Every day, for the last decade, the National Association of Latino Independent Producers (NALIP) has been there: teaching the craft of writing and producing; anticipating trends; and creating professional opportunities for thousands of filmmakers. Often alongside other organizations, NALIP has also worked to address the lack of Latino participation in the media by engaging with studios, networks, and public media corporations.
The kind of change that NALIP seeks is both simple and far-reaching: unhampered access to representation. Titled NALIP at 10, this special section of the Conference program presents an opportunity to celebrate the remarkable journey of hope and transformation that is NALIP, as well as map the challenges that still lie ahead.
In the following pages, NALIP co-founders, members, and staff engage with the organization’s last ten years and imagine what may come after.
Conference Audiocasts
Did you miss part of the NALIP 10 Conference? Click here to visit the NALIP Conference 10 Audiocasts page for recordings of many of the panels and keynotes! Stream them on the web or download them for your iPod. Check out the extensive library from past Conference sessions. The Audiocasts are a great filmmaker resource from Latino professionals.
Listen to highlights from the Conference including:
Keynote speeches by Luis Valdez and Herb Scannell
Fire Eaters and Pink-haired Strippers: Producing Stories for the Broadband Generation
Frances Negrón-Muntaner is an award-winning filmmaker, writer, and scholar. She is the recipient of Ford, Truman, Scripps Howard, Rockefeller, and Pew fellowships. She holds Masters in Visual Anthropology and Fine Arts from Temple University, and a Ph.D. in Comparative Literature from Rutgers University. Ms. Negrón-Muntaner is the editor of four books and the author of Boricua Pop and Sovereign Acts. Among her films are AIDS IN THE BARRIO and BRINCANDO EL CHARCO: PORTRAIT OF A PUERTO RICAN. She is completing two documentaries, TANO Y CHAMORRO and REGARDING VIEQUES. She is the founder of Miami Light Project's Filmmakers Workshop, and teaches at Columbia University.
David Ortiz
David Ortiz is a producer/executive who most recently worked as a development executive for Universal Pictures, overseeing the latest FAST & FURIOUS starring Vin Diesel & Paul Walker, WANTED starring Angelina Jolie & James McAvoy, HELLBOY 2, written and directed by Guillermo del Toro and ROLE MODELS, starring Paul Rudd and Seann William Scott. Born and raised in the Bronx, New York, David graduated from the University of Chicago with a B.A. in Public Policy. David also sits on the Board of Directors for NALIP, the National Association for Latino Independent Producers and is co-chair of NALIP’s 10th National Conference, to be held April 16 – 19, 2009 in Newport Beach, CA
Ligiah Villalobos
Ligiah Villalobos is currently writing an 8-Hour Mini-Series and has just completed writing the screenplay for DIEGO ASCENDING, an adaptation of the Israeli film BONJOUR, MONSIEUR SHLOMI for Salma Hayek's production company, Ventanazul, and a soon to be announced biopic. She is the writer and executive producer of the feature film UNDER THE SAME MOON, (LA MISMA LUNA). The film was an Official Selection at the 2007 Sundance Film Festival and became the highest sale for a Spanish-language film in the history of Sundance, selling to Fox Searchlight and the Weinstein Company. Made for under $2 Million, the film has grossed over $23 Million worldwide. Villalobos Co-Produced the film, DANCING IN SEPTEMBER, was a staff writer on the NBC show, "Ed", Head Writer on the Nick Jr. series, "Go, Diego! Go!" She has also sold TV projects to NBC, Showtime, F/X and ABC/Family. Before becoming a writer/producer, Villalobos held several positions executive positions including Director, Programming for Buena Vista Productions, Director, Current Programming for the WB Network and VP, Creative Affairs at Esparza/Katz Productions.
Articles About NALIP at 10
The following articles about NALIP and NALIP filmmakers appeared in the Conference 10 program, edited by Frances Negrón-Muntaner. Click on a thumbnail to download and read a PDF of each story (or click here to download a single PDF with all of the articles).
NALIP at 10 - Mi Gente by Frances Negrón-Muntaner
"While a single person can create a great work of art... individuals are not the source of power; only people working in concert are." DOWNLOAD
NALIP Begins by Chon Noriega
"The volatility of that early moment - the passion, the anger, the excitement - but also the commitment to dialogue and collaboration despite our differences." DOWNLOAD
A Long Time Coming by Moctesume Esparza
(as told by Kathryn Galán)
"At this point in time, I would reiterate what I have always said: Do the impossible. There is no other choice." DOWNLOAD
Made in L.A. by Almudena Carracedo
"One day another filmmaker told me about NALIP, and my path took a different course." DOWNLOAD
The Truth About Miente by Rafi Mercado,
with Sonia Fritz
"Exactly eight months after NALIP's Latino Producers Academy, I shot the film..." DOWNLOAD
NALIP Now by Kathryn F. Galán
"If we are not the shepherds of our stories, they will be misrepresented, diluted, and eventually lots." DOWNLOAD
After the Border, Back to the Past by Jim Mendiola
"Hollywood probably remains as the only place in America where illegal immigration status is beneficial for career advancement." DOWNLOAD
NALIP: A Player in an Epic Battle Over the Nature of Reality by Alex Rivera
"In our travels through this world, story comes first, reality comes second." DOWNLOAD
Photos
View a selection of photos from the NALIP 10 conference below.
Award Honorees
2009 Estela Award Winners
NALIP’s two annual Estela Awards honor talented Latino/a filmmakers who, either through a stunning debut or a steady rise in a relatively short period of time, have distinguished themselves through their work to date. This award is for filmmakers whose achievements reveal leadership, creativity, and tenacity, as well as vision and passion for their craft.
The 2009 Estela Awards are selected by a Blue Ribbon panel of professionals, and endowed through a generous gift by the McDonald’s Corporation. Through their commitment to excellence and Latino media, McDonald’s provides a $7,500 Filmmaker Grant to each of two Estela Award winners, one narrative and one documentary maker. The McDonald’s financial contribution, together with NALIP’s recognition, supports each artist’s next project, and their progress towards being a star.
CRUZ ANGELES
Estela Award
Cruz Angeles, a Brooklyn-based filmmaker, made his feature film directorial debut at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival with DON'T LET ME DROWN. Cruz participated as a directing and writing fellow at the 2005 Sundance Institute Filmmaker’s Lab and was a recipient of the 2006 NHK/Sundance International Filmmakers Award. Along with being an Annenberg Film Fellow, as an alumna of NYU’s graduate film program, Cruz garnered various awards including a Director’s Guild of America Award
HUGO PEREZ
Estela Award
Hugo Perez is the producer and director of the feature documentary “NEITHER MEMORY NOR MAGIC” which is narrated by the Academy-Award Nominated® Patricia Clarkson. Perez is also the producer and director of the ITVS funded documentary “SUMMER SUN WINTER MOON.” In 2008, Hugo was a recipient of the prestigious Rockefeller Foundation/Tribeca Film Institute Emerging Artist Fellowship in support of development of his first narrative feature IMMACULATE CONCEPTION. His short film BETTY LA FLACA was the winner of the 2006 HBO/NYILFF Short Film Award. Hugo previous short film “JULIETA Y RAMON” was broadcast as part of the 2005 Showtime Latino Filmmaker Showcase.
Achievement Awards
In addition to recognizing up and coming filmmakers with the Estela Awards, the NALIP Board of Directors votes to present select Awards to outstanding and historic achievements in the Latino media field. This year NALIP recognizes three luminaries for their exemplary contributions.
RAPHAEL MONTANEZ ORTIZ
Pioneer Achievement Award
Raphael Montañez Ortiz is a Rutgers University professor of fine arts who completed his doctorate at Columbia University in 1982. In the late 1950s, Raphael was a central figure in the international art movement of Destructivism, producing significant “destroyed” works in recycled cinema, performance, and sculpture, including the first U.S. Latino film. In 1969 he founded El Museo del Barrio, the first Latino art museum in the United States, and was an active member of the Art Worker’s Coalition from 1970 to 1971. In the 1980s, Raphael turned to digital art, working with computers to practice his skill in a whole new arena. His work has been exhibited in collections at museums around the world, including the MoMA, the Ludwig of Cologne, Germany, and the Pompidou of Paris, France.
RAY ANDRADE
Pioneer Achievement for Advocacy
Ray Andrade is a media activist, producer, and pioneer in advancing diversity within the field of Latino Media. In the late 60s and 70s Ray created Justicia, a Chicano protest group that challenged the lack of Chicano representation in media and the inaccurate portrayal of Chicanos in the entertainment industry as a whole. He went on to be the inspiration and Associate Producer for the television series “Chico and the Man,” the first US sitcom set in a Mexican-American neighborhood. Starring Freddie Prinz, the series ran from 1974 to 1978. Ray is a former professional boxer and Green Beret in Vietnam, who led Justicia in the to protect the image of Latinos in media. Although Justicia eventually disbanded all members of the grassroots organization helped to pave the way for equal opportunities for Latinos in the industry today.
KENNY ORTEGA
Outstanding Achievement Award
Kenny Ortega is an Emmy-award-winning producer/director/choreographer whose box office gross for his creative work just surpassed $1 billion. Initially known for working with famous dancer/choreographer Gene Kelly on such films as XANADU, Mr. Ortega went on to his own fame when he choreographed the 1987 classic film DIRTY DANCING. He has won awards for choreography in music videos, such as Madonna's "Material Girl, ” and, together with Michael Jackson , created and designed the Dangerous World Tour 1992-1993 and the HIStory World Tour 1996-1997. He has also choreographed many major events such as Super Bowl XXX, the 72nd Academy Awards, and multiple Olympics events. He is the director of HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL, HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL 2, HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL 3: SENIOR YEAR, and Hannah Montana & Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert.
Press
Below is a sample of the press coverage of NALIP 10: A Decade of Influence.
"The National Association of Latino Independent Producers will celebrate its 10th anniversary with a weekend conference about trends in Latino media from April 17-19 at the Island Hotel in Newport Beach, Calif., presented by HBO and the National Latino Media Council." - The Hollywood Reporter, 4/7/09
"Attendance ranged from acclaimed Hollywood figures such as writer Peter Murrieta (The Wizards of Waverly Place) and director/choreographer Kenny Ortega (High School Musical), to less known independent filmmakers, some of whom are starting to make headlines, such as documentary filmmaker Hugo Perez (Summer Sun Winter Moon) and the new promise in Latino sci-fi, Alex Rivera (Sleep Dealer)." - International Documentary Association, 5/14/09
Every day, for the last decade, the National Association of Latino Independent Producers (NALIP) has been there: teaching the craft of writing and producing; anticipating trends; and creating professional opportunities for thousands of filmmakers. Often alongside other organizations, NALIP has also worked to address the lack of Latino participation in the media by engaging with studios, networks, and public media corporations. 
