Latinos In The Industry eNewsletter

September 16, 2008

NALIP, CPB, the NEA and the Full Frame Documentary Film Festival
In association with the Center for Asian American Media, the 9th Street Media Consortium, KQED, San Francisco Film Commission, the Bay Area Video Coalition, LPB, ITVS, NBPC, PIC, NAPT, Bay Area Women in Film & Video, the California Film Institute, the Hanson Film Institute, Dept. of Fine Arts, University of Arizona, & the School of Media Arts, Dept. of Fine Arts, University of Arizona, the Tucson Film Office, KUAT, CAAM, LPB, ITVS, NBPC, PIC, NAPT, and Women Make Movies present

Doing Your Doc: DIVERSE VISIONS, REGIONAL VOICES

Oct. 10-12, 2008 in Tucson, Arizona

Oct. 17-19, 2008 in San Francisco, California

A Weekend Seminar in Tucson & San Francisco to Kick-Start Your Documentary

Don’t miss this unique chance to work with story consultant Fernanda Rossi, the Documentary Doctor, author of the book "Trailer Mechanics," plus receive project mentoring on your proposal, trailer or documentary idea. This intensive 3-day workshop is right for you, whether you are just beginning, have already shot footage on a documentary project, or are seeking finishing funds.

"Doing your Doc" is designed especially for media makers in the diverse communities of Arizona and Northern California, preparing you to receive production funding and apply to national professional programs while developing your unique stories and views.

Doing Your Doc: 3-day Workshop Fee
• Tucson: Early Registration by October 10 - $100; Student w/ Valid ID -- $50 **U of A Students receive FULL Scholarship** Register online here for DOING YOUR DOC - TUCSON
• San Francisco: Early Registration by October 17 - $100; Student w/ Valid ID -- $50 Register online here for DOING YOUR DOC - SAN FRANCISCO

Includes lunches, workshop materials, books & private project mentoring
At the door Registration -- $125; Students -- $75

Tucson Venue Address: HARVILL Building, University of Arizona, 1103 E. 2nd St., Tucson, AZ 85721
San Francisco Venue Address: Ninth Street Media Arts Bldg, 145 Ninth Street, San Francisco, CA94103

For more information including a full schedule visit the Doing Your Doc webpage, download the flyer for Tucson or flyer for San Francisco, or call NALIP at 310.395.8880

Free NATPE Web Seminar: An Insider's View of the New Fall Season

Are you wondering how last season's strike has affected this season's programming decisions? Do you want to know what the buzz is behind the midseason series pickups? What will survive until next season? The NATPE Web seminar "An Insider's View of the New Fall Season" with TVtracker.com's Carolyn Finger will take you behind the scenes and answer your questions.

Join TVtracker.com's Carolyn Finger for an exclusive (and FREE!) web seminar on Tuesday, September 23 at 9 am (PT)/ Noon (E)). In this one-hour interactive presentation, Carolyn will take participants through the highlights of the 2008-2009 broadcast network primetime schedules. The major challenges facing each network and the most hotly contested time periods next season will be analyzed. After a period devoted to audience questions and comments, Carolyn will jump back into the fray and offer predictions on what the hits and misses will be. She'll also talk about why the networks ordered the shows they did and the internal logic of their scheduling decisions. The impact of emerging distribution platforms, such as on demand, broadband, interactive, and branded integration will be discussed, as well as the explosion of original content on cable.

Click here for more information about the webinar, and to register online.

Disney Channel Celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month

Marking Hispanic Heritage Month, Disney Channel will present programming events for preschoolers, kids, tweens and families beginning this week. The daily programming block for preschoolers, Playhouse Disney, will feature "Fabuloso Fridays," a weekly installment of new "Handy Manny" episodes every Friday (9:00-9:30 a.m., ET/PT) and Spanish language versions of theme songs from the popular series "Mickey Mouse Clubhouse," "My Friends Tigger & Pooh" and "Little Einsteins." Additionally, PlayhouseDisney.com will feature "Handy Manny" episodes in Spanish.

Disney Channel Hispanic Heritage interstitial programming highlights to air throughout the month are:

* Throughout the month, Alma and Imagen Award nominee Selena Gomez, star of the hit series "Wizards of Waverly Place," will introduce Spanish language versions of main title theme songs from Disney Channel's global hit series "The Suite Life of Zack & Cody," "The Replacements," "That's So Raven," "Kim Possible" and "The Emperor's New School."

* Spanish language music videos from "High School Musical 2" will showcase: Mexico's Paulina Holguin singing "Gotta Go My Own Way" ("Por Mi Camino Ire"); Holguin and Roger Gonzalez performing "You Are the Music in Me" ("Eres La Musica en Mi"), and Spain's recording artists Mota (Manuel Martos and Alvaro de Azcarate) singing "Eres La Musica en Mi" and "All for One."

El Norte Coming to LALIFF, Criterion Collection DVD

El Norte (1983), filmmaker Gregory Nava’s acclaimed debut about the harrowing journey of two Guatemalan immigrants, will be released on DVD by the Criterion Collection on January 20, 2009. The film has been rarely seen since its release and to celebrate the its 25th Anniversary and its enduring importance at a critical time when illegal immigration remains one of the most difficult political issues facing our nation, Janus Films will present the film at festivals throughout the country, beginning with the Los Angeles Latino Film Festival (LALIFF) on Wednesday, September 17 at 4:45 PM at The Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood with Gregory Nava present.

Known as Nava’s masterpiece, El Norte was one of the first films to put a human face on the issue of illegal immigration and in 1996 the film was named an “American Classic” and designated for special preservation by the Library of Congress. El Norte is the story of Enrique and Rosa Xuncax, brother and sister, who choose to flee their mountain village in Guatemala rather than face military persecution. They embark upon a heartbreaking journey to a fabled land of plush houses, electric lights, and flush toilets. The land is America: The North. Together, Enrique and Rosa acquire a small piece of the American dream, though their native Mayan identities are slowly being stripped away. When temptation threatens to destroy their bond, it is their spirits that prove indelible.

In addition to LALIFF, El Norte will also be screened at:
Sunday, October 26 - Chicago International Film Festival – Gregory Nava Attending
Saturday, November 1 – Virginia Film Festival – Gregory Nava Attending
Sunday, November 2 – Virginia Film Festival - Lecture Presentation by Nava

The DVD will be released on January 20, 2009 and will include extras such as:
• New Director’s Commentary with Gregory Nava
• Featurette: The Making of El Norte, new high-definition interviews with Gregory Nava and co-writer/producer Anna Thomas as well as actors Zaide Silvia Gutiérrez and David Villalpando and art director David Wasco (45 min.)
• American Tapestry: The Story of Eva Canseco, a subtitled segment from Showtime Documentary, The American Tapestry. (16 min.).
• The Border Wall, a new short documentary by Gregory Nava and Barbara Martinez Jitner (15 min.)
• The Journal of Diego Rodriguez Silva (1972), a national student film award-winner film by Nava (30 min.
• Scouting in Chiapas Photo Gallery

Newly restored for its 25th anniversary, this landmark of independent film (which Variety described as the “first American independent epic”) was the first commercial feature film that presented the immigrant community in a humane and intimate light, and was recorded in Mayan, Spanish and English languages.

Gregory Nava has received worldwide acclaim for his work as a filmmaker and screenwriter. For El Norte, he received both Academy Award and Writers Guild of America nominations for Best Original Screenplay. Nava continued his string of ground-breaking Latino films with My Family/Mi Familia, staring Edward James Olmos and Jennifer Lopez, and Selena, which again featured Lopez in her definitive breakout role. He is also the creator and executive producer of the award-winning television series, American Family, and recently wrote, directed and produced Bordertown, a political thriller starring Jennifer Lopez and Antonio Banderas.

Evangeline Griego
NALIP board member's doc Calavera Highway premieres tonight at 10 PM on P.O.V.

NALIP board member Evangeline Griego's award-winning documentary Calavera Highway will make it's broadcast debut on P.O.V. on PBS tonight, September 16 at 10pm.

Calavera Highway is a sweeping story of seven Mexican-American men grappling with the meaning of masculinity, fatherhood and a legacy of rootless beginnings.

If you miss the broadcast, don't worry: you can still catch Calavera Highway online until September 23.

Juan Mandelbaum
NALIPster's doc revisits a dark chapter in Argentina's history

NALIP member Juan Mandelbaum's (LPA 2004) documentary Our Disappeared (Nuestros Desaparecidos) will be playing at the Los Angeles Latino International Film Festival this Tuesday and Thursday, Sept. 16 and 18.

Story by Reed Johnson, Los Angeles Times:

There's no body of written evidence, no realpolitik smoking gun, to directly connect Henry Kissinger with Ines Kuperschmit.

But the former U.S. foreign policy mastermind and the Argentine-born Los Angeles attorney both play intertwined, supporting roles in Juan Mandelbaum's haunting and disturbing documentary "Our Disappeared" (Nuestros Desaparecidos), one of 132 films that will be screened during the 12th annual Los Angeles Latino International Film Festival, which starts tonight.

Kissinger, who was secretary of State at the time, appears very briefly in "Our Disappeared" in a late-1970s Buenos Aires television news clip, declaring U.S. support for Jorge Rafael Videla, head of the brutal right-wing military junta that ruled Argentina from 1976 until 1983. Although several of the military leaders were put on trial after democracy was restored, those years remain a dark chapter in the nation's history that many Argentines still refuse to confront.

"The task of remembering is not easy," said Mandelbaum, who has lived in the United States for decades and owns a documentary production company in Boston. "I think countries are more tempted to leave things behind than dealing with them."

Although Kuperschmit's personal story is only one of those recounted in the movie, it's as unsettling and emblematic as any other.

Born in 1975, Kuperschmit was only an infant when the coup took place. But her parents, both members of the radical left-wing Montoneros group, were among thousands of Argentine students, trade unionists, opposition politicians and others who were rounded up by the military and "disappeared," a euphemism for torture and murder.

When Kuperschmit's mother saw government agents approaching her while strolling with Ines through the Buenos Aires zoo, she instantly abandoned her daughter and walked straight toward the agents so that Ines wouldn't be "disappeared" along with her. An elderly couple later found the baby girl lying on the grass and crying.

Although the aunt who adopted her never talked about what happened, Kuperschmit said that even as a child she guessed the truth.

"I was never tortured, I was never detained, I don't know what it's like to have a cold gun against my head," she said, switching between Spanish and English during an interview at her midcity Los Angeles home. "But I have the consciousness."

Kuperschmit was one of numerous Argentine children who were orphaned when their parents were arrested during the "Dirty War." She was raised by relatives in Virginia before eventually settling in Southern California.

Now a U.S. citizen and director of legal services for the Learning Rights Law Center, where she provides counsel to families of foster and delinquent youth, Kuperschmit said that when she was growing up stateside, most American acquaintances didn't know where Argentina was; some thought it was part of Europe.

That changed a bit after the movie musical "Evita," starring Madonna, came out, Kuperschmit said with a laugh. But in politically stable countries such as the United States, she observes, "People have the luxury of not knowing what's going on."

Kuperschmit's personal twist of fate underscores the significant, if at times subterranean, ways in which Latin America is politically linked to its powerful northern neighbor. In parallel fashion, movies such as "Our Disappeared" and others in the film festival illustrate the proliferating cultural links between Los Angeles and the rest of the Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking hemisphere.

Since its inception, the festival, which is co-sponsored by The Times, has been drawing a larger share of non-Spanish-speaking audiences, reflecting the surging quality of Latin American and Latino movies, says Edward James Olmos, co-founder of the festival with Marlene Dermer and the late George Hernandez.

"I'll tell you right now," Olmos said, the "first-time directors coming out of Latin America are much stronger than the first-time directors coming out of the United States of America."

"Our Disappeared," which will be screened Tuesday and Thursday, is one of several festival movies that offer a highly personalized take on political and social themes. Mandelbaum says the project took wing a few years ago when he made contact with the family of his former girlfriend, who was among the coup's victims. He started tracking down other missing friends, and the idea for a documentary gradually took shape. "I just felt a very big responsibility toward the story," he said.

While the documentary's sympathies clearly reside with his leftist friends, Mandelbaum said he wanted the movie to fairly depict the violent acts that were committed by both sides.

"In a sense, the dreams were defeated, but the dreams weren't the wrong dreams," Mandelbaum said. "It was the methods, perhaps, that were wrong."

Even though the political circumstances may seem far removed to most U.S. viewers, Mandelbaum hopes that his movie will prompt audiences here to reflect on possible parallels between what happened in Argentina three decades ago and what's happening in the world today. He and Kuperschmit agree that it's possible even for stable democracies to suffer sudden dramatic reversals in human rights.

It's hard for Kuperschmit to think about the role of the U.S. government in eroding human rights in her homeland. "Nevertheless," she said, "I still believe in the American dream. And I would rather be a part of this government and try to change it from within than sit on the sideline and criticize."

Drew Figueroa
NALIPster's doc invited to Vancounver and SunDoc

Executive producer and NALIP member Drew Figueroa's (LPA 2006) documentary Apology of an Economic Hitman has been invited to the Vancouver International Film Festival and DunDoc Copenhagen.

"…the film drops some intriguing facts. And its stinging portrait of the crowd in Quito bristling at American policy is arresting." - New York Times

John Perkins was a prominent member of the top-secret team of “economic hit men,” who used fraudulent financial reports, rigged elections, payoffs, extortion, sex, military coups and murder to create the global American empire after World War II. After a long internal struggle between his guilt and the fear of telling the truth, Perkins meets the daughter of an assassinated president and speaks out in front of an angry Latin-American audience. Color & B/W, 35mm, 89 Minutes.

* Vancouver Intl Film Festival – Screening Dates Sep. 27 & Oct. 8

* SunDoc Copenhagen – Screening Date Sep. 21

Leonard Zelig
NALIPster runs blog for guerilla filmmakers

NALIP member Leonard Zelig is running a blog called Guerrilla Filmmaking (GF), dedicated to the guerrilla film community. Venezuelan Leonard Zelig is himself a Guerrilla Filmmaker who is consolidating a massive amount of resources for filmmakers with no budget. Interviews, DIY, Limited Box Office, Premieres, Opinion, Guerrilla Exhibition, Viral Marketing are some of the Tags that you'll find in GF. How to get your Guerrilla Film in iTunesand How to put your video in more than 20 video sites with just one upload are some of the latest posts in guerrilla-filmmaking.com

Commentary: Spanish-language Media Stocks Hit Hard
(The Hollywood Reporter) - Companies near their 52-week lows even before Monday's horror show. FULL STORY

Latino Fest Offers Cinema With a Different Flavor
(OC Register) - Latino cinema is a little like pop corn and hot sauce, according to the Los Angeles Latino International Film Festival 2008 trailer: Popcorn is fine by itself, but add a little hot sauce (Latino flavor) to it and the result is "a perfect combination." FULL STORY

Academy Award Winner Gustavo Santaolalla Receives Gabi Lifetime Achievement Award at LALIFF
(Yahoo! Finance) - The prestigious GABI Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to five-time 2008 Latin Grammy nominee Gustavo Santaolalla at the red carpet opening night of the 12th Los Angeles Latino International Film Festival that took place at the Graumman's Chinese Theater in Hollywood, CA. FULL STORY

Visit the NALIP Job Opportunities page for all the latest listings.

Paid Fellowship at Brave New Foundation
The 2009 Brave New Foundation Fellowship program is a full time stipend based program designed to provide intensive experience in all aspects of making viral web campaigns and grass roots online organizing. FULL JOB DESCRIPTION

Post Supervisor
Looking for someone to come work with us for 2 months as our post supervisor, working with 5 production teams on all different types of projects with a variety of formats and delivery specs. FULL JOB DESCRIPTION

Casting: Spanish-language VO Actors (San Diego)
San Diego based maled and female Spanish language voice over actors needed for full length institutional training video. FULL JOB DESCRIPTION

Senior Engineer / Avid Technician (NYC)
Post Factory NY, a leading post facility located in Soho, catering to Feature Films, TV and commercial projects is seeking a Senior Engineer / Avid Technician. FULL JOB DESCRIPTION

Director of Photography for Feature (Honduras)
Guacamaya Films is entering into production on its full length feature being made in Honduras, and is currently looking for a talented & experienced Director of Photography for our film (preferably Spanish/English bilingual and based out of USA or Latin America). FULL JOB DESCRIPTION

Editor
Alex Mendoza
Alex Mendoza & Associates
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Co-Editor
NALIP
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310-395-8880
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The Latinos in the Industry e-Newsletter is a free service provided by the National Association of Latino Independent Producers (NALIP) with the generous assistance of Alex Mendoza & Associates (AMA) in an “as-is” basis for the education and information of users only. NALIP and/or AMA, their principal(s), employees, agents or representatives shall under no circumstances be liable for any loss or damage, including, but not limited to, loss of profits, goodwill or indirect or consequential loss arising out of any use of or inaccuracies in the information. All warranties expressed or implied are excluded to the fullest extent permissible by law. All comments and postings, including those by the Editor, are the responsibility of those individuals posting and no endorsement by NALIP and/or AMA should be inferred. Referral links and individual e-mail forwarding are permitted. NALIP reserves the right to withdraw or delete information or to discontinue this service at any time. All quoted, linked and/or referred information, as well as all copyrights and trademarks, are the property of their respective holders, used here under license and/or “fair-use” rules. © NALIP.