http://www.bfcafe.com An independent Latino arts and entertainment provider through a cafe experience Wed, 07 Dec 2011 05:12:04 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 © pablo2pap@gmail.com () pablo2pap@gmail.com() A multicultural exchange featuring videos, movie reviews, artist interviews and performances pablo2pap@gmail.com No no http://www.bfcafe.com/wp-content/plugins/podpress/images/powered_by_podpress.jpg http://www.bfcafe.com 144 144 http://www.bfcafe.com/latino-american-movies-whos-making-them-and-whos-not/272?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=latino-american-movies-whos-making-them-and-whos-not http://www.bfcafe.com/latino-american-movies-whos-making-them-and-whos-not/272#comments Sat, 09 May 2009 05:25:25 +0000 pablo http://www.bfcafe.com/?p=272 (photo Fancisco Ordonez, Angel, Franc. Reyes) It was at NALIP that we met Franc. Reyes or should I say we smacked into the culture of Franc. Reyes. If you know Franc…you understand what I mean. If you don’t know him…then brace yourself. Talking to Franc is like facing a freight train at full speed; It’s Continue reading →

]]> (photo Fancisco Ordonez, Angel, Franc. Reyes) It was at NALIP that we met Franc. Reyes or should I say we smacked into the culture of Franc. Reyes. If you know Franc…you understand what I mean. If you don’t know him…then brace yourself. Talking to Franc is like facing a freight train at full speed; It’s Continue reading →

]]> http://www.bfcafe.com/latino-american-movies-whos-making-them-and-whos-not/272/feed 15 00:01:01 (photo Fancisco Ordonez, Angel, Franc. Reyes) It was at NALIP that we met Franc. Reyes or should I say we smacked into the culture of Franc. ... (photo Fancisco Ordonez, Angel, Franc. Reyes) It was at NALIP that we met Franc. Reyes or should I say we smacked into the culture of Franc. Reyes. If you know Franc...you understand what I mean. If you donrsquo;t know him...then brace yourself. Talking to Franc is like facing a freight train at full speed; Itrsquo;s powerful and filled with some major conviction! Herersquo;s just a sampling of what we heard: bull; ldquo;Latino Powerrdquo; in Hollywood is almost an oxymoron. bull; White filmmakers making Latino themed films are given the benefit of doubt by Hollywood and Latinos in Hollywood, before it is given to American Latino filmmakers. bull; Latinos in Hollywood have to create their own Hollywood stars. bull; Latinos in the movie business have no one else to blame but themselves for the lack of onscreen representation. bull; If a white filmmaker makes a drug dealer themed film it wins awards, if an American Latino makes the same film itrsquo;s called stereotypical by Latinos in Hollywood. As we sat down in the lounge area of a posh Newport Beach Hotel, Angel began the interview as I took frantic notes. Angel began by asking Franc about his background, which you can hear in our audio interview (below photo), have a listen, we promise, you will find it just as fascinating. As the interview continued, Francrsquo;s answers at first seemed to be very narrow minded, militant, and even borderline racist. Angel proceeded and asked, ldquo;Are you a Latino filmmaker?rdquo; Franc without hesitation answered, ldquo;Absolutely!rdquo; He continued, that he is a Latino filmmaker because he is an American Latino, telling good American stories with Latinos in them. Angel followed up with. ldquo;Are Latino films Latino because of the director, story, or audience? Franc replied with a question, ldquo;Is ldquo;Do The Right Thingrdquo;, a Black film?rdquo; and then followed up with, ldquo;Itrsquo;s a Black film because of all the above. That said, a good film whether Black, Latino or other, will have mass appeal. I make movies for the general public, the people who work at Target or Starbucks, theyrsquo;re my audience.rdquo; At this point, things got very interesting; Franc stated that, ldquo;ldquo;Mi Vida Locardquo; is not a Latino film anymore than ldquo;Color Purplerdquo; is a black film. These films are not treated as films ldquo;of colorrdquo; by Hollywood. Though I loved both films, ldquo;Color Purplerdquo; was treated like a Steven Spielberg movie and ldquo;Mi Vida Locardquo; like and Alison Anders movie.rdquo; I could see Angel was finding it challenging to listen and not debate Franc. Franc, went on to say, ldquo;When white filmmakers make films about American Latinos in a hardcore situation ie: Scarface, Traffic, Maria Full Of Grace, theyrsquo;re treated as a ldquo;study of Latinos in their habitatrdquo;. Therefore intellectualized into something greater than itself. When Latinos do it [make the same type of films], ie: American Me, Empire, Illegal Tender, etc. they are labeled as a ldquo;perpetuation of stereotypesrdquo; by Latino intellectuals in Hollywood.rdquo; As Franc passionately stated, the problem is not the Hollywood establishment, the problem is with us Latinos! We have only ourselves to blame for not being represented on the big screen. The answer is to ldquo;empower ourselvesrdquo; and make it happen now! It is possible. How is it possible? Franc offered these truisms: bull; Latinos in Hollywood should empower themselves. No one is going to give Latinos anything; Latinos have to create their own prosperity. A page off of the African American experience in Hollywood. bull; Work with other Latinos. We are skilled and know how to make motion pictures. bull; Be very involved in marketing your own films. bull; Persevere Franc also stated that he makes commercial Latin films to entertain and make money, but that he tells stories with truth. His stories are ... Filmmakers pablo2pap@gmail.com no No http://www.bfcafe.com/nalip-making-dreams-possible/223?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=nalip-making-dreams-possible http://www.bfcafe.com/nalip-making-dreams-possible/223#comments Tue, 21 Apr 2009 06:17:34 +0000 pablo http://www.bfcafe.com/?p=223 (Ray Andrade and Kenny Ortega) The National Association of Latin Independent Producers (NALIP) held their celebratory 10th anniversary conference at the lush Island Hotel in Newport Beach. HBO Latino and The National Latino Media Council presented the four-day conference, which sold out, and by all accounts was a success! The conference began with a Back Continue reading →

]]> (Ray Andrade and Kenny Ortega) The National Association of Latin Independent Producers (NALIP) held their celebratory 10th anniversary conference at the lush Island Hotel in Newport Beach. HBO Latino and The National Latino Media Council presented the four-day conference, which sold out, and by all accounts was a success! The conference began with a Back Continue reading →

]]> http://www.bfcafe.com/nalip-making-dreams-possible/223/feed 1 http://www.bfcafe.com/la-chiva/154?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=la-chiva http://www.bfcafe.com/la-chiva/154#comments Tue, 14 Apr 2009 04:42:07 +0000 pablo http://www.bfcafe.com/?p=154 I’ve watched all the films on the Mercury Film Challenge website and while all are praise worthy, La Chiva is my personal favorite by Akiva Penaloza. The beautiful lighting, rustic location, well cast actors and simple story all contribute to a film that feels nostalgic and personal. Screenwriter/director Akiva shares her experience. [Editor note: this Continue reading →

]]> I’ve watched all the films on the Mercury Film Challenge website and while all are praise worthy, La Chiva is my personal favorite by Akiva Penaloza. The beautiful lighting, rustic location, well cast actors and simple story all contribute to a film that feels nostalgic and personal. Screenwriter/director Akiva shares her experience. [Editor note: this Continue reading →

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