As I write this, we are midway through Hispanic Heritage Month. As a Mexico-born American, I feel proud of Latin American culture, food, and most importantly, art.
What better way to appreciate the art than watching the artwork by storytellers/filmmakers?
This is my way of celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month. Si tú también estás navegando en el mismo barco (if you, too, are sailing the same boat), then stick around because I will be sharing the best film work done by the most renowned actors and directors from Latin America.
Does that sound interesting to you? If your answer in any way is yes, let me walk you through the movies in detail.
- Zoot Suit (1981)
If you truly want to experience the hardships faced by the Latin Americans, Zoot Suit is the one to watch.
The film is regarded as one of the greatest made by Latin Americans, and that is why it received Golden Globe nominations for the best film in Musical/Comedy.
The story revolves around a true event that happened in 1942. The incident was the Sleepy Lagoon murder trial and the Zoot Suit riots, in which many Latin Americans were unjustly targeted. They were harassed and faced severe racial discrimination at the hands of the system of that time. This film perfectly depicts the difficult life faced by the Latin Americans and helped raise the importance of fixing this issue.
As for the characters in the movie, Henry Reyna is a Mexican American gangster, accused of a murder which he didn’t commit, along with his other gang members. Then, as I said earlier, they have been rag-dolled by police because of their race.
I watched this movie for the first time when I was 17. It was our old black and white TV, and the watching experience wasn’t great. I wanted to watch it again, but in better quality, so I reached out to Cox servicio al cliente (it is the 24/7 customer service of one of the best internet providers in the US), and upgraded my internet plan to watch it in the best quality. It was worth it!
All in all, it is one of the best movies to watch during Hispanic Heritage Month.
- El Mariachi (1992)
This one is the master piece and the story behind the production of this film is pretty interesting, which makes me proud as a Latin American.
El Mariachi holds the Guinness World record of being the lowest budget movie to earn over a million dollars at the US Box Office. According to the reports, the film had a tight budget of 7000 bucks only, and that too was self-sponsored.
The story revolves around a guitar player who makes a living out of music, but his desire is fairly modest. On a cozy evening, he sits at the bar to cherish some time alone, but little does he know that his time is going to be interrupted. The locals start to fear that this musician is just a camouflage, and underneath, he is a professional killer who has been tipped to kill someone in the town. He then goes on to survive the gang wars and tries to escape the town.
The movie is of great significance, and the major reason behind it is that this was the moment when the Latin cinema rose to new heights. Initially, it was made for the Mexican audience, but the interest within the US took this movie to new heights, along with the people and new actors who were associated with this movie.
If you truly want to experience the Hispanic Heritage Month, this is a must-watch.
- Mi Familia (1995)
I love this movie, and it is close to my heart. Why? The story is based on immigrant family members which reminds me of my own family. In simple words, it is relatable, which is why I adore it.
When we moved to the US, we faced the same challenges that were faced by the narrator of the movie. Racial discrimination, economic challenges, and cultural differences. It was difficult, but it is better now.
Anyway, Mi Familia is a movie based on the 2nd generation of immigrants from Mexico. The story revolves around how their father came to the US and survived there. The movie beautifully and authentically depicts the problems faced by recently immigrated Latin people. There is no fuss and stereotypes in the movie, and it is pure.
The movie has its significance as well: Jennifer Lopez is one of the stars who came from Latin America. This movie was one of her first gigs. Apart from her, many actors like Edward James Olmos and Esai Morales got recognition because of this movie. It is not just the actors, but the movie played its part in taking the Latin cinema from the bottom to the top.
Well, these are the best movies that you can watch to celebrate the Hispanic Heritage Month. At the end, I would like to say: don’t forget to snack up your watching experience by including some Quesadillas.
