NALIP Membernews October 11th - 18th

Posted by NALIP on October 11, 2018

Check Out Member News from October 11, 2018.

Connecting Chicano History and Homosexuality: 'Gaytino'

For years, Dan Guerrero hid his sexuality. Now he's not only open, but at 78 years old, he wants to share his "Gaytino" identity with the world.

"When I was going to school, you wouldn't even say the word 'gay' and now, I'm going to be on the stage singing and dancing about it," he says. "I think that's progress."

An East LA native, Guerrero stars in a one-man show called "Gaytino," in which he tells his coming-of-age story through the lens of Chicano history.

The show chronicles the key moments in Guerrero's life, such as the moment his father--famed Chicano musician Lalo Guerrero--learned of his son's homosexuality. Guerrero also discusses his relationship with street artist Carlos Almaraz, who died of AIDS in 1989. He hopes his story will be a learning experience for young people in the audience.

Rich Kids will be playing at the Downtown Los Angeles Film Festival, Saturday October 20th at 9pm at Regal Cinemas LA LIVE 14.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jU8K2wIjitk

Rich Kids is a film that sympathetically views the modern day and ongoing challenges of economic disparities, gentrification, displacement and evictions faced through the lens of Latino and Afro-Latino American youth.
The screenplay (by Somers & Saldaña) is based on an actual event that took place in Somers’ childhood home, after a group of neighborhood teens broke into the family home and stayed for several days before the event ended in tragedy. The film’s title, Rich Kids, signifies the wealth of love, talent, intelligence, and emotional resilience that the characters have in spite of their economic challenges while living in a world that views them with skepticism and indifference.
Matías is a bright teenager whose family struggles with harsh financial troubles. When he discovers “Los Ricos”, a wealthy family, are out of town, Matías breaks into their mansion where he and his friends spend an afternoon basking in the good life. The party is soon disrupted when a trouble-making relative shows up uninvited. Loyalties are then pushed to the breaking point as Matías’s desire for power in the house rises.
At it's heart, Rich Kids is about a young man’s transformation from the person he thinks he's supposed to be into the person he really is, as he comes to terms with the realities and consequences of living a community ravaged by the wealth gap and income inequality.
This vibrant portrait of six troubled teenagers showcases the talents of our young charismatic cast, and is set over a period of less than 24 hours in a limited number of locations in South Houston, TX.

DIRECTOR'S BIO LAURA SOMERS is originally from Pasadena, TX. She wants to live in a world where female directors are hired for 51% of the jobs in film and television. She is a solid, nurturing, and enthusiastic director committed to being an in demand film director. Laura’s directing strengths lie with her solid storytelling skills, powerful use of imagery, and her ability to inspire passionate performances from actors.

WEBSITE LINK http://www.richkidsthemovie.com

Tickets available HERE

Emmy Award Winning Producer Alex Zacarias (TAINO) was born on the island of Vieques (Bieke), Puerto Rico (Boriken). He resides in Green Bay, WI as an independent filmmaker and his company 3N Productions, LLC provides the services to tell your story. Also he works as a Professional Practicing Teaching Artist at the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Green Bay where he teaches video production to youth mentoring and inspiring youth to find their voice and be the storytellers of tomorrow.

“TAINO DAKA (I AM)” documentary explores Taino history, culture and the indigenous identity throughout the Caribbean and the Diaspora, who are considered to be extinct for over 500 years since their encounter with Christopher Columbus on his first voyage to the New World. Today, Tainos are on a quest to claim back their identity and rewrite their history.

A photograph I captured as part of my documentary project TAINO DAKA (I AM) is part of an exhibition at the Smithsonian Museum in New York. The Museum of the American Indian and the Smithsonian Latino Center has a symposium to celebrate the exhibition Taíno: Native Heritage and Identity in the Caribbean. Experts representing Indigenous studies, genetic science, anthropology, linguistics, and other academic disciplines explored exhibition themes in dialogue with Taíno/Indigenous Caribbean community leaders and cultural workers. The symposium explores the history of the Taíno movement, particularly through the experiences and perspectives of its participants. It seeks to support the exchange of knowledge produced within academic fields among subject experts, the diverse Taíno community, and other Caribbean people of Native descent, with a special emphasis on advancing the voices of women scholars and participants in this contemporary Native heritage

A leading advocate in inclusion in the industry, NALIP is providing more resources to aspiring filmmakers every year with events such as the NALIP Media Summit, the Latino Media Fest, and the Diverse Women in Media Forum, and events such as the Latino Lens Workshops and the Latino Lens Incubator Shorts.

Interested in joining the team? Email your resume and cover letter to [email protected] Want to become a member? Check out NALIP's different membership rates. Learn about NALIP's upcoming Latino Media Fest and volunteer opportunities fast approaching!