Latino Public Broadcasting announced today that it is backing nine programs through its Public Media Content Fund, which supports Latino-themed content for public TV and the Web.
Independent filmmakers submitted 83 proposals this year, according to LPB.
“Our selection process was highly competitive with many outstanding projects making it to the final round,” said Sandie Viquez Pedlow, LPB executive director, in the announcement. “We look forward to working with these talented filmmakers in bringing these compelling stories to the American public on PBS, and extending the reach of this content into classrooms across the country.”
Marabina Jaimes is one of the voice actresses who dub the drama Desperate Housewives into Spanish, in the documentary Now En Español. (Photo: LPB)
Submissions were judged by a panel of public media professionals, station programmers, academics, executives from funding organizations and other filmmakers. Grants range from $5,000 to $100,000 for several genres: documentary, narrative, performance, new media or mixed genres.
Nearly half the winners are emerging filmmakers, LPB said.
The grants support:
- A Photographer’s Journey, by Ray Telles and Yvan Iturriaga. The story of Mexican-American Pedro Guerrero, born into segregation in the 1920s, who became an internationally known photographer.
- Children of Giant, by Hector Galan. The documentary explores racism as residents of Marfa, Texas, recall their experiences during filming of the epic movie Giant.
- East of Salinas, by Laura Pacheco and Jackie Mow. A gifted Mexican-American teacher dedicates himself to providing migrant children a life beyond the fields.
- El Poeta, by Kelly Duane de la Vega and Katie Galloway. A Mexican poet sparks an international peace movement after the murder of his 24-year-old son, an innocent killed in the region’s drug wars.
- Now En Español, by Andrea Meller. Five Latina women who dub the network television show Desperate Housewives into Spanish experience their own unique challenges off-screen.
- The Hand That Feeds, by Rachel Lears and Robin Blotnick. A shy sandwich maker and his undocumented coworkers come together to fight abusive conditions at a restaurant chain.
- The State of Arizona, by Carlos Sandoval. A look behind the state’s controversial immigration legislation, known as the “papers please law,” that continues to divide citizens.
- Migrant Heroes, by Yolanda Cruz. This interactive web series, comprising six episodes of six minutes each, celebrates migrants who struggle to improve their adopted communities. Viewers will contribute ideas for profiles.
- 18 Bakers, by Andrew Bracken. Twenty, three-minute webisodes focus on an immigration raid on May 15, 2008, on the French Gourmet bakery in San Diego, highlighting the plight of the restaurant workers who were arrested.