The Urbanworld Film Festival kicked off this week with a slate of exciting and varied movies on Latino themes and characters. We here at Remezcla want to make sure we keep you in the know. First off, we put together a handy guide of all the Latino films and parties at Urbanworld. Once you look that over, and pick the flicks you want to see (hopefully all of them!) then you’ll be ready to meet the directors.
We talked to all the helmers behind the Latino films and asked them a few introductory questions. We even got them to confess their favorite cinematic guilty pleasures. From stories of border crossings, to sci-fi, to gangsters, to Latina nannies — here are the brilliant minds who wrote and directed these spectacular tales.
Daniel Armando
Director of What It Was
Where are you from? I am from Victorville, California (North-East of Los Angeles.)
What city do you call home? I currently live in New York.
When did you know you wanted to be a filmmaker?
I’ve always loved films and I’ve always loved art. It wasn’t until a few years ago that I decided to make films my art and go down the path of a filmmaker.
Did you formally study film?
I did not study filmmaking, I studied performance. Anything I have learned from being in front of a camera or on a stage I apply to filmmaking. The creating process is similar. And for me the strongest thing I can bring to the table as a director is a vision and a clear direction. After that all the technical elements have been a learning experience.
What was your inspiration for this story?
My inspirations are always love, sex and religion. For this story the idea of identity and sexuality and how that’s shown through love, sex, religion, and women is something I wanted to visually explore.
What was your biggest challenge in making this film?
My biggest challenge was time and locations. We had limited location access and little time, so I had to quickly get creative and figure out how to capture a movie within the spaces that were available to us and with the amount of time we had. Having obstacles like that really force you as a filmmaker to focus on what’s really important and needed to tell a story.
If you could make a film with any actor, who would it be? What would be the story?
Someone that comes to mind is Marilyn Monroe. I don’t know what the plot would be. Maybe just her getting ready for a night out. I’ve just always been fascinated by how beautifully she photographed, especially on film.
What is a movie you are embarrassed to admit you really like?
I’m a lover of all types of films, good and bad. One that comes to mind that I’m not ashamed to admit is the 80’s cult-classic, Troop Beverly Hills. It’s pretty campy and I genuinely love it… I own it on DVD.
Mike Ott
Director of Lake Los Angeles
Where are you from? I was born and raised in California.
What city do you call home? I live in a place called Valencia, it’s about 30 miles north of Los Angeles.
When did you know you wanted to be a filmmaker?
I took a super 8 film class in junior college and it was the first thing that seemed to somewhat make sense to me.
Did you formally study film?
Yeah, I got my masters degree from the California Institute of the Arts (Cal Arts).
What was your inspiration for this story?
I had a high school student in a film program I teach a few years ago and he made a film about his journey across the border from Mexico and then his subsequent time spent in a drop house once he got across. His story is a lot of my inspiration for the film, as well as, my love for Victor Erice’s El Espiritu de la Colmena.
What was your biggest challenge in making this film?
Well, I always say that every aspect of filmmaking is the biggest challenge, but maybe in this case it was the landscape of Lake Los Angeles itself that was most challenging. Every day it was either burning hot, freezing cold, 60 mile an hour winds, etc. It was incredibly harsh conditions.
If you could make a film with any actor, who would it be? What would be the story?
Michael Pitt is by far my favorite living actor, I would love to make anything with him. He has an authenticity that is so rare in actors and especially young American actors. I want to eventually make a film about the Militia movement in the US and I think he would be ideal.
What is a movie you are embarrassed to admit you really like?
Ah, there’s so many, but probably Mask by Peter Bogdanovich.
Aaref Rodriguez
Director of Avenues
Where are you from? The Northern California Central Valley… Sacramento, California.
What city do you call home?
Well, I went to college, met my wife, got married, and set my roots in Los Angeles… for me, LA is home.
When did you know you wanted to be a filmmaker?
I knew from a very young age that I wanted to be a storyteller. Growing up, my parents owned and operated a gift shop selling movie memorabilia in the lobby of a small, four-screen, movie theater in Sacramento. So from the age of four to fourteen, I watched films on the big screen all day, from morning to night, on weekends, Holidays, and any other day I wasn’t in school. I loved it! That passion for unique and vibrant stories I developed as a child — roaming that cozy movie theater — thankfully has only grown stronger with time.
Did you formally study film?
Yes. I recently received my MFA in Film Production from the USC School of Cinematic Arts.
What was your inspiration for this story?
Avenues is a feature length adaptation of a short film I made during my first semester at USC titled Pardon. I was living in the Northeast Los Angeles neighborhood of Highland Park when I met a longtime local resident and actor named Rene Arreola. He told me about his family story growing up in the neighborhood, and it really resonated with me. His brother fathered a child before going to prison and after returning home tragically struggled to re-adjust to life on the outside. I never knew my biological father and was lucky enough to be raised by a loving stepfather, so the themes of fatherhood inherent in Rene’s family story really struck a personal chord with me. Ultimately, the short film went on to win a National Association of Theater Owner’s Award and I was encouraged by my mentors to pursue the story further—so I was compelled to make the feature. Oh, and Rene… he stars in both the short and feature.
What was your biggest challenge in making this film?
Fortunately, our biggest challenge in making Avenues ended up being the best thing for our film—as with most independents, we had limited resources. We had to shoot with an extremely limited crew (a total of four including myself), and as a result our set ended up feeling very intimate. It never really felt like we were shooting a movie, instead it felt like we all were just coming together and experimenting. Ultimately, it was a great way to shoot this film.
If you could make a film with any actor, who would it be? What would be the story?
This one is easy… Elvis Presley! The King! Put it this way, I love 50’s era Rock n’ Roll and Elvis was (and still is) the very definition of cool. On top of being an incredible vocal and musical talent, he really could act. True, he did have some shaky films on his resume, but even those were still cool. As for the plot of my Elvis movie—it would probably be a hyper-real biopic on how he came from very humble beginnings and rose to be “The King”.
What is a movie you are embarrassed to admit you really like?
Okay, I’ll admit it… my latest favorite guilty pleasure would have to be Pitch Perfect. What’s there not to like? It’s funny, catchy, visual, and full of fun. My wife and I watch it regularly.
Alberto Barboza
Director of Cry Now
Where are you from? Born in Los Angeles, raised in South Gate, California.
What city do you call home?
El Sereno, a hillside neighborhood on the Eastside of Los Angeles. When I was accepted to UCLA’s Masters in Film Production I made a conscious decision to move to a predominantly Chicano working class community. If I was to make films, I wanted my images to come from this point of view. I’ve been perched on this hill for over 15 years now.
When did you know you wanted to be a filmmaker?
After a short stint as a teenage actor, I decided I would be of better service behind the camera. 9 out of 10 auditions I would go out for were for gang banging characters, when in reality, the gang element is less than 10 percent of my community.
Did you formally study film?
I received my MFA in Film Production from UCLA. I learned to direct the actor by studying with renowned theater directors, Jose Luis Valenzuela and Peter Sellars, which was just as important to my training as my film degree.
What was your inspiration for this story?
Inspired by the art around me, I wanted to tell a love story between two Chicana/o artists. At that time, designers John Carr and Contra had a street poster campaign called LA vs WAR. It was simple and straightforward, but very effective because of its placements in working class communities. As kids walked to school and adults drove to work they were confronted with the statement at the top of their day. Hence the film’s protagonist, Vincent, is a street poster artist. The film begins with his Cry Now campaign, subverting the common saying “Smile Now, Cry Later,” and ends with a love campaign inspired by his romance with the tattoo artist, Luzy.
What was your biggest challenge in making this film?
Time and money were the toughest obstacles to overcome. We got creative and scheduled our production and postproduction to optimize our opportunity to work with the best cast and filmmakers. And we were successful. The film is edited by Luis Carballar (Amores Perros, Sin Nombre), it boasts designs by famed muralist El Mac, and is blessed with performances from veteran actors such as Sal Lopez, Brent Jennings, and our dear Lupe Ontiveros. My producing partners at Cinético Productions and I have also inherited the perseverance gene from our immigrant parents!
If you could make a film with any actor, who would it be? What would be the story?
For years now I’ve researched the time leading up to and after the annexation of California to the US in 1846. I want to make a western focused on the Californios and Mexicans of that time, and would have a young Maria Felix be the leader of the bunch.
What is a movie you are embarrassed to admit you really like?
Dance with Me. I have friends who will disown me for going public with this, but I liked the dancing and thought it was cool how Chayanne explained the meaning of Ruben Blades’ song “Patria” to Vanessa Williams. I am big dance aficionado and am developing a West Coast Style dance movie!
Laura Checkoway
Director of Lucky
Where are you from? I grew up in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
What city do you call home? Brooklyn, New York.
When did you know you wanted to be a filmmaker?
While making Lucky which is my first film. My background is as a writer and journalist so I didn’t think about becoming a filmmaker, I just felt like this story should be shared through film and it unfolded.
Did you formally study film?
I haven’t taken any film classes and learn what’s needed as I go. I’m thankful to have worked with some great cinematographers, editors and all around masters in the process. I recently heard Werner Herzog say that going out on foot for four months is more valuable than four years of film school.
What was your inspiration for this story?
The film follows a young homeless mother named Lucky Torres and the inspiration came from Lucky and the countless people and issues that her life represents. She’s an incredible woman who is so outspoken and yet so far out on the fringes. She has big dreams and deep faith but keeps getting in her own way, which is something a lot of us can relate to.
What was your biggest challenge in making this film?
It’s been a continual challenge of patience because I spent over six years making the film.
If you could make a film with any actor, who would it be? What would be the story?
As a documentary filmmaker, I’m more interested in filming real life rather than working with actors. There are people that I see everyday in my neighborhood that I’d love to film vignettes with.
What is a movie you are embarrassed to admit you really like?
Hmm… I’m not embarrassed by any films that I really like, including lots of romantic comedies and children’s movies. Sometimes the silly stuff sets your mind free.
Steve Clark
Director of Night Has Settled
Where are you from? I was born in New York City.
What city do you call home? I still live in New York.
When did you know you wanted to be a filmmaker?
I started writing films when I was working at The Paris Review in my mid-twenties. I had watched 8 1/2 and been moved by the magic and poetry, the endless possibilities in film. That, for example, Guido could just walk into a stark black and white graveyard and have a conversation with his dead father. After that I was interested in filmmaking but had no road map to actually do it. Then by some strange arrangement of events in my 30s, I teamed up with a few producers, who liked a script I co-wrote, and which was too small-budget to get an “experienced” director; so, bizarrely enough, soon I was directing my first film.
Did you formally study film?
I never went to film school, I learned by doing it. I did prepare though, quite massively. I read the books, took an acting class, talked to many directors, broke down my script line by line, scene by scene endlessly. I prepared a hundred-plus page binder where, for each scene, I wrote one sentence to define what exactly the scene was about, analyzed each beat with possible direction for actors, wrote a paragraph about the camera, then another paragraph about its personal significance to me, why it was in the film and all the associations it conjured etc. I put all these in a big binder and gave them to the keys, so if anyone wanted to know what was in my head for a particular scene, there it was (maybe I was the only who ever read it!). Once I had finished this binder, I rarely opened it. The pre-work for me was done, and now with the filming, we could explore, improvise, have fun. I enjoyed the shoot right from the start. I would recommend taking the money you were going to spend on film school and make a film.
What was your inspiration for this story?
The story is very autobiographical, and I wrote it many years before I made it into a film. I didn’t truly think it would be made, but when a producer friend made a film for a similarly low budget, I thought it was maybe feasible. I re-wrote the script and we were off. But this was a film that I lived very much, so I did not have to search far for inspiration.
What was your biggest challenge in making this film?
We had to get an 01 working Visa for our Spanish actress, Pilar López de Ayala, which was very stressful. We were about to start filming and it still hadn’t gone through. We didn’t know if we’d get it in time. That was a nail-biter. Otherwise everything in low-budget independent film is a wonderful struggle. We shot in an airplane, in hailed taxis, in over 27 locations with 250 unpaid extras. We even managed to wedge the wardrobe truck into the Park Avenue tunnel on a day the president was in town and had to chainsaw it open to get our wardrobe. It was all a wild challenge, but a fun one. But perhaps the biggest challenge was bringing these kids into a very precocious world (maybe one they hadn’t experienced) and making it feel real. Luckily I was blessed with talented kids.
If you could make a film with any actor, who would it be? What would be the story?
Joaquin Phoenix, a very loose interpretation of Dostoyevsky’s Notes From The Underground.
What is a movie you are embarrassed to admit you really like?
The Bad News Bears
Damian John Harper
Director of Los Ángeles
Where are you from? Boulder, Colorado
What city do you call home? Berlin, Germany
When did you know you wanted to be a filmmaker?
In 2005, I took a university course about cultural identity in the former GDR (East Germany). One of the assignments was to make a documentary film. My life changed at that moment.
Did you formally study film?
I learned everything I know by watching THE SHIELD and reading Richard Price novels. Really!
What was your inspiration for this story?
In 2000, I lived in the village for 10 months working as an ethnologist. I made a lot of close friends there and have maintained contact with them over the years. Their struggle inspired me to make the film.
What was your biggest challenge in making this film?
Managerial issues behind the camera.
If you could make a film with any actor, who would it be? What would be the story?
Ad hoc I would say a young Paul Newman as John Reed during his stay with Pancho Villa. I would concentrate on the transformation of his political view while there.
What is a movie you are embarrassed to admit you really like?
Los Gavilanes by Vicente Oroná.
Jose Marquez
Director of ISA
Where are you from?
I was born in Havana, Cuba, raised in NYC and have spent the majority of my life in California.
What city do you call home?
I gave up on a permanent home when I was very young and we moved a great deal, from country to country and city to city. I love many cities, including Los Angeles.
When did you know you wanted to be a filmmaker?
I didn’t know any filmmakers growing up or consider that as a career. I did consider becoming a writer because my mother had written a book (psychology) and we spent a great deal of time in places with many books. (That might be a generational thing.) Growing up, as a single child, I would tape movies I enjoyed and watch them over and over again. (e.g., Escape from New York, Brainstorm.)
I didn’t realize just how much I wanted to be a filmmaker until the first time I arrived to a set as the director of my own script. I wasn’t nervous at all and I’m usually anxious about all sorts of things. That was a pretty clear sign.
Did you formally study film?
I think the most important technical skill for making a movie is listening to other people. I’m still way behind where I want to be on that front.
I began watching movies with a critical eye in high school. We had a tremendous teacher, the late John Loose. We watched Hitchcock movies among others. I continued taking film classes throughout college, spent some time making art videos in San Francisco which has a thriving video scene. Then I started writing and exec producing comedy and documentary shorts.
What was your inspiration for this story?
I’ve been thinking about some of the themes in ISA for a long time. I think invariably your obsessions will win out. In terms of a specific timeline, ISA began out of necessity. I had an opportunity to develop a longer form story and originally began writing a kind of farce, ala Buckaroo Banzai (once again, the 80s had a lasting impact on me.) Slowly, that story changed into a more dramatic allegory.
What was your biggest challenge in making this film?
Not enough time to develop the script; from conception to execution, I spent about a year. For me, for a first time writing a feature, that was not enough time. That led to all sorts of mistakes down the path. Everyone else executed almost flawlessly.
If you could make a film with any actor, who would it be? What would be the story?
Well, eventually, I’d like to make a movie where pre-Columbian America and contemporary, post-modern Latin America collide. That will be a very hard movie to make. I think Edgar Ramirez is amazing (as in the movie Carlos). There are many wonderful actors.
What is a movie you are embarrassed to admit you really like?
Avatar. I think it’s a great movie. I squirm during the ritual towards the end. Something, something “Orientalism” by Edward Said. But, again, it’s a great movie. A near perfect movie.