Ten years ago, a ground-breaking film called Luminarias changed the lives of many working Latino actors and actresses here in Los Angeles, as well as Latinos working behind the camera and throughout the industry at large. The cast and crew, including well-known talent like Cheech Marin, Robert Beltran, Dyana Ortelli, Sal Lopez and many many others still remember the movie with great affection, and the Los Angeles Theater Center recently hosted a tenth-anniversary screening and celebration of the movie that triggered a flood of memories and moments.
Executive producer Evelina Fernandez, the writer of the play and the screenplay, recently told Se Fija! that, “Watching the film again after all these years was interesting because it is still so relevant. It also reminds us how important it is to support Latina projects because there are so many important stories that need to be told.”
Dyana Ortelli, took a look back on the experience as well, in an exclusive talk with Se Fija!…
Ten years ago, a Latina writer/actress named Evelina Fernandez was so fed up with the stereotypical images of Latina women in television and film as nothing but maids, hookers, suffering barrio mothers that she decided to write her own story—a story that she could relate to, that uplifted the images of Latinos in the United States. That story was Luminarias, which ultimately became a ground-breaking film about four professional, educated Latina women living in the multi-cultural city of Los Angeles who meet on a regular basis to share stories of relationships, men, infidelity, family, work, love.
The film was not only written by a Latina, it was also directed by a Latino, produced by Latinos, financed entirely by the Latino community, and featured authentic Latino actors playing Latino roles. Hard to believe, but up until then, the likes of Meryl Streep, Glenn Close and Winona Ryder were typically cast in Latino roles (House of the Spirits). Luminarias broke new ground. Latinos were finally “good enough to play themselves” and able to write and produce their own projects. As Latino actors, most of us were experiencing our first opportunity to play the kinds of roles Hollywood just wasn’t writing for us. How fortunate we were!
One of my fondest memories of Luminarias was our premiere at the San Sebastian Film Festival in Spain. “Why are Mexicans speaking English?” they asked. Most Spanish audiences were unfamiliar with the word “Chicano” and its unique English/Spanglish speaking culture. But it immediately resonated with the Latino community in the United States, who embraced and applauded it. We heard stories of Latinos bringing their friends and families and seeing the movie as many as 8 or 9 times, until they were able to purchase their own VHS, and later DVD copy of the movie.
I attended the 10-year Anniversary screening and celebration at LATC last week (August 20th) with anticipation and excitement. Watching the film on the big screen again after all these years brought back nothing but wonderful memories of working with amazing friends and colleagues. There was not a single day on the set that wasn’t filled with joy and laughter, and the feeling that we were part of something very special. I sat in the audience and experienced Luminarias again with those older friends who had seen it ten years ago, and a new generation of viewers that had never seen it before.
What did I feel? PROUD—proud to have been part of a movie that stood the test of time and resonated with audiences old and new; a movie that represented an authentic Los Angeles with its diversity of cultures, and left us with a message of tolerance and acceptance. “Our ‘little movie that could’ still can,” I thought. “SI SE PUEDE!” And here we are, ten years later, celebrating our ground-breaking film, and playing it for a new generation of movie-goers who might have heard of it, but never got a chance to see it before.
The response was astounding! It still holds up. It resonates with our community.
You can follow Dyana Ortelli at www.dyanaortelli.com and see her at www.youtube.com/dyanaortelli. Evelina Fernandez continues to write and produce, and to be very involved with the community as a member of the Latino Theater Company. You can learn more about LTC at www.latinotheater.com. And you can order a DVD or even a VHS (!) of Luminarias on Amazon.com right now.
Happy Anniversary!
