Now in its fifth year, the Long Island Latino International Film Festival is once again showcasing a fine lineup of films.

Some of the films such as “Premature,” “Made in Japan” and “Little Courage” (all exceptional films) have been making the festival circuit and deserve to be seen once again if you have not had the pleasure.

In addition, they will be premiering the short documentary “Stereo Typed” produced by Frances Lozada and the actor Franky G.

The festival will take place over three days beginning on Friday, November 6 and running through Sunday, November 8. A three-day pass is only $40 or $10 for each individual block of films.

The films to be screened include three full-length features, “The Gift of Pachamama” (directed by Toshifumi Matsushita) from Bolivia, “Sacred Games” (directed by Bernado Chilindron and “Willets Point” (directed by T.J. Collins).

For more information you can visit their website at http://liliff.com/

The current iteration of this piece is now presented by Spike Lee and has dropped the subtitle “The Beautiful Struggle” but a beautiful piece it still is. Lemon and his director, Elise Thoron, have done an amazing job in shaping the story to give the story a stronger impact. A great hand must be given to the stage, lighting and sound designers for an exceptional job in creating an experience.

In spite of all the surroundings the star here is Lemon Andersen who takes a hold of the stage and audience taking us on a journey through his life. Watching him on the stage, took me back through the time period from the early eighties to the present, helping me see the world through his eyes and his heart.

Beginning with him winning the Tony as part of Russell Simmon’s Def Poetry Jam, he goes back to when he was ten years old and reminiscing about his mother taking him to Coney Island. His mother takes center stage in this version of the show, always there, haunting and witnessing his struggle to become a man.

With no trace of self-pity or victimhood, Lemon shares his life and struggle in a way that anyone can relate. His is a performance that must be seen by all. This is how you do a one-man show.

The show will be playing at the Public Theater until November 8. Tickets can be purchased at the Public Theater website. See the play and bring your friends, it’s a show that must be shared for the discussions you will certainly have afterwards.

Read more about him and vote for him, using the widget below, as the CNN 2009 Hero. You can vote as many times as you want until Thursday, November 19.

The first national tour will take place in three different cities across the United States. The first will be in Houston (September 24 & 25), next in New York (October 1 & 2) and the last one will be in Orlando (October 8 & 9). I am proud to have contributed in some small way by creating the videos below.

Please check out their website for more information about the tour and how to contact them on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. Their website is http://www.latism.org.

Creating these videos for me was a great experience in that I am supporting a great organization and I would like to thank Louis Pagan for his vision and guidance during this process.

No project is a one man show and this one was especially rewarding in the talent and commitment of the people that I worked with. I would like to give them all a shout out and tell them how fortunate I am to have them as a team. First, Chris Wilfong for his great camera work, Ben Chapins for his editing skills, I gave them the direction and they came back with more than I expected. Debbie Whyte, great project manager and graphic designer for her constant support and great enthusiasm that she brought to the team. Nancy Lopez, a great person and coordinator for making the calls to get people out on a hot summer day. Lastly, I want to thank all the wonderful people who showed up to share themselves in front of the camera.

Latinos in Social Media

Do You Speak Latino?

Overall, most of the films have met the challenged while others struggled a bit. I must say that the level of talent this year is amazing. It is great to see Latino filmmakers come into their own.

The first session I went to was “So, Last Night” the films were:

Coup De Grace, Director: Thymaya Payne – Film about two friends who rob a store, then something goes wrong. One of the friends tries to find redemption in saving a dog’s life. Well filmed and acted, the film is satisfying and worth seeing.

En La Otra Camilla (On The Other Stretcher), Director: Luis Melgar – A comedy of errors from Spain, the film while amateurish at times has many laughs, entertaining.

One Night Stand, Director: Mr. Moe – One of the criteria that I have for a film, is that it has to have the element of surprise, and this film definitely delivers. On the surface, I expected a “Fatal Attraction” type of film but it became much more. Can’t wait to see what Mr. Moe will bring next.

Lost Brother, Director: Roberto Lopez – This film excited me because it showed a different side of life from the Muslim perspective. It was problematic in connecting the plot points but the acting was good and I can’t wait to see what the director will do next.

Baile, Director: Geoffrey Guerrero – I liked the story of the conga player who is so devoted to his music and wants to fill his life with someone who will share his passion. Though for me the story was somewhat predictable, however, the direction and the acting of the lead character (Justin Justin) made the film a pleasure to watch.

This series of short films will be repeated on Sunday, August 2nd. Support Latino films and go see it. To get more information go to http://nylatinofilm.com

Calle 13: Sin Mapa

The one exception to the short films was the documentary “Calle 13: Sin Mapa.” The film amazed me in that it was nothing like I expected. In full disclosure, I was not familiar with Calle 13’s music but the film showed me their sincerity and humanity. The film is more like a Travel Channel show but it goes so much further in exploring South America. Residente, the lead singer and lyricist of the group is such a compelling character, totally honest and not afraid to be himself while showing us a world that most of us never knew existed. It is definitely a film that must be seen. It was released on DVD the same day that it premiered at the festival and it is one that I will add to my collection.

In the next few days, I will review the other films I see.

The first film is “A Kiss of Chaos”

Brief synopsis: A KISS OF CHAOS (AKOC) is a Latino thriller wherein an emotionally conflicted artist’s life is dragged into a vortex of Chaos when both her bullet wounded thieving ex-boyfriend and HIV positive sister end up on her door steps and back in her life the same day, and the events that unfold putting her life in grave danger.

Starring: Judy Marte, Manny Perez, Michael Rivera with Paul Calderon and Adam Rodriguez.

Introducing: Gleendilys Inoa, Stephanie Ortiz, and Mario D’Leon

Additional Appearances by: Michael Kenneth Williams, Flaco Navaja, and Kareem Savinon.

You can find out more about the film on http://fallingawakefilm.com/ and join the Facebook page as well.

My review of the film from last year has been reposted below. Catch the film when it opens and support Latino and Independent film!

Falling Awake (previously Shine On) – Director: Agustin – A formula movie that breaks the mold in so many ways. First, the lead character, Jay, is a musician who goes to Manhattan to play his music in the park. When he is not playing music, he is working overnight at a gas station or hanging out with his friends in the Bronx. The refreshing bit about him is that he does not sing salsa but folk-rock music. The movie shows that not all Latinos from the Bronx sing salsa, hip-hop or reggaeton. Another break in the stereotypes often portrayed in Bronx movies is that no one is using or dealing drugs. They party, they drink and they often get in trouble but they are just living. Even their living conditions are not dirt poor; the father works his ass off as a doorman to provide for his family. Which brings me to another point; there is a father in the picture.

Played by Nestor Serrano, the father is a proud man who may be too tough at times but you can tell he cares about his family and their well being while at the same time being aware that his sons need to learn responsibility. The underused Julie Carmen portrays the mother. The family dynamic rings true in the film.

The lead actor, Andrew Cisneros, brings great depth to a character that exists in two different worlds and navigates both being comfortable with himself. In the supporting cast, I must point out, Flaco Navaja as one of Jay’s best friends. He has so much presence on screen, that he deserves to get more roles in movies.

It would be a shame if this movie did not get proper distribution. It’s a movie that should be seen.
You can see a trailer here.

While I may not consider most of the food “bizarre,” I am sure that someone from some other culture may. I look forward to seeing the island and it’s people get some recognition for what I consider some of the best food in the world. Of course, I am biased as anyone would be for their native country’s food.

Below are two clips from the show. One is the promo and the other is an extended scene from the show. Looking forward to seeing the whole show.

Two recent films of note, one with limited distribution and another premiering at The Tribeca Film Festival, are “Sleep Dealer” and “Entre Nos”.

“Sleep Dealer,” directed and co-written by Alex Rivera, currently in limited release in NY and LA, is a science fiction film based at a time when there is a wall between the U.S. and Mexico and jobs are outsourced by hooking up workers through a digital network.

“Entre Nos” is currently premiering at The Tribeca Film Festival and has sold out all screenings. Hopefully it will be released in the theaters in the near future. The film is by first time directors, Gloria La Morte and Paola Mendonza (also stars on a story based on her mother’s life) who also wrote the story.

Support independent cinema and go see these films. If you have seen them, please feel free to comment.

The film trailers are below.

Director Chris Eyre discusses a scene with actor Annawon Weeden, who plays King Philip. Weeden, a member of the Mashpee Wampanoag tribe, is an educator in his community and is a traditional singer and dancer.

A couple of the documentaries were directed by Chris Eyre, the American Indian director of one of my favorite films “Smoke Signals”. The series is available on the PBS website for the series.

For more information see the NY Times article below.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/12/arts/television/12jens.html