LatinHeat Cinema: Online Distribution, Licensing & Streaming Platform For Latino Content Makers

[Originally published here.]

Presenting American Stories Through a Latino Lens

Hollywood, California — American Latino Theatre, a nonprofit 501(c)(3) company and Latin Heat Media, LLC, have partnered in a joint venture to launch LatinHeat Cinema, a groundbreaking online streaming service that will target Latino movie consumers and allow them to watch films, TV, and online content is Latino themed, produced and which star Latinos and not available through traditional film distribution. 

David Llauger-Meiselman.

The idea for the LatinHeat Cinema, is the brainchild of filmmaker and entrepreneur David Llauger-Meiselman who has spent the past two years closely studying monitoring, examining and witnessing the disintegration of traditional film distribution.

“It’s devastating for indie filmmakers, as I personally know, because there is basically is no way to get our films out to the masses,” stated Llauger-Meiselman. “There really is no hope for most filmmakers to secure a decent distribution deal in the traditional sense,” adding, “No matter how much your film cost, how great the quality and strong the story is, the odds are against you to ever get your film seen by the public, and a zilch chance to recoup your costs.”

LatinHeat Cinema (www.LatinHeatCinema.com) will launch Thursday, September 17, 2015, on the occasion of the premiere of Llauger-Meiselman’s film Strike One, at the Egyptian Theatre in Los Angeles.

Strike One is an American-Latino urban drama and award-winning indie film whose focus is on the effects the unjust and cruel Three Strikes Law have on Latino youth. Strike One stars Danny Trejo (Machete), Johnny Ortiz (McFarland, "American Crime") , Alma Martínez (The Bridge), James Russo (Django Unchained), Billy Gallo (Crash), French Stewart ("3rd Rock From the Sun"), Jocelyn Cruz (Latino 101), hip hop artist Maria Isa, Lawrence Smilgys ("Charmed"), and Reginald VelJohnson ("Family Matters"). LatinHeat Cinema will offer online movie consumers the opportunity to rent Strike One for $3.99 or purchase it for $9.99.

Bel Hernández Castillo.

Llauger-Meiselman teamed with Latin Heat Media, LLC, an integrated, multi-media entertainment company and an established brand servicing Latinos in entertainment.  Together, Latin Heat Media CEO Bel Hernández Castillo and Llauger-Meiselman bring over 30 years of experience in working with Latino filmmakers, and have worked closely together to develop this online theatre screen with the capacity to reach the lion’s share of Latino movie consumers via the multiple digital platforms available: laptops, smart TVs, tablets and mobile devices. The end result is www.LatinHeatCinema.com, an online Latino streaming vehicle that:

• Is a service that fills a void in Hollywood by providing streaming for Latino indie films and other content;
• Widens the platform to allow millions of Latinos access to films they would otherwise never see; and
• Is a streaming model built so that filmmakers gain more control over the distribution of their projects and the opportunity to earn back on their investment.

LatinHeat Cinema will be targeting the most desired audience in entertainment: U.S. Latino moviegoers, which contribute 25% of domestic box-office revenue, and they are in the coveted age groups of 18-24-year olds and 25-39-year olds. “And, we will push to reach far beyond the U.S. borders,” said Llauger-Meiselman. “Our reach is global.”

“When David came to us with the idea, he also came with the perfect film we can test the market with, his film Strike One,” said Hernández Castillo. “Here is an action film, with one of the most recognizable names in Hollywood, Danny Trejo. We are excited that LatinHeat Cinema will be a home to media content by, about and starring Latinos.” Hernández Castillo also went on to point out that LatinHeat Cinema looks forward to providing a market channel relationship to help filmmakers build out.

“True,” added Llauger-Meiselman. “Basically, at LatinHeat Cinema, filmmakers aren’t giving away their content. Unlike other sites, at LatinHeat Cinema they are in control of their market. They will know, thru our metrics, who their audience is and how they are responding to their product.”

Strike One is the launch film at LatinHeat Cinema (LHC) and will be offered nationwide and internationally. The long-range plans for LatinHeat Cinema is to offer an exclusive selection of Latino original first-run films, original series, made-for-LHC movies and documentaries.



LatinHeat Cinema launches on Thursday, September 17, 2015 at 8pm— the same night it premieres in Los Angeles at the historic Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood. To view Strike One movie trailer or obtain more information, visit www.LatinHeatCinema.com.