suit forty years ago, Antonia Hernandez. A long-time coming, supremely valuable and eye opening contextualization of the Chicano rights movement from the late 60s/70s as well as the current reproductive justice movement.
So kind of cheating here, Renee is not Latina per se, but a sister in the struggle to document the Latino community. Her producer is Latina, Virginia Espino, La born-and-raised historian, plus I really want to rally support for this film because it is one of those Latina stories that really needed to be told and remembered this year which marks the 40th anniversary of the lawsuit (June 19). It is ready to be unveiled and seen by as wide an audience as possible. Stay tuned to hear when the film will have its world premiere before its broadcast in the Fall on Voces, Latino Public Broadcasting’s arts and culture series on PBS.
"Now en Español"
Director: Andrea Meller
Producers : Aaron Woolf, Andrea Meller
Music: Camara Kambon
Cinematographer: Charlie Gruet
U.S. Distributor : PBS/Latino Public Broadcasting
Cast : Marabina Jaimes, Marcela Bordes, Gabriela Lopetegui, Ivette Gonzalez, Natasha Perez
Social Media: @NowenEspanol, website
Logline: Follows the trials and triumphs of the small group of Latina actresses who dub “Desperate Housewives” into Spanish.
Currently hitting the festival circuit in such reputable festivals as Santa Barbara, Chicago Latino Film Festival, CineFestival, ahead of its showing on PBS Voces, "Now en Español" is such an effective and distinct balance of humor, seriousness and insider look by Chilean-American Andrea Meller.
Profiling Marcela Bordes, Ivette Gonzalez, Marabina Jaimes, Gabriela Lopetegui and Natasha Perez, the film is quite plainspoken and sympathetic about the struggle of the actor in Hollywood. Like the comedy fiction film (also directed by a woman!) "In a World," by Lake Bell, the film offers a rare behind the scenes and insight into the voice acting industry. Few actors make make careers out of this, others pick it up for income, but in the end it is a highly distinct skill to dub millions of shows. It’s really fascinating perspective on the representation of Latinas onscreen and off. What I love most about this film on top of it being an important tool for dialogue and change, is that the filmmaker injects a whimsy tone (apropos Wisteria Lane) which makes sparking this conversation and call to action so much more effective. You have no reason to miss this as it premieres on Friday, April 24, 2015, 10:00-11:00 p.m. (check local listings) as part of Voces, Latino Public Broadcasting’s arts and culture series on PBS. To get a taste of the ladies’ charm and humor check out the trailer:
"Ovarian Psycos"
Director: Kate Trumbull-lavalle & Joanna Sokolowski
Producers :Kate Trumbull-lavalle & Joanna Sokolowski
U.S. Distributor : Itvs (broadcast)
Cinematographer: Michael Raines
Music: Jimmy Lavalle
Cast : Ovarian Psycos Cycle Brigade
Social Media: Facebook
Logline: Follows the story of an all woman of color bicycle brigade, the Ovarian Psycos Cycle Brigade. Based in Boyle Heights, a neighborhood in Eastside Los Angeles, the Ova’s are a collective of unapologetic, politicized, young Latina women who host monthly bike rides every full moon for women and women-identified riders.
Ever since I interviewed Kate during her film’s Kickstarter , I’ve been madly anticipating this, so I’m pleased to scoop that it will be ready late Fall thanks to Itvs coming in with finishing funds. Protegees of esteemed film ladies like Renee Tajima Peña and B. Ruby Rich, the ladies have spent more than two years riding with the Ovas for this documentary. Says Joanna, “There are lots of bike groups in La, but what’s unique about the Ova’s is each ride has a sociopolitical theme and ends with a group discussion. They dialogue about everything from violence against women to the gentrification of Boyle Heights”.
The Ova’s s leadership is run by the collective who work “To Serve, not to Self Serve. Credited as founder is activist and music artist, Xela de la X who formed this rad collective in 2011 with the mission to cycle for the purpose of healing, reclaim neighborhoods, and create safer streets for women on the Eastside. Currently being edited the film should be ready for the Fall if not early next year.
In case you are wondering Trumbull-lavalle is two generations apart from family in Northern Mexico. Which I only add as proof that last names and color of skin are not indicators for knowing whether someone identifies as Latino/a or not.
Which leads me to reiterate, I really hope these 5 are not the only Latina directors with films coming out this year. Calling out an A.P.B. to Latina directors with a feature length film (fiction especially) in production or post, holler at your girl...
- 4/15/2015
- by Christine Davila
- Sydney's Buzz
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