Films About Latinos in America
The representation of Latinos in American cinema has evolved significantly over the decades, reflecting the diverse experiences, cultures, and challenges faced by the Latino community. These films often explore themes of identity, immigration, family, and social justice, showcasing both the struggles and triumphs of Latino characters in the United States. From poignant dramas to heartfelt comedies, these films provide a window into the rich tapestry of Latino life and culture, contributing to a broader understanding of America itself.
“Real Women Have Curves”, 2002
Director: Patricia Cardoso
This coming-of-age comedy-drama follows Ana, a young Mexican-American woman, as she navigates her body image, family expectations, and her dreams of attending college while working in a sewing factory with her traditional mother and sister.
Starring: America Ferrera, Lupe Ontiveros, Ingrid Oliu, George Lopez, Brian Sites, Soledad St. Hilaire, Lourdes Perez Nido, Jorge Cervera Jr., Felipe de Alba, José Gerardo Zamora Jr., Edgar Lujan, Lina Acosta, Celina Belizan, Ramona Garcia Coronado, Marlene Forte, Jim Ishida, Agapito Leal, Esmerelda McQuillan, Jose Tolentino, Sandie Torres, Dale E. Turner, Julia Vera, Lisa Guzman, Lackey Bevis, Michelle Moretti, Minerva García, Mylo Ironbear;
Production year: 2002;
Genre: drama, comedy;
MPAA rating: pg13;
Duration: 90 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 6,9;
“The Book of Life”, 2014
Director: Jorge R. Gutiérrez
An animated film that intertwines romance and adventure, this story follows Manolo, a young man who embarks on a journey through the Land of the Remembered and the Land of the Forgotten to seek his true love and discover his family's legacy, all set against the backdrop of Día de los Muertos.
Starring: Diego Luna, Zoe Saldana, Channing Tatum, Ron Perlman, Christina Applegate, Ice Cube, Kate del Castillo, Hector Elizondo, Danny Trejo, Carlos Alazraqui, Ana de la Reguera, Emil-Bastien Bouffard, Elijah Rodriguez, Genesis Ochoa, Plácido Domingo, Eugenio Derbez, Gabriel Iglesias, Trey Bumpass, Dan Navarro, Kennedy Peil, Miguel Sandoval, Grey Griffin, Ben Gleib, Ricardo El Mandril Sanchez, Cheech Marin, Ishan Sharma, Anjelah N. Johnson, Sandra Equihua, Callahan Clark, Gunnar Sizemore, Angélica María, Eric Bauza, Aron Warner, Sandra Echeverría, Tonita Castro, Troy Evans, Rosemary Alexander, Steve Alterman, Eva Bella, Madison Carlon, Vicki Davis, Moosie Drier, Maximilian Ehrenreich, Cullen McCarthy, David Michie, Michelle Moores, Jonathan Nichols-Navarro;
Production year: 2014;
Genre: animation, musical, fantasy, melodrama, comedy, adventure, family;
MPAA rating: pg;
Duration: 95 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 7,2;
More information about the film “The Book of Life” on the website imdb.com
“A Better Life”, 2011
Director: Chris Weitz
This poignant drama tells the story of Carlos, a Mexican immigrant working as a gardener in Los Angeles, who struggles to provide a better life for his son while facing the challenges of immigration and poverty.
Starring: Demián Bichir, Eddie «Piolin» Sotelo, Joaquín Cosio, José Julián, Nancy Lenehan, Gabriel Chavarria, Bobby Soto, Chelsea Rendon, Trampas Thompson, Tim Griffin, Valorie Hubbard, Dolores Heredia, Isabella Rae Thomas, Carlos Linares, Robert Peters, Richard Cabral, Bella Balajadia, Giselle Nieto, Luis Colocio, Ray Moreno, Yelyna De Leon, Rolando Molina, Tadie Acosta, Joe Renteria, Isidro Vallin, Magi Avila, Henry Ambriz, Miguel Alejandro Gaxiola, Jorge Gaxiola, Robert Renderos, Charles Currier, Marlon Correa, Adrian Mojica, Todd Felix, Eddie Martinez, Jason Medwin, Tom Schanley, Abraham Chaidez, Ruben Avitia, Lian Castillo, Fredo Cervantes, Rico Deveraux, Maynor Lopez, Patricia Medrano, George Paez, Abraham Rubio, Tatiana Sarasty, Mary Scanlon;
Production year: 2011;
Genre: drama, melodrama;
MPAA rating: pg13;
Duration: 98 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 7,2;
“In the Heights”, 2021
Director: Jon M. Chu
Based on Lin-Manuel Miranda's musical, this vibrant film captures the life in the Washington Heights neighborhood of New York City, focusing on the dreams, struggles, and cultural pride of its Latino residents.
Starring: Anthony Ramos, Melissa Barrera, Leslie Grace, Corey Hawkins, Olga Merediz, Jimmy Smits, Gregory Diaz IV, Daphne Rubin-Vega, Stephanie Beatriz, Dascha Polanco, Noah Catala, Mateo Gómez, Marc Anthony, Patrick Page, Olivia Perez, Analia Gomez, Dean Scott Vazquez, Mason Vazquez, Delia Ramos, James Leyva, Chris Jackson, Susan Pourfar, María Hinojosa, Ryan Woodle, Doreen Montalvo, Ilia Jessica Castro, Yesy Garcia, Jonathan Arana, Jennifer Hernandez, Amp Ngernrungruangroj, Bairam Rizai, Lavinia Jones Wright, Alexandra Campos, Rhapsody James, Ariana S. Gomez, Ariana Greenblatt, Hugh M Jones III, Melissa Strain, Fana Minea Tesfagiorgis, Daniel Alatorre, Ethan Barker, Shawn Black, Lucas Cardona, Emiliano Cuesta, Andre Da Silva, Gina DePool, Courtney Gonzalez, Anthony Gusevich, Juliet Hartley;
Production year: 2021;
Genre: musical, melodrama, drama;
MPAA rating: pg13;
Duration: 143 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 7,3;
More information about the film “In the Heights” on the website imdb.com
“Selena”, 1997
Director: Gregory Nava
A biographical drama that chronicles the life of Tejano music star Selena Quintanilla, exploring her rise to fame, her cultural impact, and the challenges she faced as a Latina artist in the music industry.
Starring: Jennifer Lopez, Jackie Guerra, Constance Marie, Alex Meneses, Jon Seda, Edward James Olmos, Jacob Vargas, Pete Astudillo, Rueben Gonzáles, Ricky Vela, Don Shelton, Richard Emanuelle, Panchito Gómez, Richard Coca, George Perez, Brian Fallteen, Carmen Martínez, Elisabeth Gonzalez, Richard Iglesias, Everett Sifuentes, Gil Glasgow, Rebecca Lee Meza, Victoria Elena Flores, Rafael Tamayo, Carl William Holler, Bel Hernandez, Gail Cronauer, Elia Ortiz, Fernando Cubillas, Sal Lopez, Richard William Hughes, Erick Carrillo, Frank Mendez, Seidy Lopez, Francisco J. De La Fuente, Don Cass, Keith Kaslow, Peter P. Montejano, Michael Guerrero, Ronald Gonzales, Chris Doughton, León Singer, Martha Flores, Terry Elena Ordaz, Marcos Padilla, Valerio Longoria Sr., Philip Raybourn, Mark Carrillo, Darline Tigrett, Donnie Neubauer;
Production year: 1997;
Genre: biography, music, drama;
MPAA rating: pg;
Duration: 127 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 6,8;
More information about the film “Selena” on the website imdb.com
“Spanglish”, 2004
Director: James L. Brooks
A comedic drama that explores the cultural clashes and language barriers between a Mexican immigrant housekeeper and the affluent American family she works for, highlighting the humor and heart in their interactions.
Starring: Adam Sandler, Paz Vega, Téa Leoni, Cloris Leachman, Shelbie Bruce, Sarah Steele, Ian Donovan Hyland, Victoria Luna, Cecilia Suárez, Ricardo Molina, Brenda Canela, Eddy Martin, Nicole Nieth, Jamie Kaler, James Lancaster, Phil Rosenthal, Angela Goethals, Sean Smith, Jonathan Hernandez, Thomas Haden Church, Freddy Soto, Wendy Braun, Nichole Hiltz, Eric Schaeffer, Aimee Garcia, Jean Gaskill, Spencer Locke, Sarah Hyland, Andrew Sikking, Albert Melera, Liz Carey, Anastasia C. Ford, Yasmeen Azizian, Daisy Cruz, Kristha Sazo, Morgan Ward, Cheryl Ward, Christian Stone, Antonio Munoz, Storm Ascher, Robby D. Bruce, Christopher Morente, Brennan W. Penney, Natasha Perez, Tony Sagastizado I, Rachel Zeskind;
Production year: 2004;
Genre: drama, melodrama, comedy;
MPAA rating: pg13;
Duration: 126 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 6,4;
More information about the film “Spanglish” on the website imdb.com
“Coco”, 2017
Director: Lee Unkrich, Adrian Molina
This animated film follows a young boy named Miguel as he embarks on a journey to the Land of the Dead to uncover his family's history and passion for music, beautifully illustrating the importance of family and tradition in Latino culture.
Starring: Anthony Gonzalez, Gael García Bernal, Benjamin Bratt, Alanna Ubach, Renee Victor, Jaime Camil, Alfonso Arau, Herbert Siguenza, Gabriel Iglesias, Lombardo Boyar, Ana Ofelia Murguía, Natalia Cordova-Buckley, Selene Luna, Edward James Olmos, Sofía Espinosa, Carla Medina, Dyana Ortelli, Luis Valdez, Blanca Araceli, Salvador Reyes, Cheech Marin, Octavio Solis, John Ratzenberger;
Production year: 2017;
Genre: animation, fantasy, comedy, adventure, family, music;
MPAA rating: pg;
Duration: 105 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 8,4;
More information about the film “Coco” on the website imdb.com
These films not only entertain but also educate audiences about the diversity and richness of the Latino experience in America, bridging cultural gaps and fostering understanding.
The selection of films about Latinos in America offers a rich and diverse portrayal of the Latino experience in the United States. From exploring themes of identity, immigration, and cultural heritage to depicting the struggles and triumphs of Latino individuals and communities, these films provide a powerful platform for storytelling and representation. Through compelling narratives, authentic performances, and thought-provoking storytelling, these films contribute to a deeper understanding of the Latino experience in America, shedding light on the complexities, traditions, and contemporary realities of Latino life in the country. As these films continue to captivate audiences and garner critical acclaim, they serve as a testament to the importance of diverse and inclusive storytelling in the world of cinema.
