Netflix’s “Fresh Perspectives” Platforms Unique Stories from Our Community

Mama Retreat: Netflix's Fresh Perspectivesa

The next time you’re scrolling through Netflix, remember that in addition to the big productions with Hollywood stars, they also offer a variety of high-quality short films from emerging directors. The platform recently took it a step further and launched Netflix’s Fresh Perspectives, a collection of 12 short films supported by their Fund for Creative Equity.

Prior to their release on Netflix in December, the short films premiered at festivals around the world, including the Berlin International Film Festival, SXSW, and the Spark Animation Festival. They are now streaming to a global audience and we didn’t want to miss the opportunity to speak with two of the Latina directors in this group: Eileen Álvarez – an award-winning Argentine-American writer/actor/director from the Bay Area, who has written for shows on HBO Max, Sony, and Netflix – and Eunice Levis – a first-generation Dominican American writer/producer/director from the Bronx, who has won awards at the Reel Sisters of the Diaspora Film Festival and Downtown Los Angeles Film Festival.

“I think Netflix’s Fresh Perspectives Collection is really a game changer for emerging filmmakers like myself,” Álvarez told Latina Media Co. In addition to support for underrepresented creators, she highlights how the fund supports short films — which are a viable calling card for creatives like her, given the financial burden required to make a feature film. “It also lets an audience know that this is a legitimate, respectable, and exciting format for storytelling.”

“The initiative has allowed me to gain a broader audience and has validated my voice and talent,” Levis told us. “It has provided an incredible level of advocacy.” Álvarez added, “Is deeply meaningful because it means my story, and those of my fellow cohorts, can reach a global audience. Something that’s not typically available to emerging filmmakers.”

The National Association of Latino Independent Producers (NALIP) supported both Levis and Álvarez via a narrative incubator where they made their films. Like them, the other directors were also able to shape their stories through the project’s resources and mentorship. All creators received production funding from Netflix through strategic partnerships with Women in Animation Vancouver, NALIP, the Latino Film Institute, Gold House, and Tribeca Studios. Levis shared, “I’m so proud the movement [to increase representation] is gaining momentum, and I’m committed to expanding the Latino narrative in film.”

Indeed, these two directors each created unique narratives that break the mold of stories often told about Latinos. Álvarez’s short film Mama Retreat is a horror-comedy about motherhood, while Levis’ Ro & the Stardust puts family at the center of a space fantasy.

“Every creative piece that I work on is intent to challenge conventional narratives,” said Levis. “My work includes genre-bending stories that are often told through a Latino perspective.”

These different perspectives feel essential right now as audiences push back on the drug trafficking and crime stories Latinos seem stuck in.

Álvarez agrees. She attended a film festival a few years ago where every Latino story was about the Mexican border. “To be clear, these films were fantastic, and I think border stories are super important and valuable,” she said. “But that being said, we have so many more stories to share – some that are specific to our Latinidad and others that aren’t exclusive to it.”

After all, Latinos are a heterogeneous community. We have diverse skin tones, backgrounds, cultures, experiences, and dreams. Limiting ourselves to one genre or type of story pigeonholes us, losing the possibility of innovative and creative narratives that reflect and enhance our community’s richness and talent.

“Initiatives like ‘Fresh Perspectives’ will help cultivate an appetite for diverse narratives and create a pipeline of creatives that have the skill set and support needed to develop a sustainable career in the film industry,” said Levis.

Álvarez is hopeful that programs like Netflix’s “Fresh Perspectives” will reduce the barriers, building a more inclusive future for filmmakers and viewers. She shared, “By prioritizing diverse storytelling, Netflix is giving emerging filmmakers like myself a platform to take creative risks and share stories that may have been overlooked or undervalued.”

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