The new Academy Museum of Motion Pictures is set to open in Los Angeles (6067 Wilshire Boulevard) on September 30, 2021, and it’s not short on Latine representation.
Museum director Bill Kramer says the exhibitions, programs, and screenings that the museum will host will “illuminate the complex and fascinating world of cinema … through a variety of diverse and engaging voices.”
The collection includes more than 12.5 million photographs, 237,000 film and video assets, 85,000 screenplays, 65,500 posters, and 133,000 pieces of production art. The collection also contains hundreds of production files, letters, clippings, contracts, manuscripts, scrapbooks, and storyboards.
The Latine representation will include movies like Y Tu Mama Tambien, Real Women Have Curves, West Side Story, Zoot Suit, Pan’s Labyrinth, and Roma, as well as talent like Salma Hayek, Lupe Velez, Desi Arnaz, Guillermo del Toro, and many others.
Jacqueline Stewart, chief artistic and programming officer, adds that the programs at the museum will be “dynamic, diverse, and deeply grounded in the history and artistry of filmmaking” and recognize the issues of “race, gender, sexuality and inequality that run through film history.”
Here is a quick look at seven Latine exhibition items you’ll find inside the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures.
Rita Moreno’s Oscar Dress
The beautiful black and gold gown Moreno wore in 1962 when she became the first Latina to win an Oscar (Best Supporting Actress for West Side Story) will be displayed at the museum. Moreno wore the same dress, made in the Philippines, to the 2018 Academy Awards as a presenter.
Emmanuel “Chivo” Lubezki Photos
The three-time Oscar-winning cinematographer will be featured in the museum with photos and descriptions of some of his most impressive shots from films like Children of Men, Tree of Life, Y Tu Mama Tambien, and others. Lubezki won his three Oscars consecutively, from 2014-2016, for Gravity, Birdman, and The Revenant. His next film is the untitled David O. Russell project starring Anya Taylor-Joy, Zoe Saldana, Christian Bale, and Margot Robbie.
‘Real Women Have Curves’ Memorabilia
Some of the items featured from Patricia Cardoso’s 2002 dramedy include script notes, casting/wardrobe/hair and makeup test photos of actresses America Ferrera and the late Lupe Ontiveros, and a map of the sewing factory from the film. Real Women Have Curves was Ferrera’s first role of her career.
‘El Norte’ Script
A page from the Oscar-nominated screenplay of filmmaker Gregory Nava and Anna Thomas’ 1983 drama El Norte will be on display. The script is annotated by Nava and includes a storyboard notebook from the film. In 1995, El Norte was selected for preservation in the U.S. National Film Registry at the Library of Congress for its cultural, historical, and aesthetic significance. “I was deeply moved by these true Americans – these Native Americans,” Nava told Remezcla in 2019. “They had been ripped from their homes and suffering from genocide. I knew I had to tell their story, which is universal.”
Aurora Dueñas’ Contribution to ‘The Wizard of Oz’
An original pair of Dorothy Gale’s (Judy Garland) ruby slippers from the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz will be on display at the museum and give credit to one of the Latinas who kept their iconic look intact. Aurora Dueñas was the MGM seamstress whose job was to reattach loose beads and sequins to the ruby slippers during production. Her name will be listed on the memorabilia’s label at the museum.
Edward James Olmos’ Zoot Suit
The zoot suit worn by Edward James Olmos in the 1981 film Zoot Suit will also be on display. Yvonne Wood designed the suit. In the movie, which was written and directed by Luis Valdez, Olmos plays El Pachuco, the narrator, who serves as the main character’s conscience. In 2019, Zoot Suit was selected for preservation in the U.S. National Film Registry at the Library of Congress for its cultural, historical, and aesthetic significance.
Salma Hayek’s Wedding Dress in ‘Frida’
The unique red and green wedding dress worn by Salma Hayek in the 2002 biopic Frida will have a space in the new museum. Frida landed Hayek an Oscar nomination for Best Actress for her portrayal of legendary Mexican surrealist painter Frida Kahlo. The dress was designed by Julie Weiss.