In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month which runs from September 15 – October 15, we are featuring twelve films about Hispanic and Latinx cultures that were written by or star Hispanic and Latinx actors or have Hispanic/Latinx directors.
These exceptional films are sure to entertain and inspire you all year long and they are only a small sampling of films fitting this criteria. Look for them on streaming services or network TV. Enjoy!
Stand and Deliver (1988) – Edward James Olmos stars as real-life Bolivian American math teacher, Jaime Escalante, who teaches students in his AP Calculus class how to succeed and thrive in an underfunded and run down Los Angeles high school. The film was directed by Ramón Menendez, written by Menendez and Tom Musca is based on a true story. It also stars Lou Diamond Phillips, Roseanne DeSoto, and Andy Garcia. Olmos was nominated for an Academy Award and a Golden Globe Award for best actor. Lou Diamond Phillips was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for best supporting actor. The film won seven Independent Spirit Awards.
Coco (2017) – This animated film about a Mexican boy named Miguel who accidentally gets transported to the Land of the Dead was inspired by the Mexican holiday Día de Muertos (Day of the Dead). The film features an all Latino principal cast including Benjamin Bratt, Edward James Olmos, Anthony Gonzales, Gael Garcia Bernal, Alanna Ubach, Renée Victor, and Ana Ofelia Murguia. At the 90th Academy awards, Coco received awards for best animated feature and best original score.
Selena (1977) – Jennifer Lopez stars in this biographical drama about Tejano music star Selena Quintanilla-Pérez. The film chronicles Selena’s rise to fame and her murder by Yolanda Saldívar at the age of twenty-three. Edward James Olmos, John Seda, Jackie Guerra, Constance Marie, Jacob Vargas, and Lupe Ontiveros also deliver strong performances. The film won four of the six ALMA awards it was nominated for. Lopez received a Golden Globe nomination for best actress, and the film received three Imagen Awards.
Blood In, Blood Out (1993) is a crime drama from the screenplay written by Jimmy Santiago Baca and Floyd Mutrux about the intertwining lives of three Chicano relatives who started out in street gang in East Los Angeles. The film stars Benjamin Bratt, Jesse Borrego, Enrique Costillo, and Damian Chapa. It did poorly at the box office, but has since become a cult classic in Mexican American communities.
La Bamba (1987) Lou Diamond Phillips stars in this biographical drama about the life and musical career of American-Chicano rock and roll star Richie Valens. The film written and directed by Luis Valdez also stars Esai Morales, Rosanna DeSoto, and Elizabeth Peña.
Salt of the Earth (1954) - The Hollywood blacklisted director during the McCarthy witch hunts, Herbert J. Biberman, filmed this drama about a lengthy mine strike in New Mexico on a modest budget employing mostly nonprofessional Latino actors. Though it was not a commercial success at the time, it is now considered a classic.
Zoot Suit (1981) – is a musical film of the Broadway pay by the same name. The play and the screenplay for the film were written by Luis Valdez who also directed the film. Edward James Olmos and Daniel Valdez reprised their roles from the Broadway play. The film features music from Daniel Valdez and Lalo Guerrero, the father of Chicano Music. Zoot Suit is a fictionalized version of the Sleppy Lagoon murder trial. A group of young Mexican Americans were charged with murder resulting in the racially charged zoot suit riots throughout Los Angeles in the early 1940s.
My Family (1995) – Jennofer Lopez, Jimmy Smots, Edward James Olmos, Esai Morales, Thomas Morales, Jr., Elpidia Carrillo, and Eduardo Lopez Rojas star in this film about multiple generations of the Mexican American Sanchez family.
Dora and the Lost City of Gold (2019) is an adventure comedy based on the animated television series Dora the Explorer. It stars Isabela Moner, Eugenio Derbez, Eva Longoria, and Michael Peña with Danny Trejo as the voice of Boots. The lost city is based on the ancient city of Paititi.
Real Women Have Curves (2002) – this film was directed by Patricia Cardoso and based on the play by the same name written by Josefina López. America Ferrara makes her big screen debut as Ana Garcia, a first generation Mexican American, Ana battles with her dreams of going to college and her family obligations. Her mother expects her to become a full time worker at the family’s struggling textile business, and she nags her about her weight constantly believing Ana needs to be thin to attract a husband. Ana works hard to achieve her goals and helps redefine how women see themselves.
West Side Story (1961) – Puerto Rican singer, dancer, and actress Rita Moreno won an Academy Award for best supporting actress for her portrayal of Anita in this groundbreaking musical about rival street gangs in New York City.
Cyrano De Bergerac (1950) - José Ferrer who was born in Puerto Rico in 1912 became the first Latino to win an Academy Award for best actor for his portrayal of Cyrano De Bergerac.