HOLA Member Bochinche

Bochinche refers to “gossip”. In this sense, we use it to mention HOLA members or Friends of HOLA who are getting acting, performance or similarly artistic gigs and/or recognition in the media. The names of HOLA members and Friends of HOLA are listed below in boldface. To see what other HOLA members are doing currently, click here.

Johanna Tolentino, shown at right, was featured in an article in Latin Trends magazine, where it highlighted her work as an actress-writer-producer-activist. To read the interview, click here.

Paul Mauriello is co-starring in Corners, a feature film written and directed by Tobias Truvillion.

2016 HOLA Awards recipient Pablo García Gámez, shown at left and also see below, was mentioned in the Héctor Luis Sin Censura blog (written and edited by 2016 HOLA Awards recipient Héctor Luis Rivera, also see below). To read the blog, which is in Spanish, click here.

Manolo García Oliva published his "Teatro Lo Mejor Del Año 2016" best-of Latino theater list for 2016 in the weekly New York newspaper Impacto Latin News. The article featured a bevy of HOLA members including Edison Carrera, 2016 HOLA Awards recipient Luis Carlos de La Lombana, 2016 HOLA Awards recipient Caridad del Valle, Berenice Di Piazza, 2016 HOLA Awards recipient Pablo García Gámez, Ángel Gil Orrios, Soledad López, 2016 HOLA Awards recipient Soraya Padrao, Indra Palomo, Omar Pérez, 2016 HOLA Performer's Choice Awards recipient Yvette Quintero, 2016 HOLA Awards recipient Héctor Luis Rivera (also see above), 2016 HOLA Awards recipient Susan Rybin, and Kathy Tejada. To read the article, which is in Spanish, click on the image at above left and above right.

If you are an HOLA member or a Friend of HOLA and want to submit a bochinche item, send us an e-mail. If you live in the New York metropolitan area and want to be an HOLA member, why not join? If you live outside the New York metropolitan area and want to be an HOLA member, you can find out more information on how to do so, by clicking here. If you are not a Friend of HOLA, why not become one?

HOLA Member Bochinche

Bochinche refers to “gossip”. In this sense, we use it to mention HOLA members or Friends of HOLA who are getting acting, performance or similarly artistic gigs and/or recognition in the media. The names of HOLA members and Friends of HOLA are listed below in boldface. To see what other HOLA members are doing currently, click here.

Elaine Del Valle, shown at left in the photo with William D. Caballero, was featured in the December edition of the Viva New York supplement of the New York Daily News, were her role as a producer in the William D. Caballero short film Víctor and Isolina is highlighted. The animated film (which utilized 3D models of its stars), is also produced by Louis Perego Moreno (Tío Louie) and will be presented in January 2017 at the Sundance Film Festival in Park City and Salt Lake City, Utah. To read the , click here.

Vanessa Verduga, shown at left, was featured in the Twist Online blog, where her single "Owner of My Heart" (off her upcoming album Soy mujer) is highlighted. To read the interview, click here.

Luis Salgado is slated to direct and choreograph the upcoming Axelrod Performing Arts Center production of In The Heights. Written by Lin-Manuel Miranda and Quiara Alegría Hudes, the production will take place in March 2017 at Axelrod's namesake theater in Deal Park, New Jersey.

The film Twice Upon A Time continues its run on the film festival circuit. The next stop for the short film (written, co-produced and starring Iliana Guibert and directed by Paul Borghese), will be in February 2017 at the Beaufort International Film Festival in Beaufort, South Carolina. For more information on the film, click here or here.

If you are an HOLA member or a Friend of HOLA and want to submit a bochinche item, send us an e-mail. If you live in the New York metropolitan area and want to be an HOLA member, why not join? If you live outside the New York metropolitan area and want to be an HOLA member, you can find out more information on how to do so, by clicking here. If you are not a Friend of HOLA, why not become one? 

Report on the 2016 HOLAfestival

On Thursday, December 8, 2016, the Hispanic Organization of Latin Actors (HOLA) presented its latest incarnation of the HOLAfestival, a spotlight on HOLA member-writers. This year, it was a film festival where three short films and a feature film written (or co-written by HOLA members) were to be presented. The short films included Twice Upon A Time (written by Iliana Guibert, who unfortunately could not attend due to a previous engagement), Sal (written by Lucio Fernández), ¡Ay, Que Susto! (written by Mo Zapata and A.B. Lugo), and the 2016 HOLA Award-winning film The Stockroom (written by 2016 HOLA Awards honoree Víctor Cruz). The festival took place at Teatro LATEA in The Clemente Soto Vélez Cultural and Educational Center (home to HOLA) in Manhattan's Loísaida neighborhood.

During an intermission held between the screenings of the short films and the feature presentation, filmmaker Víctor Cruz offered a proposition. He happened to have several copies of his film The Stockroom, and he offered to sell them (at a regular price, and at a discount for HOLA members in attendance) with 50% of the proceeds going to benefit HOLA. He also offered a free copy to those who signed up for a one-year membership with HOLA that evening.

Special thanks to the staff of Teatro LATEA, Anthony Ruiz, the staff of The Clemente Soto Vélez Cultural and Educational Center, Víctor Cruz, the filmmakers, and those in attendance for helping make this event a success.

[Photos on this blog by Ken Bravo/Ken Bravo Photography. To see more photos of this event, click here.]

Report on Book Release Party for GENIAL JUANO HERNÁNDEZ by Miluka Rivera

On Thursday, December 8, 2016, the Hispanic Organization of Latin Actors (HOLA) presented a book release party for HOLA member Miluka Rivera's new book, Genial Juano Hernández, a biography of famed Afro-Puerto Rican actor Juano Hernández (1896?-1970). The event took place at Camaradas El Barrio Bar and Restaurant and was moderated by HOLA member Javier E. Gómez and it became an intimate discussion between the moderator, the author, and those in attendance (which included fans of Hernández who were happy that his story, 25 years in the making, was being told and not being forgotten). Afterwards, Rivera autographed and sold copies of the book (and some of her earlier books), for which a percentage of the proceeds was donated to HOLA.

Special thanks to the staff of Camaradas El Barrio Bar and Restaurant (including Sebastián Saviñón), Ms. Rivera, Mr. Gómez, and all those in attendance for helping make this event a success.

[Photos on this blog by Alphabeta Photography. To see additional photos of this event, click here.]

HOLA Member Bochinche

Bochinche refers to “gossip”. In this sense, we use it to mention HOLA members or Friends of HOLA who are getting acting, performance or similarly artistic gigs and/or recognition in the media. The names of HOLA members and Friends of HOLA are listed below in boldface. To see what other HOLA members are doing currently, click here.

Aileene Pérez, shown at right, was featured in the Héctor Luis Sin Censura (written and edited by 2016 HOLA Awards recipient Héctor Luis Rivera), where it was announced that she will star in the upcoming TEBA production of Mirandolina. The Carlo Goldoni comedy (also known as The Mistress of the Inn) will be directed by Rivera and presented in spring 2017 at a theater to be announced. Also mentioned in the blog were Kathy Tejada and Ivan L. Argudo. To read the blog, which is in Spanish, click here.

The film Twice Upon A Time continues its run on the film festival circuit, and winning awards along the way. The short film, written, co-produced and starring Iliana Guibert and directed by Paul Borghese, won two awards at the online WRPN.TV Global Webisode Competition (WGWC)– Best of Show: Webisode (Drama) and Excellenece: Director for Borghese.

2016 HOLA Awards recipient Pablo Andrade, shown at left, co-stars in the film short The X Job, which is hitting the film festival circuit. Written and directed by Gerard Méndez, its latest stop will be in December at the Grove Film Festival in Jersey City, New Jersey.

Emilio Delgado was a guest artist with Pink Martini at the band's gig in December at world-renowned Town Hall (in Manhattan's Times Square area). You can see him singing a snippet of a bilingual (Spanish/English) version of Joe Raposo's "Sing" with China Forbes from the concert in the video below.

If you are an HOLA member or a Friend of HOLA and want to submit a bochinche item, send us an e-mail. If you live in the New York metropolitan area and want to be an HOLA member, why not join? If you live outside the New York metropolitan area and want to be an HOLA member, you can find out more information on how to do so, by clicking here. If you are not a Friend of HOLA, why not become one? 

BAFTA To Enact Changes To Ensure More Diversity In Movies

The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA), the independent charity that supports, develops and promotes the art forms of the moving image (film, television and game) in the United Kingdom, is changing the eligibility criteria for two of its major film award categories to encourage producers to improve diversity on both sides of the camera.

BAFTA has adopted the BFI Diversity Standards when considering eligibility for two awards categories: "Outstanding British Film" and "Outstanding Debut by a British Writer, Director or Producer."

To be eligible, productions must demonstrate that they have worked to increase the participation of groups that are under-represented in the film industry, such as ethnic minorities, the disabled, women, LGBT, or people from lower socioeconomic groups, in two of the following four areas: on-screen representation, themes and narratives; project leadership and creative practitioners; industry access and opportunities; and opportunities for diversity in audience development.

The changes will take effect from 2019.

BAFTA is also amending the criteria for membership in the organization. For the 2017 intake, it has abolished the requirement for new member applicants to need proposers and seconders from the existing membership. "This widens the pool of potential members and ensures that it's only talent, and not also who you know, that enables BAFTA membership," according to a statement.

In January 2016, BAFTA issued an anonymous questionnaire to give it an insight into the composition of its membership. Out of the 45% of recipients who responded, 41% were female, 13% from minority ethnic groups, and the median age was 52.

By contrast, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences' membership is 23% female, 6% non-white, and the median age is 62.

Of the 375 BAFTA members joining this year, 43% were female, and 18% were from minority ethnic groups. They had a median age of 44.

Report on the PRIME LATINO MEDIA Holiday Fiesta

The Holiday Fiesta, dubbed the “madre of all holiday fiestas", was no less disappointing this holiday season. Always the biggest turnout of the year as the officially-unofficial family reunion homecoming for our metro-New York community of Latino multimedia-makers, actors and musicians, this year's fiesta was no less disappointing. Partnering in this special occasion was the Hispanic Organization of Latin Actors (HOLA) and NY Women in Film & Television (NYWIFT) that was held on Wednesday, November 30, 2016 at Bar 13 in the shadow of Manhattan's Union Square. Food and drink available, there were actors ranging from Aris Mejías who had two films at this year’s International Puerto Rican Heritage Film Festival with the feature film The Vessel (starring Martin Sheen) and her short After; to 2016 HOLA awardee Dalia Davi; to filmmaker William Caballero, who has a short film premiering at the Sundance Film Festival in January 2017, all there cheering on the awardees.

The highlight of the evening was the presentation of the 2016 Padrino/Madrina Awards. Previous recipients have been filmmaker Sonia González-Martínez, actor David Zayas, producer-actor Elaine Del Valle, and actors Luis Antonio Ramos and J.W. Cortés. This year’s Madrina (godmother) was Bárbara Matos, Vice-President of Diversity from CBS Corporation; and filmmaker-actor, Adel L. Morales of Hollyhood Productions. Both were handed home-baked prizes of pumpkin-coconut-cranberry-chocolate cakes soaked in rum that they shared with their community of attendees and supporters. But the icing on the cake was when Morales credited his success as a filmmaker in the support he received from his community of Latino multimedia-makers, actors and musicians, as well as the support he provided in kind. He encouraged everyone to leave the evening’s gathering with at least five new contacts.

The tone set by the founder and Executive Producer of Prime Latino Media, Louis E. Perego Moreno (more commonly known as Tío Louie), was that more than ever “we need to be a community of latinos unidos in supporting one another in the year moving forward to produce stellar works of art in Spanish-language and mainstream media.

To that effect, he wished a successful and happy 2017 to “todos en nuestra comunidad.”

The next monthly PRIME LATINO MEDIA Salón is slated for Inauguration Eve, Thursday, January 19, 2016. Save the date and stay tuned for details.

[Photos courtesy of Tío Louie. To see more photos, click here.]