WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.720 --> 00:00:04.360 Six roles in thirteen years that went to AFRO Latino 2 00:00:04.480 --> 00:00:08.360 leads fifty three thousand characters in a thirteen year period 3 00:00:08.640 --> 00:00:11.799 and less than five percent of Latinos had speaking parts. 4 00:00:12.080 --> 00:00:13.520 Like that ain't even close. 5 00:00:13.920 --> 00:00:16.919 So that's what I see as wrong with the awards 6 00:00:17.000 --> 00:00:20.000 is that it's not fun. But also there's no opportunity 7 00:00:20.040 --> 00:00:20.720 for us to be there. 8 00:00:25.280 --> 00:00:30.080 From Futro Media and PRX, It's Latino Usa. I'm Marieinojosa 9 00:00:30.480 --> 00:00:33.120 today ahead of the Oscars, a look back at a 10 00:00:33.159 --> 00:00:37.160 big year for Latinos in Hollywood and what comes next 11 00:00:37.320 --> 00:00:43.840 for our film community. Why. 12 00:00:44.280 --> 00:00:48.479 From Santamonica, California, the annual Alatama Award. 13 00:00:48.800 --> 00:00:50.440 It's Hollywood's biggest night. 14 00:00:52.960 --> 00:00:56.120 The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, twenty fifth 15 00:00:56.120 --> 00:01:00.000 Annual Academy of forty ninth Annual the Academy Award. 16 00:01:00.680 --> 00:01:03.560 From the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in Los Angeles. 17 00:01:03.720 --> 00:01:05.640 It's the sixty eighth Annual Academy. 18 00:01:05.680 --> 00:01:08.800 This is the seventy second Annual Academy. 19 00:01:08.360 --> 00:01:11.759 Award, also known as the Oscars Live TV. 20 00:01:12.120 --> 00:01:16.640 Here we go, Welcome to the ninety third Oscar. 21 00:01:20.080 --> 00:01:23.480 For nearly a century, the Oscars have been considered the 22 00:01:23.520 --> 00:01:28.160 most prestigious award in filmmaking, and their influence reaches way 23 00:01:28.280 --> 00:01:32.400 beyond the US. And yet not all is golden at 24 00:01:32.440 --> 00:01:36.679 the Academy Awards. The OSCARS track record with non white, 25 00:01:37.040 --> 00:01:41.200 non male, and international filmmakers has been abysmal. 26 00:01:41.319 --> 00:01:43.840 The popular hashtag is calling out the award show for 27 00:01:43.920 --> 00:01:45.440 its lack of diversity. Again. 28 00:01:46.080 --> 00:01:50.080 The Oscars So White controversy, which became widespread in twenty sixteen, 29 00:01:50.640 --> 00:01:55.480 encouraged some change and pushed the Academy to diversify its membership. 30 00:01:55.800 --> 00:02:00.800 We want opportunity, what the black actors to get the 31 00:02:00.960 --> 00:02:03.160 same opportune. 32 00:02:02.680 --> 00:02:06.000 But the lack of diversity remains and we're still having 33 00:02:06.160 --> 00:02:10.799 the same conversation. Essentially, the problem isn't just the Oscars. 34 00:02:11.000 --> 00:02:14.640 The awards tend to reflect what's happening in mainstream Hollywood, 35 00:02:14.880 --> 00:02:18.200 and that's where black and Latino and Latina creators are 36 00:02:18.240 --> 00:02:22.600 often shut out. Twenty twenty one, though seemed a little 37 00:02:22.600 --> 00:02:26.720 different on paper, it was actually a pretty big year 38 00:02:26.800 --> 00:02:31.400 for films featuring Latino and Latinak characters and talent. Popular 39 00:02:31.480 --> 00:02:35.280 musicals like Encanto, West Side Story, and In the Heights 40 00:02:35.480 --> 00:02:38.120 come to mind. The first two were nominated for Best 41 00:02:38.200 --> 00:02:41.800 Animated Film and Best Picture. This year you also have 42 00:02:41.840 --> 00:02:44.800 films like Being the Ricardo's, a biopic about Lucille ball 43 00:02:44.919 --> 00:02:49.480 and Cuban American actor Desiernez, and Nightmare, Ali, Guillermo del 44 00:02:49.520 --> 00:02:54.000 Toro's latest film, which got a Best Picture nod. But 45 00:02:54.080 --> 00:02:58.360 it's worth asking, is this the representation and inclusion of 46 00:02:58.480 --> 00:03:02.919 Latinos and Latinas that we were looking for? And after 47 00:03:03.160 --> 00:03:07.119 nearly a century's worth of exclusion from the biggest awards 48 00:03:07.160 --> 00:03:15.080 in the industry, is this enough? So on today's show, 49 00:03:15.120 --> 00:03:17.639 we're going to talk about, yes, the Oscars, but also 50 00:03:17.840 --> 00:03:22.520 the state of Latino filmmaking and film criticism. Three Latino 51 00:03:22.560 --> 00:03:24.720 and Latina film critics join us for the kind of 52 00:03:24.720 --> 00:03:27.480 conversation you're not going to hear in mainstream media ahead 53 00:03:27.520 --> 00:03:30.840 of the Oscars. So go grab your popcorn or in 54 00:03:30.880 --> 00:03:40.520 my case, follow meetas and here we go. So, Clayton, Getristina, 55 00:03:40.760 --> 00:03:42.720 and Jack, Welcome to Latino USA. 56 00:03:42.920 --> 00:03:44.880 Thanks for having us, Thank you for having us, Hi, 57 00:03:44.960 --> 00:03:45.920 thank you for having us. 58 00:03:46.200 --> 00:03:48.440 So let's just go ahead and have you each introduce 59 00:03:48.520 --> 00:03:51.400 yourselves with the little quick one liner of who you are. 60 00:03:51.600 --> 00:03:55.040 I'm Clayton Davis, I'm the Film Awards editor at Variety. 61 00:03:55.400 --> 00:03:59.640 Alla, I'm Christina Escovar. I am a freelance journalist and 62 00:03:59.680 --> 00:04:01.800 the co founder of Latina Media Puntok. 63 00:04:02.320 --> 00:04:04.760 And I am Jack Rico. I am a filming culture 64 00:04:04.760 --> 00:04:06.520 critic for the last twenty years. 65 00:04:06.800 --> 00:04:10.000 Okay, So the Oscars are coming up on March twenty seventh, 66 00:04:10.040 --> 00:04:12.800 and there's been a lot of news about what this 67 00:04:12.920 --> 00:04:14.960 show is actually going to be like. So you have 68 00:04:15.040 --> 00:04:18.760 a host, actually three actresses, Amy Schumer, Regina Hall, and 69 00:04:18.800 --> 00:04:22.360 Wanda Sykes. And the ceremony is doing a new thing 70 00:04:22.440 --> 00:04:26.560 and recognizing a fan favorite film this year, so anyone 71 00:04:26.640 --> 00:04:28.839 can cast a vote for their favorite film of twenty 72 00:04:28.880 --> 00:04:31.279 twenty one. But I'd like to hear your take on 73 00:04:31.320 --> 00:04:35.640 the nominations, especially the Latinos and Latinas and non white 74 00:04:35.680 --> 00:04:38.800 folks who are up for awards. So, Clayton, who should 75 00:04:38.839 --> 00:04:40.880 I be looking out for in this year's awards? 76 00:04:41.480 --> 00:04:44.480 This year, you know, we have Arianna Debos that's carrying 77 00:04:44.480 --> 00:04:47.880 the torch and Lemonel Miranda is one step closer to 78 00:04:47.960 --> 00:04:50.960 egot status because he's nominated for Best Original Song. 79 00:04:51.520 --> 00:04:54.479 Those Sodu Gitas and I. 80 00:04:56.520 --> 00:04:59.200 And we had our first Latina ever nominated for Best 81 00:04:59.200 --> 00:05:09.640 Original Score Jermaine Franco. So things are looking up. But 82 00:05:10.200 --> 00:05:12.600 I am one that always says that Oscars are used 83 00:05:12.640 --> 00:05:14.919 as a scapegoat because the real problem is Hollywood. They 84 00:05:14.920 --> 00:05:18.600 can't nominate what's not there, so we continue to move forward. 85 00:05:18.839 --> 00:05:22.400 But it was a better than usual day in Latino 86 00:05:22.440 --> 00:05:23.360 world at the Oscars. 87 00:05:23.440 --> 00:05:26.480 I love that you can't nominate what doesn't exist, Gistina, 88 00:05:27.040 --> 00:05:29.159 what's your quick take on the nominations. 89 00:05:29.800 --> 00:05:31.320 I mean, I think we're all going to root for 90 00:05:31.360 --> 00:05:39.479 Adana the Boss. She is indeed the one Whybill, But 91 00:05:39.600 --> 00:05:42.360 I would also say, you know, we had some great 92 00:05:42.400 --> 00:05:45.320 films this year. We had some amazing outputs. You know, 93 00:05:45.360 --> 00:05:47.880 we don't see anything for in the Heights. I don't 94 00:05:47.880 --> 00:05:51.640 see anything for Passing, which started Latina after Latina and 95 00:05:51.680 --> 00:05:54.640 Tessa Thompson, and so I feel like we are making 96 00:05:54.680 --> 00:05:58.880 in roads, but it's slower in the quote unquote prestige space, 97 00:05:58.960 --> 00:06:00.720 you know, the Awards space, and I think it is 98 00:06:00.760 --> 00:06:02.960 in other places. And it's slower in film than it 99 00:06:03.000 --> 00:06:06.839 is in television. And that's still on the frustrating side. 100 00:06:07.520 --> 00:06:10.839 Jack, Are you frustrated or are you like? What's your take? 101 00:06:11.360 --> 00:06:14.360 I actually feel that this year in particular, we've actually 102 00:06:14.400 --> 00:06:17.080 made some progress for what everybody else was saying in 103 00:06:17.200 --> 00:06:22.200 terms of you can't really award something that doesn't exist. Well, 104 00:06:22.400 --> 00:06:26.440 this year we actually had a lot of films that 105 00:06:26.480 --> 00:06:28.440 should have been nominated, and I think when you look 106 00:06:28.480 --> 00:06:32.719 at the director's category, in particular, Lady Maniela Miranda, I 107 00:06:32.760 --> 00:06:35.520 thought he did an incredible job with Tik Tak Boom 108 00:06:35.600 --> 00:06:39.600 for his directorial debut. Rinaldo Marcus Green, who did King 109 00:06:39.680 --> 00:06:42.640 Richard nominated for Best Picture, he wasn't nominated for director, 110 00:06:43.240 --> 00:06:47.320 Giermo del Toro Nightmare Aley Best Picture, not nominated for Director. 111 00:06:47.839 --> 00:06:51.479 You have Spencer with Kristin Stewart who was nominated for 112 00:06:51.520 --> 00:06:55.600 Best Actress, but Bablo Lorrain was not nominated, Jennisa Bravo 113 00:06:55.640 --> 00:06:59.960 for Zola. So there was enough there to actually nominate 114 00:07:00.320 --> 00:07:04.120 along with supporting actors, et cetera. Yet none of these 115 00:07:04.160 --> 00:07:07.080 people were nominated. And so the question to me is 116 00:07:07.680 --> 00:07:10.480 what do we have to do to get into these 117 00:07:10.640 --> 00:07:14.040 categories where we're usually not even though we put out 118 00:07:14.120 --> 00:07:18.120 great films. If this isn't a good banner year for 119 00:07:18.240 --> 00:07:21.840 directors for Latino directors, then what other years are we 120 00:07:21.880 --> 00:07:25.280 going to have? We submit so many great films and 121 00:07:25.320 --> 00:07:26.360 that they're not nominated. 122 00:07:26.680 --> 00:07:30.880 There was some controversy shortly after the nominations were announced. 123 00:07:30.920 --> 00:07:34.920 Remember that Javier by them press conference. 124 00:07:34.640 --> 00:07:41.480 Awkward Espanolas one of the person Espanolis. 125 00:07:43.240 --> 00:07:46.280 So some context. He was nominated for Best Actor for 126 00:07:46.400 --> 00:07:50.320 his role in Being the Ricardos, where he played Desi Ernez, 127 00:07:50.400 --> 00:07:54.160 the famous Cuban American actor. The thing is, Javier, who 128 00:07:54.280 --> 00:07:58.400 is an actor from Spain, chose to speak out about 129 00:07:58.440 --> 00:08:03.520 the lack of Spanish as in Spain representation in film. 130 00:08:03.960 --> 00:08:07.280 He said that Spaniards are actually a minority in Hollywood 131 00:08:07.280 --> 00:08:09.760 and that Latin Americans are represented just fine, but that 132 00:08:09.840 --> 00:08:14.480 he doesn't see Spanish roles anywhere. Caristina, did this get 133 00:08:14.480 --> 00:08:18.080 a nerve for you? Were you just okay? It was definitely. 134 00:08:19.520 --> 00:08:23.000 I think that is the wrong approach for him to take, 135 00:08:23.080 --> 00:08:25.160 and for Spanish folks to take as well. I mean, 136 00:08:25.200 --> 00:08:28.480 there's a little thing called colonialism. It operates a lot 137 00:08:28.520 --> 00:08:31.400 of our world and controls it. You know, the Spanish 138 00:08:31.480 --> 00:08:34.280 colonized a whole continent and we're still dealing with the 139 00:08:34.320 --> 00:08:37.120 impacts of that, and you see that to this day now, 140 00:08:37.160 --> 00:08:41.040 I'm not one who thinks that only Chicanos can play 141 00:08:41.040 --> 00:08:44.880 Mexican Americans on screen. I don't think you see Anglos saying, oh, 142 00:08:44.920 --> 00:08:47.559 you're from Australia, you can't play an American. I think 143 00:08:47.600 --> 00:08:49.880 that is a little bit silly that there should be 144 00:08:50.000 --> 00:08:53.480 some flexibility. But there is a big, big difference being 145 00:08:53.720 --> 00:08:58.360 from Europe and being a white person versus being from 146 00:08:58.440 --> 00:09:00.680 Latin America, and they experience and so you get in 147 00:09:00.720 --> 00:09:04.080 the United States in particular, right, it might be different 148 00:09:04.160 --> 00:09:06.800 actually in Latin America, but when you come to the US, 149 00:09:07.240 --> 00:09:11.000 being a Latino is different than being from Spain, and 150 00:09:11.080 --> 00:09:15.040 there is a different expectation and there are frankly different opportunities. 151 00:09:15.080 --> 00:09:17.440 And so to sort of see him taking up that 152 00:09:17.600 --> 00:09:21.280 space and then doubling down on it, to me, showed 153 00:09:21.280 --> 00:09:24.560 a lack of sort of self awareness and also is 154 00:09:24.600 --> 00:09:27.000 frustrating for our community. That's just like trying so hard 155 00:09:27.040 --> 00:09:28.840 to get in the door, to get some of the roles, 156 00:09:28.840 --> 00:09:30.040 to tell our own stories. 157 00:09:30.400 --> 00:09:32.920 What were your thoughts, Jack, I think when he uses 158 00:09:32.960 --> 00:09:34.880 the word minority, I think what he really kind of 159 00:09:34.920 --> 00:09:38.160 meant to say was omission. When you look at the 160 00:09:38.240 --> 00:09:41.480 last I don't know ten years of Javier Bordam's career. 161 00:09:42.000 --> 00:09:44.880 He's a Spaniard from Europe who comes to the United 162 00:09:44.920 --> 00:09:48.720 States and has immediately labeled a Latino, and white media 163 00:09:48.760 --> 00:09:51.280 has him like that, and I think that his frustration is, 164 00:09:51.360 --> 00:09:55.920 why aren't we seeing more Spaniard roles in Hollywood? Every 165 00:09:55.920 --> 00:09:58.840 time I go to Hollywood, I'm playing a Latino, whether 166 00:09:58.880 --> 00:10:02.960 it's Pablo escobar Are or Desi Arnez. It's why can't 167 00:10:02.960 --> 00:10:08.360 I play a Spaniard? But in America, Spaniards sort of 168 00:10:08.400 --> 00:10:11.559 become Latinos and they're viewed like that. And I think 169 00:10:11.600 --> 00:10:14.720 his frustration is why are we omitted? But I think 170 00:10:14.840 --> 00:10:17.960 the word minority and the way he framed the whole thing, 171 00:10:18.600 --> 00:10:20.960 I think was a misstep on his part and a 172 00:10:21.040 --> 00:10:24.560 rare mystup because he's usually very articulate, but I think 173 00:10:24.600 --> 00:10:25.600 he bombed on this one. 174 00:10:25.679 --> 00:10:26.560 What are your thoughts on that? 175 00:10:26.600 --> 00:10:31.040 Clayton Javier Bardem three of his four Oscar nominated roles 176 00:10:31.120 --> 00:10:32.240 were playing Latinos. 177 00:10:32.400 --> 00:10:35.360 There's Desia. 178 00:10:37.679 --> 00:10:40.880 Before Night Falls, he played a Cuban, you know, Nokuch Froben. 179 00:10:40.920 --> 00:10:43.080 He's playing a Mexican and he's playing a Cuban again 180 00:10:43.120 --> 00:10:44.559 and being the ricardos. 181 00:10:44.960 --> 00:10:45.920 Thank you very much. 182 00:10:47.000 --> 00:10:47.280 Ah. 183 00:10:47.480 --> 00:10:49.959 Usually right now, I've been doing the final audience warnut, 184 00:10:50.120 --> 00:10:51.680 I tell you and a Yogato. 185 00:10:52.559 --> 00:10:57.080 And yet there have been four Latinos that have been 186 00:10:57.120 --> 00:11:01.400 nominated for Best Actor in History ty four years, four 187 00:11:01.440 --> 00:11:03.400 of them, and we could add a fifth this year 188 00:11:03.640 --> 00:11:06.679 if a Latino actually got that role of playing Desi Arnez. 189 00:11:07.240 --> 00:11:09.760 Like many people when it was announced that Wesize story 190 00:11:09.840 --> 00:11:12.040 was coming out, my first question was like, why are 191 00:11:12.040 --> 00:11:14.200 we doing this again? And if it's for the sole 192 00:11:14.240 --> 00:11:16.960 reason of getting Ariana Debos and Rachel Zegler in our lives, 193 00:11:17.000 --> 00:11:21.520 then I'll take it. But the truth is that dot 194 00:11:21.640 --> 00:11:24.520 On Wood win, Ariana de bos wins the Oscar. She's 195 00:11:24.600 --> 00:11:29.000 going to be the second Latina to ever win an 196 00:11:29.040 --> 00:11:32.040 acting Oscar. The second and the first was Rito Moreno 197 00:11:32.240 --> 00:11:36.320 playing the same role. So we are not seeing the 198 00:11:36.360 --> 00:11:39.360 progress in this space. And to say that there are 199 00:11:39.480 --> 00:11:44.600 roles for Latinos, sure, they're usually gang members and janitors. 200 00:11:45.440 --> 00:11:48.719 Mm hmmmm, All right, Jack, can you just chime in 201 00:11:49.000 --> 00:11:53.280 and YouTube Christina? What makes a film a Latin or 202 00:11:53.320 --> 00:11:56.720 Latina film? Obviously, all we do on this program is 203 00:11:56.720 --> 00:11:59.280 talk about the complexity of this community. So on the 204 00:11:59.320 --> 00:12:01.840 issue of film, what is it? Because it does begin 205 00:12:01.880 --> 00:12:04.079 to feel a little boxed in. 206 00:12:04.600 --> 00:12:08.200 Things are so complicated and weird now in terms of 207 00:12:08.240 --> 00:12:11.320 the regulations and the policies in the Academy. For example, 208 00:12:11.360 --> 00:12:14.000 Memoria till the Swinton was in it, but it took 209 00:12:14.080 --> 00:12:16.400 place in Colombia? Was that a Colombian film? Was that 210 00:12:16.440 --> 00:12:20.960 a European film? So I think that the basic fundamental 211 00:12:21.000 --> 00:12:23.720 of what a Latino movie is is if it has 212 00:12:23.840 --> 00:12:28.319 a Latino themed story with Latino actors. Does the director, 213 00:12:28.720 --> 00:12:30.560 like for example, John Chewing in The Heights, does he 214 00:12:30.640 --> 00:12:32.719 need to be Latino for that film to be a 215 00:12:32.800 --> 00:12:37.040 Latino movie. For the most part, most journalists, most Latin critics, 216 00:12:37.080 --> 00:12:39.000 when they look at a movie like In the Heights, 217 00:12:39.040 --> 00:12:42.120 we call that a Latino film. When you talk about 218 00:12:42.160 --> 00:12:45.679 West Side Story, to me, as a Latino critic, I 219 00:12:45.720 --> 00:12:48.560 see that as a Latino film because the majority of 220 00:12:48.640 --> 00:12:53.000 the emphasis and the focus was on the Puerto Ricans 221 00:12:53.000 --> 00:12:54.079 in this particular film. 222 00:12:54.080 --> 00:12:55.640 So I would call that a Latino film. 223 00:12:56.040 --> 00:13:02.280 Get your shoes on, I want to dance. I'll just 224 00:13:02.320 --> 00:13:05.200 be straight up. I mean Steven Spielberg and he's directed 225 00:13:05.240 --> 00:13:07.760 obviously phenomenal films, but there was a part of me 226 00:13:07.800 --> 00:13:12.680 that was like, Okay, why Stephen, though, is your sense 227 00:13:12.720 --> 00:13:15.440 that then West Side Story is a Latino film or not? 228 00:13:16.840 --> 00:13:19.440 I think that one's tricky. I think we have to 229 00:13:19.480 --> 00:13:23.199 take it as one of ours because of the amazing 230 00:13:23.240 --> 00:13:26.320 performances that the Latinas and Latinos put in on that film, 231 00:13:26.360 --> 00:13:28.320 and we have to celebrate them and shot them out 232 00:13:28.360 --> 00:13:30.840 and scream from the rooftops about how great they did, 233 00:13:30.920 --> 00:13:33.800 because we don't want to be only able to work 234 00:13:33.840 --> 00:13:36.520 with Latino creatives. But we also need to say really 235 00:13:36.559 --> 00:13:41.360 clearly that it is not enough that West Side Story 236 00:13:41.440 --> 00:13:44.640 is very limited. It's very limited in its portrayal of 237 00:13:44.679 --> 00:13:47.960 our community. It's limited. They did the best that some 238 00:13:48.040 --> 00:13:50.800 white guys can do, but they couldn't bridge the gap 239 00:13:50.840 --> 00:13:54.280 and make it meaningful and advance I think the representation 240 00:13:54.400 --> 00:13:57.280 of our community outside of giving the platform over to 241 00:13:57.320 --> 00:14:01.640 some amazing actors. So is it a Latino film? I 242 00:14:01.679 --> 00:14:04.600 guess so, But it's not the ones that we're looking for, right. 243 00:14:04.640 --> 00:14:06.520 We want to be the ones who are behind the camera, 244 00:14:06.559 --> 00:14:10.360 who are writing the stories, who are directing, and who 245 00:14:10.360 --> 00:14:13.120 are really shaping it from start to finish, not sort 246 00:14:13.120 --> 00:14:17.920 of rehashing old pieces and being subsumed into this larger 247 00:14:18.200 --> 00:14:22.000 Anglo narrative that sees us in these very limited ways 248 00:14:22.080 --> 00:14:25.800 as violent or maybe sex objects. 249 00:14:27.720 --> 00:14:30.360 Coming up on Latino USA, we continue to break down 250 00:14:30.440 --> 00:14:33.200 the past year in Latino movies and we asked the 251 00:14:33.240 --> 00:14:40.160 big question, do the oscars really even matter? Stay with us? 252 00:14:40.600 --> 00:14:40.720 Why? 253 00:14:40.840 --> 00:15:27.640 Yes, Hey, we're back. I've been talking with film critics 254 00:15:27.640 --> 00:15:32.800 and journalists Clayton Davis, Jack Rico, and Christina Escobard about 255 00:15:32.800 --> 00:15:35.960 the oscars and Latino films that came out last year. 256 00:15:36.240 --> 00:15:38.760 We're going to keep that conversation going now and talk 257 00:15:38.760 --> 00:15:43.480 about how we build the future of Latino filmmaking. One 258 00:15:43.520 --> 00:15:45.800 of the things that we have seen this year is 259 00:15:45.840 --> 00:15:50.360 that a lot of the Latino Latino films are big musicals. 260 00:15:50.360 --> 00:15:53.360 Oftentimes they're about family. We're getting young kids who are 261 00:15:53.360 --> 00:15:57.440 speaking Spanglish and you know Abuelita for example in Encanto 262 00:15:57.760 --> 00:16:02.400 featuring a Colombian family voice by LATINX actors, nominated for 263 00:16:02.600 --> 00:16:09.600 Best Animated Feature, and Kanta was a big commercial hit. 264 00:16:09.680 --> 00:16:12.920 The song we Don't Talk About Bruno topped the Billboard 265 00:16:13.000 --> 00:16:16.200 chart for weeks and has become more popular than let 266 00:16:16.240 --> 00:16:20.120 It Go from Frozen. All Right, so there is LATINX 267 00:16:20.160 --> 00:16:23.320 representation on screen right, But at the same time, is 268 00:16:23.360 --> 00:16:26.440 this what we really want? And so I'm wondering what 269 00:16:26.520 --> 00:16:30.880 the quote unquote right kind of representation is. Do you 270 00:16:30.960 --> 00:16:34.280 think that something's missing here? And by the way, I 271 00:16:34.360 --> 00:16:37.680 love these films, but there is an element still of cliche, 272 00:16:38.280 --> 00:16:41.520 and I'm wondering if you feel the same way, Jack, Absolutely. 273 00:16:41.800 --> 00:16:43.680 I think what we need now is we need to 274 00:16:43.720 --> 00:16:49.240 start developing talent, more LATINX talent, writers, directors, producers, people 275 00:16:49.320 --> 00:16:51.640 who are on the pulse of what's happening in the 276 00:16:51.760 --> 00:16:54.480 United States with the Latino community. For example, I've been 277 00:16:54.480 --> 00:16:58.880 waiting for the Roberto Clemente biopic for decades ready. Why 278 00:16:59.000 --> 00:17:00.240 hasn't that been done. 279 00:17:00.320 --> 00:17:02.080 Because Javi ar Barden isn't available. 280 00:17:05.720 --> 00:17:08.800 Touche, Yeah, you'll play the Puerto Rican, you in to 281 00:17:08.840 --> 00:17:12.639 the Puerto Rican, You'll play everybody. It just needs to 282 00:17:12.640 --> 00:17:15.000 come to a point that we need to start telling 283 00:17:15.200 --> 00:17:19.000 authentic stories about our own lives within the United States, 284 00:17:19.119 --> 00:17:22.359 within Latin America and the relationship that we have with 285 00:17:22.440 --> 00:17:28.600 the world. What our frustrations, our struggles, our joys, our celebrations. 286 00:17:29.119 --> 00:17:32.000 These stories need to be told. But there seems to 287 00:17:32.040 --> 00:17:36.880 be a challenge with the gatekeepers that we're not hot enough, 288 00:17:37.000 --> 00:17:40.520 we don't have enough superstars to package deals. I don't 289 00:17:40.560 --> 00:17:44.240 even know if we still have a legitimate A list actor, 290 00:17:44.320 --> 00:17:48.080 a La Tom Cruise that is Latino. And that's the problem. 291 00:17:48.280 --> 00:17:51.760 And unless we get to these places, to this hierarchy, 292 00:17:51.800 --> 00:17:55.399 to this tier, we're gonna maintain sort of the status 293 00:17:55.440 --> 00:17:56.520 quo what we have right now. 294 00:17:56.800 --> 00:17:59.280 I agree with the talent is out there, but it's 295 00:17:59.280 --> 00:18:01.879 like getting through the door. So there's a frustration on 296 00:18:01.920 --> 00:18:03.240 that element too, right. 297 00:18:03.400 --> 00:18:05.760 Yeah, it's getting through the door. But there is also 298 00:18:06.600 --> 00:18:10.320 again the Hollywood idea of what a Latino or LATINX 299 00:18:10.359 --> 00:18:14.240 person is for women, especially like unless you're Jennifer Lopez 300 00:18:14.280 --> 00:18:18.879 or Sophia Vigara, like that's latinas to Hollywood only. And 301 00:18:18.960 --> 00:18:22.359 I remember having this argument with someone during Roma about 302 00:18:22.600 --> 00:18:26.880 Julita Padiicio, and I was like, I've seen her more 303 00:18:26.880 --> 00:18:29.720 in my life than i've seen j Lo's and you're 304 00:18:29.720 --> 00:18:32.800 trying to generalize five hundred million people and you can't 305 00:18:32.840 --> 00:18:35.680 do that. So again, you have to expand your way 306 00:18:35.680 --> 00:18:39.080 of thinking. And then also, and I'll put this out there, 307 00:18:39.600 --> 00:18:42.440 Latinos have to write their own house too. Because I'll 308 00:18:42.480 --> 00:18:47.400 never be able to have an articulate conversation really on 309 00:18:47.720 --> 00:18:51.200 social media when I bring up something like latinos are 310 00:18:51.200 --> 00:18:54.399 not seen, and then I look at the thread and 311 00:18:54.480 --> 00:18:57.879 there's like five hundred comments about LATINX and that's what 312 00:18:57.920 --> 00:19:00.920 they're arguing about about, Like why are you on this LATINX? 313 00:19:01.240 --> 00:19:04.080 And I'm like, we're not on TV or movies, but 314 00:19:04.119 --> 00:19:06.640 you want to argue about this LATINX term like die 315 00:19:06.640 --> 00:19:09.199 on that hill? And we have a colorism problem. We 316 00:19:09.240 --> 00:19:11.439 have a lot of issues within our own community that 317 00:19:11.480 --> 00:19:14.919 we have to address also. And that's why there's not 318 00:19:14.960 --> 00:19:17.280 being progress because if I was a white producer, I 319 00:19:17.280 --> 00:19:19.520 would look and say, oh, they're arguing over there. I'll 320 00:19:19.600 --> 00:19:22.760 keep just doing my thing while they keep arguing over 321 00:19:23.520 --> 00:19:26.439 a letter in the alphabet. So that's what's going to 322 00:19:26.520 --> 00:19:27.120 keep happening. 323 00:19:27.600 --> 00:19:31.560 So, Christina, your whole life is basically dedicated to advancing 324 00:19:31.600 --> 00:19:36.880 this conversation. So how do we advance the conversation beyond representation? 325 00:19:37.080 --> 00:19:42.040 Because I've been having this conversation for years, right, how 326 00:19:42.040 --> 00:19:46.119 do you think about advancing this conversation critically in a 327 00:19:46.160 --> 00:19:49.880 more profound way that goes beyond this quote unquote representation. 328 00:19:50.400 --> 00:19:54.040 Well, we have to work on multiple levels. Right. Hollywood 329 00:19:54.080 --> 00:19:56.640 is a complex system in and of itself, and it's 330 00:19:56.640 --> 00:20:00.639 an even more complex ecosystem when you think about the 331 00:20:00.680 --> 00:20:03.959 studios and the distribution and the critical analysis and all 332 00:20:04.000 --> 00:20:06.159 of that piece. So we need to work on building 333 00:20:07.040 --> 00:20:10.560 in front of behind the camera as cultural gatekeepers all 334 00:20:10.600 --> 00:20:12.879 of that stuff. And part of what we need to 335 00:20:12.880 --> 00:20:16.160 do as Latinos and latinx Is and our community. Pert 336 00:20:16.200 --> 00:20:19.320 Clayton's point, I couldn't agree with it more is organize 337 00:20:19.359 --> 00:20:22.680 our own house so that we can see each other 338 00:20:23.040 --> 00:20:27.040 and be excited about each other and recognize a unity 339 00:20:27.040 --> 00:20:31.080 in ourselves to say we are not perfect, we are 340 00:20:31.119 --> 00:20:35.160 not equal. We have problems, yes, but we are going 341 00:20:35.200 --> 00:20:37.840 to see that there is a strength in it being 342 00:20:37.920 --> 00:20:40.359 together in a group. There's a political strength in it, 343 00:20:40.400 --> 00:20:42.880 there's a market share strength in it, and we're going 344 00:20:42.920 --> 00:20:46.200 to use that to get what we want. But that's 345 00:20:46.240 --> 00:20:48.240 not going to work if we're saying, oh, actually, black 346 00:20:48.280 --> 00:20:50.920 folks aren't part of our community. There are no black Mexicans, 347 00:20:50.920 --> 00:20:54.080 there are no Asian Latinos there, we don't really have 348 00:20:54.160 --> 00:20:56.480 queer people like. None of that will help us. That 349 00:20:56.520 --> 00:20:58.480 will just further divide us. So we need to figure 350 00:20:58.480 --> 00:21:01.080 out how to address some of those issues. And then 351 00:21:01.080 --> 00:21:03.400 we also need to build our own houses. Like if 352 00:21:03.400 --> 00:21:05.920 we're sitting there waiting for Hollywood to call on us 353 00:21:06.000 --> 00:21:09.720 or whatever industry, that's never going to happen. So we 354 00:21:09.840 --> 00:21:13.720 need to be building our own institutions and our own 355 00:21:13.800 --> 00:21:17.600 pathways and using those to build up ourselves while also 356 00:21:17.720 --> 00:21:21.680 pushing on the power structures that exist to push for change. 357 00:21:22.240 --> 00:21:24.399 All right, We're going to turn the cameras now onto 358 00:21:24.480 --> 00:21:27.800 you and talk about your field. And you know, people 359 00:21:27.880 --> 00:21:31.360 love to hate film critics, but I'd like to dig 360 00:21:31.400 --> 00:21:34.120 into your roles and really understand why is it important 361 00:21:34.119 --> 00:21:37.040 for us to have critics who are LATINX, who are 362 00:21:37.080 --> 00:21:40.359 Afro Latino, who are black, And how can you use 363 00:21:40.640 --> 00:21:43.639 the platforms that you work on to advance the conversation 364 00:21:43.680 --> 00:21:47.600 about inclusion in Hollywood. And let's start with you, Clayton. 365 00:21:48.240 --> 00:21:53.159 It's all around representation and entertainment. A film like In 366 00:21:53.200 --> 00:22:01.720 the Heights in particular. You know, In the Heights wasn't 367 00:22:01.760 --> 00:22:03.920 my favorite film of the year, but I cried during 368 00:22:03.920 --> 00:22:06.520 the whole thing because it was my first time coming 369 00:22:06.520 --> 00:22:08.920 back to a movie theater and I was there watching 370 00:22:09.800 --> 00:22:12.199 a piece of me on screen that I don't get 371 00:22:12.240 --> 00:22:16.280 to see very often. But I looked around and there 372 00:22:16.280 --> 00:22:19.879 were very little journalists that looked like me that shared 373 00:22:19.920 --> 00:22:23.040 that same space. It was critically acclaimed, It did so 374 00:22:23.160 --> 00:22:26.720 well critically, but I remember reading through so many of 375 00:22:26.920 --> 00:22:28.119 the reviews and. 376 00:22:28.160 --> 00:22:28.800 It was just. 377 00:22:30.520 --> 00:22:32.120 There were a lot of like, I want to say, 378 00:22:32.160 --> 00:22:36.600 basic takes. But I was waiting to read the part 379 00:22:36.760 --> 00:22:42.040 where Abuela has like, I don't know, babiyah boiling like 380 00:22:42.080 --> 00:22:45.040 on her stove. I was waiting to see eating rice 381 00:22:45.080 --> 00:22:48.840 and beans at the table. Just these little nuances that 382 00:22:49.480 --> 00:22:55.040 are us. There's so few Christina Escobars and Jack Rico's 383 00:22:55.560 --> 00:22:58.520 in the world. There is just us. So we have 384 00:22:58.640 --> 00:23:01.920 to have each other's backs or who else is going 385 00:23:01.960 --> 00:23:06.040 to And that's the next big thing that needs to change. 386 00:23:05.760 --> 00:23:05.960 You know. 387 00:23:06.080 --> 00:23:08.120 Jack Clayton just brought up In the Heights. Of course, 388 00:23:08.160 --> 00:23:10.040 as you know, I'm a little partial because I had 389 00:23:10.080 --> 00:23:13.560 a role in In the Heights, and I do feel 390 00:23:13.600 --> 00:23:17.320 like In the Heights was entirely snubbed, shut out, even 391 00:23:17.359 --> 00:23:20.600 though there was legit criticism. But I do feel like, 392 00:23:21.240 --> 00:23:24.840 as you said, Clayton, there were people crying throughout the 393 00:23:25.000 --> 00:23:29.680 entire film, and I'm wondering Jack Visa viv the conversation 394 00:23:29.840 --> 00:23:33.680 of Latino and Latina film critics. How you see how 395 00:23:33.720 --> 00:23:36.840 that played out. I love that there's a sense of community, 396 00:23:37.040 --> 00:23:39.120 but there's also a tremendous amount of pressure on you. 397 00:23:39.560 --> 00:23:42.359 Well, the first thing is actually Clayton created the Latino 398 00:23:42.440 --> 00:23:46.800 Entertainment Journalist Association, which is probably the only right I 399 00:23:46.880 --> 00:23:52.520 love that Latino Film Critics organization where Latino film critics 400 00:23:52.520 --> 00:23:54.560 can go. But you know, part of the problems is 401 00:23:55.320 --> 00:23:57.359