Top stories written by Latinas delivered to you each month in partnership with #WeAllGrow Latina
LATINX FILMS AT SUNDANCE
This year, 12 of Sundance’s 100 plus films that are screening are Latino, including the Gael García Bernal led drama Cassandro, a story about the self-proclaimed “Liberace of Lucha Libre.”
Gabriella Aguirre
Sundance Is Back!
It’s no surprise films made for and by the Latinx community have long been undervalued, and Sundance Film Festival is no exception. Despite our rich culture, stories, and perspectives, Latina filmmakers continue to be underrepresented and underfunded. The ability to get Latina stories told and seen by wider audiences feels next to impossible, and that’s what makes the 12 feature-length Latino films premiering at Sundance so special. For Latina magazine, Gabriella Aguirre talked about the films and communities at Sundance, including The Latinx House which is working to address underrepresentation and create a space for Latinx filmmakers and artists. BeLatina takes us inside The Latinx House at Sundance from a panel featuring Tenoch Huerta to Eugenio Derbez’s new film Radical to special guest Yalitza Aparicio.
FILMS FROM SUNDANCE YOU HAVE TO SEE
With its women-centered cast, birth/rebirth delivers something special, especially at a time when women face challenges to bodily autonomy. Each scene ratchets the tension, thanks to how director Moss underlines the performances with music that sounds like science and spirituality merged.
DarkSkyLady
Stop scrolling. Here are some Latinx films from Sundance to add to your list!
We are all about celebrating Latinx excellence in film and entertainment. Whether it’s Gael Garcia Bernal’s Cassandro or the emotional climate drama La Pecera, these films show the depth and breadth of Latinx stories. For Latino Rebels, Cristina Escobar interviewed Mexican actor and producer Eugenio Derbez about Radical, a film about “middle-school teacher Sergio who rejects the discipline-based instruction favored by his colleagues and embarks on an experiment to follow his students’ lead.” For LatinaMedia.Co, DarkSkyLady reviewed birth/rebirth, a horror film that “follows two women working at the same hospital whose worlds collide after a tragedy.” We love almost any interview with Gael Garcia Bernal, and this one is no exception. Video journalist Yadira Flores worked on this lighthearted interview with the star of Cassandro for the Los Angeles Times.
PROTESTS IN PERU AND BRAZIL TAKE CENTER STAGE
In January 2023, protests erupted in Brazil and Peru as citizens expressed their dissatisfaction with their governments and demanded change. In Brazil, the demonstrations were sparked by supporters of ex-president Jair Bolsonaro as they challenged the results of the democratic election. In Peru, citizens took to the streets to protest against the rising cost of living and political corruption. Maria McFarland Sánchez-Moreno for Human Rights Watch wrote about Peru’s deepening crisis and how it serves as a cautionary tale of democracies that fail to deliver for ordinary people. For NBC Latino, Carmen Sesin covered how Congress is responding to the deadly crackdown. To cover what’s going on in Brazil, Alejandra Marquez Janse worked on this NPR interview examining the differences and similarities between the protests in Brazil and the U.S.
LATINAS ON THE BYLINES 💬
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