September 11, 2025 • 50 mins
In this episode, Honey German sits down with Calixto Chinchilla, founder and executive producer of the New York Latino Film Festival, to talk about how he brought the nation’s premier Latino film festival to life and what it means for our culture today.
Joining the convo is acclaimed actor Manny Perez, who has two films screening at this year’s festival: 'A Tiro Limpio' & 'Tiguere' both shot in DR. Together, we dive deep into the world of Latino cinema from creating spaces that elevate our stories to the importance of showing up and supporting movies made for us, by us.
From behind-the-scenes hustle to the joy of seeing ourselves on the big screen, this episode is all about celebrating Latino creatives and shifting the way we think about film. 🎬✨
Cop your tix to the NYLFF here: nylatinofilmfestival.com/2025/🗽🔥
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:02):
Gracias Come Again, a podcast by Honey German.
Speaker 2 (00:08):
Welcome to another episode of Gracias Come Again. Today is
super special because we have a two for one. This
is actually the first time I'm having two guests at
the same time. But it was important you know that
not only do did we had Calixto Cincia here today
with us, but also he brought a special friend who's
a return the Icon, the Legend, the Superstar and Manny Perez.
(00:29):
Welcome both to Grasses Come Again.
Speaker 1 (00:31):
Thank you, thank you for having us, Thank you.
Speaker 2 (00:33):
For joining me today. We're going to talk about the
New York Latin Film Festival twenty fifth anniversary. Well Latino Latino. Yes,
Latino Film Festival twenty fifth.
Speaker 1 (00:41):
Anniversary, twenty fifth anniversary. You're the founder, Yes, started at
twenty one, forty one.
Speaker 2 (00:46):
Twenty that's how old you were. Yeah, why are you
be aging yourself? I was gonna say, how old were
you when you started? At ten?
Speaker 1 (00:53):
I started in media entertable when I was like sixteen
and then so that's a story, and then I got
into this kind of we'll talk.
Speaker 2 (01:01):
About it, but how do you feel right now twenty
five years later? Do you feel like you've accomplished what
you set out to accomplish, or do you feel like
there's still a lot of road ahead of you both.
Speaker 1 (01:08):
I feel like this is beyond my dreams, you know
what I mean. I don't think only God correct this book,
you know what I mean? And so I look at
it that way, and there's there's more to come and
there's more to go. When we thankfully have evolved, we're
going to we have a tour which we could talk about,
but yeah, we're going to intensity tour across the country
after this one. So it's a lot and we have
an agency with a marketing agency.
Speaker 2 (01:29):
We saw that.
Speaker 1 (01:29):
So we do a couple of different activations and we
work on a couple of feature films like we did Centers.
We worked on that was a good Bad Boys for
Life and stuff like that. So you know, again, but
that's how we engage the culture. And so we've been
fortunate to grow. And we just got nominated for an
Emmy two weeks ago.
Speaker 2 (01:45):
So you've been nominated for three. I means, right, I
have in the fast. That's amazing. You're gonna win this one.
Speaker 1 (01:49):
I better. I want to tell you this year, I am.
Speaker 2 (01:52):
Infesting it for you. Okay, next year when we talk
about the film festival again, you're gonna bring your emmy.
You don't put it right there? Okay, that's that's my
Are you going to get that one.
Speaker 1 (02:00):
To one year one day? I don't know.
Speaker 2 (02:02):
And Manny's been with you since day one. You were
telling me behind the scenes.
Speaker 1 (02:05):
Yeah, so he was just a young ling he was. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (02:10):
Actually it was a short that I did, we a
friend of my hours, afraid of the VideA with.
Speaker 1 (02:17):
The Thesis film exactly was that's when they made those
film showed in sixteen millimeter film exactly exactly.
Speaker 3 (02:24):
Then after that I went ahead and co wrote with
with the fred Or again Washington Heights.
Speaker 1 (02:29):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (02:29):
Then we're premiered Washington Heights in uh in in was
it your second year?
Speaker 1 (02:35):
Uh?
Speaker 3 (02:36):
Yeah, So that's how we sort of I've known this
man when he was I hate to say with bone skinny,
but my dude now is like bulked up. But it's
a it's it's The beautiful thing is that I love
watching this man grow with the years and as the
festival gets bigger, I part as an actor, being part
(02:56):
of this industry. It moves me, uh to be part
of this industry because of these type of festivals.
Speaker 2 (03:03):
Yeah, what you're doing here, you know, it's huge. It's
like when the film bus when it comes to New York,
We're like, bro, your tickets, did you see the did
you see the schedule? Did you see you know, everything
that's happening. It's what you do is so important to
our culture, especially here in New York because we mobilize
behind the festival. Yeah, you know, it's dope what you've
been doing. You know, I want to say thank you
(03:23):
because it's something that you know, sometimes we feel like
we don't have we don't get what we should get,
whether it be on Broadway, whether it be in the theaters.
So when you put this event together, it's like, finally
we can live.
Speaker 1 (03:33):
You know. I appreciate those words because sometimes when you're
in the think of it, I'm sure everybody can relate.
You know, you just get into your own whole into
doing it. Sometimes you don't step away and even when
the event is happening, I don't step away from it.
So in moments like this where he gets to talk
on Comba with people like Okay, I guess this is
happening or whatever, but it's really hard when you think
(03:54):
of it, it could be lonely sometimes, you know, so
you want to protect your spirit because sometimes there's always
people around you that want everything. I mean, especially Latinos,
where everybody wants, you know, when it comes to the
fessor like this, I get it. Everybody wants it to
be for every Latino and it is, but it isn't
too you know, what do you mean by that?
Speaker 2 (04:12):
Like like they'll say, nice, we've seeing the Mexican and
I said, is that what you're talking?
Speaker 1 (04:16):
I mean, sometimes everybody wants what what Latino means to them, right,
And I get it with a name like this, because
there's so much you can be for every single person,
and so you kind of have to treat it like
a brand and it's like, oh, well, this is what
this brand stands for, and if you like it, that's great,
it's for you. And if you don't, maybe there's other options.
You can go to this store that store. But there's
(04:38):
a certain point where you kind of just have to
own what you are and know that you can't be
all things to all people. And sometimes when you have
a name as broad as this, people want you to
be all things to.
Speaker 4 (04:47):
All People's hard to be that there's only so much
we can be, So how do we maximize what we
can be with what we're capable of being at the
you know, what's doing at the time.
Speaker 1 (04:58):
And so that's what it's about. And I had to
learn that four whiles before, you know, I could get
depressed about it, like I'm not enough? Are you insane?
Speaker 2 (05:07):
We look forward to this, I'm telling you right, But.
Speaker 1 (05:09):
Now you get out of it, you know what I mean.
There's a part of ownership. And I think because of
how I started so young, you know, in my mom's
house at twenty one, I.
Speaker 2 (05:20):
Need to know this building.
Speaker 1 (05:23):
I was in the projects in Manhattan. Yeah, single parent.
Didn't tell my mother about it. She never knew until
she saw it on TV. And by the time she
show it on TV, I'm moving at the house and
so yeah, yeah, and so it was like that. And
it was just crazy idea because I had done a
short film. But it's not like there wasn't a Tribeca
Film Festival. None of this existed, not even in the
(05:45):
general market or latinos and you're.
Speaker 2 (05:46):
Talking about the film festival didn't exist.
Speaker 1 (05:49):
We started as a as a collective and ninety eight
Pioneer is when it happened. Two thousand was the first festival.
So the way it happened, you know, I had made
this short film and I believe it or not, Sergio
George was one of my guys who had had done
some support with me back in the day, and it
was a short film. I was selling candy, I was
(06:09):
doing whatever to raise money for this short. I got
screwed over and but I what I when it came
time to release it and all of that. But what
I realized is there was such a tribe of black
and Latino creatives. And back then, you know, the independent
film scene in New York was on fire. I mean
it still is, but it was like lightning fire, and
so it was easy to network and build people, you
(06:29):
know with people and make the content. And then something
clicked in my mind that what if there was a
place on an opportunity for folks like me. I knew
I couldn't be an anomaly. I couldn't be by myself.
I knew that there was other Latinos that existed that
wanted to learn about this business. But it came out
at like an interesting time where people were looking at
(06:51):
us as the next big thing, and so we were
in Time magazine explosions when it happened. So Ricky Martin
was about to come up all of that, and so
there was an industry that was hungry on us. But
latina'sn't known anything, and you had an industry that was
really curious about us. But there was a lack of
knowledge that I felt like we had in the business space.
(07:12):
So for me, it's like, well, how do we equip
ourselves behind the business of show. How do we educate
these studios to what the culture is producing, and how
do we build audiences for the work? How do we
make it accessible? Doesn't matter if you're in the Bronx,
it doesn't matter if you're whatever your income level is.
If you're really serious about this business and this is
(07:32):
the place for you to be. And that was really
ambitious because I was young and I'm still living with
my mom, So how I'm gonna pull this off? And
so I was really I felt like I was playing
a role, as you know, I was like, Okay, I'm
going to call myself the executive director of this organization
that doesn't exist CEO CFO because I had to flip
(07:56):
the script in my mind and I still think this
way that Okay, if I'm gonna build something, I work
for this company. It doesn't matter if I founded it
whatever that is the case. But I work for this
company because when you started LLC this for people to know,
it really is a person. The company is a company.
So treat it. You're an employee of the company. Don't
get you ego twisted. Oh I run this. You know.
Speaker 2 (08:18):
That's when things start to feel.
Speaker 1 (08:21):
And I'm like, so I knewy, like you know, hindsight
twenty twenty. I knew that early. And then I was
really fortunate to you know, I was really I would
call people up. I would call uh HBO, troll whoever.
I had a pitch deck that Ben wasn't a deck,
but like you know, I print this stuff, I type
it out. There was yeah, everything, and I landed a.
(08:44):
I would star sixt nine executives, right, A star six
to nine executives. And somebody was like, WHOA, you know,
here's the general number to HBO. I said, okay, maybe
you talk to marketing, maybe you talk to acquisitions whatever.
I called them all all and at some point, you know,
I would hang up the phone if I didn't get through.
It would be like radio dialing. I want to win
(09:06):
the prize, one of those like you keep calling calling
to you get you know, on the radio. So finally
I would make nice, you know with the receptionists and
all that and smoothing.
Speaker 2 (09:18):
Whatever on the line.
Speaker 1 (09:21):
So one day she passed me through to the executive
I have been trying to cultivate and I was at work.
This you would think this is a movie and it's not,
but it is.
Speaker 2 (09:33):
Your hands were sweaty like eminem No.
Speaker 1 (09:35):
I got through while I was at work and a
customer happened to be in my face.
Speaker 2 (09:39):
Oh you where did you work?
Speaker 1 (09:41):
I worked for the French Alliance, so as the Alliance
friend says, and it was like a business thing, and
uh and so I but somebody was in front of
my face. So I had to get my friend to
like cover me because I got I'm getting in. So
I had like a quick second and whatever words I said,
they were like, we'll give you ten fifteen minutes come
(10:02):
in person, to come in person, and I said okay.
So I had to figure out how I was going
to pitch this thing. I knew my soul what it was.
I could speak authentically to it. But now I had
to figure out not to freeze in front of an executive.
She'd never been in those spaces because I'm living in
the projects with my mother and then and I'm going
to school like this, I'm going from point A to
(10:25):
point B and it doesn't I'm trying to figure it out.
Excuse my language.
Speaker 2 (10:28):
Oh you're good, You're good.
Speaker 1 (10:29):
And I got into this meeting. I walk away with
a contract that day.
Speaker 2 (10:34):
Who did you meet with? A white man, a white woman?
Who did you meet with? I want to know who
was in front of you?
Speaker 1 (10:38):
Some executives and a bunch of people. Yeah, one of
them was one of a key person was a Latino.
So it was good that there was a Latino in
the room. But you got to say that, you know,
you know, there wasn't an HBO Latino that existed two
years later after the festival. Latino had a reason to exist.
But that's how it was. And I left the elevator
(10:59):
like crying as much on the spot. Yeah, you know,
I got an offer on the spot.
Speaker 2 (11:06):
That's beautiful in mind the cold calling h VO and getting.
Speaker 1 (11:09):
A I would write this book, And so I noticed book.
Speaker 2 (11:14):
It needs to be a feature film so we can
premiere it.
Speaker 1 (11:17):
And I know, and so for me, it's like as
much as I want to get into building, I want
to get out so bad because my eyes were like,
what is going to happen? Because now the pressure is
now I gotta now, I gotta make this happen. On Yeah,
when I'm gonna find these latinos, when I'm going to
find enough content to warrant a festival. I just told you.
(11:37):
I didn't lie to you, but I told you that
I could find this. Now there's an oh, shoot moment,
and I got to make it happen. And so that
that became the harder work is like, okay, now I
got to start a company. What I'm gonna do? Now
I gotta hire, I gotta make this happen. And that's
how I quickly had to learn at a rapid clip,
like what I was going to do and how I
(11:58):
was gonna happen.
Speaker 2 (11:59):
No pressure.
Speaker 3 (11:59):
But but you know what great pure you know what's
great about this as as a filmmaker, you know, as
an actor turned writer, director, producer, these are the places
or this is the place that every filmmaker wants to
premiere their their product, if not a product is going
to be stuck in a closet somewhere, and so he
gives these filmmakers their dream to premiere and a big screen.
(12:24):
And that's what this whole thing is about. You know.
So having Latino film festival like this one in New York.
There's one also in la that I must say, it's
a great film festival as well.
Speaker 1 (12:34):
Those are the.
Speaker 3 (12:35):
Two ones in the in the whole country that gives
Latinos filmmakers a chance to premiere and to sell their film.
I mean, you get to sell your film, heare if
you invite you know, producers or distributors to come and
see it. And that's that's the beauty of being in
a and you know, I.
Speaker 1 (12:55):
Mean certainly, you know, Warner Brothers does give a different
level of of visibility, and certainly it's it's a different thing.
Speaker 2 (13:05):
How long were you with HBO, because I remember it
was always the HBO, you know, the same family. Okay,
so you're still part of that family.
Speaker 1 (13:11):
Yeah, well Warner Brothers owns it, Okay.
Speaker 2 (13:13):
I didn't want to be a part of ways, but
I feel like the HBO part is not like so
prominent that they don't say.
Speaker 1 (13:18):
It something changed because screaming. Now it's HBO Max, I
mean with.
Speaker 2 (13:23):
The New York Film Festival. Now I feel like it's
a standalone name. Before it was always like HBO.
Speaker 1 (13:28):
There's still a part of it. It's a brand, they are,
but now it's Warner Brothers Discussion. So now it's the
parent But yeah, no, no, no, they've.
Speaker 2 (13:36):
Been they that's what's up.
Speaker 3 (13:40):
I like that.
Speaker 1 (13:41):
I'm really thankful, you know. But also we do so
many different things together. We do different programs, you know,
we've we've done different things. So right now that you know,
the organization's being been able to grow as the needs
of the culture and and and our place entertainment shifts.
So we when we that there was a lack of
Latino comedians, I was like, well, how do we start
(14:03):
a comedy program and give a lucky person an HBO special?
Like full marketing, you're getting an HBO special.
Speaker 2 (14:10):
You're doing that now.
Speaker 1 (14:24):
Yeah, we've done it for the past six years. Rath
Barbosa was one of our discoveries. He won. We had
Mark Vieira. He's selling out. He's selling out Beacon Theater
right now, like the week of the festival. And then
we launched a filmmaker program. We had a fund and
so we you know, give full full payment for a
film to be shot, like a short film acquisitions. Yeah,
(14:48):
and then we actually shot the first production in Dominican Republic,
which was a film Freddie Vargas's film with Baseball. I
forget the name, but there's about these two young kids
in Hispaniola Chispaniola. And then and then right now, I
you know, I run a fund, a co administer of
(15:09):
fund called one fifty where we give filmmakers just back
in financing, you know, on on films. Yeah. Yeah, it's
a good grant support. And so we have a couple
of films that are coming out right now until we're
excited about it and they get a first look deal
at the studio. So you know, we're really happy with that.
And then you know, again you just keep evolving. You know,
(15:30):
we have a host competition and we have people hosts
and hosts are red carpets because there was like there
was a lack of Latino hosts on this game that
are covering carpets. You have Mario Lopezica, Oh.
Speaker 2 (15:40):
Come on, I love Mario, but we're not just one.
Speaker 1 (15:43):
Just one. So I was like Okay, then how about
we cover on carpet and some of our hosts have
gone on to NBC. I have a host right now
who's on NBC. I have one who's on Picks eleven.
And now you have tape, you have tape with the celebrity,
you have tape on a carpet that you didn't have before.
And you know, we've been able to really launched some
careers in different ways. But again, it sales feels very new,
(16:04):
very fresh. I'm still excited about it. There's always new
challenges because you know, we're facing some challenges now, you
know what I mean. You look at you know twenty
five years ago where were talking about being in and
diversity inclusion. Twenty five years later, we're still having that conversation.
Twenty five years later, has become politicized. Twenty five years later,
(16:25):
it's hard to be Latino right now. Twenty five years later,
it's harder to be to run culture spaces. So the
conversation has shifted, and yes, some things remain the same.
But the thing that is the most powerful is our resilience.
We're not going nowhere, We're not going anywhere. And I
got one hundred and ten films to show you why nice,
(16:45):
Because we're resilient enough that we're going to find the money.
We know where the money's at. I got one hundred
and ten films to prove it to you, right, and
so we'll find it will be defiant, there's investors, there's opportunity.
We're going to tell our stories. We're going to continue
to remain in places in the spaces that we need
to be and that's that's where we have to really
(17:06):
be consistent, persistent and defying and like making sure that
our voices are being heard.
Speaker 2 (17:14):
One hundred percent. I say it all the time. Man,
you better be loud and proud because we are the
Latino majority. I don't feel like a minority in any way. Bro,
anywhere at your yego, I occupy space. I take my space.
Speaker 4 (17:26):
You have to, and you're creating opportunities for us.
Speaker 2 (17:30):
Oh, one hundred percent. Know I created this. I'm like,
if it doesn't exist, I'm going to create it. And
you know, I sit across from people. Last week we
had Lewis Guzman. You know what I'm saying, Like he
is amazing. You know what I'm saying, Like it's just
growing and growing and growing and you know, I got
a shout out Manny because Manny came early on in
the game and he took a chance and I DMed him.
I took a chance and I was like I want,
I want to interview you and he was like, yeah, sure,
(17:50):
tell me when, tell me where. And that's the thing
about Latinos. He helped me grow this space because he
gave me valid like validation like oh shit, man was there,
and then the next actor and then we're gonna do
you know, Lauren Blez and then we did Louis Guzman
and then they were because like I feel like after you,
it kind of like triggered, like all these big actors
are like okay, hell come okay, you know, like everybody came.
(18:13):
It just I feel like this is going to be
such a big deal. And as Latinos, we're like, you
know what, we see what she's doing now. And the
same thing with Louis Guzman and No's and New York.
He didn't do any rate. He just came here and
he was like and he was like, you know what,
I want to support you because I see what you're
doing and I want to help you grow. And it's
the same thing Manny did. And that's the same reason
why I wanted you to come here, because I'm like,
(18:34):
you know what, I can't have a show for Latinos
and not you know, speak to Calixto and you know,
let Latinos know that, you know the New York Latino
film festivals happening next week because we have to come out.
But sometimes I feel like if we don't know things
are happening, we don't do it because people be like,
oh my god, honey, do we So if I would
have known, I would have went. And I feel like
that's the sentiment a lot that they just like, oh,
you'll be right like that fomoy, I'm like, Ye're.
Speaker 1 (18:57):
So right, Well that's how come you got to peep
up lie pressure? Like I don't settle, you know, I
don't settle our media team, like I want to be
on the pulse of where culture lives. I don't want
to be behind it. I want to be in front
of it. So we're on the next like this when
the vessel's coming out, like I got we got bus
shelters throughout the I saw them throughout New York from
(19:17):
from from White Plains, Cinstina Island, you know, we got
a great media campaign. We've been pushing, but like you,
you don't settle, and even after twenty five years, we
don't settle to think that everybody knows who we are.
You keep evolving to where culture lives, and you know,
we really try to stay current. And then the fans,
you know what I mean, like they're really supportive, and
(19:39):
the talent, you know, we really try to. Like to
your point, what made our situation worse is I wanted
no celebrity to be above the title.
Speaker 4 (19:48):
Back then.
Speaker 1 (19:49):
You know, Jennifer Lopez presents and that was an easy out. Oh,
you should do that because then more people will come.
I was like, no, if we're that good, they have
no choice but to. And the first year, John Leguizamo came,
or Rosie Perez, jer Rodriguez, we close with Girl Fight
that year and we end up just getting Kerrie Washington
(20:12):
came the first year, like all these people came the
first year. But you know, we sold out, Like the
first week we sold out twice. We had to like
add a screening when we didn't expect it, and like that.
The first year was probably electric, so people they started
out small. I don't really know it was explosive pretty quick.
(20:34):
But but now you have to keep at it. And
this year we're honoring Michael Rodriguez with that Impact Award.
But look, we got it last year. No Joel Jerome
got it last year. We got it the year before.
But again, that's where when celebrities interact with us, it's authentic.
They love it, they love it, they want to be here.
(20:55):
I'm not chasing you, like we're in this together. Yeah,
and like and they feel part of it. And so
I think I'm not hit a cloud chase you. I
don't need to do that. And so once you come
from that authentic space, then they're more receptive to you.
It's like, Okay, what do you whatever? You want, what
do you need? I'm here whatever, And so I'm thankful
(21:16):
for that, you know what I mean. I don't take
any of that for granted.
Speaker 2 (21:18):
Now, we got to give your flowers. What you've been
doing out here for twenty five years is major, is needed,
and you didn't let it die out because you know,
a lot of people have ideas and you know they
do it a year, two, three, five, ten, fifteen. Bro,
you've been doing this twenty five years. That's a long
as Sun.
Speaker 1 (21:33):
Yeah, it's true. But this brother, you know, to even
see him like, I don't you know, you're working, man,
it's a lot.
Speaker 3 (21:43):
You're still working, brother, I know, but it's it's a
lone journey, dude. It's I mean, and it's crazy. And
what's crazy is that, you know.
Speaker 1 (21:51):
And he has two films in the festival. It's crazy.
I've been doing features. I've been blessed good ones.
Speaker 3 (21:56):
No, yeah they are good.
Speaker 1 (21:57):
Actually yeah, they're really good.
Speaker 3 (22:00):
Is actually pretty think it is an amazing film. You know,
all the films that I've done, the dr I feel
like is just very it's just grat Yeah, it's plus
my work mature as an actor in that one as well.
But in regards to Latinos are liable, I'm just joking. No, no, no, See,
(22:23):
the problem with Latinos is Latinos. And I say that,
and I'll say it again, I'll keep saying it a
hundred times. The problem with us is that we don't
We're not united at all, dude, at all. If if
this dude is Mexican and he has a Mexican film,
Puerto Ricans, Dominicans, Caribbean is not going to see that
shit because It's like, that's a Mexican ship. It's not
(22:45):
for me. If Puerto Rican I got in a Puerto
Rican and a film that takes place in the East Coast,
Mexican is not going to see it because that is
some East Coast ship. To the white guy sitting in Texas,
we're all for exactly as about.
Speaker 1 (23:00):
We don't feel that.
Speaker 3 (23:01):
But we as Latino don't feel that. We're like, yo,
I'm fucking I'm I'm Dominican.
Speaker 1 (23:05):
I'm better than Puerto.
Speaker 3 (23:06):
Rican, I'm better than than I'm better than Mexican. You
know what the damn it. It's like the problem is
with us, and that's the problem with you know, uh,
this this, this industry is us. Why do I say that?
Because when when a film comes out, every once you
go to the movie theater, our people don't go. Our
people are the last motherfuckers to go. And and I
(23:28):
feel like this is something is wrong with us without pride,
our ego, and that's the problem. Mostly the African Americans
Yoiano triudarians, but with us, we got issues, dude, And
I feel like I don't know how to fix that.
And I've been saying that since back in Washington Knight's
(23:50):
Day when Washing Nights came out. I've always said that,
and I feel like the problem is us.
Speaker 1 (23:55):
How do we fix that?
Speaker 3 (23:56):
I don't know.
Speaker 1 (23:57):
I think two things. I think there's a generational shift
with younger creators this gen and there was ours, right,
and so I think how they view culture and how
they write stories about the culture. I think it's going
to shift to how audiences want to because not everybody
(24:18):
wants to be hit in the head, oh Latino for
Latino kind of content. I think like African Americans, we
kind of had to find our way to creating content
that's successful to anybody and everybody, right, because we got
to make movies from the masses, of course, so if
they're too hyper culturally specific, it's really hard. You know,
it can be really hard to market, right, So how
(24:38):
do we create stories and narratives that balance the two? Right? Like,
I can still be of the culture, but I got
so popcorn to a bunch of you know what I mean?
And so I think, but you got to understand, you
know that you have Latinos now talking about being after Latino, Right,
you have Latinos now talking about you know, how people
(25:02):
view culture now is on the GRAM. There was no
GRAM when we first came up in this game, right,
But how they view culture, how they document you see
it on Instagram. How these creatives do They're gonna take
that at two point zero. What we did. Our job
is to welcome those people in. This is what we
do at the festival. I'm not gonna fight you like
I'd love to work with so many new people. I'm
(25:23):
the most collaborative guy I think you can meet. But
that's the thing is that I'm not trying to get keep.
So I think once we function from that place, I
think definitely you're seeing the creatives change because there's not thing.
Those who worked on Centers, there's nothing. Those who worked
it with Spike Lee, look at Spike Lee. If you
saw Spike Lee's new film, I don't know if you
saw it with Denzel. The best sequence is at the
(25:44):
Puerto Rican Day Parade. It's a whole chase in the
Puerto Rican Day Parade. And you got Alibamery on his
last performance before he died in the freaking movie. Yeah, Rosie,
you got you know, you know Anthony Ramos. I went
to a theater. It was so doubt and it was
it's UNAPOLOGI unapologetically New York and black Latino.
Speaker 3 (26:06):
Well that's great, that's beautiful.
Speaker 1 (26:08):
So sometimes you need, you know, those filmmakers also to reciprocate, right,
and so you know, definitely Spike is one of those guys.
You know what I mean, he's quintessential New Yorker. But
I'm saying like even he like if you look at
that film, it's a very young but mature film that
you wouldn't expect Spike to make as seventy years old.
But he's like on all cylinders and this is progressive.
(26:31):
It's progressive, and I think that when it comes to us,
I think again, even when you see the films that
are at this festival, you know, Matt Bills is one
of them. It's it's young, it's assertive, it's Dominican, but
it's also very you know, this film has won the
top awards in Europe. It won Sundance. How many Dominican
(26:52):
films have won Sunday's US Latino. That's beautiful and you
got it with this film. This kid is young Dominican
from Bronx, educated in London, brought his London crew to
the Bronx shot it. Now he listened that he'll come
back for the festival, but he's in London right now. Again,
these these these people are looking at culture different because
they're having it different than we had it, you know,
(27:16):
So I think that I welcome the change and what
that looks like.
Speaker 2 (27:19):
You know, So you feel like there's a shift.
Speaker 1 (27:22):
I think it's happening. Yeah, you know. I mean I
think you can feel it too, you know, I think
you're seeing it.
Speaker 2 (27:27):
So you know, let's say gen Z and Jen A
are going to operate different than us. That's right, they
are gen X and millennials. There's there is going to
be a shift. But you know, to what many says,
we do have to get these people out here. And
I understand what he says. You know, like a Dominican
will go, let's say, defefeat, though maybe you know, someone
(27:48):
that's Mexican might be like, you know, whatever it is.
So I understand what he's saying is there is a
divide in a way as far as like how we consume.
Speaker 3 (27:54):
But but but then also there's a difference between a
film that is purely the Dominican may in dr and
a film that is made in the USA.
Speaker 1 (28:03):
By Dominican experiences.
Speaker 3 (28:05):
It's a different world. You know. Example, uh is an
amazing film, Don't want everybody, nobody, but no one went
to see the movie Illegal Tender.
Speaker 2 (28:16):
It's actually pretty good film, love Illegal.
Speaker 3 (28:18):
And then nobody went to see that ship because you know,
so that's.
Speaker 1 (28:22):
The you had Empire that people did well. Empire did well,
Ye did well?
Speaker 3 (28:26):
Yeah exactly.
Speaker 1 (28:27):
But also it's also you got to understand when we
came out, there wasn't multicultural marketing. Those offices didn't exist. No,
that's now, that's now, you know what I mean, the department.
I saw a studio that just hired their first multicultural
marketing officer.
Speaker 2 (28:42):
That's insane.
Speaker 1 (28:43):
Girl, we're in twenty and twenty five. You just got
you know what I mean, And so you got to
understand that there wasn't people like us in the building
that had executive positions of power. Twenty five years later,
we're getting fired because this the media consolidation, right, And
so sometimes it feels like it's two steps forwards six
steps back because now we're going through different shifts. But
(29:06):
back then, yeah, there wasn't multi cultural nada, we didn't.
And so I think that that's the thing, and there
was a sweet spot in the mid two thousands where yes,
you had more of us in the building. I know
every latinal and black executive that can do something. But
still there isn't anyone who couldn't green light a film.
(29:28):
That's just the nature of Hollywood. There isn't a personal
color that can really green light. There's people who can
get you the money, there's people who can move your head.
There's people who work in acquisitions or development. Those people exist,
some of those people still exist now, but there was
a period where that didn't really exist, right, And so
again I think it's there's a shift. But it's a marathon.
(29:49):
It's not a it's a marathon, even cleaning. We're doing
what we do. It's certainly been a marathon. And I've
had to consistently navigate, you know, because you know all
the mergers. Have been through a lot of mergers, and
you still have to stay in the room, you know,
and so you kind of persevere, you you work and
continue to be consistent and disciplined.
Speaker 2 (30:29):
My god, that movie, Yeah, no, what was your involvement
in it?
Speaker 3 (30:34):
I was just an actor.
Speaker 2 (30:35):
He was an actor. I felt like it was it
was so good, I said, actually.
Speaker 1 (30:40):
Okay, yeah, you know Van Luis get a sudden Yeah exactly.
Speaker 3 (30:44):
He You know, the the good thing about having that
dude directed film, he's really a professionalist, and that dude
took seven years to finish this film. I'm like, whoa dude,
just release the ship and but seven years. Actually I
appreciate that. I appreciate it because you know, as an actor,
I want you to For example, we had to go
how to go back and do reshoot like three times.
(31:06):
It's funny because you know, when we shut the thing,
my character they added like these ghanas, you know, gray hair.
I'm done.
Speaker 1 (31:14):
I'm like, yo, no effects.
Speaker 3 (31:19):
But I appreciate that because it's very detailed and it's
a it's a shootout. Really is heat in.
Speaker 1 (31:25):
The Heat That's what I said. Is you ever heat
with Robert it's just blaz in heist.
Speaker 3 (31:33):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (31:33):
Really good. So it's really good.
Speaker 3 (31:34):
So, I mean it's amazing. You want to enjoy this film.
If you loved Heat, that does about the.
Speaker 1 (31:40):
Painless action film. You don't get Dominican films that are
like the pure popcorn.
Speaker 2 (31:45):
Said Dominican James Bond. Yeah, I see. I I was
just like, what is happening?
Speaker 3 (31:49):
Yeah, pretty much all of it, and and and the
Beautiful Thing is premiering at the the United Palace. And
that theater, dude, is it is theater in the world
for me. And you know I've done screening in Toronto.
Speaker 1 (32:08):
You're like, Wow, honestly, dude, that theater is Like, I'm
nervous about it.
Speaker 2 (32:12):
That's why are you nervous about it? Talk to me.
Speaker 1 (32:14):
It's beauty to go there. And so the we've never
done it. It's it's it's intimidating the biggest.
Speaker 3 (32:22):
Yeah, it's huge, but that screen man, it's just the
quality of it.
Speaker 1 (32:25):
But then I remember we did an event at the
zig Field when it was a movie The Got You.
It's similar, it's similar to that. I was like, it
felt not what it used to be.
Speaker 3 (32:34):
Yeah, it's similar to that, but you know in a
different uptown.
Speaker 1 (32:39):
Yeah, you know, it's some other good Dominican films like
a I don't know if you saw that about you know,
the THEMBO scene. I know what it is. It is.
Speaker 2 (32:48):
I wasn't going to get Republic last week, But what
am I gonna go when I'm like, the.
Speaker 1 (32:58):
Film got fire? This is just because it's a you
don't know, what's real and what's fake because it's a
quasi documentary, but a lot of you see a lot
of stuff and that's it. And but it's really assured,
it's confident. I saw the film myself by Southwest another
you know, Jose is like a top DR filmmaker, Like
(33:21):
really it's it's a bird's eye view into a cup
of deal and it's just really uh fascinating, the music,
all of it. And so you know, we got some
fire Dominican films like we don't no feelers, we don't
do we do the top flight to show like a comment,
I'm not showing Psycho pegg six like we're not doing that. No, no, no, no, no,
(33:42):
it's because that's not We got to elevate the content,
you know what I mean. And even when I go
to DR and I speak over there, you know, we
talk about it.
Speaker 2 (33:50):
Okay, you say DR or you do you say the DR?
Speaker 1 (33:54):
It depends on what I'm saying and what I'm saying.
Speaker 2 (33:57):
Because that's always a thing like why do you say
the DR? Who says DR?
Speaker 1 (34:01):
I Some say DR like just to keep it quick.
But yes, we're going to yes, you know, we we're
making just as much content as Mexican filmmakers are. Matter
of fact, there's so many Mexican co productions because of
our text credit that you know, they're shooting Mexican films
in DR right and co productions and stuff like that.
(34:23):
So how do we elevate? And we're getting there. The
quality of the content is getting stronger in DR. But
that's not that's like top tier. But these are younger
filmmakers exactly, and so they're they're gonna, I want to
make mass popcorn movies. I'm gonna do that. Or you
look at Jose Maria, I'm gonna make you know, bold
(34:44):
filmmaking that Dominicans never messed with. And like now you're
seeing a shift where you know, now we're getting considered
for Oscar, you know contention where we never you know,
that never was happening, right, And so I think that
the maturity is happening. But again it's taking time, you
know what I mean. I mean people don't realize the
film tax credit changed the island, you know what I mean,
(35:05):
Like now that you have a tax, like now this
is incentive to shoot. It's really important that that continues
to happen because it helps the local economy. It helps
the small business people to sell food or whatever. It's
almost big and small, the carpenter's technicians, all of that,
tourism and all of that. So you know, and it'sific
(35:27):
because there even I'll admit it, you know, took some
of PR shine because some of PR used to have
a big tax incentive. And now they're getting there. But
like Lionel went quick with the with the with the
you know, with the law. But you see how it's
benefiting the country, and it's the benefiting the content, the
profile of the country, but also the content that comes
(35:49):
out of it. And this festival is even you know,
proof of that. But again, we represent films from Brazil, Mexico, everywhere,
you know, as long as and so again we get
content from every part of the world.
Speaker 2 (36:02):
How do you even pick which flicks?
Speaker 1 (36:04):
You're a great programming team. I don't watch half, don't
ask me, don't quiz me on movies.
Speaker 2 (36:09):
No, I will not. But I'm like, weir how many
films are submitted.
Speaker 1 (36:12):
Almost close to one thousand from around the world. To
see that, we just kept a team that you know,
for every category we break them out and we just
have a big team that just goes through everything and
some styps we'll go to festivals, will go to Sundance
or sometimes I'll go to Phone Glow there in dr
or whatever. You know, we'll go wherever and just you know,
look at stuff. Some stuff we pick up and then
(36:33):
some stuff just comes to us. And then you try
to come up with a balance program. And I do
believe we program with deep intention, like I don't need fillers,
like I don't need to do any of that. But
it's and it's a mix between studio studio films and
you know, independent films as well. So yeah, again it's
it's just been great.
Speaker 3 (36:53):
It's great. You know, I always say that the scene
the taxan said in the DR it's been a blessing
for the island, for the new talent, for the actors,
for everyone, just because you know, they're doing twenty eight
to thirty two films a year and these films are
going into festivals that you know, they're opening doors, and
I feel like that helps the country, helps tourism, helps
(37:15):
it just helps the economy.
Speaker 1 (37:16):
Economy, the profile, yeah, for any for any country. And yeah,
you know, so we've been happy with like the growth
of it and making sure that the content continues to
be this high quality and a lot of the films,
there's also a place of business at HBO buy a
lot of films at the festival, you know, even Washington
High Schod and acquisition deal. You know, we've had a
(37:38):
lot of films picked up. So you know, we we
have events that are happening at Warner Brothers. Is thirty
Rock event for now this year. You know, to really
understand the business of it, because you know, this is
this is show business. Okay, so some content is not
going to fly, So how about we create content that
people are asking for. So it's not it's not hard,
(38:01):
it's just it's just it's just you gotta work. It's
not you just have to work twice as hard, you
know what I mean. But it's tangible. You know, you
can make it happen.
Speaker 2 (38:11):
It's happening.
Speaker 1 (38:12):
It's happening. You know.
Speaker 2 (38:14):
The Film Festival is running from the thirteen to the
twenty first.
Speaker 1 (38:16):
Yes, we start off with the Digital Conference, so to
influencer conference just for you know, people who of color
that work in the digital space, whether you're a social influencer.
But it really gets into the money and the business
behind influencers, because as much as Latinos dominate on all
things social, we don't own anything or we'll underpaid. You
(38:38):
can have the same follower account as that kardashianile and
not get Pai Kardashian money, if you know what I mean,
with the same follower account. So how do we create
those spaces where we're educating each other. So we'll talk
about money, We'll talk about retirement. If you're an entrepreneur,
we don't think about some of those things.
Speaker 2 (38:52):
So if someone listening right now wants to be part.
Speaker 1 (38:54):
Of this, it's for free.
Speaker 2 (38:55):
It's for free.
Speaker 1 (38:56):
It's for free. Where do they tap in at website?
And why Latino Film Festival dot com, follow us on
our Gram and we're Latino Film Festival. We just announced
it for panels yesterday.
Speaker 2 (39:07):
Do you remember who's on it.
Speaker 1 (39:09):
There's a bunch we have. Just give me some stand
up Audible. It's we have a couple of big Dominican influences.
Speaker 2 (39:17):
But it's on the website.
Speaker 1 (39:19):
It's fire Coke, Cochlan, Coca Cola and Audible are presenting it.
It's I'm sorry, I'm don't do that, honey, But you
know we have some good, good folks in it, and
it's gonna be really tight. And it's all on our
website and there's so much stuff I don't even I
(39:40):
gotta get briefed on what it is, but I know
what it is. But happening, right, But it's all happening.
And then Michelle Rodriguez again, she's getting our Impact Award
on Friday night. Where's this happening it It's gonna happen
at the Regal Union Square. Majority of our stuff is
happening there. And then there's some other stuff that's happening
in United Palace and can we.
Speaker 2 (39:59):
Be there if someone's listening and they want to be,
you know, the United stuff.
Speaker 1 (40:03):
For every price point. There's some free events for doodles,
all for free.
Speaker 5 (40:07):
Is the block party free?
Speaker 1 (40:21):
We also closed the block party. See you take you listen?
Speaker 2 (40:25):
I know your business?
Speaker 1 (40:27):
What else we got? So we got a block party
and plaza. It's gonna be dope if we have a
good presenter. Can I give you the name Amazon the
so Je Noah's is the headliner. We gotta plant the
(40:47):
industrial that's performing, it's fire lineup, it's concerts, it's gonna
be activations. Last year we had the Penguin. We turned
it into Gotham City literally if you see in our videos,
like we did custom build out and we have the
talent there. We had a Maserati.
Speaker 2 (41:02):
When is it happening? Because I think I feel like
this is something that we close.
Speaker 1 (41:06):
Off the summer September twenty first all Day is that
a Sunday. It's on Sunday, the last the last eventive festival.
We can do the awards out there. I mean and
yeah doing aplasa because we used to do it in
the Bronx one of the parking lots Byankee Stadium, but
we're doing it here and it's just it's exciting. Have
you did you go last year?
Speaker 3 (41:27):
I did not go last year.
Speaker 1 (41:28):
No, okay, the.
Speaker 3 (41:29):
Years but okay, he'd be busy, he'd be busy, he'd bet.
Speaker 1 (41:39):
That's it's true.
Speaker 2 (41:39):
I love it. But look at manual met.
Speaker 1 (41:43):
Yeah, we'ven't got v I P tickets. There's regular price tickets.
There's tickets for every price point. We even have a
VIP suite at the Venus. Yeah. So I think for us,
we try to create the event as really like an
ex experience. We want you to feel it, you know,
the quality even the sound like we want every like
(42:06):
those little touch points because you got to understand, you know,
when we came out, we also had to mystify even
to our own of what this was going to look
like and feel like, because everyone puts their prejudices on it,
you know what I mean, especially when the festival first started.
What is it going to be? Like, what's gonna look
are they're gonna show ratchet stuff? What is it going
to be? But again we're creatives, but also to the
(42:28):
general market, those general market festivals or whatever. It's like,
not every prejudice that you got upon us, I'm going
I'm going to wrong you on all of them. And
you got understand all those obstacles were in our way
when we first came out the gate. So again I
had to convince a culture. I had to convince Hollywood.
I had to convince whoever that this was going to
(42:50):
be elevated. This is going to be everything that you
didn't even thought it would be. And it's always been
That's how it has to be.
Speaker 2 (42:56):
It's always felt, you know, classy, it's always felt you know,
like this a.
Speaker 1 (42:59):
Buy Yeah, don't come in a carpets looking whatever you
go to our Instagram. We have like a whole fashion
run off of people who dress up. Don't you know.
Speaker 2 (43:10):
Don't look like you better come with him in mind,
I said, And.
Speaker 1 (43:16):
Fort have films financed at the freaking festival. I've had
people who literally, I don't make this stuff up, but
like people was like, yo, that was a casting person
I connected with, and I'm in this whatever, and you've
seen it, like you've been in these spaces. You never
know who you're gonna meet, so you step in beyond
(43:38):
if you're not, this is not for the week. Like
if you want a network, that's fine. If you want
to just enjoy the movie, that's fine too. But you
you can make and maximize the most of it however,
which way.
Speaker 2 (43:50):
You will as expected.
Speaker 1 (43:51):
As long as we create the spaces for that take
full advantage.
Speaker 2 (43:55):
Of that, you know, and it's there and its exists,
and it's a full week. It's like if you can't
make it on Monday, you can make on Thursday. I
always make it a point, you know, to make it
at least one or two events every year, because it's
my it's my thing, and I discover movies that way,
and it just feels like a dope way to support.
You know, Latinos like, don't say we don't have things
if you don't support them when we do have them.
Speaker 1 (44:13):
That's true to and that's the.
Speaker 3 (44:15):
Yeah, that being said, you need to go see listen.
Speaker 2 (44:21):
I love the whole you know, you know, pitch of
the movie. I've never seen anything like this and I
and it feels so like, you know, just coming of
age and you know, from a male perspective, it's something
that I don't really watch. But when I saw the preview,
I was like, oh, I see what.
Speaker 3 (44:38):
It's actually based on a true eventrue that happened to
the director. This is the director's point of view as
a child.
Speaker 2 (44:45):
He went through this, he went through this, he realized
with the walk man. I was like, okay, the kid
has a walk man. So this was a long time.
Speaker 3 (44:51):
Yeah, yeah, this is this is his life. I mean
he was because he's a mommy and he was taken.
Speaker 2 (44:59):
So he can become That's that's toughing you up.
Speaker 3 (45:01):
It's crazy. When I read that, I was like, this
is insane. That's my story. I'm like, oh, dude, I
want to I need to be part of this because
it became something else because I was like yeah, it's
like yeah, man, yeah, that's what those Mimi Poppies.
Speaker 1 (45:14):
Did with their kids.
Speaker 3 (45:16):
You're like, wow, Dude's like yeah, man, they put them
in camp.
Speaker 2 (45:19):
That's toughing you up.
Speaker 3 (45:21):
So it's crazy, I mean a crazy story.
Speaker 2 (45:25):
No, I definitely want to see. I saw the preview,
like well, the trailer, and I was like, this is
a dope concept. I love it and I'm definitely going
to come out now because it's you, because I love
the concept and I support and I feel like I've
seen everything you've done, and like everyone in my space
like with you, it's just it's just different. My mom my, sister,
my friend, show.
Speaker 1 (45:45):
Me this direct He's really good. If you never met him,
have it. It's supposed to come.
Speaker 2 (45:51):
But definitely, and you know, I would love to sit
down with himcause I feel like that's missing. You know.
I've done actors, fortographers, directors, rappers.
Speaker 1 (46:02):
He did. He's the first filmmaker to have two films
in the festival in competition, so yeah, style he did.
He did. I think Dominican Public is one of their
first Oscar submissions for competeros. You seen this an that's
(46:23):
a good one.
Speaker 2 (46:24):
Freaking brilliant.
Speaker 1 (46:26):
Yeah, and it was. It was the submission for the
Academy Award Premier is actually Sundance Sunday Growth. That's the growth, dude,
the growth.
Speaker 2 (46:39):
No, that's I definitely want to sit down with him,
you know. It's I sat down you know, with je
Noa like all of that. Yeah, I've had j Noah twice. Actually,
I love everything she stands for, you know. I love
the way that she's just a lyricist and she's not
using you know, sex or sex appeal to sell. She's
just like, yo, this is my talent. This is it,
you know what I'm saying. And the way that you know,
(46:59):
she moves.
Speaker 1 (47:00):
I love it. Michelle. We posted something on our grand
the other day. Michelle was talking about when she came out,
which is the two thousands, you know, when they would
objectify latinas always as a sex She's like, that's what
labeled be difficult when I didn't want she has no
nudity cause in her tracks because she has like she's
really like, I I will do this, but I will
(47:21):
not do this. I'm not going to be the slud.
I'm not going to be the sex siren. I want
to be a strong woman. Good for her and it,
but she got you know, she got some heat. But
she's been able to have a big career. It's a
different courage.
Speaker 2 (47:33):
And she's respected.
Speaker 3 (47:34):
You know.
Speaker 2 (47:34):
It's like it's something we've had to always fight against.
I don't want to be the sexy latina. I don't
want to be the spicy nothing bro. You won't respect me,
you know what I'm saying, Even if it means giving
all that masculine energy that Michelle gives or whatever it is,
what it is, we had a strong latina, you know,
that was respected, that wasn't objectified, that wasn't made, you know,
like the hot latina is supposed to. You know what
(47:55):
I'm saying, it's dope. I love what she's done, and
I think that's one of the reasons I gravitate towards
ge no what, because no, you know, no offense to
everybody that you know uses their body and you know,
goes extra and super sexy and sex cells at the
end of the day. But when I found find someone
who's just like relying solely on their talent as a
latina and as a female, especially in the music industry,
I'm gonna be like because what you're doing here.
Speaker 1 (48:19):
Yeah, yeah, So I look forward for her. Come, I
look forward to seeing her again. I've seen her in
a minute, but you know, she deserves this award, so
really happy to give it to her.
Speaker 2 (48:28):
She's flash, she's dope. We're gonna pull up. Man, if
you're listening, you know, if you listened all the way through,
I want to see you. You know this year at
the film festival, give us the website, give us the
website one more.
Speaker 1 (48:39):
Time, and why Latino Film Festival. You know.
Speaker 2 (48:45):
In the description of this episode, I'm gonna put a
link directly.
Speaker 1 (48:48):
It's all the same, Twitter, all the same and what
Latino films.
Speaker 2 (48:52):
Like, I'm the only one, no matter, I don't know. Now,
I want to thank you so much for sitting down
with me today.
Speaker 6 (48:58):
Manny us olympire, Ain't you don't want you?
Speaker 3 (49:12):
I was like, you.
Speaker 2 (49:14):
Don't the best wardrobe.
Speaker 3 (49:15):
Behead when they put I Shine?
Speaker 1 (49:18):
He does you know it is real?
Speaker 2 (49:21):
I said, no, the definitely is real. Coming down upon Germany.
Thank you so much. Now with me and Latinos, you know,
week after week we give you these episodes, and I
don't want you to just think that you know, consuming
this is enough I want you to consume all content
that is being created, starting you know, with the New
York Latino Film Festival, which is going down this week,
(49:42):
starting this week right here in New York City. Let's
get it.
Speaker 1 (49:45):
Ready, Let's get it. Thank you, see you at the
movie theaters.
Speaker 2 (49:51):
Grassias Come Again a those doors don't play with.
Speaker 1 (49:55):
Thank thank you. That was beautiful.
Speaker 2 (50:00):
Grassiers Come Again is a production of Honey German Productions
in partnership with Iheart's Macundura podcast network.
Gracias Come Again, a podcast by Honey German.
Speaker 2 (00:08):
Welcome to another episode of Gracias Come Again. Today is
super special because we have a two for one. This
is actually the first time I'm having two guests at
the same time. But it was important you know that
not only do did we had Calixto Cincia here today
with us, but also he brought a special friend who's
a return the Icon, the Legend, the Superstar and Manny Perez.
(00:29):
Welcome both to Grasses Come Again.
Speaker 1 (00:31):
Thank you, thank you for having us, Thank you.
Speaker 2 (00:33):
For joining me today. We're going to talk about the
New York Latin Film Festival twenty fifth anniversary. Well Latino Latino. Yes,
Latino Film Festival twenty fifth.
Speaker 1 (00:41):
Anniversary, twenty fifth anniversary. You're the founder, Yes, started at
twenty one, forty one.
Speaker 2 (00:46):
Twenty that's how old you were. Yeah, why are you
be aging yourself? I was gonna say, how old were
you when you started? At ten?
Speaker 1 (00:53):
I started in media entertable when I was like sixteen
and then so that's a story, and then I got
into this kind of we'll talk.
Speaker 2 (01:01):
About it, but how do you feel right now twenty
five years later? Do you feel like you've accomplished what
you set out to accomplish, or do you feel like
there's still a lot of road ahead of you both.
Speaker 1 (01:08):
I feel like this is beyond my dreams, you know
what I mean. I don't think only God correct this book,
you know what I mean? And so I look at
it that way, and there's there's more to come and
there's more to go. When we thankfully have evolved, we're
going to we have a tour which we could talk about,
but yeah, we're going to intensity tour across the country
after this one. So it's a lot and we have
an agency with a marketing agency.
Speaker 2 (01:29):
We saw that.
Speaker 1 (01:29):
So we do a couple of different activations and we
work on a couple of feature films like we did Centers.
We worked on that was a good Bad Boys for
Life and stuff like that. So you know, again, but
that's how we engage the culture. And so we've been
fortunate to grow. And we just got nominated for an
Emmy two weeks ago.
Speaker 2 (01:45):
So you've been nominated for three. I means, right, I
have in the fast. That's amazing. You're gonna win this one.
Speaker 1 (01:49):
I better. I want to tell you this year, I am.
Speaker 2 (01:52):
Infesting it for you. Okay, next year when we talk
about the film festival again, you're gonna bring your emmy.
You don't put it right there? Okay, that's that's my
Are you going to get that one.
Speaker 1 (02:00):
To one year one day? I don't know.
Speaker 2 (02:02):
And Manny's been with you since day one. You were
telling me behind the scenes.
Speaker 1 (02:05):
Yeah, so he was just a young ling he was. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (02:10):
Actually it was a short that I did, we a
friend of my hours, afraid of the VideA with.
Speaker 1 (02:17):
The Thesis film exactly was that's when they made those
film showed in sixteen millimeter film exactly exactly.
Speaker 3 (02:24):
Then after that I went ahead and co wrote with
with the fred Or again Washington Heights.
Speaker 1 (02:29):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (02:29):
Then we're premiered Washington Heights in uh in in was
it your second year?
Speaker 1 (02:35):
Uh?
Speaker 3 (02:36):
Yeah, So that's how we sort of I've known this
man when he was I hate to say with bone skinny,
but my dude now is like bulked up. But it's
a it's it's The beautiful thing is that I love
watching this man grow with the years and as the
festival gets bigger, I part as an actor, being part
(02:56):
of this industry. It moves me, uh to be part
of this industry because of these type of festivals.
Speaker 2 (03:03):
Yeah, what you're doing here, you know, it's huge. It's
like when the film bus when it comes to New York,
We're like, bro, your tickets, did you see the did
you see the schedule? Did you see you know, everything
that's happening. It's what you do is so important to
our culture, especially here in New York because we mobilize
behind the festival. Yeah, you know, it's dope what you've
been doing. You know, I want to say thank you
(03:23):
because it's something that you know, sometimes we feel like
we don't have we don't get what we should get,
whether it be on Broadway, whether it be in the theaters.
So when you put this event together, it's like, finally
we can live.
Speaker 1 (03:33):
You know. I appreciate those words because sometimes when you're
in the think of it, I'm sure everybody can relate.
You know, you just get into your own whole into
doing it. Sometimes you don't step away and even when
the event is happening, I don't step away from it.
So in moments like this where he gets to talk
on Comba with people like Okay, I guess this is
happening or whatever, but it's really hard when you think
(03:54):
of it, it could be lonely sometimes, you know, so
you want to protect your spirit because sometimes there's always
people around you that want everything. I mean, especially Latinos,
where everybody wants, you know, when it comes to the
fessor like this, I get it. Everybody wants it to
be for every Latino and it is, but it isn't
too you know, what do you mean by that?
Speaker 2 (04:12):
Like like they'll say, nice, we've seeing the Mexican and
I said, is that what you're talking?
Speaker 1 (04:16):
I mean, sometimes everybody wants what what Latino means to them, right,
And I get it with a name like this, because
there's so much you can be for every single person,
and so you kind of have to treat it like
a brand and it's like, oh, well, this is what
this brand stands for, and if you like it, that's great,
it's for you. And if you don't, maybe there's other options.
You can go to this store that store. But there's
(04:38):
a certain point where you kind of just have to
own what you are and know that you can't be
all things to all people. And sometimes when you have
a name as broad as this, people want you to
be all things to.
Speaker 4 (04:47):
All People's hard to be that there's only so much
we can be, So how do we maximize what we
can be with what we're capable of being at the
you know, what's doing at the time.
Speaker 1 (04:58):
And so that's what it's about. And I had to
learn that four whiles before, you know, I could get
depressed about it, like I'm not enough? Are you insane?
Speaker 2 (05:07):
We look forward to this, I'm telling you right, But.
Speaker 1 (05:09):
Now you get out of it, you know what I mean.
There's a part of ownership. And I think because of
how I started so young, you know, in my mom's
house at twenty one, I.
Speaker 2 (05:20):
Need to know this building.
Speaker 1 (05:23):
I was in the projects in Manhattan. Yeah, single parent.
Didn't tell my mother about it. She never knew until
she saw it on TV. And by the time she
show it on TV, I'm moving at the house and
so yeah, yeah, and so it was like that. And
it was just crazy idea because I had done a
short film. But it's not like there wasn't a Tribeca
Film Festival. None of this existed, not even in the
(05:45):
general market or latinos and you're.
Speaker 2 (05:46):
Talking about the film festival didn't exist.
Speaker 1 (05:49):
We started as a as a collective and ninety eight
Pioneer is when it happened. Two thousand was the first festival.
So the way it happened, you know, I had made
this short film and I believe it or not, Sergio
George was one of my guys who had had done
some support with me back in the day, and it
was a short film. I was selling candy, I was
(06:09):
doing whatever to raise money for this short. I got
screwed over and but I what I when it came
time to release it and all of that. But what
I realized is there was such a tribe of black
and Latino creatives. And back then, you know, the independent
film scene in New York was on fire. I mean
it still is, but it was like lightning fire, and
so it was easy to network and build people, you
(06:29):
know with people and make the content. And then something
clicked in my mind that what if there was a
place on an opportunity for folks like me. I knew
I couldn't be an anomaly. I couldn't be by myself.
I knew that there was other Latinos that existed that
wanted to learn about this business. But it came out
at like an interesting time where people were looking at
(06:51):
us as the next big thing, and so we were
in Time magazine explosions when it happened. So Ricky Martin
was about to come up all of that, and so
there was an industry that was hungry on us. But
latina'sn't known anything, and you had an industry that was
really curious about us. But there was a lack of
knowledge that I felt like we had in the business space.
(07:12):
So for me, it's like, well, how do we equip
ourselves behind the business of show. How do we educate
these studios to what the culture is producing, and how
do we build audiences for the work? How do we
make it accessible? Doesn't matter if you're in the Bronx,
it doesn't matter if you're whatever your income level is.
If you're really serious about this business and this is
(07:32):
the place for you to be. And that was really
ambitious because I was young and I'm still living with
my mom, So how I'm gonna pull this off? And
so I was really I felt like I was playing
a role, as you know, I was like, Okay, I'm
going to call myself the executive director of this organization
that doesn't exist CEO CFO because I had to flip
(07:56):
the script in my mind and I still think this
way that Okay, if I'm gonna build something, I work
for this company. It doesn't matter if I founded it
whatever that is the case. But I work for this
company because when you started LLC this for people to know,
it really is a person. The company is a company.
So treat it. You're an employee of the company. Don't
get you ego twisted. Oh I run this. You know.
Speaker 2 (08:18):
That's when things start to feel.
Speaker 1 (08:21):
And I'm like, so I knewy, like you know, hindsight
twenty twenty. I knew that early. And then I was
really fortunate to you know, I was really I would
call people up. I would call uh HBO, troll whoever.
I had a pitch deck that Ben wasn't a deck,
but like you know, I print this stuff, I type
it out. There was yeah, everything, and I landed a.
(08:44):
I would star sixt nine executives, right, A star six
to nine executives. And somebody was like, WHOA, you know,
here's the general number to HBO. I said, okay, maybe
you talk to marketing, maybe you talk to acquisitions whatever.
I called them all all and at some point, you know,
I would hang up the phone if I didn't get through.
It would be like radio dialing. I want to win
(09:06):
the prize, one of those like you keep calling calling
to you get you know, on the radio. So finally
I would make nice, you know with the receptionists and
all that and smoothing.
Speaker 2 (09:18):
Whatever on the line.
Speaker 1 (09:21):
So one day she passed me through to the executive
I have been trying to cultivate and I was at work.
This you would think this is a movie and it's not,
but it is.
Speaker 2 (09:33):
Your hands were sweaty like eminem No.
Speaker 1 (09:35):
I got through while I was at work and a
customer happened to be in my face.
Speaker 2 (09:39):
Oh you where did you work?
Speaker 1 (09:41):
I worked for the French Alliance, so as the Alliance
friend says, and it was like a business thing, and
uh and so I but somebody was in front of
my face. So I had to get my friend to
like cover me because I got I'm getting in. So
I had like a quick second and whatever words I said,
they were like, we'll give you ten fifteen minutes come
(10:02):
in person, to come in person, and I said okay.
So I had to figure out how I was going
to pitch this thing. I knew my soul what it was.
I could speak authentically to it. But now I had
to figure out not to freeze in front of an executive.
She'd never been in those spaces because I'm living in
the projects with my mother and then and I'm going
to school like this, I'm going from point A to
(10:25):
point B and it doesn't I'm trying to figure it out.
Excuse my language.
Speaker 2 (10:28):
Oh you're good, You're good.
Speaker 1 (10:29):
And I got into this meeting. I walk away with
a contract that day.
Speaker 2 (10:34):
Who did you meet with? A white man, a white woman?
Who did you meet with? I want to know who
was in front of you?
Speaker 1 (10:38):
Some executives and a bunch of people. Yeah, one of
them was one of a key person was a Latino.
So it was good that there was a Latino in
the room. But you got to say that, you know,
you know, there wasn't an HBO Latino that existed two
years later after the festival. Latino had a reason to exist.
But that's how it was. And I left the elevator
(10:59):
like crying as much on the spot. Yeah, you know,
I got an offer on the spot.
Speaker 2 (11:06):
That's beautiful in mind the cold calling h VO and getting.
Speaker 1 (11:09):
A I would write this book, And so I noticed book.
Speaker 2 (11:14):
It needs to be a feature film so we can
premiere it.
Speaker 1 (11:17):
And I know, and so for me, it's like as
much as I want to get into building, I want
to get out so bad because my eyes were like,
what is going to happen? Because now the pressure is
now I gotta now, I gotta make this happen. On Yeah,
when I'm gonna find these latinos, when I'm going to
find enough content to warrant a festival. I just told you.
(11:37):
I didn't lie to you, but I told you that
I could find this. Now there's an oh, shoot moment,
and I got to make it happen. And so that
that became the harder work is like, okay, now I
got to start a company. What I'm gonna do? Now
I gotta hire, I gotta make this happen. And that's
how I quickly had to learn at a rapid clip,
like what I was going to do and how I
(11:58):
was gonna happen.
Speaker 2 (11:59):
No pressure.
Speaker 3 (11:59):
But but you know what great pure you know what's
great about this as as a filmmaker, you know, as
an actor turned writer, director, producer, these are the places
or this is the place that every filmmaker wants to
premiere their their product, if not a product is going
to be stuck in a closet somewhere, and so he
gives these filmmakers their dream to premiere and a big screen.
(12:24):
And that's what this whole thing is about. You know.
So having Latino film festival like this one in New York.
There's one also in la that I must say, it's
a great film festival as well.
Speaker 1 (12:34):
Those are the.
Speaker 3 (12:35):
Two ones in the in the whole country that gives
Latinos filmmakers a chance to premiere and to sell their film.
I mean, you get to sell your film, heare if
you invite you know, producers or distributors to come and
see it. And that's that's the beauty of being in
a and you know, I.
Speaker 1 (12:55):
Mean certainly, you know, Warner Brothers does give a different
level of of visibility, and certainly it's it's a different thing.
Speaker 2 (13:05):
How long were you with HBO, because I remember it
was always the HBO, you know, the same family. Okay,
so you're still part of that family.
Speaker 1 (13:11):
Yeah, well Warner Brothers owns it, Okay.
Speaker 2 (13:13):
I didn't want to be a part of ways, but
I feel like the HBO part is not like so
prominent that they don't say.
Speaker 1 (13:18):
It something changed because screaming. Now it's HBO Max, I
mean with.
Speaker 2 (13:23):
The New York Film Festival. Now I feel like it's
a standalone name. Before it was always like HBO.
Speaker 1 (13:28):
There's still a part of it. It's a brand, they are,
but now it's Warner Brothers Discussion. So now it's the
parent But yeah, no, no, no, they've.
Speaker 2 (13:36):
Been they that's what's up.
Speaker 3 (13:40):
I like that.
Speaker 1 (13:41):
I'm really thankful, you know. But also we do so
many different things together. We do different programs, you know,
we've we've done different things. So right now that you know,
the organization's being been able to grow as the needs
of the culture and and and our place entertainment shifts.
So we when we that there was a lack of
Latino comedians, I was like, well, how do we start
(14:03):
a comedy program and give a lucky person an HBO special?
Like full marketing, you're getting an HBO special.
Speaker 2 (14:10):
You're doing that now.
Speaker 1 (14:24):
Yeah, we've done it for the past six years. Rath
Barbosa was one of our discoveries. He won. We had
Mark Vieira. He's selling out. He's selling out Beacon Theater
right now, like the week of the festival. And then
we launched a filmmaker program. We had a fund and
so we you know, give full full payment for a
film to be shot, like a short film acquisitions. Yeah,
(14:48):
and then we actually shot the first production in Dominican Republic,
which was a film Freddie Vargas's film with Baseball. I
forget the name, but there's about these two young kids
in Hispaniola Chispaniola. And then and then right now, I
you know, I run a fund, a co administer of
(15:09):
fund called one fifty where we give filmmakers just back
in financing, you know, on on films. Yeah. Yeah, it's
a good grant support. And so we have a couple
of films that are coming out right now until we're
excited about it and they get a first look deal
at the studio. So you know, we're really happy with that.
And then you know, again you just keep evolving. You know,
(15:30):
we have a host competition and we have people hosts
and hosts are red carpets because there was like there
was a lack of Latino hosts on this game that
are covering carpets. You have Mario Lopezica, Oh.
Speaker 2 (15:40):
Come on, I love Mario, but we're not just one.
Speaker 1 (15:43):
Just one. So I was like Okay, then how about
we cover on carpet and some of our hosts have
gone on to NBC. I have a host right now
who's on NBC. I have one who's on Picks eleven.
And now you have tape, you have tape with the celebrity,
you have tape on a carpet that you didn't have before.
And you know, we've been able to really launched some
careers in different ways. But again, it sales feels very new,
(16:04):
very fresh. I'm still excited about it. There's always new
challenges because you know, we're facing some challenges now, you
know what I mean. You look at you know twenty
five years ago where were talking about being in and
diversity inclusion. Twenty five years later, we're still having that conversation.
Twenty five years later, has become politicized. Twenty five years later,
(16:25):
it's hard to be Latino right now. Twenty five years later,
it's harder to be to run culture spaces. So the
conversation has shifted, and yes, some things remain the same.
But the thing that is the most powerful is our resilience.
We're not going nowhere, We're not going anywhere. And I
got one hundred and ten films to show you why nice,
(16:45):
Because we're resilient enough that we're going to find the money.
We know where the money's at. I got one hundred
and ten films to prove it to you, right, and
so we'll find it will be defiant, there's investors, there's opportunity.
We're going to tell our stories. We're going to continue
to remain in places in the spaces that we need
to be and that's that's where we have to really
(17:06):
be consistent, persistent and defying and like making sure that
our voices are being heard.
Speaker 2 (17:14):
One hundred percent. I say it all the time. Man,
you better be loud and proud because we are the
Latino majority. I don't feel like a minority in any way. Bro,
anywhere at your yego, I occupy space. I take my space.
Speaker 4 (17:26):
You have to, and you're creating opportunities for us.
Speaker 2 (17:30):
Oh, one hundred percent. Know I created this. I'm like,
if it doesn't exist, I'm going to create it. And
you know, I sit across from people. Last week we
had Lewis Guzman. You know what I'm saying, Like he
is amazing. You know what I'm saying, Like it's just
growing and growing and growing and you know, I got
a shout out Manny because Manny came early on in
the game and he took a chance and I DMed him.
I took a chance and I was like I want,
I want to interview you and he was like, yeah, sure,
(17:50):
tell me when, tell me where. And that's the thing
about Latinos. He helped me grow this space because he
gave me valid like validation like oh shit, man was there,
and then the next actor and then we're gonna do
you know, Lauren Blez and then we did Louis Guzman
and then they were because like I feel like after you,
it kind of like triggered, like all these big actors
are like okay, hell come okay, you know, like everybody came.
(18:13):
It just I feel like this is going to be
such a big deal. And as Latinos, we're like, you
know what, we see what she's doing now. And the
same thing with Louis Guzman and No's and New York.
He didn't do any rate. He just came here and
he was like and he was like, you know what,
I want to support you because I see what you're
doing and I want to help you grow. And it's
the same thing Manny did. And that's the same reason
why I wanted you to come here, because I'm like,
(18:34):
you know what, I can't have a show for Latinos
and not you know, speak to Calixto and you know,
let Latinos know that, you know the New York Latino
film festivals happening next week because we have to come out.
But sometimes I feel like if we don't know things
are happening, we don't do it because people be like,
oh my god, honey, do we So if I would
have known, I would have went. And I feel like
that's the sentiment a lot that they just like, oh,
you'll be right like that fomoy, I'm like, Ye're.
Speaker 1 (18:57):
So right, Well that's how come you got to peep
up lie pressure? Like I don't settle, you know, I
don't settle our media team, like I want to be
on the pulse of where culture lives. I don't want
to be behind it. I want to be in front
of it. So we're on the next like this when
the vessel's coming out, like I got we got bus
shelters throughout the I saw them throughout New York from
(19:17):
from from White Plains, Cinstina Island, you know, we got
a great media campaign. We've been pushing, but like you,
you don't settle, and even after twenty five years, we
don't settle to think that everybody knows who we are.
You keep evolving to where culture lives, and you know,
we really try to stay current. And then the fans,
you know what I mean, like they're really supportive, and
(19:39):
the talent, you know, we really try to. Like to
your point, what made our situation worse is I wanted
no celebrity to be above the title.
Speaker 4 (19:48):
Back then.
Speaker 1 (19:49):
You know, Jennifer Lopez presents and that was an easy out. Oh,
you should do that because then more people will come.
I was like, no, if we're that good, they have
no choice but to. And the first year, John Leguizamo came,
or Rosie Perez, jer Rodriguez, we close with Girl Fight
that year and we end up just getting Kerrie Washington
(20:12):
came the first year, like all these people came the
first year. But you know, we sold out, Like the
first week we sold out twice. We had to like
add a screening when we didn't expect it, and like that.
The first year was probably electric, so people they started
out small. I don't really know it was explosive pretty quick.
(20:34):
But but now you have to keep at it. And
this year we're honoring Michael Rodriguez with that Impact Award.
But look, we got it last year. No Joel Jerome
got it last year. We got it the year before.
But again, that's where when celebrities interact with us, it's authentic.
They love it, they love it, they want to be here.
(20:55):
I'm not chasing you, like we're in this together. Yeah,
and like and they feel part of it. And so
I think I'm not hit a cloud chase you. I
don't need to do that. And so once you come
from that authentic space, then they're more receptive to you.
It's like, Okay, what do you whatever? You want, what
do you need? I'm here whatever, And so I'm thankful
(21:16):
for that, you know what I mean. I don't take
any of that for granted.
Speaker 2 (21:18):
Now, we got to give your flowers. What you've been
doing out here for twenty five years is major, is needed,
and you didn't let it die out because you know,
a lot of people have ideas and you know they
do it a year, two, three, five, ten, fifteen. Bro,
you've been doing this twenty five years. That's a long
as Sun.
Speaker 1 (21:33):
Yeah, it's true. But this brother, you know, to even
see him like, I don't you know, you're working, man,
it's a lot.
Speaker 3 (21:43):
You're still working, brother, I know, but it's it's a
lone journey, dude. It's I mean, and it's crazy. And
what's crazy is that, you know.
Speaker 1 (21:51):
And he has two films in the festival. It's crazy.
I've been doing features. I've been blessed good ones.
Speaker 3 (21:56):
No, yeah they are good.
Speaker 1 (21:57):
Actually yeah, they're really good.
Speaker 3 (22:00):
Is actually pretty think it is an amazing film. You know,
all the films that I've done, the dr I feel
like is just very it's just grat Yeah, it's plus
my work mature as an actor in that one as well.
But in regards to Latinos are liable, I'm just joking. No, no, no, See,
(22:23):
the problem with Latinos is Latinos. And I say that,
and I'll say it again, I'll keep saying it a
hundred times. The problem with us is that we don't
We're not united at all, dude, at all. If if
this dude is Mexican and he has a Mexican film,
Puerto Ricans, Dominicans, Caribbean is not going to see that
shit because It's like, that's a Mexican ship. It's not
(22:45):
for me. If Puerto Rican I got in a Puerto
Rican and a film that takes place in the East Coast,
Mexican is not going to see it because that is
some East Coast ship. To the white guy sitting in Texas,
we're all for exactly as about.
Speaker 1 (23:00):
We don't feel that.
Speaker 3 (23:01):
But we as Latino don't feel that. We're like, yo,
I'm fucking I'm I'm Dominican.
Speaker 1 (23:05):
I'm better than Puerto.
Speaker 3 (23:06):
Rican, I'm better than than I'm better than Mexican. You
know what the damn it. It's like the problem is
with us, and that's the problem with you know, uh,
this this, this industry is us. Why do I say that?
Because when when a film comes out, every once you
go to the movie theater, our people don't go. Our
people are the last motherfuckers to go. And and I
(23:28):
feel like this is something is wrong with us without pride,
our ego, and that's the problem. Mostly the African Americans
Yoiano triudarians, but with us, we got issues, dude, And
I feel like I don't know how to fix that.
And I've been saying that since back in Washington Knight's
(23:50):
Day when Washing Nights came out. I've always said that,
and I feel like the problem is us.
Speaker 1 (23:55):
How do we fix that?
Speaker 3 (23:56):
I don't know.
Speaker 1 (23:57):
I think two things. I think there's a generational shift
with younger creators this gen and there was ours, right,
and so I think how they view culture and how
they write stories about the culture. I think it's going
to shift to how audiences want to because not everybody
(24:18):
wants to be hit in the head, oh Latino for
Latino kind of content. I think like African Americans, we
kind of had to find our way to creating content
that's successful to anybody and everybody, right, because we got
to make movies from the masses, of course, so if
they're too hyper culturally specific, it's really hard. You know,
it can be really hard to market, right, So how
(24:38):
do we create stories and narratives that balance the two? Right? Like,
I can still be of the culture, but I got
so popcorn to a bunch of you know what I mean?
And so I think, but you got to understand, you
know that you have Latinos now talking about being after Latino, Right,
you have Latinos now talking about you know, how people
(25:02):
view culture now is on the GRAM. There was no
GRAM when we first came up in this game, right,
But how they view culture, how they document you see
it on Instagram. How these creatives do They're gonna take
that at two point zero. What we did. Our job
is to welcome those people in. This is what we
do at the festival. I'm not gonna fight you like
I'd love to work with so many new people. I'm
(25:23):
the most collaborative guy I think you can meet. But
that's the thing is that I'm not trying to get keep.
So I think once we function from that place, I
think definitely you're seeing the creatives change because there's not thing.
Those who worked on Centers, there's nothing. Those who worked
it with Spike Lee, look at Spike Lee. If you
saw Spike Lee's new film, I don't know if you
saw it with Denzel. The best sequence is at the
(25:44):
Puerto Rican Day Parade. It's a whole chase in the
Puerto Rican Day Parade. And you got Alibamery on his
last performance before he died in the freaking movie. Yeah, Rosie,
you got you know, you know Anthony Ramos. I went
to a theater. It was so doubt and it was
it's UNAPOLOGI unapologetically New York and black Latino.
Speaker 3 (26:06):
Well that's great, that's beautiful.
Speaker 1 (26:08):
So sometimes you need, you know, those filmmakers also to reciprocate, right,
and so you know, definitely Spike is one of those guys.
You know what I mean, he's quintessential New Yorker. But
I'm saying like even he like if you look at
that film, it's a very young but mature film that
you wouldn't expect Spike to make as seventy years old.
But he's like on all cylinders and this is progressive.
(26:31):
It's progressive, and I think that when it comes to us,
I think again, even when you see the films that
are at this festival, you know, Matt Bills is one
of them. It's it's young, it's assertive, it's Dominican, but
it's also very you know, this film has won the
top awards in Europe. It won Sundance. How many Dominican
(26:52):
films have won Sunday's US Latino. That's beautiful and you
got it with this film. This kid is young Dominican
from Bronx, educated in London, brought his London crew to
the Bronx shot it. Now he listened that he'll come
back for the festival, but he's in London right now. Again,
these these these people are looking at culture different because
they're having it different than we had it, you know,
(27:16):
So I think that I welcome the change and what
that looks like.
Speaker 2 (27:19):
You know, So you feel like there's a shift.
Speaker 1 (27:22):
I think it's happening. Yeah, you know. I mean I
think you can feel it too, you know, I think
you're seeing it.
Speaker 2 (27:27):
So you know, let's say gen Z and Jen A
are going to operate different than us. That's right, they
are gen X and millennials. There's there is going to
be a shift. But you know, to what many says,
we do have to get these people out here. And
I understand what he says. You know, like a Dominican
will go, let's say, defefeat, though maybe you know, someone
(27:48):
that's Mexican might be like, you know, whatever it is.
So I understand what he's saying is there is a
divide in a way as far as like how we consume.
Speaker 3 (27:54):
But but but then also there's a difference between a
film that is purely the Dominican may in dr and
a film that is made in the USA.
Speaker 1 (28:03):
By Dominican experiences.
Speaker 3 (28:05):
It's a different world. You know. Example, uh is an
amazing film, Don't want everybody, nobody, but no one went
to see the movie Illegal Tender.
Speaker 2 (28:16):
It's actually pretty good film, love Illegal.
Speaker 3 (28:18):
And then nobody went to see that ship because you know,
so that's.
Speaker 1 (28:22):
The you had Empire that people did well. Empire did well,
Ye did well?
Speaker 3 (28:26):
Yeah exactly.
Speaker 1 (28:27):
But also it's also you got to understand when we
came out, there wasn't multicultural marketing. Those offices didn't exist. No,
that's now, that's now, you know what I mean, the department.
I saw a studio that just hired their first multicultural
marketing officer.
Speaker 2 (28:42):
That's insane.
Speaker 1 (28:43):
Girl, we're in twenty and twenty five. You just got
you know what I mean, And so you got to
understand that there wasn't people like us in the building
that had executive positions of power. Twenty five years later,
we're getting fired because this the media consolidation, right, And
so sometimes it feels like it's two steps forwards six
steps back because now we're going through different shifts. But
(29:06):
back then, yeah, there wasn't multi cultural nada, we didn't.
And so I think that that's the thing, and there
was a sweet spot in the mid two thousands where yes,
you had more of us in the building. I know
every latinal and black executive that can do something. But
still there isn't anyone who couldn't green light a film.
(29:28):
That's just the nature of Hollywood. There isn't a personal
color that can really green light. There's people who can
get you the money, there's people who can move your head.
There's people who work in acquisitions or development. Those people exist,
some of those people still exist now, but there was
a period where that didn't really exist, right, And so
again I think it's there's a shift. But it's a marathon.
(29:49):
It's not a it's a marathon, even cleaning. We're doing
what we do. It's certainly been a marathon. And I've
had to consistently navigate, you know, because you know all
the mergers. Have been through a lot of mergers, and
you still have to stay in the room, you know,
and so you kind of persevere, you you work and
continue to be consistent and disciplined.
Speaker 2 (30:29):
My god, that movie, Yeah, no, what was your involvement
in it?
Speaker 3 (30:34):
I was just an actor.
Speaker 2 (30:35):
He was an actor. I felt like it was it
was so good, I said, actually.
Speaker 1 (30:40):
Okay, yeah, you know Van Luis get a sudden Yeah exactly.
Speaker 3 (30:44):
He You know, the the good thing about having that
dude directed film, he's really a professionalist, and that dude
took seven years to finish this film. I'm like, whoa dude,
just release the ship and but seven years. Actually I
appreciate that. I appreciate it because you know, as an actor,
I want you to For example, we had to go
how to go back and do reshoot like three times.
(31:06):
It's funny because you know, when we shut the thing,
my character they added like these ghanas, you know, gray hair.
I'm done.
Speaker 1 (31:14):
I'm like, yo, no effects.
Speaker 3 (31:19):
But I appreciate that because it's very detailed and it's
a it's a shootout. Really is heat in.
Speaker 1 (31:25):
The Heat That's what I said. Is you ever heat
with Robert it's just blaz in heist.
Speaker 3 (31:33):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (31:33):
Really good. So it's really good.
Speaker 3 (31:34):
So, I mean it's amazing. You want to enjoy this film.
If you loved Heat, that does about the.
Speaker 1 (31:40):
Painless action film. You don't get Dominican films that are
like the pure popcorn.
Speaker 2 (31:45):
Said Dominican James Bond. Yeah, I see. I I was
just like, what is happening?
Speaker 3 (31:49):
Yeah, pretty much all of it, and and and the
Beautiful Thing is premiering at the the United Palace. And
that theater, dude, is it is theater in the world
for me. And you know I've done screening in Toronto.
Speaker 1 (32:08):
You're like, Wow, honestly, dude, that theater is Like, I'm
nervous about it.
Speaker 2 (32:12):
That's why are you nervous about it? Talk to me.
Speaker 1 (32:14):
It's beauty to go there. And so the we've never
done it. It's it's it's intimidating the biggest.
Speaker 3 (32:22):
Yeah, it's huge, but that screen man, it's just the
quality of it.
Speaker 1 (32:25):
But then I remember we did an event at the
zig Field when it was a movie The Got You.
It's similar, it's similar to that. I was like, it
felt not what it used to be.
Speaker 3 (32:34):
Yeah, it's similar to that, but you know in a
different uptown.
Speaker 1 (32:39):
Yeah, you know, it's some other good Dominican films like
a I don't know if you saw that about you know,
the THEMBO scene. I know what it is. It is.
Speaker 2 (32:48):
I wasn't going to get Republic last week, But what
am I gonna go when I'm like, the.
Speaker 1 (32:58):
Film got fire? This is just because it's a you
don't know, what's real and what's fake because it's a
quasi documentary, but a lot of you see a lot
of stuff and that's it. And but it's really assured,
it's confident. I saw the film myself by Southwest another
you know, Jose is like a top DR filmmaker, Like
(33:21):
really it's it's a bird's eye view into a cup
of deal and it's just really uh fascinating, the music,
all of it. And so you know, we got some
fire Dominican films like we don't no feelers, we don't
do we do the top flight to show like a comment,
I'm not showing Psycho pegg six like we're not doing that. No, no, no, no, no,
(33:42):
it's because that's not We got to elevate the content,
you know what I mean. And even when I go
to DR and I speak over there, you know, we
talk about it.
Speaker 2 (33:50):
Okay, you say DR or you do you say the DR?
Speaker 1 (33:54):
It depends on what I'm saying and what I'm saying.
Speaker 2 (33:57):
Because that's always a thing like why do you say
the DR? Who says DR?
Speaker 1 (34:01):
I Some say DR like just to keep it quick.
But yes, we're going to yes, you know, we we're
making just as much content as Mexican filmmakers are. Matter
of fact, there's so many Mexican co productions because of
our text credit that you know, they're shooting Mexican films
in DR right and co productions and stuff like that.
(34:23):
So how do we elevate? And we're getting there. The
quality of the content is getting stronger in DR. But
that's not that's like top tier. But these are younger
filmmakers exactly, and so they're they're gonna, I want to
make mass popcorn movies. I'm gonna do that. Or you
look at Jose Maria, I'm gonna make you know, bold
(34:44):
filmmaking that Dominicans never messed with. And like now you're
seeing a shift where you know, now we're getting considered
for Oscar, you know contention where we never you know,
that never was happening, right, And so I think that
the maturity is happening. But again it's taking time, you
know what I mean. I mean people don't realize the
film tax credit changed the island, you know what I mean,
(35:05):
Like now that you have a tax, like now this
is incentive to shoot. It's really important that that continues
to happen because it helps the local economy. It helps
the small business people to sell food or whatever. It's
almost big and small, the carpenter's technicians, all of that,
tourism and all of that. So you know, and it'sific
(35:27):
because there even I'll admit it, you know, took some
of PR shine because some of PR used to have
a big tax incentive. And now they're getting there. But
like Lionel went quick with the with the with the
you know, with the law. But you see how it's
benefiting the country, and it's the benefiting the content, the
profile of the country, but also the content that comes
(35:49):
out of it. And this festival is even you know,
proof of that. But again, we represent films from Brazil, Mexico, everywhere,
you know, as long as and so again we get
content from every part of the world.
Speaker 2 (36:02):
How do you even pick which flicks?
Speaker 1 (36:04):
You're a great programming team. I don't watch half, don't
ask me, don't quiz me on movies.
Speaker 2 (36:09):
No, I will not. But I'm like, weir how many
films are submitted.
Speaker 1 (36:12):
Almost close to one thousand from around the world. To
see that, we just kept a team that you know,
for every category we break them out and we just
have a big team that just goes through everything and
some styps we'll go to festivals, will go to Sundance
or sometimes I'll go to Phone Glow there in dr
or whatever. You know, we'll go wherever and just you know,
look at stuff. Some stuff we pick up and then
(36:33):
some stuff just comes to us. And then you try
to come up with a balance program. And I do
believe we program with deep intention, like I don't need fillers,
like I don't need to do any of that. But
it's and it's a mix between studio studio films and
you know, independent films as well. So yeah, again it's
it's just been great.
Speaker 3 (36:53):
It's great. You know, I always say that the scene
the taxan said in the DR it's been a blessing
for the island, for the new talent, for the actors,
for everyone, just because you know, they're doing twenty eight
to thirty two films a year and these films are
going into festivals that you know, they're opening doors, and
I feel like that helps the country, helps tourism, helps
(37:15):
it just helps the economy.
Speaker 1 (37:16):
Economy, the profile, yeah, for any for any country. And yeah,
you know, so we've been happy with like the growth
of it and making sure that the content continues to
be this high quality and a lot of the films,
there's also a place of business at HBO buy a
lot of films at the festival, you know, even Washington
High Schod and acquisition deal. You know, we've had a
(37:38):
lot of films picked up. So you know, we we
have events that are happening at Warner Brothers. Is thirty
Rock event for now this year. You know, to really
understand the business of it, because you know, this is
this is show business. Okay, so some content is not
going to fly, So how about we create content that
people are asking for. So it's not it's not hard,
(38:01):
it's just it's just it's just you gotta work. It's
not you just have to work twice as hard, you
know what I mean. But it's tangible. You know, you
can make it happen.
Speaker 2 (38:11):
It's happening.
Speaker 1 (38:12):
It's happening. You know.
Speaker 2 (38:14):
The Film Festival is running from the thirteen to the
twenty first.
Speaker 1 (38:16):
Yes, we start off with the Digital Conference, so to
influencer conference just for you know, people who of color
that work in the digital space, whether you're a social influencer.
But it really gets into the money and the business
behind influencers, because as much as Latinos dominate on all
things social, we don't own anything or we'll underpaid. You
(38:38):
can have the same follower account as that kardashianile and
not get Pai Kardashian money, if you know what I mean,
with the same follower account. So how do we create
those spaces where we're educating each other. So we'll talk
about money, We'll talk about retirement. If you're an entrepreneur,
we don't think about some of those things.
Speaker 2 (38:52):
So if someone listening right now wants to be part.
Speaker 1 (38:54):
Of this, it's for free.
Speaker 2 (38:55):
It's for free.
Speaker 1 (38:56):
It's for free. Where do they tap in at website?
And why Latino Film Festival dot com, follow us on
our Gram and we're Latino Film Festival. We just announced
it for panels yesterday.
Speaker 2 (39:07):
Do you remember who's on it.
Speaker 1 (39:09):
There's a bunch we have. Just give me some stand
up Audible. It's we have a couple of big Dominican influences.
Speaker 2 (39:17):
But it's on the website.
Speaker 1 (39:19):
It's fire Coke, Cochlan, Coca Cola and Audible are presenting it.
It's I'm sorry, I'm don't do that, honey, But you
know we have some good, good folks in it, and
it's gonna be really tight. And it's all on our
website and there's so much stuff I don't even I
(39:40):
gotta get briefed on what it is, but I know
what it is. But happening, right, But it's all happening.
And then Michelle Rodriguez again, she's getting our Impact Award
on Friday night. Where's this happening it It's gonna happen
at the Regal Union Square. Majority of our stuff is
happening there. And then there's some other stuff that's happening
in United Palace and can we.
Speaker 2 (39:59):
Be there if someone's listening and they want to be,
you know, the United stuff.
Speaker 1 (40:03):
For every price point. There's some free events for doodles,
all for free.
Speaker 5 (40:07):
Is the block party free?
Speaker 1 (40:21):
We also closed the block party. See you take you listen?
Speaker 2 (40:25):
I know your business?
Speaker 1 (40:27):
What else we got? So we got a block party
and plaza. It's gonna be dope if we have a
good presenter. Can I give you the name Amazon the
so Je Noah's is the headliner. We gotta plant the
(40:47):
industrial that's performing, it's fire lineup, it's concerts, it's gonna
be activations. Last year we had the Penguin. We turned
it into Gotham City literally if you see in our videos,
like we did custom build out and we have the
talent there. We had a Maserati.
Speaker 2 (41:02):
When is it happening? Because I think I feel like
this is something that we close.
Speaker 1 (41:06):
Off the summer September twenty first all Day is that
a Sunday. It's on Sunday, the last the last eventive festival.
We can do the awards out there. I mean and
yeah doing aplasa because we used to do it in
the Bronx one of the parking lots Byankee Stadium, but
we're doing it here and it's just it's exciting. Have
you did you go last year?
Speaker 3 (41:27):
I did not go last year.
Speaker 1 (41:28):
No, okay, the.
Speaker 3 (41:29):
Years but okay, he'd be busy, he'd be busy, he'd bet.
Speaker 1 (41:39):
That's it's true.
Speaker 2 (41:39):
I love it. But look at manual met.
Speaker 1 (41:43):
Yeah, we'ven't got v I P tickets. There's regular price tickets.
There's tickets for every price point. We even have a
VIP suite at the Venus. Yeah. So I think for us,
we try to create the event as really like an
ex experience. We want you to feel it, you know,
the quality even the sound like we want every like
(42:06):
those little touch points because you got to understand, you know,
when we came out, we also had to mystify even
to our own of what this was going to look
like and feel like, because everyone puts their prejudices on it,
you know what I mean, especially when the festival first started.
What is it going to be? Like, what's gonna look
are they're gonna show ratchet stuff? What is it going
to be? But again we're creatives, but also to the
(42:28):
general market, those general market festivals or whatever. It's like,
not every prejudice that you got upon us, I'm going
I'm going to wrong you on all of them. And
you got understand all those obstacles were in our way
when we first came out the gate. So again I
had to convince a culture. I had to convince Hollywood.
I had to convince whoever that this was going to
(42:50):
be elevated. This is going to be everything that you
didn't even thought it would be. And it's always been
That's how it has to be.
Speaker 2 (42:56):
It's always felt, you know, classy, it's always felt you know,
like this a.
Speaker 1 (42:59):
Buy Yeah, don't come in a carpets looking whatever you
go to our Instagram. We have like a whole fashion
run off of people who dress up. Don't you know.
Speaker 2 (43:10):
Don't look like you better come with him in mind,
I said, And.
Speaker 1 (43:16):
Fort have films financed at the freaking festival. I've had
people who literally, I don't make this stuff up, but
like people was like, yo, that was a casting person
I connected with, and I'm in this whatever, and you've
seen it, like you've been in these spaces. You never
know who you're gonna meet, so you step in beyond
(43:38):
if you're not, this is not for the week. Like
if you want a network, that's fine. If you want
to just enjoy the movie, that's fine too. But you
you can make and maximize the most of it however,
which way.
Speaker 2 (43:50):
You will as expected.
Speaker 1 (43:51):
As long as we create the spaces for that take
full advantage.
Speaker 2 (43:55):
Of that, you know, and it's there and its exists,
and it's a full week. It's like if you can't
make it on Monday, you can make on Thursday. I
always make it a point, you know, to make it
at least one or two events every year, because it's
my it's my thing, and I discover movies that way,
and it just feels like a dope way to support.
You know, Latinos like, don't say we don't have things
if you don't support them when we do have them.
Speaker 1 (44:13):
That's true to and that's the.
Speaker 3 (44:15):
Yeah, that being said, you need to go see listen.
Speaker 2 (44:21):
I love the whole you know, you know, pitch of
the movie. I've never seen anything like this and I
and it feels so like, you know, just coming of
age and you know, from a male perspective, it's something
that I don't really watch. But when I saw the preview,
I was like, oh, I see what.
Speaker 3 (44:38):
It's actually based on a true eventrue that happened to
the director. This is the director's point of view as
a child.
Speaker 2 (44:45):
He went through this, he went through this, he realized
with the walk man. I was like, okay, the kid
has a walk man. So this was a long time.
Speaker 3 (44:51):
Yeah, yeah, this is this is his life. I mean
he was because he's a mommy and he was taken.
Speaker 2 (44:59):
So he can become That's that's toughing you up.
Speaker 3 (45:01):
It's crazy. When I read that, I was like, this
is insane. That's my story. I'm like, oh, dude, I
want to I need to be part of this because
it became something else because I was like yeah, it's
like yeah, man, yeah, that's what those Mimi Poppies.
Speaker 1 (45:14):
Did with their kids.
Speaker 3 (45:16):
You're like, wow, Dude's like yeah, man, they put them
in camp.
Speaker 2 (45:19):
That's toughing you up.
Speaker 3 (45:21):
So it's crazy, I mean a crazy story.
Speaker 2 (45:25):
No, I definitely want to see. I saw the preview,
like well, the trailer, and I was like, this is
a dope concept. I love it and I'm definitely going
to come out now because it's you, because I love
the concept and I support and I feel like I've
seen everything you've done, and like everyone in my space
like with you, it's just it's just different. My mom my, sister,
my friend, show.
Speaker 1 (45:45):
Me this direct He's really good. If you never met him,
have it. It's supposed to come.
Speaker 2 (45:51):
But definitely, and you know, I would love to sit
down with himcause I feel like that's missing. You know.
I've done actors, fortographers, directors, rappers.
Speaker 1 (46:02):
He did. He's the first filmmaker to have two films
in the festival in competition, so yeah, style he did.
He did. I think Dominican Public is one of their
first Oscar submissions for competeros. You seen this an that's
(46:23):
a good one.
Speaker 2 (46:24):
Freaking brilliant.
Speaker 1 (46:26):
Yeah, and it was. It was the submission for the
Academy Award Premier is actually Sundance Sunday Growth. That's the growth, dude,
the growth.
Speaker 2 (46:39):
No, that's I definitely want to sit down with him,
you know. It's I sat down you know, with je
Noa like all of that. Yeah, I've had j Noah twice. Actually,
I love everything she stands for, you know. I love
the way that she's just a lyricist and she's not
using you know, sex or sex appeal to sell. She's
just like, yo, this is my talent. This is it,
you know what I'm saying. And the way that you know,
(46:59):
she moves.
Speaker 1 (47:00):
I love it. Michelle. We posted something on our grand
the other day. Michelle was talking about when she came out,
which is the two thousands, you know, when they would
objectify latinas always as a sex She's like, that's what
labeled be difficult when I didn't want she has no
nudity cause in her tracks because she has like she's
really like, I I will do this, but I will
(47:21):
not do this. I'm not going to be the slud.
I'm not going to be the sex siren. I want
to be a strong woman. Good for her and it,
but she got you know, she got some heat. But
she's been able to have a big career. It's a
different courage.
Speaker 2 (47:33):
And she's respected.
Speaker 3 (47:34):
You know.
Speaker 2 (47:34):
It's like it's something we've had to always fight against.
I don't want to be the sexy latina. I don't
want to be the spicy nothing bro. You won't respect me,
you know what I'm saying, Even if it means giving
all that masculine energy that Michelle gives or whatever it is,
what it is, we had a strong latina, you know,
that was respected, that wasn't objectified, that wasn't made, you know,
like the hot latina is supposed to. You know what
(47:55):
I'm saying, it's dope. I love what she's done, and
I think that's one of the reasons I gravitate towards
ge no what, because no, you know, no offense to
everybody that you know uses their body and you know,
goes extra and super sexy and sex cells at the
end of the day. But when I found find someone
who's just like relying solely on their talent as a
latina and as a female, especially in the music industry,
I'm gonna be like because what you're doing here.
Speaker 1 (48:19):
Yeah, yeah, So I look forward for her. Come, I
look forward to seeing her again. I've seen her in
a minute, but you know, she deserves this award, so
really happy to give it to her.
Speaker 2 (48:28):
She's flash, she's dope. We're gonna pull up. Man, if
you're listening, you know, if you listened all the way through,
I want to see you. You know this year at
the film festival, give us the website, give us the
website one more.
Speaker 1 (48:39):
Time, and why Latino Film Festival. You know.
Speaker 2 (48:45):
In the description of this episode, I'm gonna put a
link directly.
Speaker 1 (48:48):
It's all the same, Twitter, all the same and what
Latino films.
Speaker 2 (48:52):
Like, I'm the only one, no matter, I don't know. Now,
I want to thank you so much for sitting down
with me today.
Speaker 6 (48:58):
Manny us olympire, Ain't you don't want you?
Speaker 3 (49:12):
I was like, you.
Speaker 2 (49:14):
Don't the best wardrobe.
Speaker 3 (49:15):
Behead when they put I Shine?
Speaker 1 (49:18):
He does you know it is real?
Speaker 2 (49:21):
I said, no, the definitely is real. Coming down upon Germany.
Thank you so much. Now with me and Latinos, you know,
week after week we give you these episodes, and I
don't want you to just think that you know, consuming
this is enough I want you to consume all content
that is being created, starting you know, with the New
York Latino Film Festival, which is going down this week,
(49:42):
starting this week right here in New York City. Let's
get it.
Speaker 1 (49:45):
Ready, Let's get it. Thank you, see you at the
movie theaters.
Speaker 2 (49:51):
Grassias Come Again a those doors don't play with.
Speaker 1 (49:55):
Thank thank you. That was beautiful.
Speaker 2 (50:00):
Grassiers Come Again is a production of Honey German Productions
in partnership with Iheart's Macundura podcast network.
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