INTERVIEW: PBS explores Latino/a/x communities in three-part ‘Latino Experience’
Photo: One of the short films featured in The Latino Experience is Mi Fango, Mi Cerro. Photo courtesy of Julia Mendoza Friedman / Provided by PBS with permission.
This summer, PBS has expanded its diverse programming to include stories of the Latino/a/x community across the United States and Puerto Rico. The product of their creative focus is the three-part special The Latino Experience, which finishes up Tuesday, July 20 at 9 p.m. The first two episodes are available to stream.
Each segment of the special program gives space to filmmakers to tell their own short stories, whether they are fictional films or documentaries. Over the course of the first two evenings there were pieces like Death and Deathability: A Period Piece by Maria Victoria Ponce, Folk Frontera by Alejandra Vasquez and Sam Osborn, and The Blue Cape by Alejandra López.
The third and final evening has many highlights, including Mi Fango, Mi Cerro, a film about Chemi Rosado-Seijo, an artist who yearns to find utopia in Puerto Rico, according to press notes. That one comes from director-producer Julia Mendoza Friedman. Also featured will be The Daily War, directed and produced by Karla Legaspy, about the struggles of a veteran with post-traumatic stress disorder and her son.
At the helm of this project is Wendy Llinás, senior director of programming and development for PBS. She provides the daily production process and resources for programs such as Independent Lens, Voces, American Experience and POV. She is also an experienced journalist and documentary filmmaker. Recently Llinás exchanged emails with Hollywood Soapbox about The Latino Experience. Questions and answers have been slightly edited for style.
How did The Latino Experience project first begin?
In August 2020, PBS announced a call for short films, not longer than 15 minutes each, to highlight the rich diversity of the Latino/a/x community across the United States and Puerto Rico. More than 240 entries were reviewed by a panel of experienced filmmakers. Of those submissions, 13 received funding support and became part of the national series The Latino Experience.
Why is this project so important in 2021?
After a year of pandemic, protests, and coming out of one of the most divisive elections in the U.S. ,we want the Latinx community to feel that their voices and stories are heard while highlighting the very talented filmmakers who bring their passion and authenticity to their work. All of the varied experiences captured in the shorts — whether fiction or non-fiction — are universal stories that speak to our collective identity as Latinos/as/x and our human experience.
What can audience members expect from the series?
There’s something for everybody. Anyone watching can look forward to being entertained, surprised, delighted, engaged and informed by some of the most creative storytellers in our community. From dramas, documentaries, to satire and magical realism, the hope is that you have a better understanding about the people, groups and various cultures that fall under the umbrella of Latinos/as/x.
Did you give a lot of freedom to the filmmakers?
Filmmakers were able to tell their stories from a place of authenticity and relevance, and we respect their creative approach and vision. We looked for contemporary stories with a strong story arc. As a broadcast network we have to adhere to certain standards and practices — like any other broadcaster — and the shorts were all curated to fit within a certain amount time for a three-hour TV special.
The word “community” seems important to each and every one of the films. What does this word mean to you?
The word community to me is layered. In my everyday life, it’s the folks closest to me: family, friends, neighbors and co-workers. But I also know that we are all part of larger communities that join us together — whether it’s focused on identity, interests or common goals the word expands and contracts. I see myself as part of multiple communities that are all connected.
By John Soltes / Publisher / John@HollywoodSoapbox.com
The Latino Experience concludes Tuesday, July 20 at 9 p.m. on PBS. Click here for more information.
