NALIP at SXSW 2018

Posted by on February 08, 2018

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Latino Film & TV Creators Meet Up
NALIP held a Latino Film & TV Creators Meet Up at SXSW 2018 in which NALIP Executive Director, Benjamin Lopez discussed where Latinos are in the business perspective of Film, TV and media overall and how NALIP has positioned itself as the leading talent curator and industry tastemaker when it comes to letting the industry know how and who to invest in for the future and longevity of their companies. 

 

 

 

'VIDA' World Premiere

“Vida” is a half-hour drama series focusing on two Mexican-American sisters from the Eastside of Los Angeles who couldn't be more different or distanced from each other. Circumstances force them to return to their old neighborhood, where they are confronted by the past and surprising truth about their mother’s identity.

The screening was followed by an extended Q&A moderated by Fawzia Mirza. Showrunner and Exec Producer Tanya Saracho along with cast members Melissa Barrera, Mishel Prada, Ser Anzoategui, Chelsea Rendon, Carlos Miranda, and Maria Elena Laas to appear.

NALIP admires how this work highlights the Latinx identity of the cast, as well as it being a milestone accomplishment for Executive Producer Tanya Saracho. We are happy to see major production companies such as Starz helping bringing in more diversity to mainstream media.

"Vida" was as well among one of the recipients of the Audience Award at SXSW.



Rebel Without a Crew: The Series
 


We attended El Rey Networks new docu-series "Rebel Without A Crew: The Series" panel and go to sit down with some of the filmmakers and talked about their experience undergoing the Robert Rodriguez process. These filmmakers were given only $7,000 and 14 days to fulfill their first feature film in hopes of becoming the next hit filmmaker. 



“Rebel Without a Crew is designed to mentor and inspire a new wave of independent filmmakers. Rodriguez created his first feature-length film El Mariachi on a budget of just $7,000. To mark the 25th anniversary of the film, Rodriguez will invite five amateur filmmakers to take on the same challenge. They will write, shoot and edit a brand-new feature length film with only $7,000. Go90 will stream the six-episode, one-hour series capturing the filmmakers’ process as well as their final feature films. As the selected filmmakers work on their projects, Rodriguez also will write, shoot and edit a new feature film for $7,000.”

Notable Members & Latinxs

  • NALIP Member, Angel Manuel Soto, was part of  the 25 projects presented in the Virtual Cinema showcase at SXSW with his VR film, Dinner Party. Read more about his participation at SXSW here. Angel creates VR Content for RYOT News, including his short Bashir’s Dream, which premiered at Sundance and screened at Cannes last year. He recently completed his first feature film La Granja, which premiered at Fantastic Fest. 

  • Liliana Sosa & Chelsea Hernandez screened their short documentary, “An Uncertain Future” about the lives of immigrants through the lens of motherhood. In Austin, Texas, two expectant mothers—one undocumented and one US citizen—must contend with increased ICE raids and mounting hostility towards immigrants under President Trump. Read more about them here. 
  • Gloria Moran was at SXSW for her film, ¡Las Sandinistas!to which she co-produced. ¡Las Sandinistas! uncovers the untold stories of women who shattered barriers to lead combat and social reform during Nicaragua’s 1979 Sandinista Revolution, the ensuing US-backed Contra War, and continue their activism today. Now, 35 years later, amidst staggering levels of gender violence in Nicaragua, and while their own stories are being erased from the history books, these same women brave the streets once again to lead the popular movements for equality and democracy. 
  • Anchor and Hope, Executive Produced by Jana Díaz-Juhl was showcased March 12th at SXSW.The film follows two women, Eva and Kat, and the best friend of one of them, Roger. When Roger agrees to be Kat and Eva’s surrogate, the three friends set out on an unconventional journey to start a family.
  • Producer Xan Aranda participated at SXSW at their one of their Round Tables for Producers/Production. President of the Los Angeles Film Critics Association, Claudia Puig participated in the CherryPicks panel, a new venture expanding the critical landscape, where top voices from the film and music world talked about the impact of representation in this crucial link in the media chain, particularly the role of women in critical sphere. 
  • The Pero Like team from Buzzfeed was at SXSW participating in several panels including Latinx Representation, Resistance & Identity & Authentic Storytelling: Designing Narratives Around Cultural Identity in which they covered topics on creating content for a diverse Latinx content to the importance of authentic storytelling in the digital landscape. 

  • Director, Carlos Estrada attended SXSW in promotion of his film Blindspotting which opened the U.S. Dramatic Competition at this year’s Sundance Film Festival. Recently acquired by Lionsgate, Blindspotting features the story about Collin, who is trying to make it through his final days of probation for an infamous arrest he can’t wait to put behind him. Always by his side is his fast-talking childhood bestie, Miles (Casal), who has a knack for finding trouble. They grew up together in the notoriously rough Oakland, a.k.a. “The Town,” which has become the new trendy place to live in the rapidly gentrifying Bay Area.


About the festival:

The South by Southwest® (SXSW®) Conference & Festivals celebrate the convergence of the interactive, film, and music industries. Fostering creative and professional growth alike, SXSW® is the premier destination for discovery.

South By Southwest dedicates itself to helping creative people achieve their goals. Founded in 1987 in Austin, Texas, SXSW is best known for its conference and festivals that celebrate the convergence of the interactive, film, and music industries. The event, an essential destination for global professionals, features sessions, showcases, screenings, exhibitions, and a variety of networking opportunities. SXSW proves that the most unexpected discoveries happen when diverse topics and people come together