In response to the outrage that greeted the second year in a row of #OscarSoWhite controversy, Academy President Cheryl Boone Issacs was swift to make changes to the membership of the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences. “The academy is going to lead and not wait for the industry to catch up,” she said in a statement where she outlined that the goal of the organization would be to double the number of women and minority members by 2020.
With the recently released list of those industry people (683 to be exact!) who just got invited to join the academy, it looks like AMPAS may be moving in the right direction. Showcasing the great Latin American talent that’s been front and center in recent Oscar ceremonies (see, among others: Chivo’s record-breaking win last year) it’s refreshing to see that more than 50 Latinos have been invited to join in the group’s 17 different branches where they’ll have the chance to vote on those much coveted golden men. From the casting director who gave us the hotties behind Magic Mike (Carmen Cuba) and the recent directors who nabbed Chile its first Oscar last year for their animated short, Bear Story (Gabriel Osorio and Pato Escala) to the Brazilian film editor responsible for last year’s Carol (Affonso Gonçalves) and Mexican director of Danzón (Maria Novaro), those singled out showcase the best of what Latin American cinema has to offer.
To celebrate this wonderful list we’ve highlighted 20 people we’re thrilled have been asked to join one of the most esteemed film organizations in the world. But don’t worry, scroll all the way down to see a complete list of Latinos and Spaniards that made the cut this year.
1
America Ferrera, Actress
How the Garcia Girls Spent Their Summer (2005), Cesar Chavez (2014)
2
Luis Guzmán, Actor
Boogie Nights (1997), The Last Stand (2013)
3
Oscar Isaac, Actor
Inside Llewyn Davis (2013), Ex Machina (2015)
4
Eva Mendes, Actress
2 Fast 2 Furious (2003), The Place Beyond the Pines (2012)
5
Jorge Perugorría, Actor
Strawberry and Chocolate (1993), Che (2008)
6
Michelle Rodriguez, Actress
Girlfight (2000), Avatar (2009)
7
Cecilia Roth, Actress
All About My Mother (1999), Lucía, Lucía (2003)
8
Jacob Vargas, Actor
Jarhead (2005), The 33 (2015)
9
Tessa Thompson, Actress
Dear White People (2014), Creed (2015)
10
Israel Cárdenas, Director
Carmita (2013), Sand Dollars (2014)
11
Ciro Guerra, Director/Writer
The Wind Journeys (2009), Embrace of the Serpent (2015)
12
Laura Amelia Guzmán, Director
Carmita (2013), Sand Dollars (2014)
13
Lucrecia Martel, Director
La Ciénaga (2001), The Headless Woman (2008)
14
Anna Muylaert, Director
Smoke Gets In Your Eyes (2009), The Second Mother (2015)
15
Lucía Puenzo, Director
The Fish Child (2009), The German Doctor (2013)
16
Patricia Riggen, Director
The 33 (2015), Miracles from Heaven (2016)
17
Luis Valdez, Director
Zoot Suit (1981), La Bamba (1987)
18
Jorge R. Gutierrez, Animator/Director
El Macho (2001), The Book of Life (2014)
19
Sebastián Lelio, Writer
La sagrada familia (2005), Gloria (2013)
20
Carlos Reygadas, Writer
Silent Light (2007), Post Tenebras Lux (2012)
21
Some Other Notable Invitees
Julie Carmen, Actress
Enrique Castillo, Actor
Sal Lopez, Actor
Ignacio López Tarso, Actor
Marisa Paredes, Actress
Silvia Pinal, Actress
Pepe Serna, Actor
Daphne Zuniga, Actress
Sara Bilbatua, Casting Director
Carmen Cuba, Casting Director
Walter Rippell, Casting Director
Manuel Teil, Casting Director
Bárbara Alvarez, Cinematographer
Lula Carvalho, Cinematographer
Enrique Chediak, Cinematographer
Félix Monti, Cinematographer
Sonia Grande, Costume Designer
Pilar Revuelta, Designer
Israel Cárdenas, Director
Juan Antonio Garcia Bayona, Director
Laura Amelia Guzmán, Director
Maria Novaro, Director
Raúl Antonio Dávalos, Editor
Affonso Gonçalves, Editor
Pedro Kos, Documentarian/Editor
Bernat Vilaplana, Editor
Beatrice De Alba, Make Up Artist
Antonio Pinto, Composer
Fernando Velásquez, Composer
Belén Atienza, Producer
Fernando Bovaira, Producer
Esther García Rodríguez, Producer
Rodrigo Teixeira, Producer
Renato Dos Anjos, Animator
Pato Escala, Animator
Gabriel Osorio, Animator
Pablo Valle, Animator
Roberto Fernandez, Sound
Gabriel Gutiérrez, Sound
Vera Blasi, Writer