Does NBC's casting of a non-Latino in a prominent role...

Is anyone else bothered even a little bit that in today's day and age when we have so many superior Latino actors, that NBC couldn't find one quality Latino to be cast as the Cuban American President? I know they can choose to cast whomever they want but I am even more concerned that this has gone by the Latin community without much surprise or much protest! 

At what point do we start to protect our creative community and realize that our kids are not seeing a consistent positive representation of male Latinos on TV or film. Do we need to be reminded of Pacino playing our roles? When do we take notice?

http://www.nbc.com/the-event/about/president-martinez/?bio=actor

The DREAM Act – Urgent Action Needed! How and why you should help!

by Charlotte Melanie
 
Tomorrow, Tuesday, September 21st, 2010, the U.S. Senate will begin the final steps of determining whether or not thousands of young Americans, many of whom are Latino, will be able to fulfill their American dreams. By giving just minutes of your time, you have the opportunity to make a positive, life-changing difference for these dreamers.  (Take Action Now!)

Last week, Senator Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) announced the inclusion of the bipartisan DREAM Act as an amendment to the Senate Defense Appropriations Bill (Watch video of the announcement).  The DREAM Act, formally known as the Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors Act, would provide a conditional path to citizenship for an estimated 700,000 undocumented children and young adults who were brought to the USA by their families before they were old enough to consent. For many, the United States is the only home they have known and English their dominant language. 

Please read the rest of this article at Being Latino's blog, click here.

Being Latino a blog worth following...

Founded by Lance Rios, the Being Latino blog has grown into a recognizable force in the social media environment. With over 40K folloowers on Facebook alone and more through other mediums, the team at BL does its best to communicate a strong positive message about Latinos in every facet of life. Worth following or keeping up with, here is their blog's About Us description.

Being Latino is a communication platform designed to educate, entertain and connect all peoples across the global Latino spectrum.  Our aim is to break down barriers and foster unity and empowerment through informative, thought-provoking dialogue and exchanging of ideas.  Being Latino seeks to give a unified voice to the multitude of communities that identify with the multidimensional culture that is Latino.

BL Facebook

BL Blog

Lionsgate and Televisa Unite on Latin Films

Read this article and post your comments, I would like to hear your take on this writer's article.

NY TIMES ARTICLE HERE.

(Camilla Belle, left, and Alexa Vega in “From Prada to Nada,” directed by Angel Gracia.)

Latinos in Social Media (LatISM)

On September 18, Latinos in Social Media (LatISM), kicks off 12-month, multi-city tour of the state of California with a kick-off and awards ceremony in LA.


We plan to take in as much of the state as possible, from the inner city of Los Angeles, to the corridors of power in Sacramento, to many of the places where Latinos are joining others to invent and reinvent the way we live, work and play.

Come join us on September 18, 2010, at the Los Angeles Convention Center where we kick off this twelve-month tour by congregating and honoring the leading thinkers and practitioners in marketing and communications.  This first event features a keynote from famed social media guru Brian Solis, an-depth interview with one of the leading “cross-border” marketing agencies, an awards-ceremony, and a post-event networking mixer.

For registration and information go to: http://latino2.com/

"Apples" by Gary Perez to screen in multiple festivals

A down-on-his-luck man, Nino (Bobby Cannavale), meets for lunch with his estranged father, Ricardo (Efrain Figueroa), who seems to glide through life. Nino tries to come clean about his recent misfortunes, but plagued with a series of interruptions, Nino's plan takes a detour. And while Ricardo makes his way home, it seems, perhaps the apple doesn't fall to far from the tree.

Gary Perez (Writer & Director) surrounds himself with an all star cast an crew to deliver "Apples" which will be screening in both New York and LA in the upcoming weeks, you don't want to miss it.


More details at their Facebook Page click here.

IN LOS ANGELES

The 14th annual LA Shorts Festival on July 22, 2010 at 3:15pm --WHERE-- Laemmle Sunset 5 Theaters located at 8000 Sunset Blvd. West Hollywood CA 90046 Underground parking is available at the 8000 Sunset Complex. Three hours of parking is FREE with a validation from the theatre (ticket purchase required).

 IN NEW YORK

APPLES will also be screening at the HBO New York International Latino Film Festival on July 29th at 6:30 PM and 30th at 10:30 PM. More info and tickets click here.

AT LALIFF August 19th - 25th Details coming soon.

VP Diversity at FOX Television Ron Taylor to Speak at Business Breakfast at Bergamot

Writers Boot Camp 

cordially invites you to attend

BUSINESS BREAKFAST
AT BERGAMOT

with special guest speaker

RON TAYLOR
(VP DIVERSITY DEVELOPMENT, FOX BROADCASTING/20TH CENTURY FOX TELEVISION)

http://www.writersbootcamp.com/BusinessBreakfast/

Moderated by
Jeffrey Gordon

Wednesday, July 21st, 2010
7:45am - 9:45am
7:45am - Check-in and networking
8:30am - program begin

 

As Vice President of Diversity Development for Fox Broadcasting Company and 20th Century Fox Television Studios, Ron Taylor spearheads efforts to guide more diverse writers, directors and actors into FOX TV series, and has been instrumental in Writers Boot Camp's alliance with the FOX Diversity initiative for the last 8 years.  Ron, who has experience as a TV series writer, was one of the first executives hired at UPN and was instrumental in creating that network from 1994-97, and has also been a development executive at Warner Bros. and Disney.

Writers Boot Camp helps writers and creative collaborators reach the highest levels of the industry by teaching a comprehensive full-development process and professional approach that leads writers to becoming the authority of their own work. We present to our community the people who truly know the business. Join us every other Wednesday at our Bergamot Station headquarters to network and to learn where the work is in the entertainment industry.

Event to take place at:
Writers Bootcamp
2525 Michigan Avenue
Santa Monica, CA 90904
(Free Parking at the main Bergamot Station lot - directions below)

Directions:
Take the 10 Fwy or Olympic Blvd to Cloverfield Blvd.
from Cloverfield Blvd., go east on Michigan
(Michigan Avenue is between the 10 Fwy and Olympic)
go to the end of Michigan, and turn Left into the Bergamot Station entrance
Park inside the lot and walk to the SW corner, Bldg i

To learn more about Writers Boot Camp, please visit: http://www.WritersBootCamp.com;
or call Writers Boot Camp with any questions at: (310) 998-1199

NYC Premiere of Go For It

Support the NYC premiere of the film "Go For It" at the NY Latino Film Festival.

About the film...

Night after night, Carmen and her friends tear up the dance floor at the local club. By day, she works at a grocery store to put herself through junior college and fulfill her immigrant parents’ dream for her to get an education and have a better life. But when one of Carmen’s professors catches her dancing, he challenges her to embrace a new destiny: that of a trained dancer at a formal dance school. Soon Carmen finds herself torn between her family’s working-class ways and her dream to dance.

Thursday July 29th, 2010 at 7:30 PM

Tickets avail now at: http://nylatino.bside.com/2010/films/goforit_carmenmarron_nylatino2010

Join Sheila E and Katharine McPhee for An Evening of Angels

Founded by Sheila E. and Lynn Mabry, the Elevate Hope Foundation (EHF) is dedicated to providing abused and abandoned children an alternative method of therapy through music and the arts, and funding special services and programs that assist the needs of these children using these fundamental methods.  

Join them on July 25th for An Evening of Angels 2. For more information please go to: http://www.elevatehope.org

Jessy Terrero Directs "Gun" with 50 Cent and Val Kilmer

Check out the trailer of Jessy's latest film.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mJB2cmq5KYE

Go For It Screens in NYC July 29th

Please pass the word along to any New Yorkers as we are trying to help Carmen fill up her screening. I was able to check out the LA premiere and Carmen and her cast did a great job and I think you will enjoy this film by a first time filmmaker whom spent the last 7 years and all her savings making this project come to life. If you cannot attend, please pass the word. Here's a note and info from Carmen.

*** - ***

Happy belated 4th of July to everyone! I wanted to share some great news that “GO FOR IT!” just won the Audience Award at the San Antonio Film Festival! It was a surprise to us all. There were several great Texas wide and local films that were up for the same award. Thank you to Texas for all their support!

The exciting part is that we’re now off to New York for the HBO presents NY International Latino Film Festival! “GO FOR IT!” will be screening on Thurs. July 29th at 7:00pm & Friday 30th at 12:30pm at the Visual Arts Theater! (333 W. 23rd St., between 8th & 9th Ave)

Tickets go on sale tomorrow! You can order them at: www.nylatinofilm.com <http://www.nylatinofilm.com/> There are matinee & group discounts if you know of any youth groups or organizations (domestic violence, women advocates) that would be interested. “GO FOR IT!” is an inspirational dance film about a young woman trying to overcome her fears to follow her dream.

If you’re in New York or have friends there, please pass this on to them so they can come out and be inspired and meet some of the cast! AND check out the trailer: www.goforitmovie.com <http://www.goforitmovie.com/>

HOPE TO SEE YOU IN NEUVO YORK!!!

MUCHAS GRACIAS…

Carmen Marron
www.facebook.com/goforitmovie <http://www.facebook.com/goforitmovie>

Check out our new site

We just posted our new marketing site. Check it out at http://marketing.totalaxis.com/

John Leguizamo at the La Jolla Playhouse for 2 weeks!

John Leguizamo Diary of a Madman

March 4 - March 14, 2010

A Page To Stage Workshop Production
Mandell Weiss Theatre 

John Leguizamo thrills audiences as he gets up close and personal in his new, uncensored, uninhibited tour-de-force one-man show, John Leguizamo Diary of a Madman.

In Leguizamo's trademark live performance style, this piece explodes with energy taking audiences on a non-stop fever-pitch adventure, heating up the stage with vivid accounts of where he's been and the colorful characters who've shaped different facets of his life. From his adolescent memories in Queens, New York, to the early days of his acting career and beyond – with stories of the outrageous 80's avant-garde theater scene and anecdotes from major movie sets and roles opposite some of Hollywood's biggest film stars – John Leguizamo Diary of a Madman is in turns uproarious and heartfelt, laying it bare for those along for the ride.