Feliz Navidad: Puerto Rican tradition says Christmas isn't over yet

Growing up in Puerto Rico, I have fond memories of the holidays. Christmas, was just the beginning and we would receive one gift. The real holiday came on January 6, El Dia de los Reyes (Three Kings Day).  I remember the day before and going in the fields with the other children in the neighborhood to gather grass. We would put the grass in a shoebox and leave it out for the camels. 

After waking up and receiving our presents our family would get in the car and visit relatives who live in the mountains for the real celebration.  Lots of relatives, lots of children and the food, arroz con gandules, lechon, all made for an experience I still long for today. Unfortunately, times have changed and that tradition is being forgotten. 

Reading the article below brought back all these fond memories. 

Feliz Navidad: Puerto Rican tradition says Christmas isn't over yet

A doctorate from the school of life - Los Angeles Times

An inspiring story that shows that you are never too old to make a difference.

Rueben Martinez is known for his many callings: Barber. Longtime bookstore owner. MacArthur award winner. Speaker at high schools, colleges and universities across the country. Holder of more honorary degrees than he can count.

And now Martinez, 68, is a college professor. A presidential fellow, to be exact.

Starting next month, Martinez will be responsible for Chapman University's efforts to recruit first-generation students, especially Latinos, into science and math programs. 

For the complete story follow the link below. 

A doctorate from the school of life - Los Angeles Times

Eartha Kitt, a Seductive Talent, Dies at 81 - NYTimes.com

Sad to hear about Eartha Kitt dying but she lead a very interesting life. She was most known to audiences as Catwoman in the Batman series from the 1960's. 

Eartha Kitt, a Seductive Talent, Dies at 81 - NYTimes.com

Latinoteca - A Portal for Learning About Latino History and Culture

Latinoteca.com

I just came across this very informative and comprehensive website for Latino culture and history in the United States. The site is run by the University of Houston and its publishing firm Arte Public Press. They break down the site into different components, information for teachers and students, authors and artists and for scholars and researchers.

You can find free content as well as content that can be licensed for publication. They provide articles, chapters from their publications, music and art. 

It is a valuable resource for anyone wanting to know more about Latino culture and history or for anyone needing to do research for papers or publications. 

In The Heights . . . Dreams Come True

It's videos like this that warm the heart. A ten year old fan of the Broadway show "In the Heights" got more than he imagined when he wrote Lin-Manuel Miranda, the star and writer of the show asking to meet him backstage. Lin-Manuel orchestrated for the boy to perform the finale of the show in an after show performance. The boy had been posting videos on You Tube singing songs from the show. The look on Lin-Manuel as he watches the boy get his dream is priceless.

You can head an interview with the boy and his mother as well as a video of Lin-Manuel speaking about the experience and how it came about at Broadway World.

Help our children

In this time of giving, I have chosen to support our children's education. There is a great site called Donors Choose, where teachers can post projects that they are trying to fund. You can see a link on the left column of this page.

Most of the projects are very low cost, sometimes less than $100.00 can provide classroom supplies that should be a right for any student.

Here in the U.S. education seems to be left behind when budget cuts are considered. It is a testament to the true heroes in our society, the teachers that commit themselves in spite of the lack of support.

I have created a donors page that can be accessed through the link above. In here I have posted some projects that will be expiring soon and need very little money to complete.

Please help in any way you can and be proud of the fact that you are doing some good in a child's life.

Annie Lennox - Sing for World AIDS Day

In this holiday of Thanksgiving, let's not forget about others here in the U.S.A. and around the world dealing with AIDS. This is a song recorded by Annie Lennox to raise money for those suffering with AIDS in South Africa.

To learn more about her charity go to www.annielennoxsing.com

More Videos

Let's not forget those we have lost in our lives to this disease and let's do whatever we can to help the spread of it.

Teatro La Tea "Asi Somos" Bi-lingual Playwrights Festival

You can click on the images for a larger view.

The festival runs from December 5th- December 14th. All plays will be performed first in English, then in Spanish. The theater is located at 107 Suffolk St. New York, NY 10002. Tickets can be bought at Smarttix.com

I conducted an interview with one of the playwrights, A.B. Lugo, writer of Geneva. You can listen to the interview here Cumba Media Presents Podcast Episode 1 - A.B. Lugo

In the meantime, support Latino theater!

Nothing Like The Holidays Trailer

Opening December 12 in wide release in the U.S. "Nothing Like the Holidays" boasts a great Latino cast. The movie stars Luis Guzman, John Leguizamo, Alfred Molina, Jay Hernandez and Freddy Rodriguez (who also produced the film) and directed by Alfredo de Villa (Washington Heights, Adrift in Manhattan). 

Here is the trailer:

Slumdog Millionaire

The new movie from director Danny Boyle (Trainspotting, 28 Days Later, Sunshine, Shallow Grave) is opening up in limited release. So far, the reviews have been positive. The story focuses on an 18 year old orphan from the slums who goes on India's "Who Wants to be a Millionaire." With just one question away from winning it all, he is accused of cheating because no one believes a street kid could be so smart.

Calavera Highway Director Renee Tajima-Peña Interview

You can read an interview with director Renee Tajima-Peña about the challenges of working with her husband and his family in the documentary Calavera Highway by clicking here.

P.O.V. - Calavera Highway | PBS 2008

Calavera Highway was a movie that I missed at the New York Latino Film Festival. It will be having its television premiere this week on PBS as part of the POV documentary film series. Directed by Renee Tajima-Peña (producer/director of the Academy Award nominated film, Who Killed Vincent Chin?), she follows her husband and his five brothers in a search for the truth of their parent's life. Check your local listing. I have heard great things about this documentary.

Hollywood Reporter Article - Latinos in Entertainment

Interesting article giving an overview of some of the Latino writer-directors in Hollywood.

Latinos in Entertainment by Noel Murray

Two years after Alfonso Cuaron, Guillermo del Toro and Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu took the year-end awards circuits by storm with "Pan's Labyrinth" and "Babel," and a year after they inked a $100 million deal with Universal to produce five films under their Cha Cha Cha banner, opportunities for other Latino filmmakers -- both veterans and those relatively new to the scene -- have been on the rise.

For complete article click here.

On the Road in America, Baghdad High and Quid Pro Quo

I have been watching the reality show, “On the Road in America” on the Sundance Channel. It follows four young Arabs traveling the United States and documenting their reactions as well as their interactions with the people across the country. It allows the viewer to see what Arabs are like and helps to break our perceptions formed from watching mainstream media. The show does not try to make them out to be perfect models of Arab youth but shows them as humans with positive and negative aspects to their personality. You do see them struggling with their preconceptions about Americans and at times trying to hold on to these preconceptions but ultimately becoming more open. The series ends with the original pilot with a slightly different cast. Next week, the series is being re-aired. It is worth checking out.
Today, I watched two films, one a documentary called “Baghdad High” and a drama, “Quid Pro Quo”. The first film, much like “On the Road in America” gives us an insight into a different culture. This time, four high school boys in Baghdad are given video cameras to document their last year of high school. The four boys are friends in spite of being from different ethnic and religious backgrounds. The boys are Christian, Kurdish, Shia and Sunni. We get a glimpse into their every day struggles trying to get an education while dealing with a war raging around them, with bombs exploding and bullets flying. This is a documentary that should be shown to students here in the United States to give them a view of how fortunate they are.
The second film I watched was first time director Carlos Brooks’ “Quid Pro Quo.” The plot revolves around a radio host who is a paraplegic. He gets a tip about someone bribing a doctor to amputate his leg and while investigating comes upon a subculture of people who are wannabe amputees or paraplegics. The film is a very sensitive portrayal of people with disabilities and their struggles. At the same time, the film is not judgmental of people with psychological issues. The performances by Nick Stahl (In the Bedroom, Carnivale) and Vera Farmiga (The Departed) are excellent, taking you with them into their world.

Angel Movie Trailer - A Jacobo Morales Film

This is the trailer for the latest film by Jacobo Morales. The movie stars Braulio Castillo Jr. and Jacobo Morales.It is one of the films to be screened at the Film Society of Lincoln Center Latin Beat 2008.

Tribute to Jacobo Morales

The Film Society of Lincoln Center is presenting Latin Beat 2008, their annual survey of Latin American Cinema. In this series, they are presenting a tribute to Puerto Rican auteur, Jacobo Morales, three of his films will be shown with an introduction by the director.
The three films to be screened are “Angel” (his most recent film), “What Happened to Santiago” (1990 nominee for an Academy Award for Best Foreign Film) and “Linda Sara” (starring popular Puerto Rican singer Chayanne and former Miss Universe Dayanara Torres).
Jacobo Morales was born in Lajas, Puerto Rico in 1934. He began his career as an actor in theater and radio when he was fourteen years old. In 1954 he began working in television as an actor, writer and director. He worked in Hollywood, as an actor in the 1970’s then became a film director in 1979. He has written and directed six films.
If anyone is in the New York City area the Latin Beat 2008 is running from September 5-September 25. In addition to the tribute to Jacobo Morales, there will other panels and film series. For more information click here.

Made in Japan - NYILFF Short Film

This is a short film shown at the New York International Latino Film Festival about a Spanish man who finds out that his father is Japanese.

Off Jackson Avenue

This is the trailer for one of the films I reviewed previously from the New York International Latino Film Festival. I don't think the trailer does the movie justice, the movie is so much better that what the trailer sets up.

Harrison Montgomery Trailer

This is the trailer for a film at the New York International Latino Film Festival. My review is in a previous post.

NYILFF - Shine On

Shine On – Director: Agustin – A formula movie that breaks the mold in so many ways. First, the lead character, Jay, is a musician who goes to Manhattan to play his music in the park. When he is not playing music, he is working overnight at a gas station or hanging out with his friends in the Bronx. The refreshing bit about him is that he does not sing salsa but folk-rock music. The movie shows that not all Latinos from the Bronx sing salsa, hip-hop or reggaeton. Another break in the stereotypes often portrayed in Bronx movies is that no one is using or dealing drugs. They party, they drink and they often get in trouble but they are just living. Even their living conditions are not dirt poor; the father works his ass off as a doorman to provide for his family. Which brings me to another point; there is a father in the picture.
Played by Nestor Serrano, the father is a proud man who may be too tough at times but you can tell he cares about his family and their well being while at the same time being aware that his sons need to learn responsibility. The underused Julie Carmen portrays the mother. The family dynamic rings true in the film.
The lead actor, Andrew Cisneros, brings great depth to a character that exists in two different worlds and navigates both being comfortable with himself. In the supporting cast, I must point out, Flaco Navaja as one of Jay’s best friends. He has so much presence on screen, that he deserves to get more roles in movies.
It would be a shame if this movie did not get proper distribution. It’s a movie that should be seen.
You can see a trailer here.

NYILFF - Shorts Program: Talk 2 Her

Yesterday I saw another short film program and my review is below. Overall, I have to say that all the shorts I have seen have been enjoyable and very creative. When I say that I like some better than others, it does not mean that the other films are not worth seeing. I believe that the New York International Latino Film Festival has done an excellent job at choosing the films for presentation.


Made In Japan – Director: Ciro Altabas – A very humorous film where a man explains his lateness for a date by telling a story of his search for his Japanese father.
Madre – Director: Juan Laplace – A woman relates her story of searching for someone to father her child, while she waits for the results of a home pregnancy test.
La Chambre de Motel (The Motel Room) – Director: Saro Varjabedian – Two student filmmakers have an encounter in a motel room after a shoot.
Casper & Kitty – Director: Franco Parente – An erotic tale of a man dealing with a failed relationship.
The Gift Wrapper – Director: Daniela de Carlo – A sweet tale about a deaf-mute woman who works as a gift wrapper around the Christmas holidays and longs for one of her customers.
Para Bailar Se Necesitan Dos (Two to Salsa) – Director: Juan Pablo Osman – Two immigrants who dance in the streets for a living deal with changes in their relationships. Feels like it should be a feature length movie, would love to see their relationship develop.
Bloom – Director: Lance Larson – One of my favorite shorts in the set, very well directed, acted and photographed. A nice twist in the end that I should have seen coming but didn’t.
The Stain on the Sidewalk – Director: Adam Schlachter – A teenage boy tries to work up the courage to confess his love for a girl who is going out with someone else.
Vamonos (Let’s Go) – Director: Maurice Compte – Two people have an altercation at a rest stop restaurant leading to sinister results. Very good acting on the part of all actors. Feels like a portion of a feature length film.
House of Cards – Director: David Priego – An interesting short dealing with two people dealing with a divorce but trying not to fight in front of their son. Their struggle may lead to tragic consequences. This was another one of my favorite shorts.
Rosas de Color Rosa (Pink Roses) – Director: Otto Scheuren – In what is basically a monologue a woman speaking to the camera talks about herself to a man that she is interested in.

NYILFF - Shorts Program - Made You Smile

I saw two shorts programs today but only have time to write about one. The other - Talk 2 Her will be reviewed later on.

Short Films: Made You Smile

La Leyenda Del Hombre Lento (The Legend of the Slow Man) – Director: Armando Del Rio – An odd man out type of story done with great humor and creativity. A very enjoyable start to the program, had the audience laughing out loud throughout the film.
Exposed Negative – Director: Stuart Altman – A humorous take on the whole celebrity and paparazzi phenomenon. A Britney, Lindsay type actress has been away from the spotlight and makes a deal with two paparazzi to make a comeback.
La Gordiranfla – Director: Anwar Safa – A very funny film about a notorious gambler who loses the truck that he and his wife use to sell gorditas.
Crossing Numbers – Director: Abel Gonzalez – An odd choice of subject for a humorous film but it totally works. The story focuses on border patrols from Mexico and the U.S. who don’t want to claim the body found in the desert.
Browntown – Director: Deepti Paul – I hope this short is a work in progress of a much longer film. I would love to see the characters develop and see where the story goes. This was the only film that I have seen so far that incorporated many ethnicities, a real “browntown” cast.
Hombre Rana (Frogman) – Directors: Roxana Ruzzante & Martin Escriche – Another odd man themed movie where a man has a successful life but yearns to leave it and go away.
Llora – Director: Pepe Caudillo – This 11 minute film, done in one take, pokes fun at filmmakers, where they will go to any lengths to get their take. Very well acted and directed piece of film.
The Tree – Director: Paul Starkman – Very funny film about a man who plants a tree in Brooklyn to get some shade from the hot summer days but the tree becomes the center of activity in the neighborhood. Great performance from the underrated Jose Zuniga.

NYILFF - Shorts Program - Boys to Men

The six short films in this program dealt with boys becoming men. The first film “El Prestidigitador (The Prestidigitator)” directed by Hugo Sanz, was about a boy who will do anything to get a good grade so as not to disappoint his mother. In the second film, “ Kid” directed by Miguel Alvarez, a boy has to come to grips with his estranged father. The next one “Verano 79 (Summer 79)" directed by Rodrigo Oviedo, deals with two teens who become friends and business partners until one of them betrays the other. The consequences are dealt with when they meet later on in life. “Limpiando Sapos (Catching Rats)” by Vero Shamo-Garcia, deals with children soldiers in Colombia. The last two movies were the best of the program, “Little Bones” directed by Fabian Marquez tells the story a boy running an unusual errand for his father in the middle of the night. “Victim” co-directed and written by Cesar Mazariegos and Roger Florez is about a white DJ who moves into a black neighborhood but soon finds out that no matter what he thinks of himself, he is not going to be accepted that easily.

New York International Latino Film Festival

I am attending the Latino Film Festival in New York and I will be posting on the movies that I saw.

Today was my first day and I was able to catch three films:

Off Jackson Avenue - Directed and written by John-Luke Montias

I have to admit that I was prepared to hate this movie, the story dealt with prostitution, drugs and hit men. From the synopsis it sounded so stereotypical of so many Latin themed films. Much to my surprise I really liked this movie. The directing was on point as well as the acting. It is not an easy movie to watch at times but it did try to inject some humor which helped the enjoyment. For the most part, all characters were sympathetic, except for the Albanian pimp, and I am not sure if that was due to the acting or the direction. In the Q&A after the film, the director stated that the movie was shot in a very short time and for a budget of about $200K, and the movie looks much more expensive. The different ethnicities were treated as real people and not stereotypes. This is definitely a movie I would recommend.

Harrison Montgomery - Directed by Daniel Davila

This was another wonderful surprise of a movie. Very realistic while at the same time it had a fantasy feel about it. Seeing veteran actors Martin Landau and Diane Baker was a treat but the real breakout performance was the relatively unknown actor, Octavio Gomez Berrios. He held the movie together and was a joy to watch. This movie compared to "Off Jackson Avenue" had a more Hollywood independent style but very enjoyable.

South of Pico - Written and directed by Ernst Gossner

Of the three movies, this was the one I was most looking forward to seeing and for me, was the least pleasurable. As opposed to the other two movies, this one was more Hollywood casting style. You were always aware that everyone was "acting" whereas in the other movies they were real people. The story and style was reminiscent of the movie "Crash." The ending was disturbing and not easy to watch but the lead up to the ending felt very patchy. A mild recommendation for this movie from me.