Latina Directors Amplifying Their Voices: Crowdfunding Picks
Latinas are severely under-represented in film — both onscreen and behind the scenes. Among the directors of the top films from 2007 to 2016, only one was Latina. In addition, Latinas comprised just three percent of characters in the top 100 films of 2016. So, for this round of crowdfunding picks, we’re spotlighting projects by and about Latina women.
First up is Kayden Phoenix’s “Jalisco.” This short film gives us a Mexican superhero who uses a traditional dance and her wide skirt, with hidden blades, to defeat her enemies. It’s sure to feed the geek inside every Latina girl just waiting to see herself in the fictional heroes who save the day.
Next, Natalie Rodriguez tells an honest, understanding tale about mental health in “The Extraordinary Ordinary.” And Anita Collins rounds things off with “Fate Has No Plan.” It’s a journey of self-discovery born out of a mysterious inscription left on the bottom of a pair of old shoes.
Here’s our latest round of women-created and women-centric crowdfunding picks.
“Jalisco” (Short) — Written and Directed by Kayden Phoenix
“Jalisco” is an opportunity to give little girls a Latina superhero they can connect to. Even though superheroes are all the rave right now, young Latinas still don’t have a hero (or heroine) who reflects Latinx culture or what’s it like to grow up in Latinx culture.
Writer-director Kayden Phoenix’s idea to have a superhero that embraces her culture’s clothes and dance is a groundbreaking next step to proper representation. It’s also a really cool stepping stone for little girls who are just entering the superhero genre and want female-driven content other than “Wonder Woman.”
You can help fund “Jalisco” through its Seed & Spark campaign.
“The Extraordinary Ordinary” — Written and Directed by Natalie Rodriguez
For “Extraordinary Ordinary,” Natalie Rodriguez re-imagined a script she wrote in high school, “Teenage Wasteland,” after she started having panic attacks again in her college years. What was born is an honest look at mental health and its related struggles and stigma.
Stories like this are hard to come by but are absolutely necessary. It’s important to show those in need that it’s okay to seek out help and that they aren’t alone. Rodriguez demonstrates this through the eyes of two college women, one similar to the writer-director herself and coping with panic attacks, and the other struggling through a different trauma.
“The Extraordinary Ordinary” is a powerful and relatable short film. It’s all the more necessary since opening up about mental health issues can be especially difficult in Latinx families.
Help “The Extraordinary Ordinary” tell its story by contributing to its Seed & Spark campaign.
“Fate Has No Plan” (Short) — Written and Directed by Anita Collins
“Fate Has No Plan” begins with the discovery of an old pair of shoes and transforms into a journey of self-discovery. The young woman who finds them, complete with an inscription, has a strong need to know more about the person who left the shoes behind. Per usual, when it comes to journeys like this, the person seeking out answers ends up learning about herself in the process.
Further, “Fate Has No Plan” is based on writer-director Anita Collins’ own experiences: she, too, actually found shoes belonging to a woman who died in 1880.
You can support the production of “Fate Has No Plan” by donating to its Seed & Spark campaign.
To be considered for Women and Hollywood’s biweekly crowdfunding feature, please write to womenandhollywoodinterns@gmail.com. All formats (features, shorts, web series, etc.) are welcome. Projects must be by and/or about women.
