President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden announced that they will be hosting a screening of Flamin’ Hot on Thursday (June 15) on the South Lawn. The guest list includes debut director Eva Longoria and the film’s cast, as well as family members and Latine leaders.
After winning over fans at this year’s SXSW festival with an Audience Headliner Award, Flamin’ Hot, premiered last Friday (June 9) on Hulu and Disney+. The Flamin’ Hot screening at the White House is part of the administration’s ongoing efforts to amplify Latine Voices.
The film traces the story of Richard Montañez (Jesse Garcia) and his journey from working as a janitor at a PepsiCos’ Frito-Lay plant, to inventing the spicy Flamin’ Hot Cheeto chip. This claim has been challenged by Frito Lay.
Longoria told People Magazine that it’s “an incredible honor” to screen her movie in a distinguished setting. “This opportunity not only amplifies the power of cinema but also highlights the importance of diverse and inclusive narratives,” adds Longoria.
The film has received an 88% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes and has received favorable commentary online, with fans boasting about the film’s inspirational plot.
Other reviewers, such as Gutavo Arellanos of the LA Times, called the film both “pandering and pernicious,” adding “It’s just like its namesake: snackable, though nowhere near as good as fans attest and far more problematic than they’ll ever admit.”
The story of Montañez’s invention and subsequent rise to prominence has been widely challenged. In 2021, the LA Times published a report where they called his involvement an “urban legend.” They also said, “None of our records show that Richard was involved in any capacity in the Flamin’ Hot test market.”
The following month, Longoria told Remezcla that she was “confident” about moving forward with the film despite these claims. “[Richard’s] story has always been the story we wanted to tell.”
Flamin’ Hot is now available to stream on Hulu and Disney+.