According to the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, the National Film Registry needs more Latinx movies.
For the unfamiliar, the registry is a list of “culturally, historically or aesthetically significant films” picked by the Library of Congress’ National Film Preservation Board. The 775-movie list is intended to encapsulate America’s film heritage and history. It includes movies like “The Wizard of Oz,” “North by Northwest” and “Die Hard.”
It also only includes 17 Latinx films “La Bamba,” “Stand and Deliver” and “Buena Vista Social Club” among them.
The Congressional Hispanic Caucus doesn’t think this is enough. In January, it petitioned that “Selena” be added to the registry. Last week, it followed up with a list of 25 other films (that’s the number of movies added each year by the board) it believes “reflect the diversity of Latino identities, histories, geographies, and political perspectives.” You can see the full list here.
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Once, Gabriel B. Zavala envisioned himself playing rock ’n’ roll in Mexico in front of a million fans. He wrote music and played his guitar in front of anyone who would listen.
But the young man’s dream turned into a different reality. He needed money and there were finite instruments he could buy in his hometown of Acámbaro, Guanajuato.
He followed the path paved by his father and uncles. He headed north in 1965 to earn money as a bracero in the city of Placentia. When he had saved enough, he’d return to his native land with a PA system, a Fender guitar and other instruments ready for stardom.